Shows
Take Back Retirement129: What Women Need to Know About Charitable Giving and Retirement "There are ways to get some more net dollars to the charity, having a smaller financial impact on your own situation. It just takes a little bit of looking at [your financial situation]." Our hosts Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group tackle the ins-and-outs of charitable giving, and reveal how strategic planning can maximize impact while preserving your financial security. While charities treat all dollars equally (they pay zero taxes), how you give dramatically affects your bottom line! First up, they cover critical 2026 tax changes, including a new...
2026-01-3036 minTake Back Retirement128: Scripts, Frameworks, and Real Talk: Mastering Money Conversations with Erika Wasserman "My goal in life, my purpose in life, is to spark conversations. And in 2026, my goal is to spark 10,000 financial conversations." -Erika Wasserman Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, welcome back financial therapist Erika Wasserman to discuss her groundbreaking new book Conversations with Your Financial Therapist. Invited by Wiley Publishing to write about the emotional side of money, Erika created a practical guide wrapped in storytelling, featuring seven composite characters navigating real financial conversations throughout their lives. The heart of the book is the Money Mindset Method. It's a five-step framework using...
2026-01-1543 minTake Back Retirement126: Retiring Gen X Style: From Anxiety to Action with Kerry Hannon and Janna Herron "This is a generation that is incredibly scrappy. This is a generation that gets it done. We actually know how to find the resources when we need to." – Kerry Hannon Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, welcome Kerry Hannon and Janna Herron, co-authors of "Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future," for a candid conversation about why this overlooked generation faces unique retirement challenges, and why there's still plenty of time to turn things around! The timing couldn't be better. With the oldest Gen Xers turning 60 this year, this generation of...
2025-12-1543 minTake Back Retirement125: Incremental Steps, Lasting Impact: How Small Changes Lead to Financial Success with Meg Wheeler, CPA"Creating safe spaces for people to talk about money is one of the most powerful things we can do right now to make the world better for change." -Meg Wheeler Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Meg Wheeler, CPA and founder of the Equitable Money Project, who's on a mission to demolish the shame surrounding money conversations through accessible financial education. Her approach shows us that the path to financial confidence isn't about becoming an expert. It's about learning to simply talk about money without judgment. "Why should we...
2025-12-0141 minTake Back Retirement124: Leap Smart: Career Transitions and Financial Strategies for Midlife Women with Tabatha Jones "It is never too late to start something new and to put your energy into something that you've loved your whole life, but you've never had time to focus on." Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, explore the strategic path to entrepreneurship in midlife with the Corporate Escape Sherpa herself, Tabatha Jones! After 30 years in corporate tech leadership, Tabatha made her leap at age 50 and now guides women through building profitable businesses before they leave their steady paychecks behind. "If it's not on your calendar, if it's not something you are focused...
2025-11-1543 minTake Back Retirement123: Making Your Own Story: Finding Meaning After 50 with Diane Gansauer "You don't build courage by avoiding what you're afraid of. You build courage by moving through it." -Diane Gansauer Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, explore an extraordinary midlife reinvention with Diane Gansauer, who traded a high-profile government position for one of the few full-time funeral celebrant roles in the United States. Her transformation proves that stepping away from prestige can lead to real personal fulfillment! "I became more effective and a happier person," Diane reflects on leaving her role as deputy director of a Colorado state agency overseeing multimillion-dollar conservation grants...
2025-10-3150 minTake Back Retirement122: Redefining Retirement: Finding Your Creative Voice Through Comedy with Lynn Harris "Comedy is power because when you make people laugh, you make people listen." -Lynn Harris Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, explore the unexpected world of midlife comedy careers with Lynn Harris! She's the founder of Gold Comedy, a comedy school and professional network specifically designed for women and non-binary creators seeking to build comedy careers or creative side hustles. Lynn's journey from journalist and standup comic is proof that midlife transitions can be moments of opportunity and not just crisis. She describes a "very vocal, powerful, creative, awesome cohort" of women in their...
2025-10-1544 minTake Back Retirement121: Radical Transparency: Diane di Costanzo's Real Retirement Story "Stop stopping. If something is stopping you from doing this thing you know you should do, just stop stopping." - Diane di Costanzo Former Chief Content Officer and Financial Journalist Diane di Costanzo proves it's never too late to take control of your financial future! Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, chat with her in this inspiring episode of Take Back Retirement. At 48, she had saved just $28,000 for retirement. It's a number that felt shamefully inadequate against the backdrop of million-dollar retirement commercials. Yet eighteen years later, she successfully retired and embarked on a...
2025-09-3041 minTake Back Retirement120: Women, Retirement, and the Lessons of Behavioral Finance (rerun)"The human brain is actually wired to trip us up, to shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to money and investing. A little bit of self-examination can help pull us out of these knee-jerk reactions." Prepare for a knowledge voyage as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines redefine retirement for women, bringing insights from behavioral finance, a fascinating field that explores how we make decisions around money. By the end of this episode, you'll have a deeper understanding of financial behaviors and how to make smarter choices. Our ho...
2025-09-1531 minTake Back Retirement119: Redefining Success and Identity After 50 with Deborah Heiser"Generativity. Think of it as generating something from yourself and putting it into the world." Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, explore the positive side of aging with Dr. Deborah Heiser, an applied developmental psychologist who pivoted from studying depression and Alzheimer's to researching what we actually have to look forward to as we age. "You can run faster than me, but I'm happier than you." Dr. Heiser's transformation began at a dinner party when someone challenged her: "What do we have to look forward to as we age? You...
2025-08-2941 minTake Back Retirement118: Reclaiming Life: Lessons from a Gray Divorce Survivor with Pat Fenner "What I really was grieving was the loss of what I'd hoped my marriage would have been." – Pat Fenner Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, sit down with author and podcaster Pat Fenner, who shares her powerful journey through "gray divorce"—divorce that happens to women over 50, typically after a decade or more of marriage. After 37 years of marriage, Pat found herself having to start over at an age when most couples are planning retirement together. Her story brings to light the unique challenges facing women in gray divorce, from employment gaps that make rent...
2025-08-1542 minTake Back Retirement117: The Power of Presence: Supporting Those in Grief with Paula Harris "'Let me know if you need anything' is one of the most useless things you can say." –Paula Harris Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, sit down with financial advisor and author Paula Harris, who shares practical insights on how to support someone grieving the loss of a spouse. Drawing on years of experience working with widowed clients and her own faith-rooted perspective, Paula shares thoughtful, actionable ways to be present during what can be one of life's most isolating seasons. Drawing from her publications Rise Up: A Widow's Journal an...
