Money Wisdom

Are you standing at financial crossroads, pondering whether to stay with your current financial advisor or venture out in search of new pastures? Sometimes the grass appears greener in another pasture, but when are your concerns justified enough to make a change?

In our latest podcast, Matt Pastor, RICP® joins the show to dissect the 'grass is greener' syndrome that plagues many in the world of wealth management. We want to cut through the noise and offer clarity and a dose of reality to anyone who's ever second-guessed their financial advisory relationship.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Should you change advisors if they make a mistake that costs your money?
• What if you aren’t able to communicate directly with your advisor because they grow too big?
• How much weight should you put into dinner seminars and the impression an advisor makes?
• Conversations we have with clients who come in to meet with us about possible changes.
• If you or your advisor move to a different state, does that impact the relationship?

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

Retirement is a milestone that many of us look forward to, but it comes with its own set of uncertainties. How do we plan for a future when we don't know how long we'll live, what the stock market will do, or the political landscape that will shape tax laws? The latest episode of the Money Wisdom podcast addresses these questions head-on.

Heath Grossman, CFP® joined the show this week to discuss the complexities of retirement planning with a focus on the unpredictable. When you look at uncertainties of planning, preparing for longevity, navigating stock market volatility, and anticipating changes in tax legislation are a few of the key challenges we have to address.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• One of the biggest uncertainties in retirement is longevity.
• How do you invest not knowing what the stock market is going to do year to year?
• Do future elections matter in retirement planning?
• Will Social Security be around for you in retirement?

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

In the latest episode of the Money Wisdom podcast, hosts John Stillman and Jake Doser, CFP®, serve up a delicious 'acronym salad'—a mix of financial terms that often leave even the savviest investors scratching their heads. If you’ve ever stopped to think about what an acronym meant, this episode will help clear up some of the jargon. No matter how experienced you are with money, these acronyms can still cause plenty of confusion that these acronyms can cause.

Here are some of the acronyms we discuss in this episode:

• ETF
• RMDs
• CFP
• CPI
• HSA
• FSA

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Have you ever wondered how becoming a grandparent might change your perspective on money and legacy? The latest episode of the Money Wisdom podcast features Joel Johnson, CFP, who has recently become a grandfather for the second time. His insights into the financial planning world, coupled with his new role in the family, provide a unique and heartwarming perspective on managing wealth for future generations.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• What are some things Joel wants to do with his grandsons that he never thought doing with his sons.
• The best approach for helping grandchildren with educational expenses and whether a 529 plan is the best route.
• How do you approach your legacy plan when you have significant assets to pass along.
• Situations where parents have ruined their kids with the way they’ve approached finances.

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

Have you ever chuckled at the antics of Michael Scott on 'The Office' and thought, "What does this have to do with my financial future?" Well, it turns out, quite a bit! On the latest episode of the Money Wisdom podcast, hosts John Stillman and Matt Pastor, a Retirement Income Certified Professional on our team, take you on a delightful journey where sitcom laughs meet serious financial strategy.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Why you shouldn’t rely solely on the internet for financial advice.
• What approach should advisors take when it comes to communicating with clients.
• Financial jargon is the inside jokes of the financial world and we don’t want to keep clients out of the loop.
• How do you manage life away from work and the people you’ve spent so many hours of the day with.

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

We’re in the middle of another election year in our country and regardless of your politics, there’s always a little concern over the uncertainty of who will take office and how will markets react. People ask all the time about the impact election years have on investing and whether they should be looking to make changes. We are all driven by emotion as humans so it comes as no surprise that this can be a volatile time, but will it be?

In this episode of the Money Wisdom podcast, Heath Grossman, CFP® puts the emotions aside to take a look at what history shows us about returns when different parties are in office.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Put aside bias and emotion and let’s look at the reality of financial returns during election years.
• What should investors focus on in an election year as it relates to investments?
• The noise surrounding elections heightens anxiety so we want to try and block that out.
• We can’t predict what the market will do but we can prepare for every outcome to put you in the best position possible.

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

The bond market is often touted as a haven for investors seeking stability and safety. Yet, as with any investment, it is fraught with nuances that can make the difference between a secure addition to one's portfolio and one with unexpected downside. To help provide clarity on bonds and how they play into an investment portfolio, Jake Doser, CFP® joins the podcast to provide a foundational understanding for investors looking to harness their potential.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Bonds can mean many different things so how do we define it?
• The difference between individual bonds and bond funds.
• How do bonds lose money and why did things get so bad in 2022?

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

Financial planning for retirement is a crucial process that requires a strategic approach to ensure long-term security. All too often, however, people will get in their own way and make mistakes that were completely avoidable. In this week’s podcast, we’re going to talk about the most common examples of this with the guidance of Eric Hogarth, CFP®.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Getting caught up in the greed and fear cycle of the stock market and chasing more money than you need to.
• Why people make bad investment choices just to save money in taxes in the short-term.
• People will leave too much money in cash because they put off making a decision on what to do with it.
• Are you overthinking your financial plan to the point that you fail to make decisions at all?
• Don’t blindly trust financial advice from people that aren’t financial professionals.

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

We’re in the middle of tax season and many people are still getting their paperwork together and wondering about ways to save money on last year’s taxes. The good news is there are ways to potentially save on your taxes even though we’re in a new year, and today we’re going to talk about how with Matt Pastor, RICP® on our latest podcast. This conversation is particularly beneficial for individuals who have just realized their oversight in contributing to their Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• Why it’s common for people to not be aware of this IRA option and what you need to know about contribution amounts.
• Should you put money into those retirement accounts or is it better to use elsewhere?
• How significant could the tax savings be over time?
• Where do you find the balance between liquidity and adding to retirement accounts?

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/

When you find yourself amidst a career transition, be it by choice or circumstance, the path forward can seem fraught with financial uncertainty and healthcare coverage concerns. It's a time when the right advice can make a world of difference, which is why we brought Jake Dozer, CFP® onto the podcast to help navigate this stressful time.

Whether you're considering a shift to a new industry, pondering semi-retirement, or stepping into the realm of self-employment, it's essential to have a strategy that supports both wealth and health, and we’ll cover that in this episode.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

• The workforce changes we’ve seen in Connecticut over the past 18 months.
• The trends we’ve seen from our clients as it relates to work in retirement.
• Weighing the option to become self-employed.
• What health insurance options do you have when you’re in between jobs.
• Is this a good time to do a 401k rollover?

Check out our other free financial resources here: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/financial-resources/

Contact our team: https://johnsonbrunetti.com/contact-us/