Podcasts about wealth advisors

Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity. Cash flow is sovereignty. In this episode, host Colleen O'Connell-Campbell sits down with Melissa Houston - CPA, business finance coach, fractional CFO, and author of 'Cash Confident' - to explore why so many business owners are working hard but not building wealth. Melissa shares her mission to close the business financial literacy gap, particularly for women entrepreneurs, and explains how a few key changes in pricing, expense management, and cash flow can completely change a business's trajectory. The conversation covers the emotional side of money (including both Colleen's and Melissa's personal money stories), the alarming stats on women-owned businesses, and why understanding your numbers is the foundation for building a business that is not just profitable, but sellable. Melissa also previews Profit Buys, her AI-powered tech platform designed to put a fractional CFO in every business owner's pocket.   Key Takeaways:   Financial literacy is not optional for business owners. Your accountant, bookkeeper, and financial advisor are partners - but they do not give you permission to check out of your own numbers.   Revenue and profit are not the same thing. Melissa has seen seven- and eight-figure businesses go bankrupt because they were not managing cash well. Volume does not equal profitability.   The three changes that move the needle fastest are ensuring your pricing is profitable, managing your expenses deliberately, and understanding that cash balances and profit are two different things.   Many business owners do not know which of their products or services is most profitable - and often assume it is their best seller, which is not always the case. Promoting your most profitable offer can change the trajectory of the business.   Money mindset is a muscle, not a one-time exercise. Everyone carries a money story from childhood, and those stories show up in business decisions - from hesitating on sales to underpricing services.   The stats on women-owned businesses are sobering: of 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., only 1.9% generate over $1 million in revenue, roughly 68% make under $50,000 per year, less than 2% of women have a financially successful exit, and less than 2% of venture capital goes to women.   In Canada, CRA data shows 90% of women-owned businesses are filing as self-employed - meaning they are not incorporated and likely not building a sellable asset.   Whether you are a startup, scaling, or thinking about your exit, your business should be an asset that supports your long-term goals and legacy. If this episode has inspired you to rethink your exit path, book a one-on-one Wealth Gap Analysis with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell. Reach out on LinkedIn or email.  

Dr. Gregg Lunceford, Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management, joins Jon Hansen for a Mesirow Monday. Gregg continues his conversation on the importance of discussing your finances with your partner or spouse. Gregg talks about achieving financial success with your spouse and revisits financial infidelity to give one more reason people commit it. For more information, […]

If taxes are your biggest lifetime expense, why leave them to a once-a-year scramble? We zoom out and redesign how you plan, using strategies that compound savings over decades while improving cash flow and control today. With Ashley Sowers back in the studio, we explore how a wealth team sees the full picture—your goals, assets, timelines, and family dynamics—and turns today's tax incentives into clear, defensible moves that simplify your life.We reframe the goal: stop chasing zero tax and start paying a fair, predictable rate when it buys freedom. Ashley explains why extended individual brackets and a high standard deduction keep “taxes on sale,” how the enhanced senior deduction affects planning after 65, and when Roth conversions act like tax insurance. We then dig into practical wins: a 75-point tax checklist, tax diversification across taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free buckets, beneficiary design to reduce the 10-year inherited IRA squeeze, and charitable tools like donor-advised funds and charitable remainder trusts.The throughline is simplicity with intention—gaining options for retirement, volatility, and legacy while reducing lifetime taxes.About our guest:Ashley Sowers, Partner & Wealth Advisor at Carson Wealth Hagerstown19833 Leitersburg Pike Suite 1Hagerstown MD 21742301-739-8505www.carsonwealth.comConverting from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA is a taxable event.Generally, a donor advised fund is a separately identified fund or account that is maintained and operated by a section 501(c)(3) organization, which is called a sponsoring organization. Each account is composed of contributions made by individual donors. Once the donor makes the contribution, the organization has legal control over it. However, the donor, or the donor's representative, retains advisory privileges with respect to the distribution of funds and the investment of assets in the account. Donors take a tax deduction for all contributions at the time they are made, even though the money may not be dispersed to a charity until much later.Investment minimums and restrictions apply. The minimum investment amount for AQR Flex 145/45 is $1 million which must be in a taxable portfolio with assets that can be margined (including cash and cash equivalents, stocks, ETFs, equity mutual funds). The minimum investment amount for AQR Flex 250/150 is $3 million which must be in a taxable portfolio with assets that can be margined (including cash and cash equivalents, stocks, ETFs, equity mutual funds). A separate portfolio margin agreement is required.Hear Past episodes of the Way2Wealth Podcast!https://theway2wealth.com Learn more about our Host, Scott Ford, Managing Director, Partner & Wealth Advisorhttps://www.carsonwealth.com/team-members/scott-ford/ Investment advisory services offered through CWM LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Carson Partners, a division of CWM LLC, is a nationwide partnership of advisors. The opinions voiced in the Way to Wealth with Scott Ford are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for an individual. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. To determine what may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial or tax advisor prior to investing. Guests on Way to Wealth are not affiliated with CWM, LLC. Legado Family is not affiliated with CWM LLC. Carson Wealth 19833 Leitersburg Pike, Suite 1, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21742.

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the mixed reaction from the markets after news on inflation, GDP, and the SCOTUS ruling on tariffs, what all the data means for Fed policy moving forward, why he expects a volatile year in the markets, the existential retirement crisis in […]

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the mixed reaction from the markets after news on inflation, GDP, and the SCOTUS ruling on tariffs, what all the data means for Fed policy moving forward, why he expects a volatile year in the markets, the existential retirement crisis in […]

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the mixed reaction from the markets after news on inflation, GDP, and the SCOTUS ruling on tariffs, what all the data means for Fed policy moving forward, why he expects a volatile year in the markets, the existential retirement crisis in […]

Segment 1: Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about the mixed reaction from the markets after news on inflation, GDP, and SCOTUS ruling on tariffs, what all the data means for Fed policy moving forward, why expects a volatile year in the markets, the existential retirement crisis in America, […]

In this episode of Digging In, host John Savarino sits down with Alexa Blochowski, Rooted's Operations Specialist, to discuss how she got into the industry and what drives her daily to help others as a difference maker.They talk through how to stay grounded in todays hectic world, while navigating life's big decisions at the same time. Alexa shares how she found family here at Rooted Wealth, and how important that is in this industry. Whether you're navigating life's changes, building a retirement plan, or simply wanting someone to talk you to and through retirement, this conversation will give you insight on the team at Rooted and how they can assist.

Jeffrey Condren is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management in Highland Park, Illinois. With over two decades of experience in the financial industry, Jeff specializes in guiding business owners through complex transitions—from business exits to legacy planning. He works primarily with entrepreneurs and multi-generational family businesses, particularly in manufacturing and healthcare sectors throughout the Midwest. His expertise includes tax-efficient wealth strategies, estate structuring, values-based investing, and helping families navigate the challenging conversations around succession planning. Jeff is known for his practical approach to transforming business liquidity into lasting family legacies while addressing the often-overlooked emotional and relational dynamics that can make or break generational wealth transfer.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode, Jonathan Goldhill is joined by Jeffrey Condren, a certified financial planner with extensive experience in wealth management and advising multi-generational families. They explore why secrecy often leads to entitlement, the pitfalls of striving for fairness over equality, and the critical need for early and transparent conversations about values, expectations, and the realities of running a family business. They emphasize that successful generational transitions require exposing heirs to responsibility and decision-making early on. The episode also covers the nuances of assigning business roles to family members, handling business valuations realistically, and the importance of external mediation to navigate complex family dynamics.KEY TAKEAWAYSSuccessful families surface conflict early and structure it, rather than avoiding itFair and equal are not the same thing in family business transitionsExposing the next generation to business realities early prevents friction laterFirst-generation business owners struggle most with letting go of controlBusiness valuations should be updated every 1-2 years, not left for 7+ yearsDepression-era children often feel they never have "enough" money, regardless of actual wealthSuccession planning takes years, not months - there's no light switch solutionThe earlier difficult conversations happen, the smoother the transitionQUOTES"Successful families do not eliminate conflict. They surface it early, they structure it and use it to clarify values and expectations.""Fair versus equal. It is very different for a lot of people, and it's a very hard conversation to have, and there's no right or wrong answer.""Getting a business owner to think about their future self not involving the business... takes time. It's not a one hour conversation.""Tom Brady, arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks... had a quarterback coach. So when you stop and think about that, he probably doesn't need one, but there's still someone pointing out techniques that maybe he's not seeing.""How long things actually take - there's not a light switch solution to anything in life. The sooner they're willing to have the conversation, the smoother it is.""The idea of them not being involved in the business is so hard for them to comprehend that they don't know where to start and they'd rather ignore it."Connect and learn more about Jeffrey Condren.https://www.linkedin.com/in/condren/If you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe, review, and share with a friend who would benefit from the message. If you're interested in picking up a copy of Jonathan Goldhill's book, Disruptive Successor, go to the website at www.DisruptiveSuccessor.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Gregg Lunceford, Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management, joins Jon Hansen for a Mesirow Monday. Gregg continues his conversation on the importance of discussing your finances with your partner or spouse. What kind of financial secrets are people keeping, and what are they lying about? For more information, visit www.mesirow.com or call 877 Mesirow.

It's easy to get caught up in investment returns, market headlines, and performance scorecards. But is focusing on returns alone really the best way to build long-term wealth? In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor explore the difference between chasing performance and building a thoughtful financial plan designed to support your life over decades, not just one market cycle. They discuss why trying to beat the market can become a distraction, how emotional decision-making often works against investors, and why patience and discipline matter more than perfect timing. The conversation also touches on time in the market versus timing the market, the role of taxes and planning, and why your financial plan not short-term returns, is the real MVP. If you've ever wondered whether you're investing with purpose or just reacting to the scoreboard, this episode offers helpful perspective.

t's easy to get caught up in investment returns, market headlines, and performance scorecards. But is focusing on returns alone really the best way to build long-term wealth? In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor explore the difference between chasing performance and building a thoughtful financial plan designed to support your life over decades, not just one market cycle. They discuss why trying to beat the market can become a distraction, how emotional decision-making often works against investors, and why patience and discipline matter more than perfect timing. The conversation also touches on time in the market versus timing the market, the role of taxes and planning, and why your financial plan not short-term returns, is the real MVP. If you've ever wondered whether you're investing with purpose or just reacting to the scoreboard, this episode offers helpful perspective.

