Is A Recession Really Coming In 2022? (Ep. 51)

June 13, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementEconomy, financial, Inflation, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Market, Podcast, Recession, The Green ZoneLauren Smith

There’s no doubt the current market is ugly. We have fielded many calls from concerned clients — and understandably so. With everything you hear on the news these days, it can feel like the sky is falling. But is a recession really coming? We’ll cover that and more in this episode of The Green Zone Podcast.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Why they do NOT believe a recession is coming in 2022
What bottoming out indicators they’ve been tracking and what’s going on with them today
How much longer they expect to see market volatility
Why you should take what the media is saying with a grain of salt
Real conversations they’ve been having with clients around the current market conditions

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Supporting a Recent College Graduate (Ep.50)

May 25, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedBudgeting, College, financial, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Support, The Green Zonethegreenzone

As a parent, you want to support your kids to get them started in life. But how do you know when you’re giving them too much financial support?

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith provide tips and tricks to help parents support their college graduates as they transition for what’s next without going over budget.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How you can destroy your retirement by helping your children financially
The value of teaching your children about how money works
The importance of your children learning how to budget
And more

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10 Things You Should Know When Estate Planning (Ep.49)

May 11, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, UncategorizedEstate Planning, financial, Financial Wills, Green Financial Group, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Power of Attorney, The Green Zone, Trust Fundsthegreenzone

There will eventually come a time when you pass away but that doesn’t mean you should wait until then to start building a comprehensive estate plan.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith discuss 10 things you should know about estate planning and will be your guide to making confident decisions about your estate planning.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How an estate planning attorney can help you
The value of using an online cloud-based digital storage to store important documents
Why it is important to consider who you are assigning as your beneficiaries
And more

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Raymond James and its advisors do not offer legal advice. You should discuss any legal matters with the appropriate professional.

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New Investing Lingo being Used by Younger Folk (Ep.48)

April 27, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorizedfinancial, GameStop Stock, Green Financial Services, Investments, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Reddit Stocks, Robinhood, Stock Market, Stonks, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Language is a beautiful thing as it can seamlessly morph and adapt to changing times, but sometimes as older folks, it can be a little tough to understand the lingo of the younger crowd.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith identify the meaning of some investing terms used by younger people. They also share where these terms are originating from as more younger people are starting to invest their money into the stock market.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

How Reddit has influenced the investing terms used by young people
Investing terms you should know to understand what your kids are talking about
How you can compare original investing terms to the current lingo being used
And more

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College Planning Using a 529 Plan With Ryan White, CIMA® (Ep.47)

April 13, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement529 Planning, College Education, Estate Planning, financial, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Ryan White, Saving for College, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Most people can agree that they’re concerned about college education planning and ultimately paying for the cost of college.

A 529 plan is a great tool in helping you reach your education savings goal.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Ryan White, CIMA® a director of product management at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, US. You will learn why a 529 plan is a simple way to save for all educational related expenses, and what your three options are if you still have money in your 529 account after college.

Ryan discusses:

The basics of 529 planning
How a FAFSA will calculate your eligibility for financial aid
The opportunities for tax benefits that set a 529 apart from other vehicles
And more

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Connect With Ryan White:

About Our Guest:

Ryan White, CIMA®, is an experienced financial services professional with a demonstrated history of success in distribution, product management, and relationship management in the asset management industry.

As with other investments, there are generally fees and expenses associated with participation in a 529 plan. There is also a risk that these plans may lose money or not perform well enough to cover college costs as anticipated. Most states offer their own 529 programs, which may provide advantages and benefits exclusively for their residents. Investors should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any tax or other benefits that are only available for investment in such state’s 529 college savings plan. Such benefits include financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors. The tax implications can vary significantly from state to state.

