In this episode, Ed and LeAnne cut through the noise and explain why your long-term plan matters more than ever. Ed unpacks what’s driving the current environment—from tariffs and geopolitical tension to interest rates, inflation, and the national debt—and explains why the market often moves ahead of what the Federal Reserve says it will do. 

By the end, Ed brings the conversation home by reminding everyone to focus on what you can control: building a diversified portfolio that matches your risk, defining the true purpose of your money, and creating a plan that helps you stay confident through volatility.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How “doom scrolling” can distort your view of the economy and your retirement decisions.
• How inflation, GDP growth, and interest rates interact and why rates don’t always fall when the Fed cuts.
• What servicing the national debt means for long-term fiscal pressure and market expectations.
• Why Ed believes a well-balanced portfolio is more important than ever right now.
• How to define your “purpose” for money and use it to determine the right level of risk for your plan.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, I’m joined by economist and author Peter Schiff, founder of Euro Pacific Capital. He unpacks the warning signs in an economy propped up by national debt, stimulus, and deficit spending. ​

Peter has long criticized the Federal Reserve, forecasting the consequences of unsustainable fiscal policies. At Euro Pacific Asset Management and SchiffGold, he guides investors by protecting wealth through real assets and global diversification. ​

In our conversation, Peter warns that the same policies fueling today’s markets are eerily similar to those of the 1970s, and how uncontrolled inflation and stimulus could lead Americans to big lifestyle changes in the future. He explains why the U.S. dollar’s dominance is dwindling, how America has been exporting inflation to the rest of the world, and what it means as nations pivot back toward gold. ​

Peter also lays out his predictions for the next 5-10 years, from the potential for hyperinflation to the real opportunities for those who own tangible assets and diversified foreign holdings. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why the strength of the U.S. dollar is a mirage and what’s causing it to weaken.
• How debt, deficits, and rate cuts could trigger a global shift back to gold.
• Why Peter believes Americans will face a lower standard of living in the coming years.
• The challenges the Fed faces with inflation, and the risk of defaulting on the debt by raising interest rates.
• How rising gold prices are an indicator that cutting interest rates is a mistake.
• Peter’s predictions on the prices of precious metals and Bitcoin in the near future.
• Practical steps to protect your retirement and purchasing power as inflation rises.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

That’s why I’m excited to welcome Danielle DiMartino Booth back to the podcast. As a former advisor to the President of the Dallas Federal Reserve during the Great Financial Crisis, and bestselling author of Fed Up: An Insider’s Take on Why the Federal Reserve is Bad for America, Danielle is now a leading voice on central banking and monetary policy.

In our conversation, we outline the origins of the Federal Reserve, its evolving role, and why its independence is now at the center of one of the most consequential debates in modern history. Danielle explains the significance of upcoming Fed decisions, the controversies surrounding key policymakers, and how revisions to job market data reveal a very different economic picture than many Americans have been led to believe.

And you won’t want to miss Danielle’s candid forecasts about where interest rates may go, what the Fed’s choices mean for retirees and investors, and her take on factors that could shape the U.S. economy for years ahead.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The true origins and purpose of the Federal Reserve—and why it was created in 1913.
• Why the Fed’s independence from politics is under historic pressure.
• How job market data revisions reveal the U.S. may already be in recession.
• What the “dot plot” is, why it matters, and how it shapes investor expectations.
• Why upcoming rate cuts could impact retirees, small businesses, and markets in unexpected ways.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Daniel Crosby to the show. As a psychologist turned behavioral finance expert, Daniel’s career has focused on translating academic research into practical advice for everyday investors. He is a bestselling author, a renowned speaker, and one of the leading voices in behavioral finance. Through his work, Daniel helps people understand the psychology behind their money decisions—and how aligning finances with purpose can lead to better outcomes and a more meaningful life.

In this conversation, we explored the four biggest mistakes people make with money, why simple rules often outperform complexity, and how tying financial decisions to personal purpose can transform both wealth and well-being. 

You won’t want to miss Daniel’s simple, yet powerful framework for creating a meaningful life and how it applies to retirement planning, investing, and living with intention.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The four behavioral finance pitfalls that sabotage investors.
• Why simple, rules-based systems consistently outperform even the most complex strategies.
• Daniel’s “River Jordan analogy” to explain why people resist simple but powerful financial advice.
• Why tying your money to a greater purpose leads to better decisions and stronger outcomes.
• The “Three Bs” for creating a meaningful life and how they shape financial planning and retirement.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, Ed shares why the extension of the 2017 tax cuts is a welcome relief, even though the bill’s additional government spending raises valid concerns. He unpacks how the bill affects everything from Social Security taxation and senior deductions to Roth conversions and small business tax relief. With layers of misinformation surrounding the new legislation, Ed and LeAnne clarify what’s real—and what retirees and pre-retirees need to prioritize right now.

Whether you’re confused about IRMAA thresholds, looking to optimize your Roth strategy, or wondering how estate taxes will be affected in the coming years, this episode will provide you with the clarity and context you need to make informed decisions.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How the senior “bonus” deduction affects your taxes and when it expires.
• Why now is a critical window for Roth conversions before tax brackets revert.
• What the new bill changes for Social Security taxation and IRMAA and what stays the same.
• How small businesses benefit from the permanent QBI deduction and Section 179 expansion.
• Why having a flexible, purpose-driven plan matters more than ever.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome Robert Kiyosaki back on the podcast. Robert is an entrepreneur, investor, and best-selling author of several books, including Rich Dad Poor Dad. He’s back for a sobering yet important conversation about the state of the economy and the direction of the country. He also weighs in on the value of hard assets, such as gold and silver, as well as the USD and Bitcoin. Fun fact: He was bang on with his predictions late last year. 

In this conversation, Robert uncovers the truth behind the rising prices of gold, silver, and Bitcoin, as well as the diminishing faith and trust in U.S. institutions and the devastating consequences of the ever-growing national debt. Most importantly, Robert delivers straightforward advice: buy and own tangible assets that can’t be printed and improve your fundamental understanding of finance so you can stop relying on a broken system.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why Robert believes the U.S. dollar is “fake money.”
• The hidden costs of inflation and rising national debt.
• Why saving printed money and traditional investments is a losing strategy.
• Reasons to be bullish on assets like gold, silver, and Bitcoin in 2025 and beyond.
• The potential devastating impact of a global shift away from the U.S. dollar as reserve currency.
• Why financial education is the most powerful form of independence.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In today's episode, Dr. Ben Carson returns to the podcast to discuss some of the most pressing health and policy issues facing the country today, from the overuse of medications to the role of personal responsibility in overall health & wellness.

Dr. Carson is the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and a renowned neurosurgeon. We're thrilled to have him share his insights and expertise on America's health crisis, the dangers of ultra-processed food, and why preventative care is key to reversing long-term systemic issues. Drawing from decades of medical experience and public service, he offers a perspective on how government and individual choices shape the future of healthcare.

In their conversation, they explore the issues contributing to the health crisis, the medical system, and the growing impact of the MAHA movement. They also discuss the popularity of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and how AI and Neuralink can improve Americans' health and lower healthcare costs. Dr. Carson shares thought-provoking ideas that challenge conventional thinking and advocate for a return to logic, transparency, and faith-based values in American society.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why Dr. Carson believes health starts with personal responsibility.
  
• The dangers of relying on drugs like GLP-1s without behavioral change.
  
• The environmental and lifestyle factors that are driving chronic disease.
  
• Why healthcare costs are so high—and what needs to change.
  
• Dr. Carson’s thoughts on AI in medicine and Neuralink.
  
• How transparency and health savings accounts could help fix a broken system.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Dr. Arthur Laffer is a world-renowned economist, creator of the Laffer Curve and former economic advisor to President Reagan. He’s been a leading voice on the economy and trade policies and has helped reshape fiscal policy worldwide. 

