Smart Money Questions

As we dive into the heart of March Madness, the excitement of college basketball isn't the only thing making headlines; the financial markets are also experiencing their own form of madness. In this episode of Smart Money Questions, Matt breaks down the latest market volatility, tax season updates, and investment strategies to help you stay informed and confident in your financial future. 

Here’s some of what we discuss in this epi...

Today we want to cover some timely discussions that we’ve had with clients recently, ranging from savings strategies and debt management to tax refunds and credit card spending. Good saving and spending habits are developed over time, but these seemingly small routines can make a huge difference in retirement.  

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

• Why it might not be a good idea to take money out of an IRA and into...

Everyone wants to get advice or guidance when it comes to investing, and a recent Wall Street Journal article featured ten different experts’ predictions for 2025. It made for an interesting read and provided some interesting discussion for this month’s podcast. Today we’ll take a look at a variety of strategies in play for 2025—from focusing on large-cap growth stocks and diversifying beyond the “magnificent seven” tech giants to ...

As we close out 2024, we can look back on a good year highlighted by the transition to a new office. Hopefully you’ve also enjoyed a great past twelve months, but now it’s time to shift focus on smart financial planning for the year ahead. In this episode of the Smart Money Questions podcast, Matt shares actionable strategies to refine your budgeting, transition smoothly into retirement, and maximize tax efficiency.

Here’s some of ...

As we approach Thanksgiving, it's hard to believe that 2024 is nearly behind us. With the end of the year comes a lot to look forward to- family, food, and of course, football. But there’s also another reason to celebrate this holiday season: the election is finally over.

Now that the election results are settled, the big question on everyone's mind is what comes next for the markets, Social Security, Medicare, and taxes. In this e...

It’s a different type of episode this time around, as we welcome long-time football coach Mike Ricci to the show. Mike coached football at Garnet Valley High School where he built a powerhouse football program before his retirement from the field. Now, Mike has his own business where he helps companies reach their goals as an organization much like he helped so many young people reach their goals both on and off the football field.

There’s a lot of anticipation surround the Federal Reserves meeting this month, and their decision on interest rates will have an impact across many different areas of financial planning. There’s a lot going on right now that impacts the discussions we have in our office, and we’re bringing some of that to the podcast today.

Join us as we share an in-depth analysis of the current economic indicators and what they might mean for you...

We always like to use this show to share some of the conversations we’re having with clients and the topics that are being discussed in our office. Today we have three important ones that have popped up multiple times recently and that’s life insurance, tax planning, and legal documents.

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

• What opportunities you might have with a life insurance policy in retirement.
• Ways that you ...

We’ve reached halftime for 2024 and it’s the time of the year when we like to check up on the finances with clients. Today we want to walk you through the conversations we’re having and the topics we’re covering in the office.

This episode is packed with both entertaining summer stories and crucial financial advice that you won't want to miss.

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

• Mid-year tax planning is important ...

It’s been a busy few weeks for us with a couple concerts and a trip to Florida to visit Maggie’s mom, and it was during that trip that we met someone who got us thinking about the theme for this month’s show. Today we’ll share that intriguing conversation we had with a retiree in Florida who was fearful about the future of the economy and the dollar, which sets the stage for a deeper discussion on financial planning and investment ...

We met recently with a young client who was just getting started and wanted to learn more about investing. They were so eager to get a jump on the finances and figure everything out.

Today we’re going to share insightful anecdotes from this recent meeting, where we talked about the underlying principles of planning, highlighting the importance of understanding risk, diversification, and keeping a long-term outlook.

Here’s some of...

This week on the Smart Money Questions podcast, Matt Hausman tackles the big question: Will you be okay after retirement? With a blend of financial expertise and real-life examples, we’ll share a Wall Street Journal article outlining the financial mistakes to avoid as you get within five or ten years of retirement.

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

• You always want to have cash on hand because unexpected expenses...

Life insurance is a product we get asked about all the time as people are trying to determine if they need to hold on to an old policy or even bother getting one at all. We get this question all the time and there have been a couple different scenarios come up recently that we wanted to bring to the show. So we’ll address those and go through the reasoning behind what we’ve discussed with clients.

As of the end of March, we will no...

What can we expect or what has the market done with regards to returns during presidential election years? After talking with clients the first couple of months, it’s clear that this is going to be a crazy year. That’s not uncommon during election years but this one seems to be setting up for unprecedented craziness.

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

• An update on a quick trip we took to Sarasota.
• Returns for eve...

Everyone wants to know. What is going to happen in 2024? Join us as we explore a range of topics, from the outlook of the economy, a potential tax surprise for a lot of people, and some new provisions that will take effect this year.

We’ll give you a high-level look at what we’re paying attention to and what we’re discussing with our clients as the year begins. There’s plenty to address within your financial plan and this episode w...

We’re coming down to the final few days of 2023 and we hope you have all enjoyed a good holiday season. As we close out the year, we wanted to go over a couple of client conversations we had recently dealing with small businesses and the power of money.

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

• How should business owners balance saving for retirement and putting money back into the business?
• What are some consistent fin...

It’s hard to beat this time of the year with the holidays and everything that comes along with it, and we hope that you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for and hope you do as well when you look back on this year and what’s to come in 2024.

Today we want to go over a couple of meetings we’ve had recently with clients who had needed to address some specific scenarios. In each of these scenarios, we’ll s...

As we close in on the final two months of the year, there’s a lot happening now and plenty to look ahead to for 2024. That’s what we want to spend some time on today by sharing some of the discussions we’re having in our office and some of the questions we’re answering from clients in this final quarter of the year. This includes open enrollment, world conflicts, and financing a new home.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this ep...

Last month, we held an educational event and covered a lot of important information. We even featured estate attorney Jennifer Walker, who talked about the estate planning do’s and don’ts. It was a great event and we appreciate everyone that came out.

Because we went over a list of key planning items for the year, we wanted to provide all of that information and education for you on the podcast. So this show will be go over all of ...