2025-07-3144 minTake Back Retirement116: Reimagining Your Next Chapter: Longevity, Intention, and the Power of Yes with Allison Davis"Body work, brain work, and world work - all longevity habits fit into those three categories." -Allison Davis When author and naturopath Allison Davis turned 60, she didn't accept it as the "gateway to old age"—she saw it as a turning point. Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, talk with Allison about her transformative journey and her new book, Sixty Is a Good Start: A Powerful Body, A Purposeful Life, and a Plan to Make It Happen. Allison recounts a yearlong period of reflection that led to saying "yes" to new challenges, most notably, th...
2025-07-1541 minTake Back Retirement115: Financial Therapy: The Intersection of Money and Emotions with Wendy Wright"There is not good or bad with money" Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, sit down with financial therapist Wendy Wright to unpack the emotional complexities that often underlie our financial behaviors. Wendy believes that money issues aren't just math problems—they're emotional ones too! Rather than focusing on dollars and cents alone, Wendy helps her clients understand why they avoid budgeting, overspend in emotional moments, or feel incapable of managing money. Her mantra? "Abundant, compassionate curiosity and zero judgment." Wendy discusses common patterns like the belief of being "ba...
2025-06-3041 minTake Back Retirement114: Child-free Estate Planning: Picking the Right People for Key Roles - and What to do if You are Picked! with Patricia De Fonte"Usually, people are not trying to kill you or keep you alive for nefarious reasons, unless you're very old and very rich and very mean." -Patricia De Fonte When most people think of estate planning, they imagine dividing assets among children or a spouse—but Patricia De Fonte, founder of De Fonte Law, offers a broader and deeper perspective. Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, sit down with Patricia to explore what "estate planning with heart" really means, especially for those without children or partners. People often name child-free individuals as caretakers without their co...
2025-06-1554 minTake Back Retirement113: Side Hustle or Second Career? Navigating Midlife Entrepreneurship with Shannon Russell"Do your research. Do your planning yourself until you get that confidence to project it to the world, and whatever they say will bounce off your armor because you know you're doing the right thing." -Shannon Russell Thinking about trading your day job for a business of your own? You're not alone—and you're not crazy. Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, talk with Shannon Russell, a career transition coach who specializes in helping women reinvent themselves through entrepreneurship. Shannon shares her journey from TV producer to franchise owner to busi...
2025-05-3046 minTake Back Retirement112: Navigating Family Wealth Transfers: Emotional Intelligence and Effective Communication with Jill and Sean Maher"We're talking about giving space to practice. Not only practice the relationships but also practice managing money." -Sean Maher Most people plan their estate down to the last dollar, but forget to prepare for the emotional fallout that almost always comes from a lack of proper communication between family members. Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, sit down with husband and wife team Sean and Jill Maher to talk about their book The Greatest Gift: 9 Principles for the Transfer of Your Legacy Along with Your Wealth, which journeys into the em...
2025-05-1551 minTake Back Retirement111: From My Way to Our Way: Financial Planning for Blended Families with Donna Kendrick"In a blended family, fairness and mutual understanding are key, especially when navigating the complexities of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements." -Donna Kendrick Navigating love after loss or divorce comes with a host of emotional and financial complexities, especially when blending families. Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, speak with Donna Kendrick, a financial planner who has lived through these transitions herself. After losing her husband unexpectedly, Donna rebuilt her life and career with a mission to help families in flux—widows, divorcées, and newly blended households. She...
2025-04-3042 minTake Back Retirement110: Navigating the Complexities of Aging: Proactive Planning for Seniors and Families with Jill and Steve MarshallOur hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Steve and Jill Marshall of Silver Path Consulting to discuss all things future care, from housing, to finance, to family support. Jill and Steve lament the current lack of societal preparedness for a growing senior population, often referred to as a "silver tsunami" that's growing bigger each year. They stress the importance of starting early discussions about aging within families, the benefits and drawbacks of different living arrangements, and an effective way to handle comprehensive information and resource management between the ad...
2025-04-1554 minTake Back Retirement109: Remarriage & Money: Janice Guinn Joins the Conversation on Love, Legalities, and Life PlanningCongratulations on your remarriage! How do you ensure that your finances are in order as you step into this next phase of your life? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines explore the vital legal and financial considerations of remarriage, from beneficiary designations to tax implications, with guidance from fellow Financial Planner at Sofia Financial, Janice Guinn! There are legal considerations aplenty when deciding between cohabitation and remarriage. Money talks can often be the elephant in the room, but they're essential for maintaining harmony in marriage. A partner's reluctance to engage in...
2025-03-3146 minTake Back Retirement108: Retire on Your Own Terms – Or Don't! (rerun)There is no one right way to retire. Even if you don't do everything you had hoped to do, you can still build a plan so that you can do more of the things you want and less of the stuff you don't. In this episode, we're Taking Back Retirement by redefining the old image and definition of this phase of life. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines break it down in this rerun episode dating back to episode 2 from 2020. Key topics: Redefining Retirement to What YOU Want to do (02:12) When Things Don't Go...
2025-03-1418 minTake Back Retirement107: Exploring the Psychology of Retirement with Dr. Meir Statman"It's nice to get millions when you're 65, but wouldn't it be better if you gave [your children], say, 10s of 1000s when they are in their 20s and 30s?" -Meir Statman Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, are joined by world-renowned behavioral finance expert Dr. Meir Statman to explore the intricate dance between human behavior and financial decision-making! Dr. Statman is a pioneer in the world of behavioral finance, currently serving as a professor and researcher at Santa Clara University. He attempts to understand how people make financial choices and...
2025-02-2856 minTake Back Retirement106: What Women Need to Know About Bitcoin with Marianne BornemanPicture a world where your money isn't controlled by any government, but rather exists in the form of digital code. That's the idea behind Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, where freedom meets cryptography, and transactions are recorded transparently on a blockchain. But we get it–to those looking to add cryptocurrency to their portfolio, the subject of decentralized finance can be pretty intimidating. Our hosts, Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines break it down with special guest Marianne Borneman, founder of Access Tax Solutions, the home of Real Clear Tax Advice. They look into ho...
2025-02-1559 minTake Back Retirement105: Why Money Conversations are Crucial and How to Have Them, with Kathleen Burns Kingsbury"It really does cost us in terms of our ability to learn about money, embrace failure, the mistakes that we made and we learn from them, to actually get closer to the people in our lives, whether that is our adult children, whether that's a partner, whether that's a friend. So there's a lot of ways in which money silence kind of keeps us locked up in a way that I don't think is useful." - Kathleen Burns Kingsbury Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines invite Kathleen Burns Kingsbury back to the show. She b...