Send a textWhat does it take to build a business that survives for generations—through wars, wealth cycles, and wild family dynamics?In this rare behind-the-scenes episode, a seasoned founder, investor, and family office insider shares lessons from DuPont, Wawa, and other multigenerational enterprises. You'll hear real-world insights on succession planning, family engagement, locking in ownership, and why cash is not always king when it comes to legacy.If you're building a business you hope your children's children will still care about—or just want to avoid the costly mistakes that fracture family wealth—this conversation will equip and inspire you.https://familyoffices.com/

Nearly US$99 trillion in private wealth is set to flow across Asia by 2029, but shockingly, almost half of first-generation wealth holders haven’t planned who gets what. Why do so many families avoid the conversation about succession? And what happens when wealth is left unmanaged? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sissi Goh, Legacy Planner, Wealth Advisor, & Author, for the latest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if your biggest expense isn't your mortgage, but your income tax? In this episode, John Jantsch sits down with Jack Ojo, founder of Ojo Wealth Strategies and author of Two Smart to Be an Umpire, to break down how small business owners can legally reduce taxes and build real wealth. They cover how to reduce taxes as a small business owner, when to choose S corp vs LLC for tax savings, defined benefit pension plans for high income earners, Roth conversion strategies, and why maxing out your 401k still matters. If you're an entrepreneur looking for smarter tax planning strategies that protect against worst-case scenarios while accelerating long-term wealth, this episode delivers practical, actionable advice. Today we discussed: 00:00 From Umpire to Wealth Advisor 03:07 Reinventing After a Career Setback 06:52 Biggest Tax Myths Business Owners Believe 10:30 What to Do After a Banner Revenue Year 12:57 Salary vs Distributions Explained 14:35 Multi-State Employees and Tax Strategy 16:36 Why 401k Plans Still Win 18:31 Paying Your Kids Through Your Business 21:07 How to Connect with Jack Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today!

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins Jon Hansen to discuss stock prices vs. earnings and when Fed rate cuts could occur. For more information, go to GetRetiredStayRetired.com.

Episode Summary: Forget everything you thought you knew about pension plans being just for government workers. In this episode, pension lawyer Jean-Pierre (JP) Laporte, Pension Lawyer and Founder, Integris Pension Management, joins host Colleen O'Connell-Campbell to share a series of powerful, real-life case studies showing how registered pension plans - including Individual Pension Plans (IPPs) and Personal Pension Plans - are quietly and dramatically transforming the wealth trajectories of incorporated business owners across Canada. From a 73-year-old founder who saved his family $4 million in a single phone call, to a lawyer who discovered his pension was exempt from departure tax when relocating abroad, these are stories of what happens when the right strategy meets the right advisor. JP also breaks down the seven tax deductions available through a registered pension plan, the 2020 Ontario regulatory changes that removed the biggest barriers to entry, and why the only thing standing between most business owners and better retirement outcomes is awareness.   Key Takeaways   Since December 8, 2020, Ontario eliminated provincial registration requirements for connected persons, removing mandatory contributions, locking-in rules, and provincial fees - a major change for business owners.   Registered pension plans offer up to seven corporate tax deductions, compared to the single annual RRSP contribution - including past service recognition, higher annual contributions (up to ~30% by age 64), special catch-up payments, investment management fee deductions, loan interest deductions, and terminal funding contributions for early retirement.   Family business owners can add children to the pension plan once they are employed, creating a multigenerational wealth transfer vehicle with no 21-year deemed disposition rule (unlike family trusts).   Business owners holding passive investments inside their corporation can sell capital properties to fund the pension plan, offset the capital gain with the pension deduction, and generate tax-free capital dividends - creating a "corporate TFSA" effect.   Pension assets are exempt from departure tax when a business owner becomes a non-resident of Canada, and cross-border pension income is taxed at just 15% under most tax treaties (versus 25% for RRSP withdrawals).   Upon death without a spouse, pension plan assets can be split among multiple beneficiaries (including charities), with each taxed only on what they receive - a significant income-splitting advantage over RRSPs.   Pension plan assets enjoy creditor protection in Ontario, unlike RRSPs held outside of insurance companies.   Ideal Candidates: Family business owners with multiple generations, C-suite executives earning high T4 income, and incorporated professionals (doctors, lawyers, accountants, pharmacists).   If you are an incorporated business owner  An IPP can be a tax smart retirement engine for the right incorporated owner, but it comes with rules, admin, and costs that need to be understood up front. You can fund with more flexibility as you age, but access is not as instant as an RRSP unless you plan for wind-up timing and implications. The structure can support creditor protection and estate or succession planning in ways many founders do not consider early enough. Book a one on one Wealth Gap Analysis with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell to pressure test whether your personal plan is aligned with your exit and retirement strategy.  

Every week, a specialist from Mesirow Wealth Management joins Jon Hansen to discuss a different financial topic. This week, Managing Director and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Dr. Gregg Lunceford joins Jon to discuss the importance of being financially ready if a spouse needs medical care. For more information, visit www.mesirow.com or call 877 Mesirow.

Wealth that ends with you is success, but wealth that outlives you is a legacy.In this episode, Corwyn J. Melette sits down with Mark Miller, CEO of Hilton Tax and Wealth Advisors, to provide the tactical manual for dynasty building. Mark is a returning guest where he previously talked about the foundational concepts of wealth preservation and the mindset required to stop the "start-over" cycle. While that first conversation was a primer on financial literacy, this episode dives into the "what's next": creating the enduring trust systems and "wholesale" investing strategies used by the Hilton family.Mark bridges the gap between simply having money and systematizing it. If the first episode taught you how to start the car, this episode teaches you how to build a self-driving vehicle that ensures your great-grandchildren never have to start from zero again.The Legacy Moment:True legacy isn't about leaving a lump sum of cash; it's about building a disciplined system and imparting the financial wisdom that ensures your family never has to start from zero again.Key Takeaways0:00 - Legacy vs. Success: Defining wealth that outlasts you.5:38 - Why the third generation often loses everything and how to stop it.7:23 - The "Sieve" Strategy: Using trust structures to prevent "lump sum" wealth destruction.11:35 - Parenting & Money: How to teach heirs the value of a dollar before they inherit.15:21 - Retail vs. Wholesale: The hidden 3-4% fees eating your investments.17:40 - The "Bucket" Concept: Following Warren Buffett's lead in asset diversification.24:18 - Safety First: Why the ultra-wealthy prioritize downside protection over high-risk gains.Catch Up on the Foundation:Missed Mark's first appearance? Before you dive into the systems, make sure you have the right mindset.

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about what we should know about new Trump Accounts. Craig also explains why the market has been dipping lately, why he remains extremely bullish on 2026, what he thinks of gold prices, and what he wants investors focused on right now.

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about what we should know about new Trump Accounts. Craig also explains why the market has been dipping lately, why he remains extremely bullish on 2026, what he thinks of gold prices, and what he wants investors focused on right now.

Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to talk about what we should know about new Trump Accounts. Craig also explains why the market has been dipping lately, why he remains extremely bullish on 2026, what he thinks of gold prices, and what he wants investors focused on right now.

Dr. Gregg Lunceford, Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management, joins Jon Hansen for a Mesirow Monday. Gregg talks about how couples need to have conversations about their finances. From focusing on what’s important to you and what your values are within the relationship, as well as the threats to the relationship financially. For more information, visit www.mesirow.com or […]

Episode 130: This week, Kyle Van Pelt talks with Adam Spiegelman, Founder and Wealth Advisor at Spiegelman Wealth Management, which offers investment and wealth management programs and services for high-net-worth clients. The company's mission is to develop enduring relationships with clients by providing professional guidance for a lifetime of financial security.  Adam talks with Kyle about what it really means to go independent and why freedom, service, and intentional scale matter more in financial services. He shares why he left large firms to build a boutique RIA, the emotional weight of the transition, and how he maintains a human-centric approach in an automated world. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:32) - Adam's money moment (03:18) - Navigating the LPL acquisition of Commonwealth (06:07) - What Adam learned after going independent (08:41) - The reality of independence (10:09) - The challenges and rewards of building a custom technology ecosystem (13:03) - What made Commonwealth technology user-friendly (17:53) - Adam's vision for Spiegelman Wealth Management (20:20) - What great service actually looks like in practice (22:31) - Adam's growth strategies (26:04) - Adam's outlook on the future of the wealth management industry (28:30) - Adam's Milemarker Minute Key Takeaways Freedom creates clarity, but also responsibility. Going independent removes bureaucracy but also challenges leaders to own every decision, especially in technology and operations. Great service lives in the small, thoughtful moments. Picking up the phone, anticipating confusion, and proactively helping clients through stressful situations often matter more than flashy offerings. Growth doesn't have to mean “bigger”. Staying intentionally small can be a competitive advantage when relationships, trust, and responsiveness are the core product. AI will change the work, but not remove the human role. As modeling and analysis become commoditized, judgment, empathy, and contextual thinking become even more valuable. Quotes "I talked to dozens of recruiters, firms, and advisors. And I did all this due diligence with one purpose in mind: to scare me out of wanting to go independent. And no one could scare me. I knew in my heart that this was the absolute right thing to do." ~ Adam Spiegelman "I learned a long time ago that this business is not just about lining my pockets. It's not about money and fees, it's about relationships." ~ Adam Spiegelman "People want to take more charge of their finances. Gone are the days of pension plans and the government providing all that support." ~ Adam Spiegelman Links  Adam Spiegelman on LinkedIn Spiegelman Wealth Management Fidelity Investments A Gentleman in Moscow Connect with our hosts Milemarker.co Kyle on LinkedIn Jud on LinkedIn Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Produce game-changing content with Turncast Turncast helps your company grow by producing top-quality content and fostering transformative conversations. We specialize in content generation, podcasting, digital strategy, and audience growth for fintech and financial services companies. Learn more at Turncast.com.

