Tag Archives: Budget

Episode 50: How to Make the Most of Your Social Security Benefits

Bryan Bibbo, Financial, Holistic Financial Planning, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In this eye-opening conversation, host Bryan Bibbo sits down with Social Security specialist, Ash Ahluwalia, CFP ®, MBA, head of Social Security Planning at OneTeam Financial, to uncover the complex world of Social Security optimization that many Americans never fully understand. 

Through real client stories and practical examples, he demonstrates how proper Social Security planning can help many couples make the most of their benefits and provide a significant source of income in retirement. Ash also addresses recent tax law confusion and explains why even high-net-worth individuals worth $80 million shouldn’t overlook their Social Security strategy. 

Key Topics: 

  • The Social Security Knowledge Gap: Why most financial professionals don’t understand the complexities of Social Security optimization and how this creates opportunities for significant benefit increases. 
  • Claiming Strategy Fundamentals: Understanding the impact of claiming anywhere from age 62 to 70, including how benefits can double and the critical role of earnings limits for early claimers. 
  • Couples Planning Strategies: How married couples, divorced individuals, and widows can maximize benefits through coordinated filing strategies that consider spousal and survivor benefits. 
  • Tax Implications and Recent Changes: Clarifying confusion around recent tax law changes and how Social Security taxation works within overall retirement income planning. 
  • High-Net-Worth Planning: Why wealthy individuals shouldn’t ignore Social Security benefits and how to convert Social Security into estate tax-free assets through strategic planning.

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Episode 47: Year-Round Tax Strategies for Wealth Building

Bryan Bibbo, Financial, Holistic Financial Planning, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , ,

Tax season doesn’t end on April 15th. If you want to build and protect your wealth, consider it a year-round opportunity and practice. Join host Bryan Bibbo as he sits down with Seth Meisler, CPA, CFP, and Chief Investment Officer from JL Smith’s Minnesota office, to explore why the traditional strategy of just pushing taxes to future years is obsolete and how effective tax planning now requires thinking like “3D chess” – considering multiple variables across time. 

With 17 years of experience spanning public accounting, corporate finance, and wealth management, Seth reveals the strategic moves you can make right now to help minimize your tax burden and maximize your wealth. 

Key Topics: 

  • Why Tax Planning Never Ends: How modern tax strategy has evolved beyond the old “defer everything” approach into year-round wealth management 
  • Market Opportunities for Tax Savings: Using market volatility to your advantage through Roth conversions and tax-loss harvesting 
  • Smart Charitable Giving Strategies: Maximizing tax benefits through donor-advised funds and strategic charitable distributions 
  • Avoiding Common Tax Pitfalls: Why dual-income households and job changers often get surprised at tax time and how to prevent it 
  • Business Owner Considerations: Advanced tax planning strategies for business owners and the importance of early exit planning 

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Episode 44: Faith, Family & Financial Freedom with Fred Taylor Part 1

Bryan Bibbo, Financial, Holistic Financial Planning, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What happens when an NFL legend transitions from the gridiron to building generational wealth? In this deeply personal conversation, host Bryan Bibbo sits down with Jacksonville Jaguars and Florida Gators icon Fred Taylor to discuss faith, family legacy, and the financial lessons learned through both triumph and adversity. 

Fred opens up about his journey from growing up financially illiterate to becoming a sophisticated investor who understands that professional athletes are essentially business entities. Through candid stories about business partnerships gone wrong, the power of proper documentation, and the profound influence of his grandmother who raised him, Fred reveals how setbacks became steppingstones to building lasting wealth and wisdom that he now passes on to the next generation. 

Key Topics: 

  • Athlete as Business Entity: Understand how professional athletes must view themselves as businesses, managing brand, contracts, and long-term financial planning beyond their playing careers. 
  • Learning from Financial Setbacks: Discover how Fred turned early financial mistakes and “handshake deals” into valuable lessons about proper documentation and fiduciary responsibility. 
  • Asset Protection Strategies: Learn about the sophisticated wealth protection vehicles Fred employs, including various life insurance policies, trusts, and limited liability structures. 
  • Generational Wealth Building: Explore how Fred is breaking the cycle of financial illiteracy by educating his children and building a legacy that extends beyond his playing career.

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Episode 43: Caring for Your Wealth with Annual Financial Health Checkups

Financial, Holistic Financial Planning, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , ,

Just as you schedule a yearly physical to maintain your health, your financial well-being deserves the same thoughtful attention. In this episode, guest host Matt Seitz, Chief Marketing Officer at JLS and C2P, sits down with Jeff Warnkin, Senior Wealth Manager at JL Smith, to explore how annual financial reviews serve as critical checkups for your financial health and long-term prosperity.

With 25+ years of experience and credentials as a CPA, CFP®, and National Social Security Advisor, Jeff reveals how these reviews go far beyond simply checking account balances. Learn how The Bucket Plan® philosophy creates a simple framework for meaningful financial conversations, while discovering how proper preparation and the right questions can transform these annual meetings into powerful opportunities for goal setting, tax optimization, and peace of mind during market volatility.