2025-01-1546 minTake Back Retirement104: How to Invest When the World Feels DangerousVolatility and recession and crashes! Oh, my! Today, our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines give their best strategies for successful investing when the world's feeling dangerous. They kick things off with some pointers on riding out market ups and downs. It all comes down to sticking to a long-term investment plan, no matter what's happening around you. Remember the 2008 financial crisis? Stephanie and Kevin talk about how markets always bounce back and why it's best not to fret over the dramatic headlines. They also discuss ways to manage your wealth du...
2024-12-1633 minTake Back Retirement103: Essential Internal Money Healing with Meghan DwyerOur hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines discuss the emotional side of money management with Meghan Dwyer, a Certified Financial Planner and the host of the "Money Isn't Scary" Podcast. Meghan's vision-mission is all about challenging societal norms and empowering women to take charge of their finances with confidence. She helps us uncover the hidden emotional influences that shape our financial decisions and shares her insights on moving from a mindset of fear to one of abundance. "How we earn our money is emotional," says Meghan. "How we spend our money is...
2024-11-3046 minTake Back Retirement102: What Women Need to Know about Avoiding IRA Nightmare Stories with Denise Appleby"Prevention is better than cure. Don't feel overwhelmed by all this. Would you remove your own kidney? You would go to a professional to get it done." -Denise Appleby Renowned IRA and retirement plans expert Denise Appleby joins our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines for a crucial conversation on managing your retirement accounts effectively, especially as 2024 comes to a close. Having trained thousands of financial, tax, and legal professionals, Denise shares her invaluable insights on year-end retirement planning strategies, covering the complexities of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and the potential...
2024-11-1556 minTake Back Retirement101: What Women Need to Know (and Do) About Estate Planning with Your Friend the Lawyer, Pam StarsiaOur hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Pam Starsia, who swapped her corporate lawyer gig for the world of estate planning, and now runs a firm alongside her husband. Once a pro in high-stakes mergers and acquisitions, Pam's now all about creating personalized, relationship-focused estate plans. Listen in as she takes us through the sometimes-tricky and always-emotional landscape of family legacy planning. "If you have the resources to pay for help, do so. You deserve it." Pam unpacks the Personal Family Lawyer model she follows, which emphasizes the...
2024-10-3049 minTake Back Retirement100: What GenX Women Need to Know About Retirement"We're nothing if not resourceful. That's our generation's superpower." -Kevin In celebration of the 100th episode of Take Back Retirement, our hosts Stephanie and Kevin Gaines reflect on the defining characteristics of their very own generation–Gen X–and key lessons that women in this age bracket can put into practice today in preparing for retirement. From the seismic shift from pensions to 401(k) plans, to navigating the rollercoaster of financial events like the 1987 Black Monday and the dot-com bubble at the turn of the century, today's conversation explores the pivotal mome...
2024-10-1534 minTake Back Retirement99: The Challenges and Opportunities of Defining Your Identity in Retirement with Elizabeth Parsons"Suddenly you've got to create the content of your life, and that's a completely new enterprise for most people we work with, and it's scary until you can get your hands in the clay and feel confident about having a process." -Elizabeth Parsons How do you deal with the massive shift that comes with stepping away from a high-powered career and into retirement? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons, founder of Encoraco, who has dedicated her life to guiding high achievers through the emotional and ps...
2024-10-0145 minTake Back Retirement98: Conquering Internalized Ageism and Living Your Best Life after 65 with Ande Lyons"Age is just another journey that we need to learn to love and embrace, and see as the gift it is!" Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines are joined by Ande Lyons, host of the Don't Be Caged by Your Age podcast. She's redefining what it means to thrive after 65, and teaches us how to combat ageism at every level—whether it's institutional, societal, or internalized. Finding and maintaining confidence and a sense of purpose in retirement is seldom easy. Ande gives us tips to stay engaged in later life, as w...
2024-09-1647 minTake Back Retirement97: Why Do We Avoid Retirement Planning?"Most pre-retirees and retirees need and want help with the critical retirement decisions they face, but they're not always certain where to find it." Is your retirement plan only scratching the surface? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines uncover the common pitfalls that have kept retirees unprepared for the realities of their post-work years. Drawing from the groundbreaking Stanford Center on Longevity study entitled Disconnected: Reality Versus Perception in Retirement Planning, Stephanie and Kevin talk about why it's imperative to envision and plan for all aspects of retirement—beyond just your...
2024-08-3034 minTake Back Retirement96: Surviving Financial Infidelity with Jess Bost"Financial infidelity is in the category of infidelity and the root of it is a hiding and a lying about the truth." Join our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines as they chat with Jess Bost, CFP at Lake Avenue Financial. She's spent over 15 years coaching people to get from where they are to where they want to be. It's a passion that finds its roots in her inspiring journey to overcome her own financial struggles. For Jess, those struggles revolved around one of the toughest periods in her life: dealing wi...
2024-08-1553 minTake Back Retirement95: Ready to Retire? Here are Five Crucial Questions to Ask Yourself"We believe that a simpler financial life, a less fraught financial life is one where you align your dollars with what's most important to you, with the life you want to lead, with your values." - Stephanie Have you ever found yourself asking if the perfect moment to retire will ever come? Or whether you'll even have enough to live on when that moment arrives? These are tough questions that countless people grapple with. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines talk 'purposeful retirement' and how you can set goals and navigate your p...
2024-07-3135 minTake Back Retirement94: Practicing for Retirement: Balancing Creative Pursuits and Financial Planning with Mary Jo Hoffman"Think about practicing for retirement long before you get there." -Mary Jo Hoffman Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with aeronautical engineer-turned-artist Mary Jo Hoffman. Renowned for her captivating photography project, Still, Mary Jo shares her extraordinary journey from a 17-year career as a scientist into becoming a renowned essayist and found nature photographer! Discover the pivotal moment when Mary Jo and her husband decided to switch roles in their professional lives, allowing her to fully embrace her creative passions. She talks about her spur-of-the-moment family move to...
2024-07-1554 minTake Back Retirement93: She Did It! Real Retirement Stories with Sharon Johnson"It wasn't nearly as traumatic for me as I was expecting it to be. I was a little concerned about how I would transition from having to get up and having that routine to creating a new one." - Sharon Welcome to another edition of Real Retirement Stories - a series of Take Back Retirement. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Sharon Johnson. After an illustrious 22-year career as an executive assistant at ABC Television, Sharon didn't slow down—instead, she switched gears and found a new calling co-hosting the 80s TV Lad...
2024-07-0149 minTake Back Retirement92: What Women Need to Know about Inflation: What It Is, and Why You Should Care -- But Not Panic!"Each dollar today buys less than the same dollar did 10 years ago. Which is why a lot of financial advisors are so focused on helping clients grow their money over time. It's not to become wealthy and die with the most money, it's because the cost of living goes up over time." - Stephanie Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines demystify the often-frustrating world of inflation and its daily impact on our wallets. They dive into how rising prices sneakily erode your purchasing power and why this is a crucial consideration for your financial...