Robert R. Sayler, Wealth Advisor, and Ronald Lenihan, Managing Partner at SeaCrest Wealth Management, discuss what differentiates the firm in today's competitive RIA landscape. They share how SeaCrest supports advisors nationwide while preserving true independence, what flexibility looks like in practice, and why advisors are choosing the firm as a long-term growth partner amid industry consolidation.

Making mutually beneficial charitable donations can be an important component of your financial and tax planning. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Jason O'Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They welcome Drew Ellis, Director, Institutional Partnerships at Mercer Advisors, to discuss his work with foundations, as well as how the landscape for making charitable donations has changed due to recent legislation. Listening Time: 17 minutes Mercer-Cordasco Disclosure Information Visit Our Website Join Our Email List Additional Mercer Advisors Disclosure Cordasco Financial Network is a tradename. All services provided by Cordasco Financial Network investment professionals are provided in their individual capacities as investment adviser representatives of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ("Mercer Advisors"), an SEC-registered investment adviser principally located in Denver, Colorado, with various branch offices throughout the United States doing business under different tradenames, including Cordasco Financial Network. Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor explore why money conversations inside families are often avoided and why avoiding them can create bigger problems down the road. They break down practical, real-world ways to approach sensitive financial conversations with spouses, children, and future beneficiaries, especially when it comes to wealth transfer, estate planning, and shared values. Rather than focusing solely on numbers, Tim and Tyler explain how leading with intent, communication, and clarity can help preserve both relationships and wealth across generations. This episode covers: Why 70% of wealth transfers fail due to poor communication, not poor planning How to talk about money using shared values instead of dollar amounts When transparency helps, and when too much detail can create conflict The role of trusted third parties in family financial discussions Tools that can help families stay aligned, including letters of intent, family meetings, and recorded messages If you've ever delayed a financial conversation because it felt uncomfortable, this discussion offers thoughtful context on how to approach it with intention and care, before assumptions and misunderstandings take over. Whether you're thinking about estate planning, educating the next generation, or simply improving financial communication at home, this episode provides perspective to help you start the conversation more clearly.

In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor explore why money conversations inside families are often avoided and why avoiding them can create bigger problems down the road. They break down practical, real-world ways to approach sensitive financial conversations with spouses, children, and future beneficiaries, especially when it comes to wealth transfer, estate planning, and shared values. Rather than focusing solely on numbers, Tim and Tyler explain how leading with intent, communication, and clarity can help preserve both relationships and wealth across generations. This episode covers: Why 70% of wealth transfers fail due to poor communication, not poor planning How to talk about money using shared values instead of dollar amounts When transparency helps, and when too much detail can create conflict The role of trusted third parties in family financial discussions Tools that can help families stay aligned, including letters of intent, family meetings, and recorded messages If you've ever delayed a financial conversation because it felt uncomfortable, this discussion offers thoughtful context on how to approach it with intention and care, before assumptions and misunderstandings take over. Whether you're thinking about estate planning, educating the next generation, or simply improving financial communication at home, this episode provides perspective to help you start the conversation more clearly.

Our guest this week is Brad Meshell, a wealth advisor, executive director of Jacob's Audible and father of three, including an autistic son. Brad and his wife, Jaime, have been married for seven years and are the proud parents of three children: Jailyn (18), Jackson (4) and Jacob (7) who is Autistic. Brad is also the founder and executive director of Jabob's Audible, a non-profit founded in 2022, whose mission is: Supporting Autistic Kids, Empowering Parents and Building Community.  Some of their events include: Pictures With Santa, Ammo For Autism Clay Shoot and the 444 Mile Walk, Bike, Run.Some of Brad's gifts include his authenticity and his reslience.  It's a frank discussion where Brad tells of his journey of having a child with special needs all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Links Phone – (615) 589-9898Email – brad@jacobsaudible.orgLinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-meshell-a956b21b6/Jacob's Audible - https://www.jacobsaudible.org/Special Fathers Network –SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.”SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videosPlease support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/  SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

Hi, welcome back to ValuationPodcast.com — a podcast and video series about all things business and valuation. I'm Melissa Gragg, a financial mediator and business valuation expert in St. Louis, Missouri.Today I'm joined by Jeff Condren, an advisor to family business owners in the Chicagoland area who specializes in next-generation transitions and building the right team to make those transitions successful.In this episode, we're digging into a topic that doesn't get talked about enough: how valuation decisions shape the entire family wealth system — from retirement planning and risk balancing, to succession, fairness among siblings, taxes, and even family harmony.5 Key TakeawaysValuation is a family systems decision, not just a number. How you value the business influences retirement planning, sibling expectations, governance, and future conflict.Regular valuations prevent stalled deals and “money left on the table.” Overvaluing can kill interest; undervaluing can cost millions — being prepared protects leverage.Business risk changes how owners invest outside the business. Many owners take big risk inside the company, then prefer a more conservative investment portfolio to balance total risk.Next-gen transitions require early exposure, not holiday dinner conversations. Families need a multi-year plan to share information, clarify values, and create ownership structures that don't explode later.The right accountability team reduces taxes and reduces family conflict. Coordinated planning with a CFO/treasurer, CPA/auditor, estate planner, financial advisor, and valuation expert prevents legal, tax, and sibling-war landmines.Q&As from the episode:Q1: Why do family business owners need regular business valuations?A: Regular valuations help owners set a realistic price if a buyer approaches, avoid over- or undervaluing the company, and plan retirement and succession with credible numbers.Q2: How does business valuation affect family wealth planning?A: The valuation influences estate planning, gifting decisions, tax strategy, portfolio risk, and how “fair vs. equal” is structured among children and heirs.Q3: What happens if a business owner undervalues their company during a sale?A: Undervaluing can leave millions on the table, weaken negotiating power, and create a sale price that doesn't match the real economic value of the business.Q4: Why do business owners delay succession planning?A: Many owners are emotionally attached to the business, unsure what they'll do after exiting, and focused on day-to-day operations instead of long-term transition strategy.Q5: Who should be on the team for a family business transition?A: Typically: an internal CFO/treasurer, an external CPA/auditor, a valuation expert, an estate planner, and a financial advisor to coordinate taxes, ownership, and post-sale planning.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/condren/Website: https://www.mesirow.com/bio/jeff-condrenJeffrey Condren is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor in Mesirow Wealth Management. With two decades of experience in the financial industry, Jeff has solidified his reputation as a seasoned expert in wealth management and financial planning.Jeff joined Mesirow in 2015 and has 20 years in the financial services industry. Throughout his career, he has provided invaluable guidance to a diverse clientele, navigating them through various economic landscapes and market fluctuations.Melissa Gragghttps://www.valuationmediation.com/Support the show