Key Topics:

  • Meeting Structure: Understand the three-part framework that makes annual reviews productive through reconnection, progress measurement, and future planning.
  • Preparation Essentials: Learn which key documents to gather before your meeting to help ensure your advisor has everything needed for meaningful analysis.
  • Question Strategy: Discover the specific questions that unlock the most value during your review, including tax planning opportunities and plan confidence assessment.
  • Milestone Management: Identify the important age thresholds and life events that should trigger financial adjustments to maximize benefits and minimize taxes.
  • Goal-Setting Process: Jeff’s practical approach to meaningful goal-setting that creates accountability and purpose in every stage of life.

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Episode 41: Wealth Planning for Legacy, Lifestyle, & Taxes

Benefits of Strength Training, Bryan Bibbo, CPA, Education, Financial, Financial Education, Fitness, Health Management, Holistic Financial Planning, Holistic Health Management, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, insurance, Jason L Smith, Jeff Tomaszewski, JL Smith Group, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, life insurance, Max Strength Fitness, Proactive Tax Management, Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Strength, Strength Fitness, Strength Training, Tax Management, Tax Management with Ed Slott, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Tips for Proactive Tax Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You’ve worked hard all your life to build significant wealth but now face the challenge of protecting what you’ve built while creating a meaningful legacy. Join Bryan Bibbo as he welcomes Chad Weigl, CFF, BPC, NSSA, a seasoned retirement planning professional and lead advisor at JL Smith, to explore comprehensive asset management strategies designed specifically for affluent families. 

Drawing on years of experience helping clients navigate financial and estate planning decisions, Chad breaks down how The Bucket Plan® philosophy addresses the sophisticated needs of high-net-worth individuals and incorporates them all into one holistic plan. 

Key Topics: 

  • Strategic Tax Optimization: Sophisticated approaches to preserve wealth through proper asset positioning and timing. 
  • Elevated Charitable Planning: Maximizing philanthropic impact while creating significant tax advantages. 
  • Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer: Sophisticated estate planning strategies that protect and perpetuate your family legacy. 
  • Portfolio Protection Philosophy: How The Bucket Plan® methodology safeguards your assets during market volatility without sacrificing growth potential. 
  • Advanced Healthcare Planning: Intelligent strategies for healthcare coverage that complement your wealth management approach. 

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Episode 39: Weathering Market Volatility in Uncertain Times

Benefits of Strength Training, Bryan Bibbo, CPA, Education, Financial, Financial Education, Fitness, Health Management, Holistic Financial Planning, Holistic Health Management, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, insurance, Jason L Smith, Jeff Tomaszewski, JL Smith Group, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, life insurance, Max Strength Fitness, Proactive Tax Management, Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Strength, Strength Fitness, Strength Training, Tax Management, Tax Management with Ed Slott, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Tips for Proactive Tax Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Market volatility is an inevitable part of your investment journey—but how should you respond when your portfolio value fluctuates? In this insightful episode, Bryan Bibbo sits down with Seth Meisler, CFA, CFP, CPA, BPC, a Senior Wealth Manager at JL Smith, to provide timeless wisdom for weathering market uncertainty. 

Drawing from decades of experience in strategic financial planning, Seth cuts through the noise of headlines and market predictions to offer clear guidance on managing your investments during turbulent times. You’ll discover why having a well-structured financial plan is your best defense against making emotional decisions that could derail your long-term goals, regardless of what’s currently happening in the market. 

Key Topics: 

  • Managing Your Investment Emotions: Practical techniques to stay disciplined when market headlines trigger anxiety and uncertainty. 
  • The Power of Diversification: Why strategic asset allocation matters during market fluctuations and sector rotations. 
  • Market Volatility in Your Planning: How The Bucket Plan® approach can help protect your retirement from inevitable market downturns. 
  • Opportunities in Downturns: Strategic moves to consider during market corrections that could enhance your long-term wealth. 
  • Historical Context: What past market corrections teach us about the difference between temporary losses and permanent ones. 

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Episode 37: How to Prepare for Tax Season with Less Stress

Benefits of Strength Training, Bryan Bibbo, CPA, Education, Financial Education, Fitness, Health Management, Holistic Financial Planning, Holistic Health Management, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, insurance, Investing, Jason L Smith, Jeff Tomaszewski, JL Smith Group, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, life insurance, Max Strength Fitness, Proactive Tax Management, Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Strength, Strength Fitness, Strength Training, Tax Management, Tax Management with Ed Slott, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Tips for Proactive Tax Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Learn how to prepare for tax season with less stress with insights directly from JL Smith Holistic Wealth Managements’ experienced tax team. This episode, hosted by Bryan Bibbo, features Jeff Warnkin, CFP, CPA, NSSA, BPC, Senior Wealth Management Advisor, with over 25 years of experience and a master’s in taxation, and Kelli Knudsen, EA, Controller and Enrolled Agent at JL Smith who leads the tax division. 