In our conversation, Dr. Laffer shares his perspective by presenting facts and historical data on how trade agreements and tariffs have been successfully (and unsuccessfully) throughout American history, why China is actually not American’s enemy in manufacturing shortfalls and how reducing taxes, both on individuals and at municipal and state levels would lead to a boom in the U.S. economy.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Dr. Laffer's views on the President’s first 100 days in office
• How trade deficits and capital surpluses have impacted the U.S. economy over the last 200 years.
• Why international trade is so incredibly important and how tariffs have been used throughout history.
• The terrible impact of trade wars and tariffs for the U.S. and its trade partners.
• Why Dr. Laffer believes that China is not the problem in manufacturing growth
• The math behind why transferring money from tax payers to unemployment and welfare has consequences.
• Dr. Laffer's outlook on the U.S. economy and what it means for your investment decisions.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Ed draws from personal experience and decades of financial coaching to explore the real value of professional advice. Through real-life stories and insights from the families he serves, Ed explains how a financial advisor can help you move from simply accumulating wealth to creating a personalized distribution strategy, reducing taxes, and navigating complex healthcare and legacy planning.

If you’ve ever wondered whether managing your finances saves you money—or possibly costs you more in the long run—this episode will challenge your assumptions and help you see the bigger picture. Whether you’re nearing retirement or just starting to think more strategically about your future, this episode offers guidance to help you confidently make decisions.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why even top performers have coaches—and how that applies to your financial future.
  
• The five worlds of money and why focusing only on investments could be a costly mistake.
  
• The hidden tax consequences of bad withdrawal strategies such as IRMAA penalties.
  
• Why financial firms choose to be fiduciaries and what that means to you and the advice you’re given.
• The importance of purpose-driven planning: it’s not just about the numbers—it’s about what your money means.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, Ed and LeAnne Siddell take a smooth and steady approach to break down the economic realities behind tariffs and how these policies impact consumers, businesses, and the economy. 

Drawing from current events, economic data, and historical context, Ed sheds light on the reality of the current situation and why he feels the tariffs are necessary to combat trade deficits, even if he might not necessarily agree with the overall strategy at times.

If you're one of the many who are concerned about rising prices or the long-term direction of tariffs and the economy, this episode should provide reasons for some cautious optimism.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why the administration’s policy on tariffs is necessary to resolve global trade deficits.
• How tax cuts and deregulation have historically been great methods to supercharge the economy 
• The importance of a diversified portfolio, especially during volatile market conditions.
• Investors can’t time the market, but dollar-cost averaging is a great way to ensure your portfolio recovers.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, Ed and LeAnne Siddell break down the latest market trends, including the disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street, the impact of tariffs, and the role of interest rates in shaping economic stability. They also discuss what investors should expect for the rest of the year and how to prepare for potential volatility.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why market volatility is increasing and how it affects everyday investors.
• The impact of tariffs and trade policies on the U.S. economy.
• Why inflation numbers may not reflect the full economic reality.
• The debt bubble and its long-term implications for financial stability.
• How deregulation and tax policies could shape economic growth in the coming months.
• Strategies to preserve wealth and take advantage of market corrections.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Dr. Faber is a legendary investor, economist, and publisher of The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report. He has spent decades analyzing global markets, uncovering trends before they become mainstream, and challenging conventional wisdom. 

In our conversation, Dr. Faber explains why capitalism and economic growth have stalled for the middle class and how government policies have fueled inflation. He also shares his candid take on tariffs, China’s role in the global economy, and the future of monetary policy under the next administration.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why capitalism and economic growth hasn't benefitted the middle class.
• How global debt has reached unsustainable levels and what that means for market stability.
• Why inflation is much worse than government-reported figures.
• The risks of tariffs and trade wars and how they could trigger a deeper economic downturn.
• Why China’s economic rise is misunderstood and what it means for global markets.
• Dr. Faber’s advice for preserving wealth in uncertain times and his outlook on gold, real estate, and international diversification.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Steve Forbes is the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media, a globally recognized business leader, economic visionary, and a champion of free-market principles. Steve was a two-time presidential candidate and the author of several influential books, including Flat Tax Revolution, Inflation: What It Is, Why It’s Bad, and How to Fix It. 

In our conversation, you’ll learn why tax cuts and deregulation are essential for economic growth, how stabilizing the dollar effectively combats inflation, and the role energy independence and digital currencies like Bitcoin could play in shaping the nation’s future. From the future of Social Security to the tax policies that could shake up your savings, we covered it all.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why tax cuts will stimulate economic growth and why delaying them would be a mistake.
• How deregulation empowers small businesses to thrive.
• The importance of a stable dollar to combat inflation and why the Federal Reserve's approach needs reform.
• The “fourth branch” of government you should be worried about.
• How energy independence can reduce national debt, boost the economy and your portfolio.
• What Steve Forbes would do on the first day as POTUS.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Dr. Laffer shares why he’s optimistic about the U.S. economy under new leadership, how tariffs can drive global trade negotiations, and what it will take to rebuild trust in government institutions. Arthur also weighs in on some flaws with the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies, the significance of participation rates, and why he’s advocating for a return to foundational economic principles.

From his insights on inflation and Fed policy to his vision for tax reform and government efficiency, this conversation is packed with wisdom from one of the most influential economic thinkers of our time.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The seven positions of political power in the U.S. and their implications
• Why Dr. Laffer believes the Fed’s monetary policy is fundamentally flawed
• The difference between Paul Volcker’s and Jerome Powell’s approach to combat inflation
• How tariffs can be a great negotiating tool for free trade
• Why Dr. Laffer has vowed to never work in government again.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

We’re thrilled to have Danielle DiMartino Booth on the podcast to get her insights on these hot topics. Danielle is the CEO and chief Strategist for QI Research, a former Federal Reserve insider, and the author of Fed Up: An Insider’s Take on Why the Federal Reserve is Bad for America. 

In this episode, we discussed some of the Fed’s controversial policies, the reality of a potential recession, and her outlook on the housing market, especially with the influx of real estate investors. Danielle shares her unfiltered insights on wage inflation, government layoffs, and how bond yields are a potential signal for trouble ahead. She’ll also explain why she believes we could already be in a recession—and what it means for your investments.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why Danielle believes that inflation and recession concerns are far from over.
• The purpose of the 2% inflation target and how it’s tied to deflation fears.
• What rising bond yields mean for your money. 
• Danielle’s outlook on the housing market and mortgage financing, especially for investment properties.
• Danielle’s views on the bond and stock market for 2025 and beyond.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

We’re honored to have Jim Rickards on the podcast today. Jim is an economist, Wall Street veteran, former DOD advisor, and bestselling author of The New Great Depression and Currency Wars. We discussed Jim’s newest book, MoneyGPT, the future of AI in financial markets, and its ripple effects on your portfolio.

We explore the pros and cons of AI in the financial world. From hedge funds outsourcing decisions to AI to potential market meltdowns driven by algorithms, Jim lays out what’s at stake—and how you can protect yourself. We also dive into how AI intertwines with national security and why decision-making matters more than ever.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your 401(k) or investment portfolio is ready for the AI-driven future, this episode is for you.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The impact AI and ChatGPT could have on saving for retirement.
• Why Jim believes that a new world of AI isn’t all doom and gloom.
• How hedge funds use AI to pick stocks.
• Why the lack of human empathy from AI is a valid concern with critical decisions.
• Jim’s advice for the new administration on how to protect investors against a run on banks and financial markets.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In our conversation, we dig into the biggest challenges like inflation and that national debt that is facing retirees today, why Robert has never invested in the stock market, and what he’s learned over the course of his 25+ year friendship with president-elect Donald Trump.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How inflation is making it so much harder for his generation to retire. 
• Why Robert built a portfolio focused almost entirely in real estate, precious metals, crypto and other alternative assets.
• The issues that are preventing the U.S. from keeping the national debt under control.
• Why Robert wouldn’t change much of Rich Dad Poor Dad if he was publishing it today.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In today’s episode, we discuss why yields are going up despite interest rates going down, why weaponizing the US dollar will dramatically change how we live, and how to make alternative assets a sustainable, healthy part of your portfolio.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why people aren’t buying houses even though interest rates have gone down. 
• Why gold is more of a store of value than a hedge against inflation.
• Reasons the US dollar is likely to lose its status as a reserve currency. 
• How (and how not) to purchase and store precious metals.
• What role alternative assets can and should play in your portfolio.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, I’m excited to welcome Jim Rogers back on the podcast. Jim is the bestselling author of The Investment Biker, an economist and investor, globetrotter, and multiple Guinness World Record holder with a very unique perspective on the global economy, and how things are going.

