Category Archives: Finance

Sharing Your Financial Documentation with Family (Ep. 39)

December 1, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementCybersecurity, Estate Planning, financial, Financial Advisor, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, The Green Zone, Vaultthegreenzone

You may have a pretty good handle on your finances. But have you shared that information with your family?

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk about suggestions for documenting the details of your finances so your family can access this information in case of an emergency. They share tips for ways to share this information, and explain why you should be having this conversation before it’s too late.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

The purpose of the ‘family phone call’
The helpful resource of a cloud-based vault and the ability to designate trusted contacts
The importance of writing down contact information to your; financial advisor, estate attorney etc.
Why you should be having the estate planning conversation with family
And more

Resources:

The Green Zone: 35. Your Cyber Security Mindset

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Insights on Researching Before You Give: Charitable Giving, Part Two With Kendall Monroe (Ep. 38)

November 10, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedCancer, Charitable Giving, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Kendall Monroe, Kidney Cancer Association, Lauren Smith, Nonprofit, The Way Home Adoptionthegreenzone

Giving comes in many forms—it can be time, talent, or treasure, but most importantly, giving should come from the heart.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith speak with Kendall Monroe, chief advancement officer at the Kidney Cancer Association and co-founder and director of development of The Way Home Adoption. Kendall discusses her role in each of the organizations, and how the organizations give back to help people in the global community.

Kendall discusses:

How each of the organizations help the Houston community and around the world
How to evaluate your options for charitable gifting
Her job as a certified charitable financial planner
The most important things to look for when it comes to charitable giving
And more

Resources:

Connect With Kendall Monroe:

LinkedIn: Kendall Monroe

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Changing Young Children’s Lives through Education: Charitable Giving, Part One With Rebecca Roberts and Glenn Okuma (Ep. 37)

October 27, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedAcademics, Bicycles, CYCLE, Glenn Okuma, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Nonprofit Charity, Rebecca Roberts, The Green Zonethegreenzone

CYCLE Houston is a nonprofit charity organization that uses bicycles to motivate kids to reach defined academic goals.

Their goal for 2021 is to build 10,000 bicycles—and you can help.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Rebecca Roberts, executive director and Glenn Okuma, webmaster at CYCLE Houston. They share how their charity began, it’s mission, and how it is growing to help Houston children and students.

Rebecca and Glenn discuss:

How CYCLE began and the overall mission of the organization
How this organization helps children reach their defined academic goals and how many bicycles they make in a year
How supply chain distributions have affected the organization
And more

Resources:

Connect With Rebecca Roberts and Glenn Okuma:

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What to Think About To Live Your Dream Retirement (Ep. 36)

October 13, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedBudget, Cash Flow, Expenses, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, retirement, Retirement Planning, Social Security, The Green Zonethegreenzone

“A goal without a plan is just a dream.”

You will not be able to live your dream retirement without a proper financial plan in place.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss the important things to think about as you plan for retirement. They recommend what actionable steps you could be taking now to plan for your dream retirement in the future.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

The value of using a bucket list to live out your dreams in retirement
The factors you need to consider when you decide when to start taking Social Security
The importance of planning when deciding on your retirement date
Why you should use your time before retirement to focus on your budget and cashflow
And more

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Your Cyber Security Mindset (Ep. 35)

September 29, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedCyber Security, Identity Theft, Internet, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Password Protection, The Green Zone, Wifi Networkthegreenzone

Our personal lives have become so entwined with the internet with online banking, online shopping and much more! This means our personal information is much more vulnerable to identity theft.

Last year, over 14 million people were victims of identity theft––are you next?

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share some cyber security tips you can implement to keep your sensitive information safe and secure.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How to protect yourself against cybersecurity threats by using a private email address for sensitive accounts
The added level of security protection by using proper password protection––and two-step verification
Why and how you can avoid using public wifi
Tips to secure your home wifi network
And more

Resources:

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When Was the Last Time You Taught Your Kids Something New? (Ep. 34)

August 25, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedEducation, financial, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Learning, Life, Skills, Teaching, The Green Zonethegreenzone

No matter their age, your children will always look to you for advice and to learn those essential life skills that everyone should know before they’re on their own.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss some of the life skills, and financial knowledge you should be teaching your kids that will set them up for life. They share advice and their personal experience with teaching and learning these essential skills for life.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Why you should teach your children the essential life skills like changing the batteries in a smoke detector or changing a tire on your car
The feeling of teaching your children how to grill, pitch a tent, camp in nature, and start a fire
The financial skills you should ensure your children know before they go to college
And more

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Meet The Team: Claire Holmes, Marketing Consultant (Ep. 33)

August 11, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedAccountability, Claire Holmes, Double H Design Co., Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Mama Collaborative, Marketing, The Green Zone, Time Managementthegreenzone

The team at Green Financial Group is passionate about helping those in the oil and gas sector take command of their finances. But each team member has their distinct role and specific passion, and we want you to get to know them!

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith are joined by Claire Holmes, Marketing & Strategy Consultant and founder of Double H Design Co. and Mama Collaborative. Claire discusses how she helps the Green Financial Group team with productivity, time management, accountability, and processes behind the scenes within the company.

Claire discusses:

Why time management is the key to success
Two of her top time management techniques she teaches to help you get your jobs done
The types of jobs she’s worked at––and how she ended up owning two of her own companies
How her interests are fulfilled through her own work
And more

Resources:

Connect With Claire Holmes:

Connect With Green Financial Group:

About Our Guest:

Claire Holmes’ goal is to help others achieve their goals. Whether that is helping a company develop and execute a thoughtful marketing strategy, writing professional bios that exude authenticity, or leveraging my creativity to develop custom photo books and slideshows. She is a (Type A) Jane of All Trades who likes to get things done. A perfectionist to her core, she is extremely detail-oriented, works hard to get the job done, and is always looking for ways to add more value for her clients.

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The Biggest Mistakes You Can Make in Your College Planning (Ep. 32)

July 28, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedCollege, Education, Financial Aid, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, planning, Students, The Green Zone, Tuitionthegreenzone

The biggest mistake you can make is to wait to start planning for your college savings. The process may be much more complicated than you expect, and it’s important to have time on your side.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share their insights about the college planning process and what you should keep in mind as you save money for your child’s education.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

The average fees and tuition costs for college students
The variety of sources your college money can come from
How to find out if your child qualifies for financial aid
How family members and friends can contribute to a child’s education
And more

Resources:

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The Expense of the Pandemic on Our Economy (Ep. 31)

July 14, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedDemand, Economy, Flight, Inflation, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Rental Car, Supply, The Green Zonethegreenzone

We’ve gotten a taste of the post-COVID life. What are you planning to do, as the restrictions continue to lift?

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith take a look at the recovery of the economy with high-frequency data numbers. They also share some of the effects of supply, demand, and inflation right now for consumers.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

High frequency data comparing numbers from the box office, hotel occupancy, TSA checkpoint data
The rising cost of flights for consumers
What reverse inflation is––and why inflation is here
The existing demand for rental cars with shortage in supply
And more

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The Biggest Proposed Conjecture Tax Changes (Ep. 30)

June 30, 2021Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedCapital Gains, financial, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Tax Planning, Tax Rates, The Green Zonethegreenzone

“Tax codes are written in pencil.” Taxes never go away but the rules and regulations around them are not set in stone.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share what you can potentially expect for the tax changes in the coming year under the Biden Administration. They share the little things to consider along the way for your tax planning.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

The potential increase in top ordinary income tax rates
The potentially high jump in capital gains
What the elimination of the step up in basis at death could look like
And more

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