Radio Shows

The news can be negative and seem bias at times no matter which side of the political spectrum you fall on.  Its best to listen and collaborate with trusted advisors as you consider the facts and make decisions.

Have you ever wondered if your retirement assets are protected from bankruptcy and lawsuits? Perhaps you’ve never had to consider such a thing. But the way 2020 is going, at this point it feels like anything could happen! In the words of Ed Slott, “In the current environment with so many small businesses on the brink of closing and struggling employees in limbo, increased bankruptcy filings could be around the corner. It is imperative to understand which accounts hold what protections, and how retirement assets are shielded from those anxious to get a piece of the nest egg.”

We’re going LIVE today to talk about it! Also, Heidi has some deadline updates, and we’ll celebrate Social Security’s 85th birthday!

We’ve noticed something over the years … you like Shea Stats! YAY! Honestly, who doesn’t love a good stat once in a while? Which is why we’ve decided to devote this week’s show entirely to Shea Stats and Chats! Dennis will give his immediate feedback on the most pressing information and what it means for you.

“It’s not about the cars, it’s about the people,” said Bill Marsh Jr., co-owner of Bill Marsh Automotive Group in Traverse City. This deep-rooted value came from their father, Bill Marsh Sr., who bought a poor-performing Buick dealership in 1982 and made it a top-performing dealership within the year. He brought his sons Jamie, Bill Jr. and Mike into the business and eventually sold it to them. What does it take to transition a business within the family? It takes a lot of heart and consideration. The Marsh Brothers will be in the studio today to share their experience.

Why?

Because, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Baby Boomers own 2.34 million small businesses in the United States, employing more than 25 million people. That’s a lot at stake for those who fail to plan. We want to help you start the conversation now.

Tune in and find out how the wisdom of Bill Marsh Sr. set his three sons up for success.

Ugh … sorry. This is a depressing headline. I can hear Ron Jolly playing his Debbie Downer sounder right now. The truth is, regardless of how promising the stock market has looked lately, there are some realities that we still must face because of COVID-19. For example, the indestructible Baby Boomers are in one of the highest at-risk age groups for contracting the virus. They are also the ones taking care of aging parents while trying to support adult children and grandchildren. And the workplace is changing at a rapid pace to adhere to social distancing requirements.

So while the country waits with bated breath for the economic recovery, Boomers may not have that luxury. The time to plan is now. Thankfully, Forbes wrote a great article, “8 Ways Coronavirus Will Drastically Alter Boomer Retirements,” to help guide us.

Did you know … if you’re a business owner and offer your employees a 401(k) plan, you also have a fiduciary responsibility to those employees. Add that to your growing list of responsibilities in a year of disruption, not including the rules and regulations to 401(k) plans stipulated in the SECURE Act, CARES Act and DOL Fiduciary Rulings. Are you up-to-date? If not, we are here to help!

Prout Financial Design has served as the 401(k) fiduciary for many businesses over the years, and we are seeing an urgent need for business owners with this burden. This is why we have partnered with our long-time friend and business associate, Christian Whitehead, from Wealth Advisory Group.

Join us on the show today as we talk to Christian about all of these changes and how our 401(k) audit can help your business get back on track.

When I was in college and falling “in love,” my grandfather told me, “Shea, it’s not when you get married, it’s WHO you marry.” Suddenly it occurred to me that I was more concerned about the time line of life goals than I was about the person. My grandfather had acquired something called “wisdom.” I wonder what advice he would give now, 20 years later. My guess is that it would be the same.

What about you? Are you considering tying the knot in your later years? In some ways the decision gets easier because you know yourself, but on the other hand it gets more complicated because of the dynamics of life. When considering a later marriage, you also have to take into account things like Social Security benefits, insurance, multiple mortgages and beneficiaries (to name a few).

Join us today as we discuss both the financial and emotional considerations of tying the knot … or not!

This week we celebrate 244 years of independence from Great Britain. Though we are a young country, our history is full of amazing courage and tragedy. We are learning. This year has taken a few sharp corners with little to no signs of slowing down. It’s difficult to imagine that we can keep our focus on financial independence when the expansion is long gone, and we are in the very beginning stages of recovery … maybe. Despite all this, Prout Financial Design hopes to be a source of education and encouragement in such disorienting times.

Today, we’re going to look at some fascinating stats alongside financial facts to help you stay on track. While we may not have a lot of control over what is happening around us, the truth is, we can still make choices to help us decide today. That’s the beauty of living in a free country.

How many of you took time during quarantine to reexamine your values?

Did being at home make you realize how much you love family and want to be with them more? Or as an essential worker on the front lines, are you ready to call it quits? Perhaps the new normal isn’t how you want to operate as you finish out your career.

Because of COVID-19, career shifts and early retirement are no longer something that’s five years down the road – they’re now! If there is any silver lining, this might be it. Instead of waiting until this all plays out, maybe it’s time to write the ending now.

Our guest, CPA Jon Sluis, will help you understand what the tax implications are now vs. later. You’ll need to bunch some decisions and spread some out. If you’re ready to stop doing what you’ve always done, together we can help you pivot to make the change happen on your terms.

Like the game, “telephone” the SECURE Act of 2019 and the CARES Act of 2020, is all hearsay between the connections! How do we know this? Because the final message is received at our office when clients sit down and say, “I heard that I don’t have to (fill in the blank).”

We just smile and say, “Not exactly.” The rules are changing around familiar terminology and the truth is getting lost. We hear you! Which is why we are taking time today to clear up some common misconceptions about things like when you have to take your RMDs, deadlines for contributing to IRAs and Roth IRAs, retirement relief and so much more!

Tune in today and let us help take the confusion out of the permanent changes of the SECURE Act and the temporary relief from the CARES Act. There are big differences between the two, and we know how to help you.