In this episode, you’ll hear Jim’s thoughts on where the US economy is at right now, the ramifications of the looming debt bubble, and how a slow and steady approach to investing might be the best approach right now.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why Jim isn’t worried yet about America’s long rally coming to an end. 
• What Jim thinks could bring the world’s high-performing markets to a halt. 
• How central bank digital currencies could affect our economy globally. 
• The alternative asset classes Jim does–and doesn’t–invest in. 
• Why now’s the time to stick with what you know and make careful, boring investments, to make sure your retirement stays exciting.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Among his many accomplishments, he helped define Prop 13 in California, consulted with several Presidents, including Nixon, Cheney, Trump, and Thatcher, and has spent most of his life studying economics and economic policy.

In this conversation, Arthur shares what he’s learned in the 50+ years he’s been in and around the White House and why the fastest-growing states have zero income tax. You’ll also hear Arthur explain why the national debt isn’t just “deferred taxes” and his thoughts on how to improve it.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The differences between Keynesian and supply-side economics–and why Art believes Keynesianism doesn’t work. 
• Why Art believes mass redistribution of wealth leads to zero income and no incentives. 
• How eras of historically high tax rates have led to underperforming economies. 
• Why Art advocates for a low-rate, broad-based flat tax.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, we’re talking about worst-case scenarios with Larry Kotlikoff. Larry is a professor of economics at Boston University, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a former Senior Economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors. His work has been featured in countless publications, and he testified to Congress on tax reform and other issues 19 times. 

In our conversation, we’ll focus on his new book, Social Security Horror Stories, where he outlines ways to ensure you get your benefits, avoid clawbacks, and navigate the seemingly impossible bureaucracy that is Social Security. We also discussed the dysfunction and abuses that have made dealing with Social Security so awful, how to make sure you’re not missing out on any possible benefits, and you’ll hear Larry’s ideas on what can be done to fix the system.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• What a Social Security clawback is–and how people have ended up being told to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments.
• How Social Security has stolen millions in benefits from tens of thousands of Americans.
• Why the calculations for the fiscal gap for Social Security funding are wildly off.
• Why Larry believes that Social Security as we know it should be retired and rethought entirely to end generational and bureaucratic abuse.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Before becoming a renowned pediatric surgeon or the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021, he faced many challenges as he and his aunt and uncle moved between Detroit and Boston.

In this interview, we discuss Dr. Carson’s run for president and shift from medicine to public policy, what’s made housing so unaffordable for so many Americans (and what can be done about it), and what he’s doing in his second “failed retirement.”

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Dr. Carson’s experiences with homelessness shaped his experiences with housing in America.
• Why Dr. Carson is a believer in transitioning people from dependency to self-sufficiency–and why he believes it’s so hard to change our established systems.
• The domino effects of unaffordable homes, increasing homelessness, and neverending price increases.
• The social programs Dr. Carson is working on now to address the other issues he sees affecting Americans today.
  

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Our goal with today’s episode is to help answer two questions: when is the right time to add more bonds to your portfolio, and why isn’t cash still king? 

We’ll discuss the relationship between interest rates and market performance, the difference between “good bonds” and “bad bonds,” and what to do with your portfolio as we approach another period of major volatility. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why interest rates likely won’t go up much further.
• Why good news is bad news for the market and vice-versa.
• What makes the market so uniquely volatile during an election year. 
• Why it’s impossible for Congress to avoid overspending.
• How our looming debt crisis makes it easy to recommend bonds over cash.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

A so-called “adventure capitalist,” Jim has published several books, driven all over the world, and achieved remarkable success. In our conversation today, we talked about what he learned traveling the world, his take on our global economy, and how to protect yourself as inflation, debt, and poor leadership put your financial future at risk.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• What inspired Jim to travel the world by motorcycle.
• Why Jim believes now’s a good time to be an old American–and why he’s concerned about the financial problems the United States keeps punting down the road. 
• What Jim’s doing to hedge his bets as he becomes increasingly pessimistic about the US economy.
• Why Jim is still investing in US dollars, but is looking for alternatives.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, we’re talking to Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media. Steve has a fantastic new book titled, Inflation: What It Is, Why It’s Bad and How To Fix It. 

In this episode, Steve shares unparalleled insights into our current economic landscape. He explains what inflation is and how it’s impacting the average household, why he believes the Fed’s behavior has us stuck in a rut, and ways we can get ourselves out of it.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The difference between non-monetary and monetary inflation. 
• Why Steve sees the Fed’s behavior as strange, unproductive, and arbitrary.
• How continuing to borrow money drives the deficit out of control, drives prices higher, and further devalues the dollar. 
• Why Steve believes we need to stabilize the dollar and innovate to rebuild our infrastructure. 
• Ways to position your portfolio to best navigate tough economic times.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, we’re talking about how to protect yourself from highly sophisticated scammers. You’ll learn how to tell when an email isn’t from who it says it is, how to protect your identity online, and what to do in the event that someone does manage to compromise one of your accounts even if you’ve done nothing wrong.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why fraudsters have gotten so much better at running scams in the last several years. 
• What happened when someone tried to steal Ed’s identity. 
• Why the IRS will NEVER leave you a voicemail asking to verify your Social Security number. 
• Why you shouldn’t wait to install recommended software updates on your computer or your phone. 
• How hospitals, insurers, and so many others fall victim to cybercrime–and what to do if your sensitive information shows up in a data leak.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

And now, the Federal Government says that we’re in a deflationary period while adding $1 trillion to the national debt every quarter. Which begs the question: What’s next?

In today’s episode, we discuss the importance of being disciplined with your spending and sticking to your budget. We’ll also explain why interest rate drops that may be on the horizon might actually limit your ability to borrow money to cover your expenses in the future.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How quantitative easing works and the US dollar and the national debt is no longer backed by gold.
• How decreasing the Federal balance sheet will impact the average American and their businesses ability to borrow funds.
• Why interest rate drops will have a negative effect on inflation.
• The importance of budgeting your money with the current interest rate environment.

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In today’s episode, we’re talking about what’s going on in America–and the silent recession that is affecting everyone except those on Wall Street. You’ll learn why all this so-called “good economic news” proves to only be good for executives and investors, why interest rates might finally start dropping soon, and how to hedge your bets to protect yourself (and your money) when the economy won’t do it for you. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the finance industry is behaving like things are just fine while everyday Americans are struggling more than ever to make ends meet.
• How last year’s interest rate increases are affecting us now. 
• How to reposition your finances as prices and interest rates start to stabilize again.
• Why you need to get clear about your financial goals to leave a legacy and make lasting memories. 

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, we're talking about how good news can actually lead to bad news when it comes to the economy. When something looks good, it usually comes at a cost.

We’ve all lived through a whole lot of craziness since 2020, and we’ve experienced major shifts in employment and the housing market–and inflation has played a huge role in that. In today’s episode, we explore how we got here, how overspending in government hurts us all, and when we might see some stability after what can feel like total chaos–and what to do with your money (and your financial plans) in the meantime. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How the Fed backed itself into a corner with interest rates–and why our booming economy led to such extreme inflation.
• Why we think interest rates might freeze by next summer.
• Why debt is at unbelievable highs–and the economic factors that might make things even worse very soon.
• Things you can do right now to create economic leverage across your own accounts.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

For anyone who has been able to put money away and generate enough wealth to leave assets behind, we all need to determine who will take care of us and those assets toward the end of our lives–whether that’s our kids or someone we hire. 

With that in mind, today’s episode is about what it means to leave a legacy behind for the people you care about. We discuss how to best prepare your family to inherit what you leave behind, the small mistakes that can have huge consequences when we’re gone, and the critical components of a legacy plan that we ensure every client has. 

 In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why legacy is about memories and money–not just one or the other.
• How to keep your assets out of probate court.
• Why it’s so important to review your benefits annually.
• What to do if you have gaps in your legacy planning. 

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Right now, we have a bull market in the S&P, volatility is low and tech is back on the rise. So, is it time to go all-in, or should investors beware?

Today, we’re talking about why our markets seem so crazy, the resurgence of big tech in the wake of AI, and why all of this reaffirms the importance of having a solid financial plan at every stage of life.

 In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The importance of understanding how market volatility impacts your investment decisions.
• Why some investment products make sense for some and don’t for others. 
• The importance of having a solid investment plan, especially in retirement. 