Listen as Warnkin and Knudsen share practical strategies to simplify your tax preparation process and help you make informed decisions about your filing. They’ll walk you through how JL Smith’s holistic approach to wealth management helps prevent tax-time surprises while keeping you on track with your financial goals. 

Key Topics: 

  • Document Organization: Discover effective ways to gather and submit your tax documents using both digital portals and traditional methods 
  • Filing Status Benefits: Understand how to choose the best filing status for your situation, including special considerations for life changes and dependent claims 
  • Security Measures: Discover important steps to protect yourself from tax-related identity theft, including the value of IRS Identity Protection PINs 
  • Strategic Planning: Learn how incorporating tax planning into your wealth management strategy helps you prepare better and save more throughout the year 

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Episode 34: Exploring How Financial Intimacy & Attachment Styles Build Healthier Money Relationships 

Benefits of Strength Training, Bryan Bibbo, CPA, Financial, Fitness, Health Management, Holistic Financial Planning, Holistic Health Management, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, insurance, Jason L Smith, Jeff Tomaszewski, JL Smith Group, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, life insurance, Max Strength Fitness, Proactive Tax Management, Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Strength, Strength Fitness, Strength Training, Tax Management, Tax Management with Ed Slott, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax, Tips and Strategies for Proactive Tax Management, Tips for Proactive Tax Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , ,

Navigating finances within relationships can be a complex and deeply personal journey. In this episode of the Holistic Wealth & Health podcast, co-host Jason L Smith is joined by Ed Coambs, CFP®, founder, trainer, and therapy informed planner of Healthy Love & Money. Ed bridges the worlds of financial planning and relationship psychology, offering a transformative approach to understanding how our emotional and relational patterns influence financial decision-making. 

Join us as we unpack strategies for fostering financial intimacy, overcoming money-related conflicts, and creating a balanced approach to wealth management that supports your emotional and financial health. 

Key Topics Discussed: 

  • Understanding Financial Intimacy: Learn what financial intimacy means and how it fosters transparency and trust in relationships. 
  • Attachment Styles and Money: Discover how attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized—affect financial decision-making and conflict resolution. 
  • Overcoming Financial Trauma: Explore methods to recover from past financial setbacks and rebuild confidence in managing money. 
  • Balancing Risk and Emotional Comfort: Strategies to align financial decisions with personal comfort levels and long-term goals. 
  • Practical Exercises for Couples: A simple yet powerful exercise to improve financial communication and connection in relationships. 

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Episode 33: The Family Estate Organizer™ – A Guide to Preserving Family Wealth & Harmony

Bryan Bibbo, Financial, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, Jason L Smith, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Join co-hosts Jason Smith and Bryan Bibbo as they unpack the essential role of The Family Estate Organizer™ (FEO) in creating a seamless wealth transfer strategy.  

Through compelling real-world examples and decades of experience, they reveal how this powerful tool transforms complex estate planning into an organized, manageable process that provides peace of mind for your entire family. 

Key Topics Discussed: 

  • Document Organization Mastery: Learn how The Family Estate Organizer™ is used to create a centralized system for managing crucial financial, legal, and personal documents. 
  • Tax-Smart Asset Management: Master the organization of pre-tax, post-tax, and tax-favored investments to optimize inheritance outcomes for your beneficiaries. 
  • Legacy Planning Integration: Discover how the FEO seamlessly connects with The Bucket Plan® methodology to create a comprehensive wealth transfer strategy that aligns with your values. 
  • Crisis Prevention Protocol: Understand how proper document organization prevents common estate planning pitfalls and ensures immediate access to critical information during emergencies. 
  • Succession Planning: Learn the step-by-step process for ensuring your wealth transfers efficiently to the next generation while maintaining family harmony. 

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Episode 31: Investment Fundamentals – Understanding Market Dynamics and Portfolio Diversification with Apollo Lupescu

Financial, Holistic Financial Planning, holistic wealth and health, Holistic Wealth Management, Investing, Jason L Smith, JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, Wealth and Health, wealth and health podcast, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are you worried about making the right investment choices for your retirement? Join host Jason L Smith, and special guest Apollo Lupescu from Dimensional Fund Advisors, for a conversation that takes the mystery out of investing.  

Whether you’re already enjoying retirement or planning for it in the next few years, this episode breaks down what you really need to know about protecting and growing your nest egg in today’s complex market environment. 

Key Topics Discussed: 

  • Investment Fundamentals: Learn why having a comprehensive financial plan is crucial before selecting specific investments 
  • Risk Management: Understand the difference between “smart risks” and “dumb risks” in investing 
  • Global Diversification: Discover why international exposure matters, with the U.S. representing 61% of global market value 
  • Market Timing: Why “time in the market” beats “timing the market” – supported by 50 years of market data 
  • The Bucket Plan® Strategy: How The Bucket Plan® philosophy of separating investments into Now, Soon, and Later buckets helps create peace of mind for retirement 

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