2024-06-1935 minTake Back Retirement91: Securing Your Retirement: Key Insights and Strategies"If the average life expectancy for a woman is around 86, 87, fully 50% of women live longer than that. So, you can't plan just to age 87." Can a simple quiz change the way you think about retirement? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines uncover the hidden gems (and not-so-shiny stones) within retirement planning quizzes and surveys, especially a revealing retirement income literacy quiz from the American College of Financial Services. Our hosts dismantle common myths, like the idea that Medicaid will seamlessly cover long-term care costs, and arm you with the knowledge to navigate these complex...
2024-05-3034 minTake Back Retirement90: Guiding Women to a Richer, More Fulfilling Retirement with Dan Haylett"Human beings going into retirement will find every excuse to not spend their money" - Dan Haylett Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with financial advisor Dan Haylett. As the host of the "Humans Vs Retirement" podcast, Dan tells us how he inspires retirees to grab life by the horns and experience true wealth in their later years. Listen in as Dan breaks down the five Fs of retirement, how to find meaning in a post-career life, the importance of asking what it is you're retiring to rather th...
2024-05-1652 minTake Back Retirement89: Navigating the Emotional and Practical Realms of Eldercare Management with Nancy May"Dad, you trusted me with everything. I'm trusting you with the truth." -Nancy May Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Nancy May, who drops some real truth bombs relating to eldercare and supporting aging parents and relatives. Nancy's personal journey sheds light on the complexities and sacrifices involved in this critical role. This candid discussion unpacks the essentials, from establishing a durable power of attorney to assembling a dependable team of legal and financial advisors. When the care of loved ones falls into your hands, knowing how...
2024-05-0154 minTake Back Retirement88: Radical Self-Acceptance: A Path to Financial Wellness for Women with ADHD with Diann Wingert"Every single thing in my life that has ever terrorized me and terrified me, and I avoided like nobody's business, when I finally either had no place else to run, or I chose to turn around and face it, it has never been as bad as I thought it would be. It has never been as shameful as continuing to avoid." Our hosts Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group chat with Diann Wingert, a seasoned cognitive behavioral coach, about all things financial and mental well-being as a woman...
2024-04-1556 minTake Back Retirement87: Cultivating Creative Connections for Lifelong Wellness with Claire Waite Brown"It's not a line that you are either academic or creative, or you are either scientific or creative, or you are either mathematical…They're not separate." -Claire Waite Brown Ever felt like your creative spark got lost in the shuffle of life? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group sit down with Claire Waite Brown, the host of the Creativity Found Podcast and founder of CreativityFound.co.uk Claire helps us break down the barriers that have kept us from embracing our inner arti...
2024-03-3142 minTake Back Retirement86: The Success Number: Calculating What You Really Need to Earn with Ella Glasgow"I first ask this question: What is the number to make you feel successful? You and no one else. It might be a scary number. There's nothing wrong with fear." -Ella Glasgow Ever felt the anxiety-inducing pressure of pinning a price tag on your brainchild? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines break that down with guest Ella Glasgow, who's not only a virtual event maestro and vocalist but also a sage when it comes to the alchemy of pricing your services. Our hosts and Ella steer into the heart of...
2024-03-1548 minTake Back Retirement85: Mastering Tax Season: Strategies for Preparation, Document Gathering, and Future Planning"If they're only worried about that current year, then that's what they're going to focus on. Let your accountant know, 'I'm interested in what my tax bill's going to be three, five years down the road. So, if there's something we need to be doing, let's have a conversation.'" Tax season is among us. Or as Kevin would sing, "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" Whether you share Kevin's sentiment, or not so much, you'll want to tune into this one as our hosts Kevin Gaines and Stephanie McCullough peel back the curtain on...
2024-02-2932 minTake Back Retirement84: The Retirement Expense You Can't Afford to Ignore: Planning for Healthcare Costs"If you're looking at the costs of medical expenses over time, they've actually historically grown faster than regular inflation. Healthcare is expensive, and it goes up faster than the rest of your spending; don't overlook it." Listen in as our hosts, Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial, and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group tackle the critical yet often underestimated topic of healthcare costs in retirement. They uncover the harsh reality that healthcare expenses can become a significant financial burden if not properly accounted for in your retirement plan. Shedding light on the unpredictable nature...
2024-02-1527 minTake Back Retirement83: Combatting Fraud and Protecting Your Financial Future with AARP's Kathy Stokes"If you know about a certain scam, you're 80% less likely to engage with it. So, please tell everybody you know." -Kathy Stokes Could your loved ones be vulnerable to a $9 billion wave of deception? Kathy Stokes from AARP joins our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines to unravel the complexities of fraud that's sweeping the nation, hitting older adults the hardest. With victims often bearing the burden of shame, they're challenging the stigma and equipping you with the knowledge to identify scams and shield your family. Amidst the digital age, where sw...
2024-01-3152 minTake Back Retirement82: Getting the Most from Social Security: Smart Strategies for Women with Heather Schreiber"People tend to underestimate both how long they'll live and how long they'll spend in retirement. That's something that we really need to be realistic about." - Heather Schreiber Have you ever wondered how the labyrinth of Social Security intricacies might be uniquely affecting your retirement plan? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines sit down with Heather Schreiber, a Social Security sage, to dissect the complex world of retirement planning for women. In this episode, the spotlight is on the hidden challenges women face due to career pauses, and how these disruptions can significantly...
2024-01-1553 minTake Back Retirement81: Answers to Our Most Common QuestionsEver feel like you're wading through murky waters when it comes to retirement planning? You're not alone. Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines of Sofia Financial and American Financial Management Group illuminate the path with their expertise, debunking pervasive myths that cloud the judgment of many investors. They kick things off by setting the record straight on investment growth, cutting through the confusion surrounding account consolidation, and revealing the true engine of growth—percentage rates. Diversification is another victim of misunderstanding, and they're untangling the real meaning from the common misperception that more accounts always equals be...
2024-01-0133 minTake Back Retirement80: Reinventing Money Talks: Emotion, Accountability, and Retirement Planning with Erika Wasserman"You'll start seeing some things that are really helping you in life and some that are hurting you. And when you don't have an outlet or a way to review these things, we stay to our consistent habits just like with our diet." Dive into the world of financial therapy with our guest, Erika Wasserman. Fully 81% of Americans were taught not to talk about money, and that has a profound impact on emotional well-being and relationships. Join us as Erika shares both her personal journey and practical advice on navigating the complexities of financial silence...