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Even if you’re steadily employed or running a healthy business and your personal debts are manageable, these macroeconomic factors can still affect you. 

In today’s episode, we walk through why other people’s spending impacts our overall quality of life, how to get the best possible deals when you make a big purchase in this economy, and what to do about any lingering debt you need to get rid of. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why consumer spending is at an all-time high–and where the money’s coming from. 
• Why last year’s interest rate hikes are just now starting to impact us. 
• How solid financial planning makes it easy to rein in spending and eliminate your debts. 
• Why you should always pay off your credit cards in full. 
• How to address the challenges of skyrocketing costs for basic things like utilities and groceries as you approach (or are in) retirement. 

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Inflation continues to be an issue in today’s economy, which is why it’s so important to make every dollar count. Everything is more expensive now, and saving for retirement is not a one-size-fits-all plan because everyone’s situation is different.

In today’s episode, we’ll explain the difference between saving with pretax contributions or a Roth, how using your savings for vacations or emergencies can impact your income at tax time, and why making the wrong decisions early on can have significant consequences on your income taxes in retirement.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• How inflation is essentially a hidden tax that impacts your savings.
• The biggest difference between savings pretax or in a Roth.
• Reasons why having your savings all in pretax dollars could be an issue later.
• Why Roth accounts are still highly recommended for young investors.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Instead, this is your opportunity to get a better understanding of these complex situations and make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your individual financial plan strong and healthy.

In today’s episode, we talk through how we arrived at this truly crazy moment in our economy, the consequences of untenable debt and years of bad fiscal policy, and how to approach your own finances when our leadership is asleep at the wheel. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why this economic moment is the consequence of a failure in leadership.
• How record-high debt leaves every part of our economy at greater risk of default.
• How the Silicon Valley Bank collapse proves that CFOs of hugely successful companies don’t understand the limits of banking.
• How to take a long-term approach to your finances in chaotic times. 

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today’s episode is all about answering one of the toughest questions we get asked: “What do I do now?” We dig into how it feels to retire, the power of feeling uncomfortable, and how to live your life with purpose and intention in the years and decades to come. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why almost no one who retires enjoys being sedentary for long.
• Why men struggle so much more with the concept of retirement than women.
• The value of scheduling one thing to do every single day.
• Why financial, physical, and mental fitness are so interlinked.
• How to ensure your retirement plan will keep you able to do the things you love for as long as possible. 

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

We’ve had lots of people asking us where they can purchase gold and silver. With that in mind, today’s episode is all about precious metals–and why the buyer should almost always beware. We discuss common precious metals scams, whether these assets should be a part of your portfolio, and safer ways to make these investments if you’re interested. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the dollar is losing value right now.
• Why individual investors are almost always paying premiums when investing in gold, silver, or other metals.
• Why precious metals aren’t a perfect fit for everyone.
• What to watch out for when investing in precious metals–and why you should avoid almost anything that comes in a fancy box.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

That’s why factoring inflation into your retirement plan is so important right now. In today’s episode, we walk you through how to create an action plan to get you through this period of inflation, whether we’re officially in a recession or not.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the Fed is likely to crush the economy if they raise rates to 2%.
• How we’ve set ourselves up for high costs, exhausted resources, and an ever-growing debt bubble with international impacts.
• Why we started taking huge positions in cash to address an overleveraged market.
• How to build risk tolerance into your financial plan and portfolio.
• Why now’s the time to figure out where your money is being spent–and simple things you can do to curtail inefficient spending.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today’s episode is all about how to make legacy planning as simple as possible. We’ll walk you through what needs to be done to ensure that your family is looked after and cared for when that day comes.

Even though you can’t plan for everything, you can give them a great head start–which can make a world of difference when everything feels overwhelming.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why it’s so important to put together a basic estate plan and review it often.
• How dictating who gets what takes stress off of families and eliminates conflict.
• How to communicate the details of your plan with your beneficiaries.
• How to make the details of your digital life part of your estate plan.
• Who to talk to in order to build out a plan for your survivors–and how to get help if you need it.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

While it may not be an emergency (yet!), it may be time to take a step back and assess your situation.

With that in mind, today’s episode is all about how to make sure that your money lasts. We’re talking about why it’s so easy to accidentally take on debt, how to put together a personal debt plan to eliminate the bad debt you may hold right now, and what you can do from here on out to avoid a bad financial situation in the years to come.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The impacts of consumer debt being at an all-time high.
• The difference between good debt and bad debt.
• How to get a grip on your finances if everything feels out of control.
• Courses you can take to get a better sense of your financial education.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, we dig into pensions, Social Security, insurance coverage, and much more. You’ll learn about when to start working with a financial planner, how to do the math, and how to get access to the retirement checklist so you can get a clear sense of what you’ve achieved–and what you still have left to figure out. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why so many people go over budget so easily.
• How to start reviewing what your assets actually look like as you prepare to retire–and assess your financial health.
• How to do a dry run and start picturing retirement well before it’s time to retire.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Pundits love to share good news; they don’t love to talk about the underlying pressures that make markets act the way they do. This means that if you’re nearing retirement and keeping up with financial news, you may not have all the information or tools you need to make sure your retirement plan is in the best shape possible.

Today, we’re discussing what market rallies really mean, how they affect your portfolio, and how you can protect yourself in market upturns and downturns alike.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why this rally is unlikely to take us out of a bear market.
• What the Philly Fed is, why it matters, and why it says we’re headed in the wrong direction.
• Why inflation has changed your budget–whether you’ve adjusted it or not.
• How increased taxes of all kinds will inevitably push higher costs onto consumers.
• Why now’s the time to get your financial plan in order.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

And if you’re of retirement age, you were there for the hyperinflation of the 1970s, the dot-com bust of the 2000s, and the Great Recession, but that doesn’t mean that your portfolio is currently suited to the moment at hand.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the countless financial products and options out there right now, how to avoid making emotional investing decisions in tough times, and how to make sure that you’re taking on the right amount of risk in every stage of life.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What makes bear market rallies so complicated.
• The difference between financial advice and “hot stock tips.”
• How being overinvested in the market can set you up for constant losses and punishing tax bills.
• How to build a financial plan that ensures you won’t outlive your money.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/72

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Understandably, this leads to a lot of questions: how is this going to affect bonds and the stock markets? How will this impact the economy and employment? Will there be a recession?

No matter what happens, a comprehensive financial plan is your best defense in uncertain times.

In today’s episode, we discuss the impacts of the Fed’s decision, how to create a risk budget and reserves to prevent needing to sell at a loss, and how to create a plan that’ll ensure you have enough income, no matter what.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why our economy is in a perfect storm of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
• Why there’s no way to time the market, especially right now.
• The importance of understanding your finances at every age.
• How to take advantage of charitable contributions in retirement planning.
• How to get a second look at your retirement plan or portfolio.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/71

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Imagine that you're on your way to an important business meeting or picking your spouse up from the airport when one of your tires suddenly goes flat. If you have a spare, you'll be a little late. If you don't, your entire day could be derailed. 

As we all know, life can be unpredictable. And if you're taking too many risks with your investment portfolio, or if you've simply failed to prepare, changing market conditions can be more than a flat tire–they can put your nest egg in jeopardy and wreak havoc on your retirement.

It's impossible to predict how the market will be performing when we retire, which is why today's episode is all about what to do when you retire in a market downturn. We'll dig into why our current economic situation is so complicated, why it shouldn't impact whether or not you retire, and how to take emotion out of your financial planning and live your life to the fullest. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why we’re likely in or on the verge of a recession.
• How recessions can negatively impact your retirement portfolio.
• Why it’s important to review your portfolio as often as quarterly when markets are volatile.
• The questions you and your financial advisor should be asking as you look over your financial plan.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/70

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In part one of this two-part series, we’ll discuss why it’s happening and dive into how to make sure your retirement plan can sustain your lifestyle, even if costs continue to go up.

