Tag Archives: financial planning

FEATURE

2024 Mid-Year Report – Part 2 (Ep 53)

Economy, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In this continuation of the mid-year market report for 2024, Greg DuPont, founder of Advocate Wealth Solutions, shares his insights and projections for the second half of the year.

Don’t miss our timely presentation on economic market dynamics, investment strategies, and potential political influences on the financial landscape.

Listen in as we discuss:

  • Expected GDP growth numbers, unemployment rates and inflation rates for the rest of 2024 and 2025
  • Why the market is currently overvalued and what that could mean for the future
  • How the ‘Magnificent 7’ are currently driving market trends
  • The importance of structural integrity in financial planning to minimize risk
  • What could be in store for the upcoming Federal Reserve meetings
  • How insurance companies are leveraging government bonds for greater returns
  • Actionable advice to weather market volatility

Stay tuned for more insights on navigating the financial landscape and achieving your retirement goals!

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FEATURE

2024 Mid-Year Report – Part 1 (Ep 52)

Economy, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In this episode of Your Financial Advocate, Greg DuPont, founder of Advocate Wealth Solutions, presents the first part of a mid-year market report for 2024. He unpacks what happened in the market during the first half of the year, including the key trends and events.

Tune into Episode 52 and you will learn:

  • Why the S&P 500 isn’t the only market indicator you should be paying attention to
  • How inflation and interest rate changes have impacted the market this year
  • How negative and positive economic indicators could predict what happens in 2025
  • The role of consumer sentiment in driving market trends
  • The impact of AI mentions in quarterly earnings calls and stock valuations
  • How the upcoming November election may affect the market

Don’t miss our next episode where we uncover economic predictions for the second half of 2024 and beyond!

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FEATURE

Smart Retirement Strategies Amid Changing World Demographics (Ep 51)

Finance, Retirement, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is your retirement nest-egg safe from the unexpected shifts in global demographics, economy, and trade? Tune in to “Your Financial Advocate” podcast where Greg DuPont explores what the next 15 years may look like for pre-retirees and retirees.

Tune in to this episode and you will:

  • Grasp the economic, political, and sociological perspectives that could impact your retirement plan in the next 15 years
  • Gain insight into global demographic changes and how they’re poised to affect the workforce
  • Understand why being proactive and aware of changing market dynamics is crucial for financial stability
  • And more!

Don’t miss out on this insightful episode that could change the way you approach your retirement.

Recommended Reading: The End of the World Is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization by Peter Zeihan

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FEATURE

The Shred Method: A Revolutionary Way to Achieve Debt Freedom with Adam Carroll (Ep. 46)

Finance, , , , , , , , , ,

Debt is one of the biggest challenges facing many people today. It can limit your choices, reduce your savings, and stress you out.

But what if there was a way to get rid of your debt faster and easier than you ever thought possible?

This week, Greg DuPont is joined by Adam Carroll, Professional Speaker & Founder of The Shred Method, to explore how the Shred Method can help achieve debt freedom in 3 to 7 years. They emphasize the importance of financial discipline and managing discretionary income to accelerate debt repayment, not just for mortgages but also for other loans.

Adam discusses:

● The Shred Method as a unique tool for achieving debt freedom within 3 to 7 years
● How to use money more effectively through the Shred Method
● The effectiveness of leveraging a home equity line of credit to pay off mortgage
● Exactly what type of consumers could find the Shred Method helpful
● The effectiveness of the Shred Method in tackling student loan debt and its role in building equity
● And more!

Connect With Adam Carroll:

● LinkedIn: Adam Carroll
● Website: The Shred Method (get $200 off)

Connect with Gregory DuPont:

About Our Guest:

Adam Carroll has decades of experience working with families and business owners who are interested in creating massive efficiencies when it comes to their income and wealth building capacity. With an unwavering commitment to helping people make the most of the money they make, while limiting risk, reducing tax liabilities, and increasing liquidity, Adam Carroll has spent 15 years helping people do more with the money they make. He is an internationally recognized financial literacy expert, author of three Amazon best-sellers, a two-time TED talk speaker with over 6 million views on YouTube and TED.com, and is the creator of the Broke, Busted & Disgusted documentary which aired on CNBC and is shown in hundreds of high schools and colleges across the country. He is the host of the Build A Bigger Life podcast, the curator of MasteryOfMoney.com and founder of The Shred Method™.