2023-12-1541 minTake Back Retirement79: Small Steps, Big Impact: How Prioritizing Self-Care Transforms Your Finances with Emi Kirschner"You have a choice about everything, and not choosing is still a choice. Prioritize yourself and ask for what you need." - Emi Kirschner What if you were told that self-care isn't just an indulgence, but a key player in achieving personal and professional success? Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Emi Kirschner, a seasoned investor, serial entrepreneur, and coach to women business owners. They pull back the curtain on the issue of avoidance, especially when it comes to financial planning and essential self-care, and share insights about wh...
2023-11-3041 minTake Back Retirement78: The Essential Rules to Know When You Inherit an IRA"The account you inherit as far as the IRS is concerned, it's not your retirement account. You are just receiving the money from it. It's still the original owner's retirement account." Have you ever considered the complexities that come with inheriting retirement accounts? They can be a minefield of rules and regulations that, if not handled with care, can result in irreversible mistakes. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines untangle these complex rules, shedding light on the importance of paying attention when dealing with inherited accounts. Because once that money is taken out, it...
2023-11-1533 minTake Back Retirement77: How to Decide Whether to Go Back to Work After Divorce"The thing you've got to start with is what does life cost you? What does it cost to be you in this world?" Listen in as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines tackle some big questions in this episode of Take Back Retirement, like "Do I need to go back to work after retirement or a divorce?" and "What kind of financial considerations should I have?" They walk through how to evaluate your life costs, not just the regular monthly expenses, but those that come up less frequently, like holidays, vacations, and any extra...
2023-10-3133 minTake Back Retirement76: What Women Need to Know About Financial Recordkeeping: Lessons from Client Stories"In the world of the IRS, if it's not documented, it's not real." Get set for a value-packed journey as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines tackle the critical topic of keeping financial records in this latest episode of Take Back Retirement. But they don't go it alone. They invite two clients - Steve and Doug - and two experts – Enrolled Agent Marianne Borneman and CPA Sonya Pappas - to give a well-rounded perspective on just how important record keeping really is. First, discover how proper documentation can serve as a sh...
2023-10-1649 minTake Back Retirement75: The Gift of Organizing and Decluttering your Documents and Photos, with Angie Hyche"This could be the most loving gift you could ever give your children. The most loving way of spending your time to give them this gift, it's priceless. Preparation leads to peace. It absolutely does." Imagine a world where your family isn't left with a mountain of your disorganized documents and possessions after your death. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines chat with Angie Hyche, a professional organizer, author, speaker, and podcaster, who brings us unique insights into the freedom that order can bring. Turning the spotlight on planning for ag...
2023-09-3048 minTake Back Retirement74: Taking Charge: Carol Marak's Strategy for Solo Aging and Retirement Planning"Once you are aware of your top risks that you will likely face later on, it's amazing how your brain just starts to automatically think about, 'Well that's interesting, I wonder if I could live that way.' Or 'I wonder if I could pick up that exercise. I wonder if I could start walking a mile a day just to start getting in better shape. I wonder if I could change my diet instead of eating this cookie, I should maybe have this piece of fruit instead.' That's the way the mind works." ...
2023-09-1549 minTake Back Retirement73: Back to Basics: Essential First Steps to Taking Control of Your Finances"It's not about deprivation. It's about balance. It's about taking care of your today self and your future self." Join our hosts, Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial and Kevin Gaines of American Financial Management Group, as they simplify the world of financial planning, starting with understanding cash flow. They tackle how to monitor the inflow and outflow of your money, without yet worrying about its source or where it's going. Learn the importance of observing more than one month of data, as things can fluctuate from month to month. Stephanie and...
2023-08-3126 minTake Back Retirement72: Bringing a Woman's Perspective to Money and Retirement with Financial Planner and Author Kim Curtis"Conversations around money should be: what do you want? Who do you want to be? And how do we help you get there? Not only you individually, but your collective. Your collective is your family, your community, and beyond" Imagine a world where the language of money is universal, inclusive, and aligns with your life's purpose and passion. That's exactly the world Kim Curtis, CEO of Wealth Legacy Institute, envisions and is working towards. This episode exposes the unspoken gender dynamics in finance and the male-centric language that often excludes crucial aspects like life, passion...
2023-08-1542 minTake Back Retirement71: She Did It! Real Retirement Stories with Gretchen "G-Rex" SchoserGet ready for an inspiring conversation with tech retiree and podcast host, Gretchen Schoser. Gretchen, aka G-Rex, invites us into her world to talk about trading tech for a mic, her journey toward retirement, and the mental health battles she's faced along the way. Tune in as she unpacks her new podcast, "Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads," which she co-hosts with Dirty Skittles, and how it acts as a comforting refuge during challenging times, not only for the hosts but also their listeners. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines follow Gretchen t...
2023-07-3145 minTake Back Retirement70: Women, Retirement, and the Lessons of Behavioral Finance"The human brain is actually wired to trip us up, to shoot ourselves in the foot when it comes to money and investing. A little bit of self-examination can help pull us out of these knee-jerk reactions." Prepare for a knowledge voyage as our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines redefine retirement for women, bringing insights from behavioral finance, a fascinating field that explores how we make decisions around money. By the end of this episode, you'll have a deeper understanding of financial behaviors and how to make smarter choices. Our ho...
2023-07-1530 minTake Back Retirement69: New Survey Illuminates Retirement Confidence and Planning by Gender and GenerationWhat if you discovered that the typical American is on track to have only 78% of the income needed for retirement expenses? Brace yourself, because that's exactly what our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines are about to unpack. Talking about retirement planning can be daunting, but it's never too late to start. Our hosts share some fascinating findings from a recent survey, like men's overconfidence in investing, despite women scoring higher in financial literacy! They also reveal the intriguing confidence levels across different generations. Whether you're a baby boomer, a Gen-Xer, or an older millennial, y...
2023-07-0127 minTake Back Retirement68: Energetic Resources and Your Financial Journey with Stacey Stern"[A wise money decision is] one that honors yourself. And to really honor yourself, you need to know yourself, to know who you are and what your values are, and know that your self is not one set entity or one personality set in stone." With over 18 years of experience as an executive coach, Stacey Stern joins Take Back Retirement to share her unique approach to navigating life transitions and finding more meaning, impact, fulfillment, joy, and peace of mind. Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines dive into her journey into coaching, how she w...
2023-06-1547 minTake Back Retirement67: Embracing Midlife Growth: Aging, Beauty, and Self-Discovery, with Dara Goldberg"We are supposed to view aging as a privilege, but we are shamed for showing visible signs of it. How absurd. And because we live in a society where our outward beauty equates to worth and value, we automatically feel that our value is going down and our worth, and we see that our visibility is going down." Are you embracing your midlife growth spurt or feeling overwhelmed by it? Join our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines as they chat with Dara Goldberg, founder of the Endless Beauty Collective and LovinMidlife.com, who shares...