We’ll help you make sense of why the markets seem to be changing at the drop of a hat, why emotional investing is all but guaranteed to hurt you, and how a custom retirement plan suited to your unique needs is critical in tough times.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What makes inflation so uniquely inescapable right now.
• Why you need a solid financial plan now more than ever.
• What to consider investing in when US companies like Netflix, Meta and others continue to prove that they have been overvalued.
• How crypto continues to prove to be correlated to the market.
• Why you don’t want to liquidate what you have at a loss to cover your living expenses–and how to prevent this from happening.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/68

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

That’s why it’s so important to factor inflation into your retirement plan. While you can hope for the best, it certainly doesn’t hurt to prepare for the worst so that you’re prepared for a potential recession.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about what you can do about high inflation, how to create a plan of action, and ensure that your retirement plan will protect you even in the event of an economic downturn.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why inflation is starting to slow down the economy.
• This impact that inflation has on most people.
• Why quantitative easing and the 2008 bailouts kicked the can down the road, setting the stage for the economic problems we’re having right now.
• How economic sanctions are hurting the value of the dollar internationally.
• Why sitting with cash is the worst thing you can do right now.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/67

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

However, an energy or economic crisis doesn’t have to become a wealth crisis, and you can create a plan that helps you no matter where you are or what your future holds. 

In this episode, we’re talking about how to prepare–and protect–yourself from massive energy bills, bear markets, and how to deal with that little voice in your head telling you to cash out without thinking about the consequences. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why gas prices go up fast, but don’t come down that quickly.
• How to make sense of markets going up 200 or down 500 points in the same hour.
• How a financial plan prevents you from needing to liquidate your holdings at a loss to maintain your lifestyle.
• What not to do when the market drops and people start panicking.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/66

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In today’s episode, we discuss why our current economy is directly tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, how media fear-mongering is making the situation worse, and why it’s more important than ever to have a strong financial plan in place.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What stagflation is, and why this term is being used to describe our economic environment.
• Why your dollar is buying you less and less.
• How the media makes bad economic situations worse.
• How a solid financial plan stops you from making emotional decisions when it comes to your finances.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/65

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

You’ll learn why taxes are all but certain to go up soon–and what you can do right now to position yourself to save the most on your tax bill not just this year, but for years to come. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why people in retirement still have to worry about taxes.
• How you save determines whether you owe money on your Social Security.\What retirees can do to minimize their tax.
• Why taxes are all but guaranteed to go up in the near future.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/64

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Cryptocurrency has gone through a series of even more extreme ups and downs, with investors experiencing swings from anywhere between 500 and 1,000 points.

All of this can be extremely daunting, especially if you’re on the verge of retirement (or recently retired). You want your portfolio to be able to keep you afloat no matter what happens in the market, and you need to be able to look at your accounts without making any rash decisions.

Today’s episode is all about how to do exactly that. You’ll learn how to make sure your portfolio can withstand volatile markets, get a grip on what you’re really spending each month, and how to take emotion out of your decision-making process.

From there, we then expand on the basics of cryptocurrency and discuss Project Hamilton, the collaboration between MIT and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to develop a hypothetical central bank digital currency.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why you simply cannot be emotional when it comes to investing.
• The importance of understanding your expenses–and why you need to be able to adjust your budget to account for massive inflation right now.
• The do’s and don’ts of basic risk budgeting and financial planning.
• What Project Hamilton could mean for the future of cryptocurrency.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/63

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Having said that, the questions that we hear from our clients are still the same. “Should I invest in crypto? And what are the downsides?”

Today, we’re answering some of our most common client questions about cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of what cryptocurrencies are, how they’re taxed, and why there are just as many downsides as there are upsides to these investments.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What makes cryptocurrencies so popular.
• Why regulation and taxation are likely coming to this space soon.
• The reasons why adding Bitcoin to your 401(k) could be a risky strategy..
• The unique uses of different cryptocurrencies.
• Why crypto is not a good investment for everyone–and why you need to be prepared to lose it all.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/62

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Simply put, you can’t always know what’s going to happen–and you need to be able to be prepared, no matter what comes your way.

In today’s episode, we talk about what’s going on with a market that’s constantly up and down, why you still shouldn’t try to time the market, and how to build a risk budget that provides you and your loved ones with the financial safety you’ll need in retirement.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Even without a crystal ball to predict the future, we can predict periods of volatility.
• Why the inflation numbers might be higher than what is being reported.
• Why having a bond portfolio right now could have more risk than a stock portfolio.
• The impact that volatile markets can have on investors who are nearing retirement.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit EGSIFinancial.com/61

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

With that in mind, we know we can’t predict the future–but we can help you create a plan to weather the coming storm and achieve your goals, no matter what happens in the world.

Today’s episode is all about what needs to go on your financial checklist by December 31st, 2021, and what to look out for going into the new year.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why simply having some investments or assets is not a financial plan.
• The questions retirees and the soon-to-be-retired should be asking themselves right now.
• How to prepare for the upcoming changes to income taxes.
• The core components of a successful financial plan.
• What to consider to max out your Social Security.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/60

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Whether you’re giving to charity, making contributions to retirement accounts, or preparing for inflation to best protect your wealth, today’s episode is for you. We’re talking about what your year-end financial checklist should look like and how to craft a retirement strategy suited to your needs.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Things you can do (or have to do) before December 31 pertaining to your retirement accounts.
• Why this might be the last year for backdoor Roth conversions.
• How to protect yourself against a potential economic downturn in the face of the Omicron COVID variant, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and inflation.
• How the changes to the SECURE Act will impact distributions from an inherited IRA.
• What to do right now if you don’t have a plan.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/59

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Giving (and receiving) gifts can be a whole lot of fun–but it’s also one of the easiest times of the year to overspend, rack up credit card debt, and make financial decisions that feel better in the moment than they do in the long run.

With that in mind, today’s episode is all about how to set an effective budget. We’re talking about why budgeting gets so contentious, how to eliminate conflict through budgeting, and tools you can use to know where your money’s really going–and start saving lots of it.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why it’s more important than ever before to have a solid budget and revisit it regularly.
• The value of budgeting early in life.
• How to create your first real, accurate budget, hold to it, and repeat this process every month.
• How a budget creates financial freedom, makes it easier to identify and solve problems, and address money issues when they arise.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/58

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Today, Nanette joins the podcast to talk about how they weathered the shutdowns, tips for how to sell homes virtually, and why they’re poised to hit all-time sales records and achievements for 2021.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Epcon Communities rapidly became adept at virtual selling.
• How the business is dealing with the national labor shortage and continuing to find, recruit, and keep great talent for decades.
• What Epcon is doing to address supply chain and materials issues.
• What differentiates Epcon Communities from typical condominiums and HOAs.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/57

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In his words, Valley Central experienced a triple whammy: an intense merger in August 2019, the COVID pandemic, and the PPP lending rush. Throughout all of it, they were able to continue serving their clients and emerged in great shape on the other side. 

In this conversation, we’re talking about why community banks matter in 2021, how Fred shifted operations to keep his employees safe and his customers afloat, and what he’s doing to keep relationships alive in the era of digital banking with less foot traffic in his lobbies than ever before.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How the pandemic drove Fred to reassess how his bank delivers products and services.
• The biggest challenges Fred’s customers have seen over the course of the pandemic.
• Fred’s philosophy when it comes to investing–and how he talks to customers about keeping their money safe.
• How Valley Central kept their corporate culture intact through a merger.
• The reasons why this is a great time to borrow money.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/56

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

So, as you watch your costs balloon, what can you do to protect your finances and best take care of yourself and your family? Today, we’re talking about all the factors at play: what’s causing rampant inflation, how inflation has affected us in the past, and the things you can do to best survive this economically trying time.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The root causes of the inflation we’re experiencing every day.
• The safest ways to keep up with inflation as you approach retirement or build your retirement portfolio.
• Why the sky isn’t falling–and how a good financial planner can help you navigate this and other economic challenges.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/55

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

But what if we told you that financial prepping was also hugely important, especially as we enter into our next phase in life and into retirement? 

In today’s episode, and in the wake of a truly strange time in our economy, we’re talking about how to maintain control of your finances in unprecedented times, how to create a retirement plan that takes that uncertainty into account, and what you can do right now to stop worrying and enjoy your life.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why our supply chains are completely disrupted across almost every industry.
• How rampant inflation and rising interest rates affect our cash flow.
• How to build a safety net into your retirement plan–and why you simply need to have time if you want to stay heavily invested in the markets.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/54

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

And no matter what people say, their biggest expense is not healthcare–it’s taxes. Taxes go up as retirees withdraw retirement income, they affect Medicare B, C, and D premiums, and they’re all but inevitably going up.