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FEATURE

Becoming Debt Free for Life with Tracey Spikes, CLU, FICF (Ep 45)

Finance, , ,

For countless Americans, debt is the most significant problem preventing them from living the life they want and retiring comfortably.

If you stay awake at night stressing about your mortgage and student loans, you’re not alone. Luckily, there are better ways to pay off debt than Dave Ramsey’s strict ‘debt snowball’.

In this eye-opening episode of Your Financial Advocate, host Greg DuPont is joined by Tracey Spikes, Sr. Executive Distribution and Development Officer of the SMART Advisor Network. Tracy illuminates the path to financial liberation through the Debt Free for Life program, sharing insights from personal experience and professional practice.

Tracey discusses:

  • The psychological aspects of debt and its ramifications on financial health
  • His personal experience paying of a staggering $600,000 in debt in just six and half years
  • The differences between effective interest cost and APR
  • An inside look at how the Debt Free for Life program crafts bespoke solutions aligning with individual fiscal circumstances
  • And more!

Connect With Tracey Spikes

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About Our Guest

Tracey Spikes believes debt and taxes are two of the greatest detractors to wealth accumulation and spendable income that Americans face today. He’s studied income in America extensively and came to the shocking conclusion that well over 50% of what we earn over our lifetime goes to paying taxes and/or interest.

It’s for these reasons he uses the Smart Advisor Tools suite of software that includes Debt Free 4 Life™️ and Tax Smart 4 Life™️ as part of his advisory work with clients, and trains similarly-minded advisors.

DF4L is a debt elimination app utilizing risk management based products, like life insurance, to modify a “snowball” approach to debt elimination and cash flow management.

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FEATURE

Inside a Multigenerational Family-Owned Business with Don Kirkham (Ep. 40)

Finance, Financial, Retirement, Taxes, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

Family-owned businesses are beneficial to the economy in more ways than one, but there can be challenges along the way. Especially when there is a pandemic and a recession involved.

Overcoming these challenges and passing the business down from one generation to the next is no easy feat.

In this episode, Greg DuPont chats with Don Kirkham, vice president of Kirkham Building System, about what it’s like to work in a family-owned business that has passed through multiple generations. Additionally, Don explains what Kirkham Building System does regarding pole-framed construction and how the process works.

Don discusses:

  • A brief description of his background and what he does for his family’s business – Kirkham Building System
  • Why pole-framed construction is more cost-effective than traditional construction
  • How supply chain issues have affected the industry
  • Kirkham Building System’s costs and the process of working with them
  • How the National Frame Building Association can help you find the right builder in your jurisdiction
  • How their family business has passed through multiple generations and the benefits they have derived from it
  • And more!

Resources: 

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Connect with Don Kirkham:

About our guest:

Don Kirkham, is the fourth generation of Kirkhams to work in the post-frame building industry. Don started with his father’s company in 1991 working as a crewman in the summers. He remembers the hard work in the hot summers as a time of learning and great experience. He then worked his way up, learning all the facets of the trade. He served as a planner and sales representative while attending OSU. After college Don became the Sub-Contractor Coordinator and worked closely with General Foreman. He continued on and became General Foreman coordinating the efforts of the entire construction department. Don has also been the company Safety Officer. From 2008 to 2012 Don left the industry and became the Service Advisor for a successful Automotive Shop in Westerville, where he developed the personal fortitude to work closely with many customers. In October 2012, Don returned to KBSI to lead business development and proudly worked alongside his father to continue the tradition of quality and experience that is KBSI.

Don is an avid reader and believes personal development is essential. He continues his education through safety training, personal studies, seminars, and reading. Don lives in Powell, OH with his wife. His son and daughter also both work for KBSI.