2023-05-3140 minTake Back Retirement66: Transform Your Relationship with Money: Lessons from Bari Tessler"I've heard everything at this point, meaning nothing would surprise me. I've heard all sorts of versions of shame, anger, sadness, anxiety, family stories - beautiful and painful, and betrayal and embarrassment." Our hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines had a fascinating conversation with Financial Therapist Bari Tessler, founder of The Art of Money, about her unique methodology that integrates financial and emotional literacy. Bari enlightens us on the importance of understanding the connection between our mind and body, and how this knowledge can be applied to our financial well-being. You'll learn about the role...
2023-05-151h 05Take Back Retirement65: Achieving Longevity and Financial Stability: A Holistic Approach with Dr. Laura DeCesarisWhat if the secret to a long, healthy life is not expensive programs, supplements or equipment, but actually the free actions you take every day? In this episode, functional medicine-trained health strategist Dr. Laura DeCesaris joins the podcast to explore the importance of prioritizing health span over lifespan. Stephanie, Kevin, and Laura explore essential health habits that contribute to longevity, such as getting outside daily, having a supportive community, managing stress, and eating a variety of foods, as well as the challenges people face in prioritizing these habits and the deceptive nature of fad diets a...
2023-04-2845 minTake Back Retirement64: What is Money Insurance?Given the recent headlines and failure of two banks, Stephanie and Kevin felt is was time for a high-level overview on the government insurance programs that serve as backstops by protecting you from the potential failure of financial services companies. Listen in as they break down the most important acronyms within the alphabet soup of federal government agencies. They discuss the FDIC insurance program, how the SIPC protects investors should a firm go belly-up, why pensioners (and pensioners-to-be) need to familiarize themselves with the PBGC, and how to go about the be...
2023-04-1530 minTake Back Retirement63: She Did It! Real Retirement Stories with Jackie KoskiJackie Cummings Koski has overcome poverty, divorce, and the struggles of single motherhood. Yet, she was able to retire from her corporate job of 20 years in 2019 at the early age of 49! That whole time, she's made less than six figures. Jackie sits down with Stephanie and Kevin to discuss how she overcame those adversities and the wake-up call that totally changed her view of her finances. Four years later, after leaving corporate America, 53-year-old Jackie is following her big dream of creating a financially-literate society! Listen in...
2023-03-3155 minTake Back Retirement61: Pre-Plan for Caregiving Needs with Special Guest Mim SenftToday, we sit down with Mim Senft, author, keynote speaker, and facilitator for national conferences. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at Motivity Care, a company that takes the complexity out of caregiving management by providing personalized "chief of staff" support. Mim has over 25 years of corporate experience in project management, benefits design, and health and wellbeing program strategy and implementation. She holds certifications in group benefits, worksite wellness and property casualty insurance. Listen in as Mim shares her journey in the elder care space or, as she calls it, the...
2023-02-2849 minTake Back Retirement60: What Women Need to Know About AnnuitiesToday, we talk all about annuities. Yet another powerful tool in your toolbox for taking control of your retirement, you can think of an annuity as a way to "buy" your own pension. But it's just that: a tool. Like any other financial vehicle, there are pros, cons, and tradeoffs to think about. An annuity is a contract issued mostly from insurance companies that provides a guaranteed income stream. Mainly, annuities are used for retirement. Some people look at annuities as the best thing since sliced bread. For...
2023-02-1532 minTake Back Retirement58: Secure Act 2.0: New Retirement Account Rules, Same Old Message!Believe it or not, the IRS wants you to save for retirement. To that end, they're always trying to come up with new tax breaks—not to mention very specific conditions you need to meet in order to enjoy those tax breaks! This brings us to the topic of today's conversation: the introduction of Secure Act 2.0, a new law ushering in changes to rules and parameters related to retirement accounts. Listen in as Stephanie and Kevin discuss the highlights of this Secure Act 2.0, offering insights on how you can continue saving for...
2023-01-1536 minTake Back Retirement57: What Women Need to Know if there's a RecessionRecession. We've seen the headlines, in all their dramatic glory. Today's episode isn't about defining "recession" and all its complexities (a topic on which no one ever seems to agree!). Instead, it's about the reality that recessions are simply a part of the economic cycle and, more importantly, that it's something everyone has to deal with when it does come. We have no control over the economy, and that's okay. What we can—and must—control is our economy. Stephanie and Kevin share how we can do just...
2022-12-3034 minTake Back Retirement54: Why Women Need to Know About Divorce (special series wrap-up)In this quick bonus episode, Stephanie and Kevin wrap up their multi-episode series on why women need to know about divorce, being that divorce is a very common topic that they see with their clients. Divorce is a big financial issue that most people don't plan for, making it all the more difficult and scary to navigate. That's why Stephanie and Kevin created this lineup of professionals to touch on different areas around divorce and finances. These professionals save people money by providing mediation so people don't have to go straight to the "r...
2022-11-1511 minTake Back Retirement53: She Did It! Real Divorce Stories with Monica ScudieriToday, Stephanie and Kevin are joined by Monica Scudieri, who successfully navigated her way through a financially difficult divorce into retirement. Fifteen years ago, Monica divorced, acquiring hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt, with two children to care for in a difficult job market. She quickly had to learn to manage her money, and to stretch her paychecks after a long period of not thinking about finances. Monica soon came to understand that, to her, security meant not relying on a singular paycheck. Without consistent job security, she found adopting additional income provided her...
2022-11-1547 minTake Back Retirement50: What Women Need to Know About Divorce from a Divorce Coach with Sheila BrennanToday, Stephanie and Kevin are joined by Sheila Brennan, a divorce coach, who after being thrust into divorce herself 15 years ago, chose to use her experience to help others who struggled with the process. A divorce coach, she explains, is a relatively new concept, which is most easily described as a wedding planner for divorces. She helps her clients piece together their ideal divorce plan, and prepares them to execute it. Aside from the obvious (a lawyer), there are many different types of professionals that can aid one with a divorce, like a CPA and...
2022-09-3044 minTake Back Retirement48: Why Women Need to Know About Divorce (a special series)Today Stephanie and Kevin introduce a special multi-episode series on why women need to know about divorce, being that divorce is a very common topic that they see with their clients. Divorce is a big financial issue that most people don't plan for, making it all the more difficult and scary to navigate. That's why Stephanie and Kevin have created this lineup of professionals to touch on different areas around divorce and finances. These professionals save people money by providing mediation so people don't have to go straight to the "robes an...