In today’s episode, we discuss a number of issues: how Congress has failed to steward our money, why inflation is all but inevitable (and why it’s so hard to find products right now), and what you can do to protect yourself in the years (and decades) to come.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why so few people are aware of their tax situation until they enter into retirement.
• How healthcare and taxes go hand in hand to increase retirees’ expenses.
• Why every American citizen now owes over $470,000 in taxes to address the national debt.
• Why inflation is out of control right now.
• Ways to prepare for the coming tax debt, no matter what your retirement plan looks like.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/53

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

If you’re a small business owner (or want to launch one), today’s episode is especially for you. We start from the very beginning, walk you through a five-step process, discuss the importance of creating a plan for succession (even if you plan to stay a part of the business for years to come), and how to find the help you need as you get started at any age.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The things business owners need to start–or restart–to best position themselves for success.
• Why there’s no magic bullet when it comes to building a thriving business–and why that’s okay.
• The importance and power of mentorship.
• Why you need a written plan to turn your dream into a living, breathing business.
• How to find balance between your work life and your family life–and why this needs to be part of your initial plan to maintain your sanity.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/52

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In today’s episode, we ask business owner Jordan Scholl an important question: with every job taking a little longer and being a little more expensive to complete, what should you do? Jordan walks us through how his business is navigating the post-COVID world–and explains what business owners and consumers can expect as we continue working towards being fully reopened.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Scholl’s Landscaping survived the pandemic as a business that was in massive demand from April 2020 onward.
• Why the cost of basic supplies, like lumber, are higher than ever before.
• How Jordan differentiates his business from other landscapers–and how a rebrand for the company in 2013 proved hugely valuable.
• What Jordan does to handle work-life balance as a father of three children–and why he doesn’t work weekends.
• Why it’s so hard to hire right now–and what roles in particular have proven all but impossible to find the right talent for.

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/49

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Knapp Veterinary Hospital, here in Columbus, Ohio, has faced massive demand, but also had to cancel and postpone lots of important visits and procedures. As the world reopens, they continue to handle that demand and the animals in their care, while passionately serving their community and continuing to build their legacy.

Today, owner Dr. Robert Knapp joins the podcast to share the story of how he became the third in his family to launch a veterinary practice, take care of his people, and provide incredible care in difficult times.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• The two major challenges Knapp Veterinary Hospital faced as COVID-19 spread in March of 2020.
• How the veterinary industry has changed across a multi-generational practice.
• Why Dr. Knapp’s business hasn’t had to change its marketing at all in the last several years.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/48

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Dr. Dana Winchester faced many challenges in order to keep her business afloat and her patients safe over the course of 2020. By having all the proper processes and procedures in place, she was able to make it through the year and emerge even stronger on the other side with a team that is dedicated to helping their community achieve wellness and become pain free. 

Today, Dana joins the podcast to share how she built an authentic practice to serve people in need, how she’s solved problems facing modern business owners, and found a work-life balance in the toughest of times.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Winchester Chiropractic continued to operate safely despite constantly-changing guidelines.
• Why no one comes out of medical school equipped to run a business–and the unique issues practitioners face as they build and operate their own clinics.
• What happened when Dana needed to hire a new employee–and how COVID has changed her search and interview processes.
• How Dana launched a virtual community outreach program.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/47

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan? 

We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Located in the Lewis Center in Columbus, Ohio, this outpost of a well-known franchise provides customers with high quality massages and facials at extremely affordable prices. And with the stress and anxiety that a lot of people were dealing with last year, having a business that couldn’t be replaced by internet shopping proved to be very valuable.  

Today, Chris joins the podcast to share how he became a business owner decades into his working career, why he didn’t lose members (and actually got new ones) in 2020, and what keeps his customers coming back each month.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Chris used his experience as a business reporter to become a business owner himself after getting downsized in 2013.
• The criteria Chris used to determine what kind of franchise to get involved in.
• Why franchises are less likely to be failures for first-time business owners–and the important questions Chris asked as he found a franchise to get involved in.
• How their membership-based business allowed them to weather the storm when everything shut down in March 2020.
• Why Hand & Stone hasn’t experienced any business slowdown since reopening last May.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/46

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Aquarium Adventure has carved out a truly unique niche for themselves as a specialty retailer with loyal, long-term customers and employees. When the COVID crisis hit, they needed to stay open, going the extra mile to keep their customers safe as they bought supplies to keep their fish healthy and fed.

Today, Bill and Sandy join the podcast to share the story of their 30 years together as a couple and 24 years in business together, what they learned from operating an essential business in the midst of a global pandemic, and how they emerged on the other side with what might be their best year of sales ever.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Bill and Sandy got inspired to start a niche business with an eye-catching retail location that differentiates themselves from their competition.
• The value of running a business that requires education for customer success–and why it’s so important to train employees well.
• Why Aquarium Adventure pivoted to digital marketing when COVID hit–and how a year of “staycations” proved to be good for business.
• Why it can be so hard to get someone who’s truly great at customer service to answer the phone.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/45

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, Chris joins the podcast to tell the story of how he went from dreaming of owning a business to becoming an entrepreneur, the value of honesty and transparency in everything you do, and how teamwork and community empowered the business to be busier than ever when they reopened.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Chris paid his dues and took Iron Pony from a NAPA auto parts store into one of the largest dealerships in the Midwest.
• The value of bringing in and retaining great talent to fill in your gaps as an entrepreneur.
• Why Chris never wanted to sell new motorcycles–and how he ended up innovating in his industry when he ultimately became a dealer.
• The one major mistake Chris made as the pandemic hit, and how he fixed it.
• How Chris is working to maintain work-life balance in uncertain times.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/44

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

However, a number of businesses didn’t just survive over the last year - they thrived. One of them is Columbus Car Audio. For over 40 years, they have customized and accessorized motorcycles, cars, boats, and buses. In fact, they even once installed a stereo in a canoe. 

Today, company president Todd Hays joins the podcast to discuss how he kept going to help fellow small business owners make the most of difficult situations and flourish in the face of big challenges.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why great customer service and creating great employee experiences puts Columbus Car Audio ahead of their competition.
• How Todd created a survival plan for his company and his employees at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis - and why he chose not to stay open as an essential business when he didn’t feel it was safe to do so. 
• Why empowering an entire team to make high-level decisions contributes to overall growth.
• How Columbus Car Audio’s marketing director effectively shifted the focus of their operations from radio to online last year.
• What Todd and Danielle learned as they took over the business 10 years ago - and why it was so important to work with mentors and business coaches.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/43

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Unfortunately, that wisdom has gone out the window. Why? It’s simple: America’s massive unfunded liabilities in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the interest on the national debt. Taxes are all but guaranteed to go up in the years to come, and this makes having a real tax strategy - and not just a tax plan - more important than ever before.

In this episode, we discuss strategies for people nearing retirement to help pay fewer (or even no) taxes in retirement, protect themselves from rising taxes, and better understand why our tax code is all but guaranteed to change after 2025.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why the conventional wisdom of growing tax-deferred assets and paying taxes when you’re in a lower bracket has gone out the window. 
• Why interest on our national debt is likely to lead to significant tax increases in the years to come.
• Why it’s so important to avoid taking the 50% penalty by failing to take your required minimum distributions.
• How to use Roth conversions between the ages of 59 ½ and 72 to avoid paying extra premiums on Medicare B, C, and D. 
• Why tax preparation and tax planning are not the same thing.
• What may happen when our current tax laws sunset in 2025 - and why this makes planning right now even more important.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/42

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Women need more than someone who charges them a fee to manage their investments. They need someone who can provide them with answers to tough questions, who can help them understand how their spouse’s financial situation applies to them, and how to address problems relating to taxes and inflation. 

On today’s episode, we’re talking about how an income plan helps tackle these challenges. We explore how women can get the financial education they need, craft a strategy to figure out where their money is coming from, and how to make sure it’s going to last.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why running out of money in retirement is like running out of oxygen while climbing Mount Everest - and why it happens to 50% of women.
• The added costs women face in retirement when compared to men. 
• The average amount women need to save to cover out of pocket healthcare costs in retirement.
• What women need to know about Social Security and life transitions, including divorce.
• The value of Roth conversions. 
• Why you shouldn’t bother looking at the ups and downs of financial news every day. 
• How to build a risk budget.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/41

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Joining us to help answer these questions is Alex White, who is back for round 2 on the podcast! Alex is the co-founder of Peak Human Performance in Columbus, Ohio, where he creates customized private training plans for active people including nutrition coaching, mental performance, Pilates, weightlifting, and small group training.

