Your Life, Simplified

The market has been a wild ride in 2019, and the volatility in price swings and investor psychology isn’t letting up. Despite current popular opinion that recession is imminent, we are reading the signs differently. Jeff Krumpelman, chief investment strategist of Mariner Wealth Advisors joins the show to discuss how he and his team views the market changes and why he urges investors to remain cautiously optimistic and focused on trends in data.

Women often take a backseat when it comes to long-term financial planning. They’re busy juggling family, career and professional goals, but it’s imperative that women take charge of their financial futures too. Jana Shoulders of Mariner Wealth Advisors joins us to discuss the importance of women being educated about their finances and finding a wealth advisor that holistically supports them.

Divorce can be a very difficult time, and with emotions running high, it can be beneficial to have someone advocating for you when it comes time to look at how to split your finances. We invite Megan Brozowski of Mariner Wealth Advisors to discuss how having an advisor, and specifically a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, can alleviate the burden of making those decisions on your own as well as running the numbers to know what you need to continue living your lifestyle.

Since their introduction, opioids have been an effective tool in pain management for many. Unfortunately, they have also been the path to powerful addiction for others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Dr. Chris Jenson, a former ER doctor who spent time with the CDC and is now an educator, joins the podcast to discuss the opioid epidemic as a situation that could potentially affect any one of us.

As we grow older, we will all need to make choices regarding senior living. Whether you’re making decisions for your parents, a spouse, yourself or other loved ones, it is important to have a clear understanding of the housing options available. Choices can range from facilities with assisted living services or memory care to continuing care retirement communities (also known as life plan communities) to receiving assistance in your home, and each of these options has different implications for your health and finances. Join us as we talk with Sally Abrahms, an award-winning writer and nationally recognized expert on aging, as she shares her insights on trends in senior living that may influence your choice in housing options.

It’s no secret higher education tuition costs are rapidly rising. So when it comes to college planning your mind likely goes right to dollar signs. But there’s more to planning for college than just finances. Cozy Wittman of College Inside Track goes beyond loans and scholarships for an in-depth discussion on college planning considerations you may not be thinking about. 

Many of us have heard the adage about location being everything when it comes to real estate, but what else should you be thinking about? We invite real estate agent Mike O’Dell on to the show to discuss key decision points from both the buying and selling side. From strategic approaches on coming in with an offer on the buy side, to how to handle lowball offers on the sale of your home, Mike shares his experience on what he has seen work in the industry.

When it comes to filing your taxes, the rate at which your income is taxed can vary based on the state in which you live, or where your domicile is. In this episode, we invite Adam Kotz of Mariner Wealth Advisors to discuss how the IRS determines your domicile and things to keep in mind when you move to a different state. Additionally, we dive into what this means for individuals who own homes in multiple states.

New tax season, new tax laws. How do you decide whether you should choose a tax preparer or a tax consultant to help you file? Along with discussing the key differences in this selection, Ryan Drake and Erin Alexander of Mariner Wealth Advisors break down how filing has changed in the first year after the tax law update, and how that may impact the way you file and your refund. In addition, they discuss common filing mistakes and how to avoid them.

Financial windfalls come in a variety of forms, from winning the lottery to receiving an inheritance or even selling a business. Regardless of the sort of windfall received, there are some key pieces to keep in mind. On this episode, we ask Suzanne Wheeler of Mariner Wealth Advisors to share what she feels to be important considerations when handling new-found wealth. After taking a moment to step back and look at your situation, some decisions Suzanne recommends you make include deciding how the money should be allocated, if you’d like to donate to charity, how you can protect your assets and what changes should you make in your lifestyle.

We know that it is sometimes difficult to stick to those New Year’s resolutions, whether they be related to diet and exercise or saving and spending. So, we have invited George Fernandez and Andy Garrison of Mariner Wealth Advisors to have a conversation about what they are thinking about when planning financial goals for the year. Those planning topics include saving for your retirement, creating an appropriate spending plan, choosing the correct level of insurance coverage and selecting the right gym.

According to Game Plan Experts, there are, on average, 76,000 people killed and 174 billion dollars in average annual losses because of natural disasters every year. These numbers are so high because many people are not prepared for emergency situations like hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes and other extreme weather. Today we invite Shawn Tipping to share his insights and speak to how his company helps people get prepared.