Gregg Lunceford, Managing Director at Mesirow Wealth Management and a retirement transition researcher, joins Lesley Logan to explore why retirement is about more than financial planning. He introduces the concept of the “third age”—a longer, undefined stage of life where identity, purpose, and structure matter just as much as money. Together, they discuss why work identity is so hard to release and how shaping your retirement identity early can make your next chapter feel intentional instead of uncertain. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why modern retirees now face a long “third age” requiring purpose beyond leisure.How work identity provides recognition, social connection, and daily structure.The difference between living as your “ought self” versus your “ideal self.”Why failing to plan identity often leads retirees to burn through money.Why creating a shared retirement vision helps guide future decisions together.Episode References/Links:Mesirow Wealth Management - https://www.mesirow.comGregg Lunceford on LinkedIn - https://beitpod.com/greggluncefordExit From Work by Gregg Lunceford - https://a.co/d/c84euxXThe Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel - https://a.co/d/feJq9lhGuest Bio:Gregg Lunceford has 32 years of experience in financial services. He is a Managing Director, Wealth Advisor in Mesirow Wealth Management and Vice Chair of the Mesirow DEI Council. He creates comprehensive financial planning strategies for individuals, families, organizations, athletes and business owners. He is the Investment Committee Chair for the American Heart Association, on the Board of Directors for the Juvenile Protective Association, an Advisory Board Member for the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at Governors State University and is an Advisory Board Member for the Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University. Gregg is also a frequent speaker on WGN radio's “Your Money Matters.” Gregg earned a B.A. from Loyola University, an MBA from Washington University, and a PhD from Case Western Reserve University where he conducted research on retirement. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and holds a Certificate in Financial Planning Studies from Northwestern University. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! 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And once you start to figure out, I need to form a retirement identity and understand my ideal self. You start to self motivate and become excited about it.Lesley Logan 0:27  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:10  Okay, Be It babe. This conversation is really cool. It's really, really cool. It might you I'm going to introduce it in just a second, I'm going to introduce the guest, and it might be somebody like when you think about this, you yes, you do. Yes, you do. And I actually am really excited once I hit in on this, because Brad and I have already talked about this topic with each other, but I we've actually not dove into what retirement looks like, right? Like? What does it look like? Who are we, you know. And I think especially if you're an elder like me, you're like, I'm still trying to figure that out for my work stuff, but, but there's, there's an even bigger reason for us to think about it now, and Gregg Lunceford is going to explain that to us, and it's going to give you so much inspiration and a joy and excitement and possibility. And I can't think of a better be it till you see it, thing that be working on than what Greg is going to offer us up today. So here he is. Lesley Logan 2:04  All right, Be It babe, I'm really excited, because when I met this guest, I was like, hold on, this is very different. This is a whole different attitude to have about. Fine, we're going to talk money. And I know some of you want to, like, put your head in the sand and ostrich out, but we're gonna talk retirement. We're gonna talk about some really cool things, also just thought processes to have. We have an amazing guest, the first person ever make me think of this in a different way. Gregg Lunceford from Mesirow, is here to rock our world today. So Greg, tell everyone who you are and what you do.Gregg Lunceford 2:34  Hello, Lesley, thank you so much for the opportunity to be on your show. My name is Gregg Lunceford. I am a career professional in financial services. I work for a firm called Mesirow Financial in Chicago. We have locations across the country and some overseas. I am a wealth advisor. In addition to that, I am also an academic researcher, and my field of study is retirement transition. And so what I work with clients on is getting them, not only do you understand the financial part of retirement, but also the social, emotional components of making the transition and how it is unique to them, because the 21st Century retiree retirement transition is much different and way more dynamic than most people think, having watched others do it in the 20th century.Lesley Logan 3:21  This is so cool, because you're not, like, our, you know, our grandfather or father is like, like, financial planner, you are actually thinking, like, deep about the person. And that I find, I don't think I've known anyone who does that. Like, usually it's like, here are the numbers, here's your sheet. Let's put this in. How much money do you want to have and like, that's it, but you you've brought more personality to it and also more emotions to it. How did you get started in that? Gregg Lunceford 3:47  So I'll give you a little bit of a backstory. So as I mentioned, I've been in financial services for 33 years, and when the real estate bust occurred in 2008 I was working for another organization, and we were having people come in and very successful people, and they were set for life. They were being offered an exit package from their from their employer. They were leaving a lot of C suite roles, or maybe a little role below the C suite. And we were having meetings with them to prepare for retirement, and we would go through all the financial numbers and something still wasn't right. And what I was noticing was they were hesitant to make the retirement decision, even though the company was saying, look, we, giving you this excellent opportunity to exit early create cost savings for us. It'll create great financial opportunity for you, especially because we were in this period of time like unemployment was going above 11%, and so here's the opportunity to take this nest egg and be good, which was counter to what we were taught in our industry when I came in the industry that, you know exiting out was an economic choice, that once you hit a certain number, then you would go look for activit ies of leisure, because work can be depressing and daunting and stressful and all those kinds of things. And even when I was watching, you know, commercial ads from people in the industry and competitors, you know, you'll see something that goes, and I won't call the company, but they had a very successful campaign that said what's your retirement number? Yes. And this number will follow you down the street. Is this? You know, you walk from the door, do you remember that? And you look at your balance, it's like, if today's the day you just tell your boss, I can't stand you, and it's over with, right? And so this was very counter to what I was experiencing. And so I started to talk to some of the senior level people in my organization. I said, there's something going on here and and they said, well, it's probably because they're talking to us, and they're also shopping with other people to see who they which which company they want to work with. So go offer them a great discount, because it's probably all things equal, and it's just they're being sensitive about numbers, once again, making this an economic choice, so we would do that. And what I recognize is the sales cycle got even longer. And so I would go back to them. But I said, have you been looking at the trends for our sales cycle? And you would think that these would be quick, easy, easy sales, you know, because people supposed to be running out of the door, and they took longer. And so I said, there's something we don't understand about someone who is at this stage, and the feedback I got was, if it's something social emotional, there's nothing we can do about it. You know, if someone's afraid about running out of money, you can create an annuity product to take care of them for life. Somebody's worried about interest rates going up, you can create a product that deals with interest rate sensitivity, but nothing can deal with how a person feels. And I didn't accept that as an answer. I thought that was wrong, because the way I view it is, clients hire us, and they trust us, and we can do a better job the more we understand the client beyond just their finances, right? And I felt like there was a big problem here. So I basically said, you know, I want to go back to school and study this. And I negotiated for time to be in class, and I got it. And so I went to Case Western Reserve University. I got into a PhD program there, and I did four years of PhD study and lots of studies trying to figure out what are the social, emotional factors, as well as the financial factors that a person considers when making the retirement decision. And there were just tons of things that I learned in that process that I used to help my clients. Were happy to talk to you about that journey.Lesley Logan 7:37  Yeah, I'm excited to get in with that, because it's really funny as you talk about this, I like, my my family, right? My mom is two years from retirement, and she's got two homes, you know, in California that it, honestly, I was trying to get her to sell few years back because it would have been a great idea. And like, get a condo, be set for life. And we're like, showing her the numbers. We're like, look at this. This is a you, you can set yourself up to just be chill, and she is like, not listening, and I think it's because of the emotional attachment to these properties versus, like, the numbers. And so I can I get that right? Like, I get my my in laws could have retired years ago. I don't think that they know what to do if they don't have work things. And I don't even know that they love their work. I think they like what the what the work represents that they do during their day. So I do want to dive into this, because in being it till you see it like I'm hoping that every listener here gets to live to the age that they desire, like and we all are, as you mentioned, like that, the time that we're in people are living a much longer time, like retired at 65 and dying at 90. It's a long time to not have a J-O-B, right? So it would be really cool to chat with you, because like being it till we see it means including what we want to be. How do we want to be when we're older and not doing the thing we're doing? How do we want to be in retirement? So let's dive into that a little bit.Gregg Lunceford 9:06  Sure, so a couple things I want to cover off on. It was like one, how did we get here? And I think you've already touched on that. The fact is, we're living longer. And so if you are looking at a retirement maybe 50 years ago, when people really started to expire in their late 60s and their 70s. What occurred was you got to 65 and the system told you 65 is the number. Why does this arbitrary number was picked one day when they were trying to figure out Social Security, they said it was 65 is the number, right? And so you come out at that period of time, and you only have just a few healthy years in front of you, or at least you anticipate you only have a few healthy years. So what came out was this concept of a bucket list. So I am going to use these healthy years to travel, play all the golf I can, and have all this leisure that I can before I am too physically unable to do this or mentally unable to do this. And so couple things were wrong there, as it relates to our retirement 21st century. One, we're living longer, so you're going to be physically and mentally able to do something for a long period of time. So if you don't sort of set goals for yourself and see what you can be in the futurem you're going to get bored really, really quickly, and you're going to start to decline very quickly, simply because you're absent of certain things, purpose and drive and and goals and accomplishment. You know, it's more than just a couple rounds of golf that are going to make you happy. And so what I think people don't understand is we are now living in a period of time where it used to be you went from your youth to middle age and to old age. And so this transition from middle age to old age was about that 60 mark, right? And so people just basically said, I have no more control. The system is going to do what it does to me. I'm going to be booted out of my job. I'm going to be sent off to do leisure. I guess that means I play with my grandchildren or volunteer, and I'll just follow suit. And what happened is a lot of people found themselves doing things that weren't rewarding to them. Now we're in a new era, because we live longer. And what is present now is what is called, in academic terms, the Third Age. So you now go from early age to middle age to this Third Age, which is this undefined period, and today's retirees are the first people to go on this, and then you go on the old age, and the Third Age is this 20 year life bonus, where you get to define who and what you want to be. And think about it, you're wiser than you ever been. For most people, you have more financial resources than you ever had. You don't have a commitment to other people, meaning you've raised your children so you don't have to worry about them. Hopefully you're in a position where you don't have to care for aging loved ones, right? So this is a period of time where you can do anything and everything you always wanted to do. And people go, well, what didn't I have the opportunity to do whatever I wanted to do? Not quite, because remember when we were growing up, and those before us were growing up, we were kind of encouraged to do things that were socially acceptable. Rght? Lesley Logan 11:02  I agree. Gregg Lunceford 9:07  It wasn't until recent decades where someone says, I'm going to start a computer company out of my garage. I'm going to drop out of college and do something that's undefined and pioneer so the current generations, entering into into retirement, have never developed this proactive protein behavior the way maybe millennials and Generation Z has.Lesley Logan 12:54  I completely agree. Because, like, I, I mean, I feel very lucky that even though I was raised very much by, like, almost a Boomer and and a hippie like, I do have a career where I am doing whatever I want. I'm an elder millennial, so I have that, but I have friends who are just a few years older than me, and I don't think that they have a they don't have hobbies. If they have a hobby, it's going to the gym. You know what I mean? Like, it's like they don't really have things so outside of their work, it's like, what do you do for fun? Are you kidding? Like there's no and so I feel like what you're getting at is, like, no one has actually spent time thinking like, but what do I actually want? How can I dream about that, right? How can I make that so exciting that that I want to take a retirement package or that I'm excited to I have this I'm not just like, oh, let me go play golf three times a week. Like, what else? I have no purpose. I think it's really fascinating that that there is a good chunk of, like, I would say, probably over 45 who don't really, they're exploring it, but don't know. And how do you figure that out?Gregg Lunceford 13:59  So let me ask you a question. Lesley, what is your earliest memory? Or how about how old do you think you were when someone first asked you what you wanted to be when you grow up?Lesley Logan 14:09  I remember being in elementary school, and I'm sure it was asked of me earlier, because people have told me that I said something different earlier. But I remember in fourth grade, I had to, like, write a poem about who I was and what like, what did it feel like, and what did it sound like, and what did it look like. And I said, a judge, you guys, that should shock everyone.Gregg Lunceford 14:36  My point is so since age 10, someone has been helping you develop your work identity. So people were asking you at home or in your neighborhood or a church or wherever you socialize, what you're going to be then you're going to go to a middle school and you're at the high school and they're going to assign a counselor, going to start telling you to think about college or trade school or whatever it is. Is then you got to get into career. And then whatever career you get in, maybe you're assigned a mentor that's helping you understand or think about how to advance in that career. And then you get to this point where maybe you're like late 40s or 50s. And does anybody help you figure out what your identity will be after work. Lesley Logan 15:22  No, as you're saying this. Gregg Lunceford 15:24  You're on your own. You're on your own. And the only thing that was different here is when they put you into that position where you were felt forced into retirement, right? And then there was also a safety net there in the form of a pension that doesn't exist the way it once did, and there were other government safety nets that may not exist the way they once did before, when they put you there, you just said, okay, I'll accept it, because I'm only going to be around five years anyway. So let me work on this bucket list, but you never really thought about and I think people don't really dig into thinking about what the value of work is, beyond the financial resources it provides. So they get to the tail end of their career, and some people may not even think about it anyway, either. So career, because you've spent all this time having these conversations, you start developing this identity because your work, you become what your work is, right? And so, so a lot of people look at the economic resources it provides, but work also provides for us ways to get psychological success. Who doesn't like completing a task and getting recognition, and if you're in a good working environment, right? Everyone says, Let's applaud Lesley because she did this for the team which created this opportunity for the company, which created this value that she should be recognized for, right? So that that's very important, that gives you a reason to get out of bed, that gives you a reason to thrive, and that has some value when you walk out of the work environment. How do you replace that when you go into this third age? The second thing is, work provides socialization. No matter what you think about your work colleagues, if you like them, that's great. They give you somebody that you want to see every day, that you become personal friends with, that you grow with, that you learn to care about. If you hate them, they give you something to laugh about at the end of the day. You know what that idiot Bob did today again, right? That gives that gives you more than you think, right? And so work provides socialization. And then the third thing that work provides that we often overlook is structure in your day. What to do with your time, right? And so for a lot of people, when they don't have somewhere to go, something to do that makes them feel accomplished, and people to be around that they enjoy or either get some form of comical satisfaction from, they're lost when you put them out there on their own. And so what I learned and through my research is this transition for a lot of people, is the first career transition that they've made independently, and it is scary. Lesley Logan 18:08  Yeah. I mean, when you put all that together and I'm just like, going, wow, you know, people aren't it, one of the questions we've got on the pod is like, how do you make friends as a note when you move to a new place? It's like, I mean, for us, we work for ourselves. So, like, we didn't have a place to go to make, you know, so I, my husband and I have a different experience in, like, how to find socialization and structure to our day. And, you know, like we've had to make it happen. But for so many you know, my dad, he quit his he quit his security job. Yes, guys, my 72 year old father was a security guard, but he quit it because he got frustrated. Anyways, he is back working as a crosswalk guard because he's like, I'm bored. I have nothing to do, and I'm like, but dad, we could get a hobby. We could play these game like, all this stuff. And it's because he never, ever, ever in his whole life, did anyone ever encourage developing the skills outside of work.Gregg Lunceford 19:06  Developing a retirement identity, right, developing a retirement identity. And what also makes it hard is, you know, when you are developing a retirement identity, like I said, this is your first shot at personal freedom in life. Okay, when you're growing up, you had to do what your parents told you to do. Then you became an adult, and then you had all these set of responsibilities. And so you were doing what people told you you ought to do. You were really working on your art self. So if you're going to have a family, you ought to find a job that produces enough income, you know. So you didn't really think about ideally what you wanted to do. And what is really amazing to me is I've interviewed some highly successful people that do amazing things, and when I start talking to them about forming their ideal self, the stuff they come up with is so counter to what what and who they are. It is. Is amazing to me. So I get cancer surgery or successful attorneys or engineers to say I want to learn how to write mystery novels, or I want to start a rock band. And so what it points to me, and what it what comes out to me is these are probably things that they wanted to do in the 10, in their teens, in their early 20s, all along, but they couldn't do that because society told them these are not the things a person ought to do. You know, if they want stability in terms of income, if they want respect in their community, if they want you know, the structure that around it allows them to have a family and not have to worry about things. And so now you get to this third age, and I saw all off the table. You're wiser than you've ever been. You have more financial resources than you've ever had. You know, you have more personal freedom. Now you get to, really, for the first time, work on who your ideal self, not your ought self, who you want to be. And if you get it right, you're the only person you have to hold accountable. If you get it wrong, you're the only person you have to hold accountable. And so some people go, well, Greg, what does it have to do with money? I think people who don't take time to find this identity burn through a lot of money trying to find themselves. Right? And so, when I first started this journey, I was trying to find a cohort of individuals that had finished their career, achieved financial success and had 30 years ahead of them. And what were their behaviors, and where you consistently see this is with professional athletes, right? You're out of the game early. Right? You're in your 30s, and you're Tom Brady, you're 40, but that's the long game. But you're really out in your late 20s, your early 30s, you don't have financial concerns, right? And what is the behavior? And sometimes we demonize athletes for dysfunctional behavior after Hey, but all they're showing us is who we are going to be if we don't develop a retirement identity.Lesley Logan 22:09  Yes, Greg, you are 100% correct there. I think most people, think most people will say they don't know how to manage their money and and to your research and what we've been talking about here, it's not about managing money it's about they don't know who they are without their sport because they spent, for those people, they spent, literally, since they were a child in that sport and getting so many accolades, and then all of a sudden, no one cares. No one pays attention to them. For the most part, they're not going to be on TV like, that's it. And so I think it, I think you're spot on. It's not about the money responsibility, although they might need to learn some. It's about who, who are they now that they're not playing.Gregg Lunceford 22:50  Right and so then you go, well, this athlete just went broke because they put all this money in his business. Well, they're trying to get the same accolades in business they got in sports, right? They're trying to replace that identity that made them feel good, made them feel accomplished and some people are very successful at it. Those aren't. But my point is, there has to be a road map to get that yes, and it doesn't always have to be in business. It could be in your civic activities. It could be you learning to act, or you become in sport, but you have to first of all imagine who your ideal self is. And just like you were coached and you read and you trained to build that ought self, hopefully, for some people, a lot of people, the ought self is their ideal self, and they're usually entrepreneurs like you, where you that you know what, I'm not going to go to normal path. I'm going to carve a path for myself, and entrepreneurship gives me that freedom. But for a lot of people, they have to figure out now that I've satisfied all these obligations to other people and other things, who do I ideally want to be and then work at how do I get there? Because if you go in there blindly, you're just the same as that person out of that was in sports or any other industry, you're just trying to find this quick hit to replace all of these accolades or psychological successes you got. And you can blow up a lot of money doing that. So the well being comes from getting all of these components right, not just as we were taught in the 20th century, just making sure you don't run out of money. Lesley Logan 24:26  Gregg, this is insane. So okay, so I love all of this. And it's, it's, it's like, so aligned, because I'm always like, can't be you're not gonna get right the first time. Like, we have to ditch perfection, which, of course, in workplace, it's very honed. Like, check the box. Do it right. Do it right. So you have to talk to the boss about how you did it wrong. Like, get it right. Like, so of course, when you, when you retire, if you haven't been working on these things, you're you're going to be hard on you're going to take your ought self into your retirement. So I guess, like, first of all, I don't think that most financial retirement planners do any of these questions. So when, if, when people come to you talk retirement, are you like pulling are you like asking them what their ideal, what they want their ideal self to be? Do they even know how to find it? What questions do they have to ask themselves? Gregg Lunceford 25:13  Well, we do have. We have. We have a lot of conversation about, you know, not