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.
In this eye-opening episode, Greg DuPont dives deep into the potential for a massive market correction and the economic shifts we might face. You won’t want to miss Greg’s insights on preparing for financial upheavals and safeguarding your future.
Listen in as we discuss:
Historical Comparisons: They cyclical nature of historical economic “revolutions” and their impacts, drawing parallels to today’s situation
Key Influential Books: Discover key points from Ray Dalio’s “Principles for a Changing World Order” and “The Fourth Turning” by Neil Howe
Debt and Deficit Concerns: Recognize the staggering predictions for U.S. debt and unfunded liabilities by 2032
Tax Implications: Explore the potential for increased taxation as a means to address the growing fiscal imbalance, and how it may affect your family
Personal Financial Strategies: Learn about practical steps to protect your finances, such as Roth conversions and tax-free saving vehicles
Suzanne takes pride in advising her clients in the area of Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. She thoroughly enjoys learning about her clients and then finding the best insurance solutions to fit their unique and individual needs. As opposed to simply being just their Medicare Advisor, she aspires to be a true guide and looks to form long-lasting relationships with her clients. Helping hundreds of Medicare clients in central Ohio has earned Suzanne multiple sales awards with the various insurance carriers. Including being ranked in the top ten in the state and in the top twenty nationally. Still, she considers being selected as the “Official Medicare Advisor of the Columbus Bar Association” as one of her most prized achievements. Suzanne serves on the board of directors for the Columbus Association of Health Underwriters. She has had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and weigh in on legislation that positively impacts those on Medicare. When Suzanne is not engaged in heroics as the superwoman of Medicare, she is busy being the mom of two teenage boys and a wife to her husband of 20+ years.
Due to enormously high deductibles, many people only see the benefits of health insurance in cases of catastrophic injury.
Josh Kelley’s program aims to bridge the gap between out-of-pocket costs and what health insurance covers. His Self-Insured Medical Reimbursement Program offers additional benefits to employees and saves employers an average of $550 per year per employee.
If your a business owner, this program could provide great benefit to both you and your employees.
Listen, as Greg and Josh discuss:
How to stay competitive in the job market and increase employee retention
The comprehensive wellness benefits provided to employees under this program, including free telehealth and mental health resources
How employees receive an average of $150 per month to spend on supplemental benefits without affecting their take-home pay
Legal compliance and eligibility criteria for businesses considering the program
Josh has been in the insurance industry since 2009. Before insurance, he owned several businesses in the automotive industry and he’s a US ARMY Veteran. He’s married, has 3 daughters, and a dog named Sergio.
A few key factors determine if a person will have an enjoyable retirement or a sluggish one.
Many seniors worry about loosing their purpose in retirement and being bored, others look forward to the trips and unlimited free time.
In this episode, Greg sits down with Lindsay Troxell, Head Coach of Our Coaching Initiative, to explore the emotional and practical aspects of retirement planning.
Join Greg and Lindsay as they delve into the intricacies of pre-retirement financial planning and the transition into retirement life.
Lindsay discusses:
Strategies for managing energy levels to thrive in retirement
The importance of addressing emotional concerns during the transition to retirement
The role of identity and purpose in retirement planning
Resources available for both consumers and financial advisors navigating retirement planning
Lindsay Troxwell is a Certified Life Coach and International speaker changing the landscape of financial services. Since 2005, Lindsay Troxell has worked thousands of teams across the United States and in Europe with a focus on practice management, business development, client experience, team dynamics, and mindset.
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
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.
Choosing the right index for your investment goals can be a daunting task, especially when there are millions of options available.
How do you know which one is best suited for your risk tolerance, time horizon, and expected returns? How do you evaluate the performance and design of different indexes and ETFs?
These are some of the questions that many investors face when they enter the world of index-linked products.
In this episode, Greg DuPont chats with Laurence Black, Founder of The Index Standard®, a company that rates and evaluates ETFs and indices used in the insurance and structured product space. They explore the challenge of choosing the right index among the many available and the importance of forward-looking due diligence. Laurence emphasizes the need for diversification and preparing for unforeseen events in the investment world.
Together they discuss:
The importance of taking a forward-looking approach when choosing an index
The Index Standard’s three-step forecasting process
The significance of diversification in dealing with unknown risks and protecting oneself in the investment world
The benefits of exchange traded funds (ETFs) compared to mutual funds
How The Index Standard evaluates and categorizes the largest index-linked ETFs based on their robustness and design
The valuable insights you’ll gain from the training with Laurence, simplifying the complexity of insurance indices for informed decision-making
Laurence Black is the founder of The Index Standard® and an index advisor to Robert J. Shiller, Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale University.
Before founding The Index Standard®, Laurence was Managing Director and Head of Quantitative Indices and Strategies at Barclays, where he oversaw the development of the Barclays index family. In addition to designing some of the first smart beta/factor indices, Laurence spearheaded Barclays’ index partnerships with Professors Robert Shiller and Nouriel Roubini, as well as Novus Partners.
Before Barclays, Laurence was Head of Indices at ABN AMRO in London, where he successfully launched indices with well-known investors such as Jim Rogers and Joel Greenblatt. Before ABN AMRO, Laurence worked at Lehman Brothers, Deutsche Bank, and Credit Suisse.
Laurence holds an MBA from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Town. When not thinking about financial matters, he can mostly be found on a tennis court.
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
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.
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
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
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.
