Financial Planning Explained

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Brad Sorensen, CFA, for a discussion about the current state of the stock market and what investors may want to watch moving forward. In this episode, Mike and Brad break down some of the most important market and economic developments, including current interest rates, the performance of the Magnificent Seven (MAG 7) stocks, and the latest unem...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Brad Sorensen, CFA, for a discussion covering some of the most important market and economic developments heading into the fourth quarter. In this Third Quarter Market Recap, Mike and Brad break down the latest market trends and discuss what investors should understand about the war in Iran and oil prices, new AI developments and their impact on...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, for a practical Cash Management Q&A covering several important questions investors and homeowners may face when deciding how to manage their cash, debt, and investments.

Cash management is an important part of a comprehensive financial plan. Decisions about where to keep cash, how much liquidity to maintain, whether to use...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, for a real-world retirement planning case study focused on Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) and the important tax considerations that can come with employer stock and retirement.

NUA can be an important retirement planning strategy for individuals who hold highly appreciated employer stock inside a qualified retirement plan. ...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, for another Q&A focused on an essential part of successful financial planning: understanding your financial plan and making sure it continues to work for you.

A financial plan is more than an investment portfolio or a collection of accounts. It should provide a clear roadmap for your financial goals, help you make informe...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, for another Q&A focused on one of the most important decisions investors can make: how to choose a financial advisor.

Whether you're just beginning to build your financial plan, approaching retirement, managing investments on your own, or considering working with a professional, choosing the right financial advisor can be...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, for Part II of a Q&A series on life events, investments and general financial planning.

In Part II, Mike and Nick turn their attention to investment planning, tackling some of the most common questions investors face: When is a good time to invest? Should you invest in stocks or bonds? And how much risk should you actuall...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, for a practical life events financial planning case study focused on three major financial decisions many families face: buying a house, paying for a child’s college, and deciding what to do with an inheritance.

In Part I of this case study, Mike and Nick walk through how major life events can affect a family’s ove...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, to break down one of the most important and often misunderstood topics for beneficiaries of retirement accounts: Inherited IRAs and the IRS rules that apply to them.

When you inherit an IRA, the rules for taking distributions can be very different from the rules that applied to the original account owner. Depending on when the...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Nick DeVito, CFP®, to walk through a practical estate planning and inheritance case study involving a daughter who is trying to piece together her late father’s financial affairs.

In this real-world scenario, the daughter is struggling to track down important assets, including her father’s pension, 401(k), and life insurance policy....

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back Cheryl Lagunilla, Health Insurance Advisor at Focused Health Access, to continue their Medicare discussion with a practical, real-world case study and an in-depth look at IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount).

Building on the Medicare fundamentals covered in Part I, Mike and Cheryl walk through a realistic Medicare planning scenario t...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, is joined by Cheryl Lagunilla, Health Insurance Advisor at Focused Health Access, for a comprehensive discussion on Medicare and Medicaid—two of the most important healthcare programs for retirees and those approaching retirement.

In this episode, Mike and Cheryl break down the fundamentals of Medicare, including Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B ...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, welcomes back regular guest Brad Sorensen, CFA, Portfolio Manager and Outsourced Chief Investment Officer at Cornerstone Portfolio Research, for an in-depth discussion on the latest stock market outlook and the key events shaping the global economy.

In this episode, Mike and Brad examine whether today's stock market valuations remain justified as corporate e...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP® welcomes back regular guest Brad Sorensen, CFA, Portfolio Manager and Outsourced Chief Investment Officer at Cornerstone Portfolio Research.

In this episode, Mike and Brad discuss the current state of the stock market, examining the latest economic data, market trends, and the key forces shaping today's investment landscape. They break down what's driving rece...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP® welcomes back regular guest Brad Sorensen, CFA, Portfolio Manager and Outsourced Chief Investment Officer at Cornerstone Portfolio Research.

In this episode, Mike and Brad break down the performance of the financial markets during the second quarter of 2026, discussing the key economic events that influenced stocks, bonds, and investor sentiment throughout th...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, and Nick DeVito, CFP®, continue their Social Security Survivor Benefits case study series with Part 3, focusing on three critical retirement planning strategies: IRMAA, the Rule of 72, and Roth IRA conversions.

Building on the previous episodes, Mike and Nick explore how income planning, taxes, and investment decisions all work together when creating a succes...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP®, and Nick DeVito, CFP®, continue their in-depth Social Security Survivor Benefits case study by exploring one of the most overlooked planning opportunities: unrealized capital gains.

Building on Part 1, Mike and Nick examine how appreciated investments and unrealized capital gains can influence a surviving spouse's long-term financial strategy. Through a real-...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP® sits down with Nick DeVito, CFP® walk through a real-world Social Security Survivor Benefits case study, demonstrating how claiming decisions can significantly impact retirement income, financial security, and long-term planning outcomes.

Using a practical financial planning scenario, Mike and Nick explain how survivor benefits work, who qualifies, and the st...

This week on Financial Planning: Explained, host Michael Menninger, CFP® walks through a comprehensive estate planning case study, illustrating how thoughtful planning can help families protect assets, minimize taxes, and ensure their wishes are carried out efficiently.

Using a real-world financial planning scenario, Michael breaks down the key components of an effective estate plan, including wills, trusts, beneficiary designation...