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Creating the Pre-Retirement Checklist (Ep.46)

March 9, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementGreen Financial Group, Houston Texas, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Planning for Retirement, Plans for Retirement, Podcast, Preparing for Retirement, Retirement Checklist, Stock Brokerage Podcast, The Green Zonethegreenzone

It might feel good to just up and retire from your job without any plan. But that may not be the smartest choice.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk about the ‘pre-retirement checklist’ they have created for their clients and how it can change their entire experience of the retirement lifestyle. They also go into detail about the difference between clients that have used this plan far in advance and clients who have used this a little later in the game.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Their personally constructed retirement checklist
How to establish your values in retirement to help you stay fulfilled after your working years are over
Why it is important to be discussing your retirement plans, aspirations, and wants early-on with your spouse
The strategy of picking a specific date to have your goals established for retirement
And more

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Starting Your Career in Financial Services with Melanie Knight (Ep.45)

February 23, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementFamily Finances, Financial Planning, Financial Wills, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Melanie Knight, Podcast, Preparing for the Future, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Everybody has their own personal experiences which helped them kick start their career in the financial industry.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Melanie Knight, director of operations and client services at Green Financial Group, to discuss her experience going directly from college to starting her career at Green Financial Group.

Melanie discusses:

The responsibilities of client service within Green Financial Group
The typical day working as a financial professional
The environment of graduating college during Covid and how different it is compared to pre-pandemic years
How she finds balance between work and everyday life
And more!

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Connect with Melanie Knight:

LinkedIn: Melanie Knight

About Our Guest:

Melanie Knight is one of those people who just like to get things done. As the Director of Operations and Client Services at Green Financial Group, she does just that while supporting clients and their families with important administrative and clerical tasks, directing the team’s internal operations, and serving as a friendly liaison for clients. She finds an immense amount of satisfaction in helping a client with any issue, small or large, from opening new accounts to facilitating money transfers to helping generate annual reports.

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Critical Financial Discussions To Have With Your Aging Parents & Kids (Ep.44)

February 9, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementFamily Finances, Financial Planning, Financial Wills, Green Financial Group, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, Podcast, Preparing for the Future, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Having conversations about family wills can be tough. How do you start that conversation from one family to another?

In this episode, Jeff and Lauren share some advice surrounding the later stages of life and what they entail in terms of finances. They also highlight how discussing these things, despite how morbid they may sound, is so important and will benefit everyone in the long run.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

The important discussions about wills that should happen between parents and children in the parents’ later stages of life
The importance of uploading, saving, and giving access to financial wills to other family members
How medical directors can serve your best interest in the future
How they extend their relationships with clients and allow themselves to be a resource to many families
And more!

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Money Conversations Every Couple Should Be Having (Ep.43)

January 26, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementConflict, Divorce, Green Financial, Jeff Green, Marriage, Money, Podcast, retirement, Spouses, The Green Zonethegreenzone

Spouses can oftentimes be surprised by the changing dynamic of their marriage in retirement.

In this episode, Jeff Green talks with Dr. John Vincent a psychologist and a marriage and family therapist to discuss what marriage can look like when one or more spouses have retired. They also highlight the importance of communication between each partner when outlining financial goals before and during retirement.

Dr. John Vincent discusses:

What issues can generate conflicts between a couple
How the transition from working full-time to retiring can affect a marriage
The conflicts that can arise once both spouses have retired outside of financial affairs
What possibilities open up once both spouses have entered the retirement stage
And more!

Connect with Dr. John Vincent:

jvincent@central.uh.edu

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Healthy Financial Habits To Start This Year (Ep. 42)

January 12, 2022Finance, Financial, Investing, RetirementFinancial Advice, Healthy Financial Habits, Jeff Green, Lauren Smith, New Year Habits, retirement, Retirement Plans, The Green Zonethegreenzone

What does it take to make the new year different? How do you hold yourself accountable for the changes you want to make?

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith reflect on their past year at Green Financial, and they share their goals for the upcoming year. They also talk about the process of planning, not only for retirement but other financially-demanding times throughout the year.

Jeff and Lauren discuss:

Healthy financial habits for all income scenarios
How to continue your good habits throughout the whole year
Planning for more than just retirement
Why you shouldn’t wait until you’re retired to tackle your bucket list
And more!

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