The number one financial skill for retirement means what you need to have mastered before you give up your job. It's not about investments. It's not about when to take social security. It doesn't have to do with IRA distributions. All of these can be important. But on today's episode we'll talk about the one thing you must know and be able to do before giving up your job. And you can practice this before you retire! What is it? Financial planners can't tell you what you s

What's NOT in the SECURE Act hasn't gotten much attention as everyone, including @FriendsTalkFinancialPlanning, have been focusing on explaining the changes that did make the cut. Before the SECURE 2.0 was passed, many ideas were put out there. In some cases advisors suggested taking pro-active action to avoid the negative impact of changes that ultimately haven't come to pass! Today on Friends Talk Financial Planning we’re going talk through six main ideas that are NOT

Inflation is high; we discuss the strategy we both use to help clients understand and plan for it. We haven't seen inflation figures like this in 30 years. Before figuring out your investment strategy, the first step is to look at the underlying emotions evoked by talk of inflation. The #1 question to ask yourself is: what is it that I’m ACTUALLY afraid of? a. …of being dumb with my money? b. …of not being able to afford things in the future? c. …of running out of money

Considering a car loan? Most people consider the numbers. We talk about the money, but also talk about how the loan may make you feel. What about your wife or husband? It’s generally a sound idea to consider their emotions, too! In this episode, Bridget Sullivan Mermel CFP® CPA and John Scherer CFP® discuss what the research reveals about how car purchases and car loans can make you happier or more miserable. Some people aim to be 10% happier than they are now. Learn

You got your tax form back from your tax preparer or printed it out from Turbo Tax. Now what? That’s we cover in this episode. You will learn: Our number one tip for how to save money after your taxes are done. Specific items that you should look for on your return. Why you should anyway. Why you might not want to look at your return. What to do if something doesn’t seem right. TRANSCRIPT What to Look for on Tax Return Bridget: Don't pay more in taxes than you're legally ob

Wondering what the stock market is going to do this year? John Scherer CFP(R) and Bridget Sullivan Mermel CFP(R) CPA discuss John's predictions. We cover: How to think about the stock market How does the stock market's performance influence your life? Should you just take your 401(k) and head to Vegas? Join us for what we tell our clients and ourselves about what the stock market will do this year. TRANSCRIPT Market Predictions 2021 John: If you just knew what the stock ma

Do you ever struggle with how to give better gifts? There is a lot of research that tries to help. Bridget and John discuss more tips on giving better gifts. TRANSCRIPT Buying Gifts Part Two: Give Better Gifts John: Last time on Friends Talk Financial Planning, we talked about gift-giving strategies. This week, we're going to take your gift-giving to the next level and talk about advanced gift-giving strategies. Hi, I'm John Scherer, and I run a fee-only financial planning

Buying gifts can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode Bridget Sullivan Mermel CFP(R) CPA and John Scherer CFP(R) discuss what research reveals about how to buy gifts. Stop disappointing your loved ones. Improve your relationships. Figure out how to find happiness and meaning in the season. We talk about why gift giving can be difficult, as well as what to buy for people who don't want anything. Find happiness and joy in the season and relieve your s

Certified Financial Planners TM Bridget Sullivan Mermel and John Scherer discuss how to think through the emotions of a high stock market. Sometimes the stock market rising does mean it's a good time to adjust your investments. At other times, it makes most sense to stick with what you've been doing. Bridget and John help you understand which approach makes the most sense for you today. TRANSCRIPT Stock Market Up! Should I Sell? Bridget: The stock market’s high, but elect