2022-09-1507 minTake Back Retirement46: Retirement Doesn't Relate to Me, with Judith KurnickToday, Stephanie and Kevin are joined by Judith Kurnick, a second act coach, a speaker, and a writer who guides lawyers, executives, and business owners in escaping the corporate life and designing their next chapter. Judith shares how her personal experiences informed her work. She shares her work philosophy, which emphasizes that her job is to partner with clients and help alter their perspectives. She discusses the varying factors that make it difficult for individuals to shift their mindsets and then talks about what impacts the timetables of these shifts. Judith explores the types of...
2022-08-1553 minTake Back Retirement45: What Women Need to Know about Target Date FundsToday, Stephanie and Kevin explore the pros and cons of target date funds. They open in returning to an idea that's fundamental to their podcast and their practice: When it comes to retirement, one size does not fit all. And though, in an ideal world, everyone would have the time, energy, and interest to properly diversify their investments, in reality, most people don't. Target date funds are named as such based on the approximate date that an investor plans to start withdrawing money, and as the date approaches, the portfolio manager rebalances the fund to become more conservative.
2022-07-3123 minTake Back Retirement44: Don't Try This at Home! Unique Situations Call for Unique StrategiesHow exactly do you measure the value of financial planning? It's a tough concept to grasp for many, because it just seems so… intangible. Most people think that it's all about investment management. That's certainly a big slice out of financial planning, but it ain't the whole pie! As Kevin reminds us, great financial planners help their clients get crystal clear on their life path by helping them make wiser money-related decisions. Listen in as our hosts describe not only the technical side of their role as advisers, but also the art...
2022-07-1733 minTake Back Retirement43: The Psychology of Money and Marriage with Special Guest Ed CoambsToday's special guest is Ed Coambs, a firefighter turned certified financial planner turned licensed marriage and family therapist! He is the founder of www.healthyloveandmoney.com. He has become an internationally-recognized thought leader around "financial therapy," specifically financial couples therapy: He works with couples who might be in financial despair or frustration, and he moves toward what he calls "financial intimacy and connection." Listen in as Ed explains the psychology of anxiety around money and how to regain your comfort and confidence when it comes to your financial wellbeing, as well...
2022-06-3056 minTake Back Retirement42: What Women Need to Know When the Stock Market Goes DownToday, Stephanie and Kevin dissect stock market downturns. They first warn their audience not to get thrown by points, and to instead evaluate percentages as points are subject to change and can exaggerate the reality of a change. Stephanie emphasizes the importance of timeframes when looking at returns, addressing the human fixation on annual returns that are not necessarily the most accurate reflection of individuals' returns. This opens a discussion of averages, which they reassure to listeners are, usually positive. Kevin explains where the most used estimate, an annual return of 8%, comes from, and why you rarely see somebody...
2022-06-1528 minTake Back Retirement41: She Did It! Real Retirement Stories with Diane BlumenthalToday's guest is Diane Blumenthal, who has been incredibly generous in sharing her own retirement story. She took the leap into becoming a self-employed consultant after a long and very illustrious career in pharma and biotechnology. Diane has helped build and transition companies from the startup and research and development phase into a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with approved commercial, manufacturing, operations, and products. She also has extensive experience in the transfer and scale-up of processes from the laboratory bench to commercial-scale manufacturing. List...
2022-06-0156 minTake Back Retirement39: Do You Need a Financial Advisor?"I'd like to work with a financial advisor, but I just don't have enough money." Sound familiar? It's a common objection when it comes to that all-important decision to get help in managing your money. But to this, Stephanie and Kevin have only this to say: "But you have questions. Therefore, you need answers." Remember, there are no one-size-fits-all strategies when it comes to money advice. The most important first step is to figure out what you're hoping an advisor can do for you. L...
2022-04-1527 minTake Back Retirement38: A Humorous Approach to Money, with Special Guests Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy BirkenToday, Stephanie and Kevin welcome Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken, the co-authors of Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management. Emily is a former educator, lifelong money nerd, and a Plutus Award-winning freelance writer who specializes in the scientific research behind irrational money behaviors. She has the amazing ability to make complex financial topics relatable. Joe is the creator and co-host of Stacking Benjamins, probably one of the most popular personal finance podcasts out there. He was a financial advisor for 16 years. Prior to that he, like many of...
2022-03-3156 minTake Back Retirement37: The Importance and How-tos of Sustainable Investing, with Special Guest Kyle PurcellToday, Stephanie and Kevin welcome special guest Kylelane Purcell, who for over 30 years has been writing, editing, and managing communications in the investment industry. She has worked as an analyst at Morningstar, a manager at American Century Investments, and VP of Investment Communications at T. Rowe Price. In 2005, she started her own company, Purcell Communications. She has come to take a keen interest in sustainable investing, and is in fact the lead on ESG-orientated research and thought leadership at her firm. She also partnered with Ben Vivari to start the sustainable investing initiative Till Investors, w...
2022-03-1545 minTake Back Retirement36: Strategies to Move Toward True Values-Alignment with Your MoneyToday, Stephanie and Kevin sit down with Janine Firpo, a seasoned values-aligned investor and social innovator. She has been working at the intersection of women and money for a long time, having held positions in Apple Computer, Hewlett Packard, The World Bank, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2017, she left her successful career to focus on how women can create a more just and equitable society using their money. In May 2021, she released the book Activate Your Money: Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World. Janine...
2022-02-2849 minTake Back Retirement35: What Women Need to Know About Aligning Your Investments with Your Values"We focus on sustainability not because we're environmentalists, but because we're capitalists and fiduciaries to our clients." That's a quote by Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, and it gets to the heart of today's episode, in which Stephanie and Kevin revisit the topic of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing. If you haven't already, take a listen to the previous episode of the podcast (episode 34) where our hosts delved into ESG investing with the inimitable Liz Simmie of Honeytree Investment Management. Listen in...
2022-02-1524 minTake Back Retirement34: What the Heck is ESG Investing with Liz SimmieToday, Stephanie and Kevin sit down with Liz Simmie, Co-Founder of Toronto-based Honeytree Investment Management, which just so happens to be one of the very few women-led responsible asset management firms around the world. Honeytree truly believes that ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) data is just as important to assessing a company's long-term growth and risk as financial data, and so they integrate both, equally. In other words, ESG is real investing! With the belief that, "ESG is a core function of the board and the management team and part of day-to-day o...
2022-02-0249 minTake Back Retirement33: What Women Need to Know about the Estate and Gift Tax SystemToday, Stephanie and Kevin cover a topic that can often get confusing for many people: the estate and gift tax system. This is different from the income tax system, and both are federal tax systems that everyone needs to be aware of when planning for retirement. At the end of the day, the IRS is getting paid. The only two questions, then, are: Who pays? and When? Our hosts tackle these questions and more. While today's discussion is a big picture overview of the estate and gift tax system, it will gi...