only can you financially afford it, we can put some numbers of software and come up with that answer pretty quickly, right? But we also have a conversation about, what do you think your lifestyle will be, and why do you think this is right for you? And what do you want to accomplish? And you know, some folks will come in and say, hey, I think I want to start a small business, right? And so we might talk about them, and they don't want they don't want work again in the way they want it, but they want something to do that is work on their own terms. So a lot of this is you changing the terms of what you're doing and because when we go, especially if we go to work for a corporation or some that's usually a unilateral contract, right? The person the institution is telling you, I'll give you X amount of dollars if you do this. And you say, but what if I did a little different? No, you don't get a choice in that. This is what you got to do, right? And what we're recognizing is we do have some power in that. We do have some power. I've seen a lot of people be successful in going back to their places of work and negotiating consulting contracts. And they basically said, you know, I don't want to do nine to five, but if you have a special project that you bring on, let's say you bring you on new software, whatever, and this is going to be a nine-month project, or it's going to be something you need few hours, you know, out of the week and but I get the summers off. I'm your person for doing that. And that's how they're able to get from their ought self into their ideal self, because the time that they're not there, they now start to figure out what their personal freedom, what they really like to do. So I think of one person now, he was very successful at this, but he also was confident enough talking to his employer, because he was the head of HR, so he knew he was a little bit more comfortable. But basically what he did was he got to this point, and he was ready to make this transition now, but he didn't know what he wanted to do. So he went to and he said, look, I'm the head of HR, I got 70 people reporting to me. I'm willing to give all of my direct reports to my successor. If you help me, let me help you identify my successor, and help me groom your successor. So his role became more of coach, manager, mentor, in this last couple of years, and that was three days a week. He said the other day a week. These are institutions, nonprofit institutions, that we, as an organization, support. I want one day to volunteer with one of them, and so now they get a free executive for one day a week. That was great for the company. Worked out well. He said, then the fifth day of the week, I just want a day off. I want to see if I really enjoy leisure. Everyone tells me I'm supposed to play all these rounds of golf and lay back and relax. Let me make sure that that's the right thing for me. So he has three days a week that he is engaging in what he traditionally knows in terms of what his identity is. He has one day a week to see if he wants to change his identity in his community through his volunteerism, and he has one day a week to figure out if I just want to exit all together. And the answer is, you can do one of the three of those. You can continue doing all of the three of those. What we have now is, if you shape them correctly, is we have what are called boundary-less careers. And so this is where I think, you know, we give Millennials a bad rap. We give millennials a bad rap because we always say, well, they like to do a gig economy. They don't stay anywhere 30 years. But what they're really engaging in is today's boundary-less career, where they define success for themselves, versus going down the traditional path, which says you can only be successful by going up the pyramid. For them is, you know what? I can be equally financially successful. I can gig here, gig there, and add it all together, or I can and get this personal freedom and know how to negotiate so that I'm spending more time, just as much time developing my ideal self as I'm developing my ought self.Lesley Logan 29:21  Oh my gosh, Gregg, you just like, I think you're the first person to ever give the millennials a compliment. But thank you. Constantly find myself defending, like, I'm like, what are we talking about? Like, we're not bad, we're we're a group that's how to really fight, like, figure things out. Because when we came into the world where we got a job, like, everything was so uncertain. You know, between 911 and between, that's when I went to college, and then I got out of college, and it was like the recession, like, there's not, there's not been an opportunity to have a certainty of a 30-year career. But I think what you're, what I'm, what I love about what your saying is, like, we've actually been spending our careers figuring out who we are, and like, spending time doing that. And I am obsessed with what the example of the guy you gave, because I think so many people can start playing with that right now. So many companies are looking to go to a four day work week, you know, like, so many places are looking to have like, Okay, you're in office for some days and you're at home for other days. Like, we can look at those opportunities as ways to figure out our retirement identity. Gregg Lunceford 30:22  Right. And a lot of us get stuck in this, oh, well, I work for this large corporation. They aren't flexible. There are a lot of small, medium sized companies that are in growth mode that that model works very well. That's what they can afford. And they need the institutional knowledge and the wisdom you got to be able to and this is where we go back to talking about boundary list careers. You got to think about all of the universe and parts of it you don't even know exist. This is where your personal curiosity has to kick in to get what you want. Lesley Logan 30:53  Yeah. Yeah. Okay, Gregg, so I feel like you are a unicorn though. Like, I really do feel like, because, I mean, obviously, what a cool company, that they're like, yeah, go, take four years to figure out this idea you have, and then, like.Gregg Lunceford 31:09  Well no, they weren't that cool. That's why I'm here. Lesley Logan 31:14  Okay, that's cool. Gregg Lunceford 31:15  I kind of, I took a lot of flack as I was doing this, and because people were going, we don't understand why you're doing thi, right, and you know, we don't really understand your need to do it. And there were a few key executives that said, you know, they were really supportive of me, but overall, it was, you know, I was sort of like I was trailblazing, and people were going, you you have a very good set of responsibilities here, that you could be highly successful. Why do you want to tinker with the mouse trap? And I said, I think this would make me a better advisor to my clients, if I, if I came to understand this now, back then, and, you know, there was no one talking about psychology. I'm a certified financial planner now, the CFP exam as of I think, like two, three years ago, 11% of the exam is psychology now. But I was, I was in a very uncomfortable space, but I believed I was right. So when you start talking about, you know, be it till you see it, right, I'd be, I was in a very uncomfortable space. And this is my book, Exit From Work, I write about it in my book, but I am glad I had the journey, because I feel as though I'm a better professional, and my clients appreciate it.Lesley Logan 32:21  Yeah. I mean, like, you know, years ago, I read the book Psychology of Money, right? I think that's what it's called, or maybe it's called profit, but I think that's money. And, like, I said, like, the type of person you have to be to get money is very different than the type of person you'd be to keep the money. And I was like, like, that's, by the way, that's, like, the thing I remember from the whole book, it's, but at any rate, I remember that sticking going, hold on a second. Like, we as people have to evolve, like, one on the getting, two on the keeping, and that goes kind of along with what you're saying. Like, you know, you have to understand the emotion psychology behind all of this. Because, yes, spreadsheets are great, but with AI, like, we don't need a bunch of people do a spreadsheet anymore. So there's that we need someone to help guide us to like, well, who is it like, where is this money going? What do you want to do with it? What like was also, what if, instead of like, okay, here comes our retirement age, what if it's like, oh my gosh, like, I can't even wait, or, actually, I'm going part time now, and my retirement is part time, and I'm doing all these other things. Like, that's so cool that you, I mean, you do that, it's not easy to be a trailblazer. It's not easy to be the only person talking about it, though. Gregg Lunceford 33:27  Right. It's rewarding in the end, and so, and I think a lot of people find it liberating, because if you got 20 years, you just really want to do what people tell you you ought to do. I mean, especially when you spent the first 60 doing that. And so really, what this third age is supposed to be. It's supposed to be the most dynamic part of your life, right? It is a way to course correct or either enhance something that's already gone well for you, versus a lot of people going to retirement, because that's what retirement was when it first started off, it was really this negotiation between management and labor, where, especially, we were in an industrial society. So labor was more physical, right now we're in a service economy, so it was really more cerebral. But back then, you know, they wanted a management wanted employees who could swing a hammer so many times a minute, and that was usually somebody under age 40, and this is where we start getting age protection laws, right. And anyone over 40 they wanted out of the workforce. So, you know, retirement didn't start off as this, oh, this is this great thing, and they're going to write me checks for the rest of my life. It didn't start off as that. It really started off as you were really making someone feel devalued because you you didn't have any and so we've gone along with this model. It wasn't until maybe, like the 19 late 70s or 1980s when we went into this global recession where people started getting offered these early retirement packages to come out of companies because globally, a lot of people, a lot of companies, had financial issues to deal with. And what they weren't expecting when they let this 55 year old go is that life expectancy was starting to go up, and so now this 55 year old is now living to 80, and they got the best end of the deal. And what is happening financially right now is people are looking at their parents and grandparents who got that deal, and they're going, I can never afford to do what they did, and not realizing that that was an anomaly. And so a lot of people, socially, emotionally, feel like they're failing, and they don't want to talk about retirement because they feel as though I'll never be able to do what the person did before me and therefore there must be something wrong with what I'm doing or what me and the reality is the game is changing, and so you actually have more personal freedom than they have. And just like they walked into a unique situation, you have to craft a unique situation for you that works.Lesley Logan 36:04  Yes, that, Gregg, this is, you're a historian. You're like a life coach and like the person we all need to be thinking about when it comes to like, because it doesn't matter how I mean, obviously we're told, like, the earlier you can start thinking about retirement, the better. But people don't want to do that, like I said the beginning of this. They want to put their head in the sand, like, I can't be my grandparents, so I'm just going to keep doing what I ought to do, and just and like, we'll deal with that later. We'll figure out the number later. But I think if we can, like, start thinking about it now, it really does allow us to curate the experience we have with work, but then also set ourselves up for that third age where we can have a really good time getting to know ourselves even deeper, and not not losing money along the way.Gregg Lunceford 36:51  That's correct, because in that third age, you may convert a hobby. So I have a friend who was in banking with me. He would always go take a week or two off every year and just go to Europe and backpack. He would stay at, you know, two three star hotels. He was like, I'm not there every day. And he would just go take the most amazing pictures he bring them back to the office. And we would go, Jim, you know, you should have an art show. And he was like, Nah, they're just hobbies or whatever. And he had a hard shell, and people started buying his art. And so, you know, now in retirement, you know his joy also produces income. And so he has defined work on his own terms. It doesn't even feel like work to him. And so what a lot of people who are looking at their parents and grandparents and then going, you know, they got this pension for life, and they don't offer pensions anymore, and they didn't get sandwiched. So they didn't have the burden, financial burden of raising kids and having to take care of parents. I'm stuck. I'll never be able to do that. There's something wrong you don't understand. You now have this 20 year life bonus, where you can learn to gig, you can learn to I often point to the show The Golden Girls. I don't know if the creators of the show knew what they were doing or they intentionally did this, but look at that model. I think that's the model a lot of people are going to have to go to. And I think you touched on this a little bit earlier. You start talking about your father and your in laws. And you know, we don't have kinship the way we once did, once small, we have smaller families, right? Two, geographically we disperse, right? And so what in this planning process of your ideal self, what you also have to learn how to do is to replace kinships with friendships. So that's what was going on in that in that Golden Girls house, you had Dorothy and her mother, Sophia, that had a kinship, but where they didn't have kinship, they replaced it with their roommates with Blanche and Betty (inaudible). And so now that you have this replacement of family that you trust and you get along with, now you got four people to split your rent with, so that makes the money go longer, right? Yeah, then you start talking about what went on every day. Well, sometimes they were doing volunteer work, and then they had to spin off where they bought a hotel. So they basically were doing their own version of a gig economy, right? They were engaging as much as they wanted to or not. Then they had socialization from each other. There was always something going on in that house, right? Yes. And so, right? And then they had things to create psychological success. So I don't know if the creators of the show recognized at the time, but to me, I looked at it as sort of foreshadowing what people have to create for themselves on their own with this life bonus, and it will help them both financially, as well as their mental and their mental well being. Lesley Logan 40:00  Gregg, yes. I mean, I joke with my friends who have kids. I'm like, I just want you to know that your kid is gonna have to take care of me because I don't have kids. But really, actually, I just need to find my Golden Girls, my husband. I just need to find a co op, a little commune of all of our friend all of our friends who don't have kids, we actually like what we're being with. And we could have a great little retirement home, maybe make it a BnB. This what I what I just I'm obsessed with, and why I got excited to have you on is, you know, oftentimes the Be It Till You See It podcast really talks about, like, what we can do right now, like, for right now, what we can do to be it till we see it tomorrow, or for the thing we want next year. Or there might be some stuff I have never thought of it as like, what can we be doing right now to be it till we see it for retirement in a way that we can choose, like we get the life is literally what we want, and the research you've done, the education you've had, and how you've literally seen it implemented in unique ways, because of all this work, is so cool. It makes me excited to actually, like, look into that future. Because, like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm not gonna look past 50, because I got things to do with my job, with the job that I created for myself. It's like, oh, hold on a second. What, like, what can I be playing with right now so that I know what I'm gonna do past 50, so that I have something to look forward to. So I'm excited about it. So, Gregg, what are you most excited about right now?Gregg Lunceford 41:20  I'm excited about I'm writing and researching and learning about the person I'm becoming. So and so I often joke with my clients, but I'm really not joking. They'll come back and they'll tell me some amazing experience they had, and I always tell them, leave me a list of notes so I know where to start when it comes to my time, and I say that jokingly, but it's something it is serious. What we all need to start to focus on right now is just like we had that career guidance counselor helping us and coaching us. And to that next thing, we need to start taking time to figure out that action plan for that next thing. And once you start to figure out I need to form a retirement identity and understand my ideal self, you start to self motivate and become excited about it. So what I really enjoy about what I've done through my work, whether it be here as an advisor or through my research, is that I'm helping people understand that they have a lot to be encouraged by, right? You're going to get 20 years to do whatever it is you want to do. And what I also want people to be understanding of. You don't have to leave the workforce if you're doing something awesome already. Just keep doing it. And if you want to modify that in some kind of way, figure out a plan, or figure out your terms and how to negotiate those terms. Say you can do that. Lesley Logan 42:51  Oh, I just like each answer. I just get more excited for people. I'm excited for myself. Like, I'm like, wow, this is so fun. We're gonna take a brief break and then find out where people can find you, follow you, work with you and your Be It Action Items. Lesley Logan 43:00  Okay, Gregg, where can they connect with you? You have a book, Exit From Work, but where, where can they go to chat with you, work with you like, get more ideas about their retirement identity?Gregg Lunceford 43:14  Sure, so I can be reached at mesirow.com so our website, M-E-S-I-R-O-W dot com, on that, if you put in my name in our search engine, Gregg Lunceford, you'll come up with my team web page. We'll have my bio, my contact information, also a list of all my publications. Also, if you're interested in my book, Exit From Work. This can be found on amazon.com, and I'm always encouraged by people who take time to drop me a note, or we didn't even go into I talked about the Golden Girls situation. We didn't even go into their academically based retirement communities. Now, basically, instead of dormitory you lived in when you were in your late teens and 20s, now people are going back to retire near where they went to school. So they now have, because we don't have these kinships, they're now bracing building friendships based on the fact that they're alumni, or they love the school and and so it's sort of like this, you were living in the Golden Girls subdivision, maybe. Lesley Logan 44:15  Oh, my God. Gregg Lunceford 44:15  So there are all kinds of things that are going on right now, and I just, I write about it in my book too. I just want people to learn about that so they don't feel as though they're confined to what they saw their parents do. Lesley Logan 44:27  Yeah, yeah. Oh my gosh, Brad, when you listen to this, we'll choose your school, because he went to music school, so we'll choose that one.Gregg Lunceford 44:37  He could, he could probably teach all the people I know they want to start a rock band. Lesley Logan 44:41  Yeah, yeah, yeah, him and his buddies. That could be their whole little they would love it. Okay, you've given us a lot, but I do want to dive into the bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it. What do you have for us?Gregg Lunceford 44:56  Okay, so what you first have to do is you have to create a vision. And if you have a partner, it is very important that that be a shared vision. The last thing we want to do is get to the end of our career and then have conflict with our partner. And a lot of that happens because most couples do not talk about retirement. They don't even know if the other partners is saving for retirement. Like 40% couples don't even talk about this. Don't even do the calculation to get past them. So so if you haven't even done the basics on that end, talking about this thing you aspire to be is very difficult because And so last thing you want to do is you both jump in it, and then you you're stuck and you're unhappy. So create a vision. If you have a partner, make sure that's a shared vision. And then start talking about goals. Engage someone like myself, who's a financial planning professional, to help you see how you can align your financial wherewithal with those goals. And then think differently. Think about being your best self at this stage, not being someone who society just said it's time for you to leave, because that's not the case. You have more value to offer a lot of people than you think.Lesley Logan 46:07  I do, I love that. This is an episode I really hope my in-laws actually listen to. I really am. I'm actually just really excited for even our our listeners who who are like, you know, they might be in there. They might be, like, 15, 20 years away from retirement, but, or even 10, but, like, we have a bunch of them, and I hope this helps them rethink that, because I think sometimes there's a fear to, oh, my God, you know. And you just said it like being the system has told them that they're done, but you're not done. And so I just you've given, like, so much excitement around this topic, and joy and possibility. So Gregg, thank you for being you. You all, how are you going to use these tips in your life? We want to know. Make sure you tell Gregg Lunceford your takeaways. I'm sure it will make his day. Share this with friend who needs to hear it, that friend who's like, so worried all the time, like, absolutely needs this. And you know what to do until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 47:01  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 47:44  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 47:49  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 47:54  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 48:01  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 48:04  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The Cash Rich Exit Podcast, host Colleen O'Connell-Campbell sits down with Muneer Feeroze and Clark Steffy of Canadian Benefits Associates to unpack two powerful retirement tools for incorporated entrepreneurs: individual pension plans (IPPs) and retirement compensation arrangements (RCAs). Together, they walk through where these plans can outperform an RRSP, what "tax smart" really means in practice, and the operational realities founders need to understand before setting anything up.   In this conversation, they cover:   Who an IPP is for, and when it starts to beat an RRSP Muneer explains that IPP contribution room increases with age, and outlines a crossover point where the IPP can become more compelling than the standard RRSP approach.   The income detail founders often miss If you want to build contribution room, the plan is tied to T4 income rather than dividend income. This becomes part of the "prep phase" for incorporated owners who have flexibility in how they pay themselves.   The alphabet soup explained: why RCAs show up in the same conversation They position an RCA as a way to fund retirement benefits beyond the IPP's cap, and discuss how these tools can work as a broader strategy for lowering tax burdens and boosting retirement outcomes.   Flexibility versus access: what you can (and cannot) do with IPP assets They discuss the reality that IPPs can be funded with flexibility, but accessing the assets is more rigid unless you wind the plan up, which takes time and has costs.   Creditor protection as a strategic feature They explain how an IPP is funded into a beneficiary trust structure, and why that can provide meaningful creditor protection relative to keeping assets inside the corporation.   What it costs to run an IPP Unlike an RRSP, IPPs require actuarial and regulatory filings, including valuation reports filed periodically. Muneer shares a concrete annual fee example for 2025 and what it covers.   What happens to the IPP if you sell your business They explain that an IPP needs a sponsoring corporation, and outline common paths business owners can take (including sponsorship through a Holdco, or winding up the plan). They also flag that wind-ups can trigger maximum transfer rules, which may force a portion to be paid out as taxable cash in the year of wind-up.   Family and succession planning use cases They discuss how an IPP can be used in a family succession context, including why some people refer to it as a "family pension plan" and how intergenerational wealth transfer can become part of the strategy when a business remains the sponsor over time.   Key takeaways for incorporated founders An IPP can be a tax smart retirement engine for the right incorporated owner, but it comes with rules, admin, and costs that need to be understood up front. You can fund with more flexibility as you age, but access is not as instant as an RRSP unless you plan for wind-up timing and implications. The structure can support creditor protection and estate or succession planning in ways many founders do not consider early enough. Book a one on one Wealth Gap Analysis with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell to pressure test whether your personal plan is aligned with your exit and retirement strategy.   Please leave a five star rating and a short review to help more founders discover The Cash Rich Exit Podcast. *** The Cash Rich Exit Podcast is brought to you by O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion Securities.   All opinions expressed by the host, Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, and podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of RBC Dominion Securities.   This podcast is for informational purposes only before taking any action based on information in this podcast you should consult with a qualified professional.   Colleen O'Connell-Campbell is a Wealth Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities, a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