Today, Alex and I are talking about the value of setting health and wealth goals, why it’s never too late to adopt good habits, and simple things you can do right now to have an immediate, dramatic, and positive impact on your life.

Sign up to the "7 Golden Nuggets" to Planning Your Physical Fitness - GET ACCESS TODAY!

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why our finances and our health go hand-in-hand.
• The value of tracking and monitoring your physical activity alongside your finances.
• How regular exercise and cardiovascular activity can boost your immune system and help you recover more quickly from illness.
• Why failure and loss are such powerful learning tools in business and in life.
• Easy steps you can take to improve your daily routine and transform your mindset.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/40

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

So, what does that have to do with retirement? It’s simple: working out can be a stress reliever, can help us get healthier, and allows us to be more productive. And being healthier later in life gives us more time, strength, and energy to do all the things we said we were going to do before we retired.

Joining me today to talk about this is Alex White, co-founder of Peak Human Performance. Alex creates personalized, athletic-based approaches to training for people who live active lifestyles. If you want to live a happier, healthy, more active lifestyle, Alex’s training encompasses not just what you do in the gym or when you’re on a hike, but how you manage your sleep, nutrition, stress, and more. 

In this conversation, we discuss the importance of staying active in retirement, the power of purpose, and the mental and physical changes that happen when retirees (and those on the road to retirement) choose to make fitness an active part of their lifestyle.

Sign up to the "7 Golden Nuggets" to Planning Your Physical Fitness - GET ACCESS TODAY!

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How 2020 rocked the fitness industry - and how retirees are staying active despite gyms and other facilities being closed down all over the world.
• The value of coaching in fitness (and almost everything).
• How to find motivation to exercise even if you absolutely hate hitting the gym.
• The power of setting goals and tracking key performance indicators in your fitness.
• Why the little things make the biggest differences in our finances and our health.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/39

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

In this episode, Pat and I continue our conversation. We talk about the impact of the Trump tax code and COVID-19 on nonprofits’ finances and donations, and why charitable giving is so incredibly important at this moment in history. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why the Trump tax code led to significant decreases in charitable donations from large donors. 
• What Families For a Cure is doing to ensure that they can keep the promises they made in 2019.
• The vicious cycles created by poverty.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/38

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

That said, there are a lot of people out there who are rising to the occasion and doing good. One of them is Pat Puhl, who is a co-founder of Families For a Cure, which helps families in need in Columbus, Ohio by supporting cancer research and patient care programs. 

Today, Pat returns to the podcast to talk about operating a sustainable nonprofit in 2020, what he did to ensure that their entire calendar’s worth of fundraising didn’t need to be scrapped or canceled, and the many potential tax benefits available to you when you give to charity.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How Families For a Cure rethought their operations in light of COVID-19.
• What Families for a Cure did to ensure that they wouldn’t miss major fundraisers for the first time in history.
• How smart planning helped Families for a Cure give grants and assist patients in need in extraordinarily difficult times.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/37

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

If you’ve had a job with benefits, you’ve likely had a 401(k), but implementing one as an employer is another story entirely. Today, we’re walking through everything that you need to know as an employer about how 401(k) plans work, how to implement them, and why it’s so important to have an advisor who’s focused on them in order to help both you and your employees benefit.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How a 401(k) advisor can help business owners make sense of planning and implementation.
• The many different individuals and government organizations involved in 401(k) implementation and administration. 
• Why 401(k)s are not one size fits all plans - and how people accidentally put themselves at risk when dealing with 401(k)s.
• Why mistakes with 401(k)s can be very expensive - and how to best avoid them.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/36

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Everyone’s situation is different. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to retirement planning, and every family likely needs to take different approaches and positions to ensure that they will be able to enjoy retirement on their terms. 

Today, we’re talking about how to invest - or simply defend your portfolio - in times of volatility. You’ll learn about the unique factors that lead to market instability, how to understand your exposure to risk, and the important questions you and your advisor should be discussing as you create a 401(k) to meet your unique needs.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• How the COVID-19 pandemic, elections, and a wide variety of other factors can create wild market volatility.
• Why investing is more about how much money you’re willing to lose - and why you don’t benefit from looking at your account every day.
• Why you can’t make changes to your retirement accounts overnight - and why working proactively with your financial advisor will almost always lead to better outcomes.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/35

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

If you save the wrong way, you’ll be penalized for it. If you were so lucky as to live to be 115 years old, you’d be required to withdraw 50% of your pre-tax retirement accounts each year - and no matter what age you are, your required minimum distributions can lead to massive tax spikes. 

Today, we get at the heart of why your pre-tax investments are so expensive when compared to Roth investments, how to effectively prep your taxes regardless of what happens in this year’s election, and why the health of your investments won’t tell you anything about your spending when it comes to your taxes. 

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn: 

• Why 59 ½, 70 ½, and 72 are the magic ages when it comes to taxes - and what tax penalties you face when you withdraw from your retirement plan at each age. 
• How retirees can use qualified charitable distributions to minimize Social Security taxes. 
• Tax opportunities created by the CARES Act that may be worth considering.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/34

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

When you retire, paying taxes on Social Security and even on ordinary income can be voluntary, but only if you have the right plan in place. With the national debt rapidly rising and no predictable budget set by Congress for several years in a row, personal planning has gotten more important than ever.

Today, in the first part of a two-part series, we take a look at the state of taxes for retirees right now, why retirees are proving conventional wisdom about taxes wrong all the time, and what the future may hold.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why most people don’t need less income when they retire - and aren’t in a much lower tax bracket in retirement, contrary to conventional wisdom. 
• Why the low taxes brought into effect in 2018 will likely go away in the event of a Biden win. 
• Why your tax retirement is the most expensive money you can buy - and how to plan accordingly.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/33

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

There are no “bad” or “good” types of life insurance products. There are simply insurance products that do or don’t serve you, and a proper financial plan ensures that you and your family have access to the right coverage when you need it. 

In today’s episode, we walk through the basic types of life insurance products, the key questions to ask when purchasing a life insurance policy, and how to identify potential gaps in your life insurance coverage.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• What makes term life such a popular option for young families.
• Why whole life insurance was so popular 15-20 years ago - and why it may (or may not) be a good fit for you and your family. 
• What differentiates whole life from permanent life insurance - and why you need a clear strategy to utilize either. 
• What makes indexed universal life insurance so popular with businesses.
• How to customize life insurance products to meet your unique needs.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/32

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

These are the core concepts of age-based investing - looking at risk as part of your plan to achieve safety, income, and growth.

Today, we explore target date funds and how to use them as you age to reduce your risk over time and meet your financial targets, no matter what happens along the way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The three basic places to put your money - and how to think about all of them as you age.
• How to use target date funds effectively - and how you can use the 2008 financial crisis to understand the common misconceptions surrounding these assets.
• Why everything in the market has risk.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/31

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

More than anything else, you need to remember that whether you’re talking about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or, yes, annuities, there’s good and bad in everything. You need to make sure that you’re using the right tool for your situation and your family, because the wrong investment can get really, really ugly, no matter how “good” it might seem. 

Today, we continue our deep dive into why annuities may - or may not - be right for you. You’ll find out what questions we ask in our discovery process as we determine whether a client should leverage annuities, why being able to track and monitor your assets’ performance is so important, and discover the biggest problems facing retirees when it comes to annuities.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The four different types of annuities, why a pension is a type of annuity, and why principal is not guaranteed. 
• Why it’s so important that you do the math before purchasing any financial product - and how crunching numbers can save you from financial distress years down the road. 
• Why you want to get any guarantee pertaining to your benefits in writing.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/30

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Annuities are one of many investing tools available - just like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. You have to have the right tools to get to where you want to go, and you need to understand exactly which tools will better your situation, whether you’re transitioning into retirement or already retired.