Throughout the life of our podcast, we have been asking you to send in any questions or thoughts you might have that you would like us to cover. In a segment we’re calling Mariner Mail, we have gone through some of these financial questions and invited Scott Voss and Jadin Winberg from Mariner Wealth Advisors to help answer them. Questions answered today include: We pay our daughter to do chores around the house, can she use these funds to contribute to an individual retirement account? My attorney who created my estate plan has died. Is there anything I need to do, how do I get copies of the documents and is it still in effect? Where should I be keeping important documents like my will? Will I have to pay estate tax when I pass? What’s the difference between a revocable and irrevocable trust? When assets are gifted, are there taxes associated with that gift – for either the recipient or giver of that gift? I’ve done my own taxes for years but have just received a letter from the IRS. What do I do? What are

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, American households spend approximately $500 a month on their automotive transportation. Over a 60-year period of time, that equates to roughly $360,000 – not a small expense by any means. And, let’s face it, buying a car can be overwhelming. In this podcast, our guest expert, John M. Vincent, an automotive consumer advice writer with U.S. News & World Report. John shares his knowledge to help you simplify the car buying process, deciding whether you should buy new, used or lease a car, financing, how to negotiate the best price, what to look for in a car, how to research a car and where to buy a car.

One in eight people are related to someone with special needs, according to Pew Research Center. There is a broad definition of special needs and it does not discriminate. If you have a family member with special needs, it’s important to adapt your financial plan. Depending on the severity of the special needs, parents may need to not only plan for their lifetime, but also that of their child or children. This podcast episode focuses on when and where you should start with special needs planning. In addition, items such as schooling, doctors, instructions for guardians and more are discussed to help you ensure you have the bases covered for someone with special needs. If you have questions or suggestions for future podcasts, please email us at podcast@marinerwealthadvisors.com

We are all impacted by cybersecurity. This podcast includes answers to questions we have received, to help ensure your personal information is kept safe. Many firms spend a great deal of money to protect your data, but are you following steps to protect it too. With the recent data breaches of Facebook, Uber and Equifax, among others, it’s more important than ever to understand cybersecurity and protecting your personally identifiable information. From passwords, to your computer, to wi-fi and much more…this episode covers what you should think about the next time you get online. If you have questions you would like answered, email us at podcast@marinerwealthadvisors.com  

The goal of this episode is to educate you on life insurance – why you need it, the role it can serve in your financial plan, the differences in types, and more. Most importantly, we want to simplify the context of life insurance so you can make an informed decision about your own wealth plan. According to the Life Insurance Market Research Association (LIMRA) and LifeHappens.org, three in five adults have life insurance, but 61 percent know they don’t have enough insurance, but think they can’t afford to buy more. Find out why life insurance is something you seriously need to consider as you evaluate how to navigate your financial future.  Questions for our host? Email us at podcast@mainerwealthadvisors.com

For years, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) were thought of as “the cheap insurance” because consumers paid more out-of-pocket expenses, which resulted in lower premiums for both the consumer and the employer. How do you know if an HSA is a good fit for your medical insurance needs? First, analyze your medical spending habits. Are you a relatively healthy person, or a minimal spender on healthcare? Or, are you on many medications or make frequent trips to the doctor, which would make you a high spender. What are your views on investing? An HSA is an investment too. It’s designed to be a long-term investment. You can invest the funds in the account so they have the opportunity to grow. If you can afford it, let that account grow and pay cash out of pocket for your medical expenses. This podcast, with host Brian Leitner, will walk you through the pros and cons of an HSA, simplifying the decision on if it is right for you. Questions for our host? Email us at podcast@mainerwealthadvisors.com

Shanna Hutcheson, a registered dietitian, talks about how you can improve your health through what you put in your body. She breaks down the pros and cons of the “fad” diets and detox methods out there today, such as Atkins, Keto, cleanses and Paleo, and why she doesn’t endorse any of them. She also explains that “carb” is not a four-letter word, the right carbs to eat daily and why it’s important to eat them every day. The timing behind when you should eat carbs and how to fuel your body before and after a workout is also discussed. Shanna gives tips on how to fill your plate in a healthy manner and portion control. Have a gluten allergy or avoid eating gluten? She provides tips on healthy foods to focus on in your daily diet. This podcast covers the gamut of health and nutrition topics and tips to simplify your healthy eating.  If you have questions or topics you would like us to cover, please email podcast@marinerwealthadvisors.com

The good news is that whether you realize it or not, you already have an estate plan. Every state in the union provides a process that will pass on your assets upon your death, unless you’ve planned otherwise. The bad news is that it may not be the one you want. In our podcast, Simplifying the Estate Planning Process, Brian Leitner and George Fernandez from Mariner Wealth Advisors break down how to make sure your assets are passed on the right people at the right time and the right way. They take the legal-speak out of the discussion and make it simple. This podcast provides information to help ensure your wishes regarding your assets are considered…and simplifies the entire process. If you have questions or topics you would like us to cover, please email podcast@marinerwealthadvisors.com