Good timing matters. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Jason O'Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss ways to help you understand the signs and recognize when it may be time for you to enter retirement. Listening Time: 21 minutes Mercer-Cordasco Disclosure Information Visit Our Website Join Our Email List Additional Mercer Advisors Disclosure Cordasco Financial Network is a tradename. All services provided by Cordasco Financial Network investment professionals are provided in their individual capacities as investment adviser representatives of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ("Mercer Advisors"), an SEC-registered investment adviser principally located in Denver, Colorado, with various branch offices throughout the United States doing business under different tradenames, including Cordasco Financial Network. Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Kaitlyn Walsh, Wealth Advisor and Equity Analyst, to break down what employees actually own when they receive stock options and why misunderstanding equity compensation can lead to costly mistakes.From incentive stock options and vesting schedules to fair market value, AMT exposure, and record-keeping errors, Walsh explains the decisions that matter most before, during, and after an equity grant and why timing, taxes, and planning can make or break outcomes.In this episode:– Why stock options are not the same as owning shares– How strike price and fair market value really work– The biggest vesting and exercise mistakes employees make– When stock options can trigger unexpected tax bills– Why poor record keeping can cost real money years laterLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#StockOptions #Equity #PersonalFinance #WealthPlanning #TaxPlanning #FinancialEducation #Investing #MoneyStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V Support the show