In today’s episode, we’re breaking down what annuities really are, how they work, and how they might - or might not - make sense as part of your retirement portfolio. You’ll learn the basic terminology surrounding these products, the different types of annuities, and the ways that the financial industry makes this far more complicated than it ought to be.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why so many people have such polarized opinions about annuities - and why either loving or hating annuities is such a flawed approach.
• Red flags that should always stop you from buying any financial product, including annuities.
• The four basic types of annuities and the important terminology that defines these products.
• The major difference between fixed indexed and variable annuities - and how these terms get used interchangeably.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/29

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

This is more true right now than ever before. With housing markets as hot as they are, it’s become very easy to downsize and end up spending more each month.

It’s critical that you do your homework, meet with your advisor and CPA, and determine exactly which tools are best suited to your situation. Today, we walk through some of the most common downsizing tools and strategies, with a focus on the HECM loan (also known as the reverse mortgage). You’ll discover how these loans work, why they aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and how they can provide you, under the right circumstances, with a sustainable source of money in retirement.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why it’s so easy to lose money by downsizing.
• Why money received through a reverse mortgage is not taxable, does not affect your Social Security, and can’t impact means-testing for medicare.
• What happens to a reverse mortgaged home - and what beneficiaries will receive - when you pass away.
• How adult children living with you can impact your amount of available equity.
• Why the HECM loan is both key to a comfortable retirement for so many - and a bad fit for many people who ask about it.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/28

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

You’re also probably astounded by the cost of college. It has risen eight times more than wages have over the last several decades. Furthermore, with colleges and universities in many parts of the world not able to reopen, many students are trying to figure out what their college experience will look like - and how to get the most out of it given the circumstances.

Today, we dig into the costs and benefits of college during this uncertain time, how and when to start your scholarship search, and ways to save for college. All of these things can help you achieve your family’s ultimate goal: your kids embarking on a joyful four years of learning and life experience come September.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why four-year colleges often fail students by leaving them with massive debt, unsustainable monthly payments, and inadequate job opportunities upon graduation.
• The reason so many people don’t think they qualify for aid based on FAFSA - and how to start finding additional scholarships to take care of tuition costs.
• Why the scholarship search needs to start when students are sophomores in high school.
• The most effective ways to start college funds when you have children.
• How to have blunt conversations with your kids to make sure they’re not disappointed.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/27

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

However, the rules regarding these withdrawals and loans, the amount of money available to you, and the penalties for taking this money are extraordinarily complicated - and the CARES Act has changed many of these terms. You need to be able to take advantage of them the right way to avoid negatively impacting your retirement.

Today, we dig into changing rules and regulations when it comes to who qualifies for hardships, what you can do, and how to navigate this extraordinarily tricky situation to come out ahead on the other side.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why it’s so important to work with your CPA, tax attorney, or advisor if you plan to take out a hardship loan.
• Reasons to put the RMDs you already took out in 2020 back into your retirement account - and why you can do this tax-free.
• Conditions that may qualify you for hardship loans and withdrawals - and why so few employers know whether their retirement plan allows them.
• The difference between taking a hardship loan or a hardship withdrawal.
• Why taking loans for investments is a high risk activity.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/26

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

If you have decades left to build wealth and plan your retirement, this may not bother you. However, if you’re in retirement, or about to retire, it’s another story. You’re probably asking, “How can I protect myself and my life savings against these fluctuations?”

Today, we’re here to help you answer that question. You’ll learn what makes this moment in economic history so unique, the common traps that investors fall into as they react to bad news, and how to make a plan that will protect you and allow you to live the life you want to live in spite of volatility - even in turbulent times.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the COVID-19 crisis is an economic disaster in three phases as opposed to the housing crash of 2008 or the tech crash of 2000 - and how political unrest will continue to negatively impact our markets.
• Why the media constantly tries to shock us with bad news - and how a good plan can prevent your emotions from getting the best of you.
• How to build a portfolio and financial plan that ensures that you will always have emergency money in retirement in the event of an economic downturn.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/25

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

These zombie 401(k)s can turn into substantial tax bills and IRS penalties if you’re not careful, and there are lots of ways to do serious harm to your retirement fund if you make a wrong move.

If you have old 401(k) plans that you need to address, today’s episode is for you. You’ll learn about the five main plans of action you can take, the pros and cons of each, and what to be on the lookout for. More than anything, though, we highly recommend you work with your financial advisor as you navigate this potentially overwhelming situation.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• What can happen if you choose to leave a 401(k) with a former employer - and why it’s so easy to forget about old 401(k) plans.
• How to move an old 401(k) to your current employer - and what you need to ask your HR department before you do so.
• Why cashing out your old 401(k) may do irreparable harm to your retirement plan.
• What you need to know about completing an indirect rollover into your IRA - and how to avoid preventable penalties.
• Why a direct rollover into your IRA is the simplest and most effective way to move an old 401(k) - and why this is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/24

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

Helping me navigate the COVID-19 stimulus is Doug Mayr. Doug is a Managing Partner at BHM, a regional CPA firm here in Columbus. We have a number of mutual clients, and I often rely on him as a great resource to better understand what’s going on in the financial world.

Whether you’re preparing for retirement, managing investments for your business, or wondering how to give the best advice to your friends, employees, or clients at this time, today’s episode will help you understand what’s been made available and how to make the most of it.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Whether your stimulus check was based on your 2018 or 2019 income - and what to do if you didn’t qualify.
• Forms of financial relief available to individuals who have been laid off or furloughed over the last several months - and how self-employed individuals can apply for CARES Act relief money provided in addition to conventional unemployment.
• Who the Payroll Protection Program is for, what you may be eligible for, and how business owners claim it.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/23

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

While this is certainly a crisis, for many people, it’s also a navigable one - and there are definitely things you should and shouldn’t do over the next few months, no matter how the markets react to news, both good and bad.

In today’s episode of the podcast, we discuss what technically defines a recession and the factors that determine if we’re in one. From there, we dive deep into what you can do to survive (and even thrive) in this moment, how to hold on to your plans, and how to deal with risk in a time when no one’s comfortable losing anything.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• The difference between a recession and a depression - and why we are likely in a recession right now.
• Why pundits and TV news should be seen as entertainment first and shouldn’t inform your investment strategy.
• The reasons that now is a great time to talk to your advisor, avoid emotional investing, and hold to the plans you created before this market downturn.
• Why the markets have been going up despite terrible job reports.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/22

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

There is a lot of weight on our shoulders right now as Americans, and as we oversee financial plans for people transitioning into retirement at this moment, it’s go time. You need a plan to keep you safe, provide you with income, and grow on your terms, and we’re here to help.

In today’s podcast, we discuss how this pandemic served as a triggering event to cause a major recession, how not to accidentally become an emotional investor, and what you can do to make sure your financial plan is meeting your unique needs as you prepare for retirement at this tumultuous time.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why it’s so easy to fall prey to the traps of emotional investing - and how to take emotion out of your financial decisions right now.
• The factors responsible for market volatility - and why the pandemic was a triggering event that ended a long bull run and drastically affected an overpriced market.
• How to deal with the many unknowns, politically and economically, we’re facing on a daily basis.
• What you can do to create a plan focused on cash flow and sustainable growth in times of economic downturns.

Show Notes

To get access to today's show notes, including links to all the resources mentioned, visit TheRetirementTrainer.com/21

How Fit Is Your Retirement Plan?  We can help you manage your finances so you can pursue your goals. To learn more, visit EGSIFinancial.com

The thing that the SECURE Act did was really change retirement planning for people. Logan says it benefits individuals who are saving for retirement, while it kind of hurts the individuals who they plan to leave their retirement to. Those saving for retirement, get to save for longer before they have to start taking those required minimum distributions. 

Learn more about what this all means and how it impacts you during today's conversation!

This means that even if you’ve just created what you think is a robust, thoughtful retirement plan, it’s time to review everything again and make sure that you’re taking advantage of all of the available opportunities.

Today, we dig into the good, bad, and the ugly of the SECURE Act from a tax and planning perspective to help you make sense of what’s changed and how it can affect you. If you want to play by your game plan and not the federal government’s, tune in and find out how to make the most of our changing tax policies.

In this podcast interview, you’ll learn:

• Why the magic ages in tax planning are now 59 ½ and 72 - and why this is the sweet spot where the most vital tax planning should happen.
• How the change in the standard deduction has affected charitable organizations.
• How to use qualified charitable distributions to avoid being taxed on ordinary income.
• Why pre-tax investments are the most expensive money you can buy.
• Why generation-skipping stretch IRAs have been eliminated.