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FEATURE

Transitioning Your Parents Into Assisted Living with Sarah Dixon (Ep. 39)

Finance, Financial, Retirement, Taxes, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

As our parents age, sometimes it’s necessary to find a place where their quality of life will be better.

Many difficulties can arise in this process, such as the financial part and the emotional conversations we need to have with them.

In this episode of Your Financial Advocate, Greg DuPont is joined by Sarah Dixon, community relations director at Bluebird Retirement Community, to talk about the transition from in-home care to an assisted facility and how we can have these tough conversations when it comes to helping our parents.

Sarah discusses:

  • Her background in healthcare and how she got introduced to the hospitality industry
  • The transition from working in large corporations to a privately owned business
  • The different ways families approach assisted living facilities
  • The different levels of assistance care 
  • The financial preparation needed before applying for an assisted care space
  • Things to consider when families are searching for facilities
  • A few details about Bluebird’s dementia care unit
  • How should conversations about transitioning to a specialized facility should be tackled
  • And more!

Resources: 

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FEATURE

How To Pay for College with Ann Garcia, CFP® (Ep.38)

Finance, Financial, Retirement, Taxes, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,

Education is an essential part of life and college is a necessity for most of us to build a successful career.

Hence, families should prepare financially for the process of applying to college and not wait until the last minute.

In this episode of Your Financial Advocate, Greg DuPont chats with Ann Garcia, author of How to Pay for College, about different ways to save for college and important things to know while financing tuition payments as we are on the verge of FAFSA season. 

Ann discusses:

  • What motivated her to write the book: How to Pay for College 
  • A brief overview of the financial aid process
  • Her tips for families who don’t know how to start the process of college
  • Why open a 529 plan and contribute to it constantly.
  • Why approximately a quarter of students are not applying for any financial aid
  • The college planning process information you can find on her website
  • The importance of parents being involved in the entire education process of their children
  • And more!

Resources: 

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About Our Guest:

Ann Garcia is a CFP® and owner of Independent Progressive Advisors, a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor in Portland, Oregon, and the author of How to Pay for College and The College Financial Lady blog. Her blog has approximately 15,000 subscribers in various media. In addition, she is regularly in national media (New York Times, US News & World Report) on college planning. She earned a BA from the University of California.

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FEATURE

A Veterinary Venture From Scratch with Dr. Bimbo Welker (Ep.37)

Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The process of becoming an entrepreneur has never been nor will ever be easy.

However, if you are passionate about what you do and have experience, you can be successful.

In this episode of Your Financial Advocate, Greg DuPont sits down with Dr. Bimbo Welker to talk about his experience after leaving his role as the director of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University to start his own food animal and equine veterinary services business in his 60s.

Dr. Welker discusses:

  • His background as a veterinary professional for 30 years
  • His experience after leaving his job in the academic world and starting Welker Veterinary Services
  • The steps he had to take to start this business without any prior experience
  • The economic differences between working for someone versus being a solo practitioner
  • The importance of liking what you do
  • His company’s present and future plans
  • And more!

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Connect with Dr. Bimbo Welker:

About our guest:

Dr. Bimbo Welker is a 1980 DVM graduate of Texas A&M University and completed an MS in Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Ohio State in 1984. Dr. Welker has worked as a Clinical Associate Professor in the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine based at the Marysville clinic providing clinical service and teaching since 1991. After 28 years of providing veterinary service to the Marysville community, he retired from the OSU Large Animal ambulatory clinic in 2019 to found Welker Veterinary Services.



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FEATURE

Preparing Yourself to be Financially Ready for Elderly Care (Ep.34)

Finance, Financial, Retirement, Taxes, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

52% of people turning 65 are going to need some type of long term care over their lifetime. Aging parents is something many of us are going to have to deal with at some point in our lives. 

In this episode, Greg DuPont talks about how important it is to start budgeting for your future healthcare costs and figuring out how your parents can budget for theirs. With the right planning, you can make this inevitable journey a lot smoother.

Greg discusses:

  • The nationwide average cost of elderly care per month
  • The difference between long term care and assisted living
  • How many retirees end up with dementia or some health issue
  • Strategies to help you save on long term care in the future
  • And more!

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