There's a message we all need right now:   Chaos is not your enemy. It might be your invitation.   My guest on the Beliefcast is Curtis G. Marsh, a TEDx Speaker, Wealth Advisor, and transformational leader who lived through a season of losing nearly everything, financially, emotionally, and personally… and rebuilt from the inside out through faith, truth, and alignment.   Curtis teaches something powerful:  You can't always control the storm around you… But you can choose who you become within it.   If you're in a hard season, this episode will meet you right where you are.  

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how people research, plan, and make financial decisions. But can AI really help you invest smarter, or does it introduce new risks? In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor explore how AI is already influencing investing and financial planning, and where human judgment still matters most. You will learn: How artificial intelligence is changing investing and financial decision-making Where AI can be helpful for investors, including education, research, and organizing financial questions The risks of relying on AI for investment decisions, including bias, missing context, and overconfidence Why asking the right questions is critical when using AI tools How working with a financial advisor adds perspective AI cannot replicate Tim and Tyler also discuss generational differences in how people use technology, the concept of AI "hallucinations," and why AI works best as a supporting tool rather than a replacement for personalized financial planning. If you are curious about how AI fits into investing, retirement planning, and long-term financial strategy, this episode provides a balanced and practical perspective on how to use AI wisely without letting it drive your decisions

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how people research, plan, and make financial decisions. But can AI really help you invest smarter, or does it introduce new risks? In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor explore how AI is already influencing investing and financial planning, and where human judgment still matters most. You will learn: How artificial intelligence is changing investing and financial decision-making Where AI can be helpful for investors, including education, research, and organizing financial questions The risks of relying on AI for investment decisions, including bias, missing context, and overconfidence Why asking the right questions is critical when using AI tools How working with a financial advisor adds perspective AI cannot replicate Tim and Tyler also discuss generational differences in how people use technology, the concept of AI "hallucinations," and why AI works best as a supporting tool rather than a replacement for personalized financial planning. If you are curious about how AI fits into investing, retirement planning, and long-term financial strategy, this episode provides a balanced and practical perspective on how to use AI wisely without letting it drive your decisions

Craig Bolanos, Co-founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to explain why he believes 2026 will be a good year for the market, the attacks on Fed independence, the streak of positive economic data, the importance of a diversified portfolio, and what he’s telling his clients right now. For more information, go to GetRetiredStayRetired.com.

Craig Bolanos, Co-founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to explain why he believes 2026 will be a good year for the market, the attacks on Fed independence, the streak of positive economic data, the importance of a diversified portfolio, and what he’s telling his clients right now. For more information, go to GetRetiredStayRetired.com.

Craig Bolanos, Co-founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to explain why he believes 2026 will be a good year for the market, the attacks on Fed independence, the streak of positive economic data, the importance of a diversified portfolio, and what he’s telling his clients right now. For more information, go to GetRetiredStayRetired.com.