2022-01-1526 minTake Back Retirement32: True Confessions of Two Financial PlannersToday, Stephanie and Kevin offer a unique perspective on the show by diving deep into their own backgrounds as financial planners. The two kick things off with a brief history of their first jobs before reflecting on their first ever roles in the financial services industry. Then, Stephanie discusses the inspiration behind Sofia Financial and how she and Kevin came to work together. Finally, the pair do a rapid-fire Q&A, revealing a few little known tidbits about our hosts, from their guilty pleasures to their financial pet...
2021-12-3141 minTake Back Retirement31: What the Heck is a Trust, and Why Might I Need One?Trusts. What the heck are they and why might it be a good idea for you to have one? Most people believe that trusts are this elusive thing reserved for the uber-wealthy… …or have only heard of it as being a sort of plot device in a movie or murder mystery. Joining us today is attorney Shannon Evans, a recognized expert in the area of trusts and estate planning. She practices out of Las Vegas and is a frequent speaker on the conference circuit...
2021-12-1647 minTake Back Retirement30: Retirement Savings Options for Self Employed WomenYou did it. You made the leap. You left behind that corporate 9-to-5, the micromanaging boss, the freeloading coworker... Now, you've started your own thing. You have endless potential. The world is your oyster. You can do what you've always dreamed of. It's a dream many of us are striving for. But, it's easy to forget that we still should be saving for retirement. As a self-employed person or a business owner, how do we pick the right retirement plan to set ourselves up for success? ...
2021-11-2334 minTake Back Retirement29: How Much Cash Should I Have and Where Should I Be Putting It?"How much money should I have in the bank?" It's a question that Stephanie and Kevin hear on a very regular basis. No doubt about it: it's important to have cash on hand; but, with a well-thought-out financial plan, you can really start to make cash work for you. Listen in as Stephanie and Kevin invite listeners to sort out the purpose of their dollars to know where they should be going. They delve into the question of liquidity and the actual level of accessibility of different cas...
2021-10-3032 minTake Back Retirement28: Dr. Barbara Provost of Purse Strings on Women, Power & MoneyToday's guest is Dr. Barbara Provost, a business coach, professor, and entrepreneur with a Doctorate in Adult and Higher Education. She has a long history as a consultant in the financial services sector. Dr. Barb has taken her expertise into her latest venture, Purse Strings, which offers free financial education and resources for women. Listen in as Dr. Barb shares how her initiative aims to tackle the lack of safe spaces for women to ask questions and take control of their financial future. She also offers practical strategies for marketing to wo...
2021-10-1538 minTake Back Retirement27: Health Savings Accounts (HSA's): What Women Need to KnowToday we talk all things Health Savings Accounts. An HSA can be a really powerful savings tool but, like everything else in the world of finance, it literally pays to know the game and play by the rules. The HSA can serve as a long-term savings account for medical expenses sometime in your lifetime—whether one week down the road or 40 years down the road. It is the only type of account that, when done right, gives you triple (and maybe quadruple) tax advantages. This sounds like a great deal, which then...
2021-09-3036 minTake Back Retirement25: What's Your Number?A lot of folks believe that there is a magic number that they need to work towards in order to be able to retire. There is a myth out there that there is some perfect number of dollars you need to accumulate so that you can retire. That it's really all just one mathematical equation with one distinct, perfect answer. …Except this belief is completely, utterly unfounded. Listen in as Stephanie and Kevin dismantle the notion that hitting your "magic number" is the key to your retirement succe...
2021-08-3024 minTake Back Retirement24: She Did It! Real Retirement Stories w/ KTToday's guest is KT, who speaks on how she was able to retire at the age of 54. She was inspired to retire early only a decade prior. It wasn't an easy road, but it was absolutely worth it. Listen in as KT describes her unique retirement journey and the money mindset transformation that she had to undergo to reach her goals. She shares her favorite books and other resources that armed her with valuable knowledge along the way, as well as how her efforts to increase her financial intelligence impacted her...
2021-08-1537 minTake Back Retirement23: A League Of Their Own: Retirement Planning Lessons From A Baseball ContractWhat nuggets of wisdom can we take away about retirement planning from a famous baseball contract? It turns out, quite a few! Listen in as Stephanie and Kevin unpack Bobby Bonilla Day and the circumstances that led to the former MLB player receiving a $1.19 million paycheck every year for 25 years—and the lessons you can extract from this story to better prepare you for those golden years. Key Topics: The story behind Bobby Bonilla Day (2:25) "Why are we talking about some baseball contract?" (5:00)
2021-07-3028 minTake Back Retirement07: Here's a Secret: We're Guessing, and That's OKAs human beings, we crave certainty. We want to know what's going to happen and to know that we're going to be okay. When looking into the financial future, we have to realize that a key ingredient of any analysis is assumptions or, to be blunt, guesses. Stephanie and Kevin tell us, however, that guessing isn't wrong. It serves a purpose. It's an ongoing exercise that narrows down the cone of uncertainty from experience to experience, week after month after year. Planning is a living, breathing, ongoing thing. Do yourself a favor and relax, even if the p...
2020-11-3020 minTake Back Retirement05: A Simple Framework for Thinking About Retirement ExpensesWhat do we need our money to do for us in "retirement?" Yes, pay our regular bills and hopefully some fun along the way. But there's more to it, and important pieces that people often overlook. Stephanie and Kevin share a helpful framework for thinking about financial needs, and what type of assets are best suited to provide each out. Note The Four L's is borrowed from renowned retirement researcher Dr. Wade Pfau. Key topics discussed: What are the Four "L"s? 1:00 Knowing what you got 3:33 Longevity 7:46 Lifestyle 9:08 Liquidity 11:00 Legacy 11:23 What goes where 14:53 The im...
2020-10-2935 minTake Back Retirement03: Turning Your Retirement Savings into Retirement IncomeBuilding your retirement income plan can become complex. There's a lot to put together. You know what assets you have, but how do you organize all of these tools to work together to create sustainable income? It's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. The first step is to separate the pieces into categories. Even though everyone's pieces will look a little different, Stephanie and Kevin help you see how you can use different vehicles as retirement income. Key topics discussed: Categorizing what assets you have is the first step to start...
2020-10-0319 minTake Back RetirementTrailer: Are You Ready to Take Back Retirement?Welcome to the Take Back Retirement podcast! Where two financial planners help women age 50 and better break down the myths and mysteries of retirement so they can gain clarity and take action around their next chapter. The show will be a combination of conversations between hosts Stephanie McCullough and Kevin Gaines, interviews with subject-matter experts, and conversations with women who have been there and have stories to share. While it's a serious topic, we're also going to have fun with it. We believe the best learning happens when we are able to...
2020-09-3012 min