Segment 1: Craig Bolanos, Founder and Wealth Advisor at VestGen Wealth Partners, joins John Williams to explain why he believes 2026 will be a good year for the market, the attacks on Fed independence, the streak of positive economic data, the importance of a diversified portfolio, and what he’s telling his clients right now. Segment 2: Carl […]

What happens when building wealth stops being about returns and starts being about purpose? In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Tiffany Irving, Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management. With more than 25 years of experience, Tiffany explains why modern wealth management must go beyond investments and focus on holistic planning, collaboration, and long-term impact. The conversation dives into exit planning for business owners, common mistakes made when selling a company, the emotional side of succession, and why financial planning should start far earlier than most people think. Tiffany also shares insights on financial literacy, debt management, and the growing importance of purpose-driven investing. Key Takeaways→ Wealth management today is about integrating investments, tax planning, estate planning, and personal goals.→ Business owners should begin exit planning three to five years before selling to maximize value and reduce taxes.→ A collaborative advisory team creates better outcomes than siloed advice.→ Succession planning must address both financial readiness and emotional identity shifts.→ Financial planning is not just for the wealthy and is most powerful when started early. Quote from Tiffany “Wealth management is no longer just about performance. It's about purpose, values, and the impact you want your money to have.” If you are a business owner thinking about growth, succession, or long-term financial clarity, this episode is a must-listen. Subscribe to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, leave a review, and connect with Tiffany Irving on LinkedIn to continue the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when building wealth stops being about returns and starts being about purpose? In this episode of Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, Gary Heldt sits down with Tiffany Irving, Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management. With more than 25 years of experience, Tiffany explains why modern wealth management must go beyond investments and focus on holistic planning, collaboration, and long-term impact. The conversation dives into exit planning for business owners, common mistakes made when selling a company, the emotional side of succession, and why financial planning should start far earlier than most people think. Tiffany also shares insights on financial literacy, debt management, and the growing importance of purpose-driven investing. Key Takeaways→ Wealth management today is about integrating investments, tax planning, estate planning, and personal goals.→ Business owners should begin exit planning three to five years before selling to maximize value and reduce taxes.→ A collaborative advisory team creates better outcomes than siloed advice.→ Succession planning must address both financial readiness and emotional identity shifts.→ Financial planning is not just for the wealthy and is most powerful when started early. Quote from Tiffany “Wealth management is no longer just about performance. It's about purpose, values, and the impact you want your money to have.” If you are a business owner thinking about growth, succession, or long-term financial clarity, this episode is a must-listen. Subscribe to Grow Your Business & Grow Your Wealth, leave a review, and connect with Tiffany Irving on LinkedIn to continue the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Girl, Take the Lead! — the podcast where we reimagine leadership, challenge the status quo around aging, and share the conversations that help us break cycles, find our voice, and lead our lives with intention.Money is one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — tools in our lives.And for many women, it's also one of the most stressful.In today's episode, we slow the conversation down and take the fear out of finances — replacing it with clarity, confidence, and choice.Our guest, Tiffany Irving, is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Mesirow Wealth Management with more than 25 years of experience working with high-net-worth individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations. She's also a proud mom of three and a fierce advocate for educating and empowering women and girls around money.Tiffany's journey into finance was shaped early — growing up with a single mom, watching financial stress up close, and quietly deciding that independence and stability would matter deeply in her own life. That lived experience now fuels her passion for helping women understand money not as something to fear — but as a tool to support the lives they want to build.In this grounded and empowering conversation, Yo and Tiffany explore what it really means to build financial confidence — intentionally.✨ In This Episode, We Explore:✨ From Silence to Strategy✨ Money as a Tool, Not a Test✨ Financial Confidence Across Generations✨ Partnership and the Money Conversation✨ The Myth of “I'm Not Wealthy Enough”✨ Why Written Plans Matter✨ Choosing an Advisor (and Asking the Right Questions)✨ What She'd Tell Her 20-Something Self

Host Colleen O'Connell-Campbell breaks down the basics of individual pension plans (IPPs) for Ontario incorporated business owners and professionals. She explains what an IPP is, who it fits best, and why it can be a powerful tool for turning corporate success into predictable personal retirement income as part of a cash rich exit strategy.   Episode overview   If you are incorporated in Ontario, this is a practical primer on how an IPP works as a defined benefit pension plan set up by your corporation. Colleen covers why IPP contribution room can outpace RRSP room after age 40, how contributions are generally tax deductible to the corporation, and how IPP planning supports personal income clarity after a sale or as part of succession planning.   What you will learn   What an IPP is, in plain english, and how an actuary sets the funding math under Canadian rules   Why IPPs can allow bigger deductible contributions as you get older, especially after age 40 How IPP contributions move value from corporation to personal income, in a structured way   The common fit profile (Ontario corporation, T4 income, age 40–71, profitable business that can fund contributions) How IPP funding can include current service, past service, make-up contributions, and terminal funding near retirement What your options can be at retirement or if you sell (start pension income, commute value, or annuitize) The tradeoffs: IPPs are not "cash jars," and they come with cost, complexity, and an ongoing contribution commitment Key highlights   Why IPPs show up in exit planning Colleen frames IPP planning as part of the "personal income clarity" that founders want after an exit, while still interacting with tax strategy and transferable business value decisions (including how you pay yourself).   Governance and guardrails An IPP sits inside a trust structure with investment rules and periodic actuarial valuations, adding oversight designed to keep the pension on track.   Family and legacy considerations Colleen notes you can design a multi-member IPP that includes a spouse and adult children who actually work in the business and receive t4 income, with survivorship dynamics that can support intergenerational planning.   Connect with Colleen O'Connell-Campbell on LinkedIn. Book a one-on-one wealth gap analysis with Colleen to discuss whether an IPP fits your exit timeline and plan. Subscribe on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@oconnellcampbellwealth and follow on your favourite podcast platform, and leave a five star rating and review to help more founders find the show. *** The Cash Rich Exit Podcast is brought to you by O'Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC Dominion Securities.   All opinions expressed by the host, Colleen O'Connell-Campbell, and podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of RBC Dominion Securities.   This podcast is for informational purposes only before taking any action based on information in this podcast you should consult with a qualified professional.   Colleen O'Connell-Campbell is a Wealth Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities, a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.  

Retirement isn't just about making your money last, it's about using it wisely while you still can. In this episode of the Plan Your Federal Retirement podcast, Micah Shilanski, Wealth Advisor, is joined by his father, Floyd Shilanski, Wealth Advisor, to unpack one of the most complicated challenges federal employees face: balancing today's lifestyle with tomorrow's longevity. From distribution strategies and liquidity planning to housing decisions, aging in place, and preparing for unexpected large expenses, this conversation dives deep into what actually happens over a 30–40 year retirement. With decades of real-world client experience, Floyd shares stories that highlight why flexibility, intentional planning, and foresight are essential, not optional. If you're a pre-retiree or early retiree wondering how to enjoy retirement without becoming a burden or running out of money, this episode is for you. https://zurl.co/xFbFx

Before making financial decisions that may impact your retired years, there is much to consider. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional Jason O'Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss ten retirement related points to ponder before you leave the workforce. Listening Time: 26 minutes Mercer-Cordasco Disclosure Information Visit Our Website Join Our Email List Additional Mercer Advisors Disclosure Cordasco Financial Network is a tradename. All services provided by Cordasco Financial Network investment professionals are provided in their individual capacities as investment adviser representatives of Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ("Mercer Advisors"), an SEC-registered investment adviser principally located in Denver, Colorado, with various branch offices throughout the United States doing business under different tradenames, including Cordasco Financial Network. Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

  The beginning of a new year creates an opportunity to get organized, revisit priorities, and make thoughtful financial decisions. In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor, and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor, walk through a practical, step by step New Year Financial Checklist designed to help you bring clarity to your financial life without pressure or perfectionism. From reviewing savings and retirement contributions to double checking beneficiaries, cash flow, insurance coverage, taxes, and investment alignment, this conversation focuses on actionable ideas you can implement right away. To make it even easier, we have created a free, downloadable New Year Financial Planning Checklist that mirrors the discussion in this episode. It is designed to be simple, approachable, and easy to work through at your own pace. You can tackle everything in one sitting or spread it out over the coming weeks. Download the checklist using the link in the episode description and use it as a guide to stay organized, intentional, and proactive throughout the year.  Your New Year Financial Planning Checklist - Clear Financial Partners This episode is about progress, not perfection. Small steps, taken consistently, can create meaningful momentum. Clarity is often the best place to begin.

The beginning of a new year creates an opportunity to get organized, revisit priorities, and make thoughtful financial decisions. In this episode of Clear Money Talk, Tim Clairmont, MSFS™, LACP™, Wealth Advisor, and Tyler Andrews, CFP®, Wealth Advisor, walk through a practical, step by step New Year Financial Checklist designed to help you bring clarity to your financial life without pressure or perfectionism. From reviewing savings and retirement contributions to double checking beneficiaries, cash flow, insurance coverage, taxes, and investment alignment, this conversation focuses on actionable ideas you can implement right away. To make it even easier, we have created a free, downloadable New Year Financial Planning Checklist that mirrors the discussion in this episode. It is designed to be simple, approachable, and easy to work through at your own pace. You can tackle everything in one sitting or spread it out over the coming weeks. Download the checklist using the link in the episode description and use it as a guide to stay organized, intentional, and proactive throughout the year.  Your New Year Financial Planning Checklist - Clear Financial Partners This episode is about progress, not perfection. Small steps, taken consistently, can create meaningful momentum. Clarity is often the best place to begin.

As the year closes, federal employees can't afford to miss critical planning opportunities that protect their retirement and avoid costly mistakes. In this episode of the Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast, Micah Shilanski, Wealth Advisor, and Luke Eberly, Wealth Advisor, break down real-world, end-of-year action items they are actively handling with clients right now. They talk about last-minute planning for 2025, including Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), Roth conversions, and estimated tax payments, all with a focus on being aware of IRS penalties. Tune in to learn about strategies for January 2026, like new TSP contribution limits, Roth and HSA planning, and why it's better to start early rather than wait until the end of the year. If you are a federal employee or retiree who wants to end the year well and begin the next one with clear plans and confidence, this episode offers practical tips you can use right away. https://zurl.co/iaMcA