Tag Archives: finance

Why Financial Planning for Women is Different (Ep. 68)

Finance, Financial, Retirement, , , , ,

Financial planning is not the same for everyone, and those differences are particularly distinct between men and women. Interestingly, according to Raymond James, more than 51% of the personal wealth in this country is controlled by women – and that number is growing. But women often feel less comfortable with their financial independence and even face financial challenges their male counterparts do not. In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith bring to light some of the unique considerations women may want to take into account for their financial and retirement planning, including:

  • Women tend to live longer than men, which may impact when they take Social Security
  • Women tend to earn less in their careers over their lifetime, which needs to be factored into financial and retirement plans
  • Women tend to be the primary caregivers of children and other family members, which can impact the types of financial decisions they need to make
  • Women who are widowed or go through a divorce have unique, specific needs that should be addressed quickly within a window of time
  • How working with a financial advisor versed in the unique needs of women, like Lauren Smith, can be incredibly beneficial for tailoring financial planning for women
  • And more…

Connect With Green Financial Group:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

What You Need To Know About The Secure Act 2.0 (Ep. 65)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, , , ,

Do you understand how the changes to the Secure Act will affect you? Don’t worry, we won’t ask you to read the 4,155-page document to find out. Instead, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith will discuss some of the key takeaways of the Secure Act 2.0 and how it may impact you in this episode of The Green Zone Podcast. Together they discuss:

  • What the Secure Act is and who it applies to
  • The updated age for RMDs (Required Minimum Distributions) and how to be strategic about taking yours
  • How RMD penalties have been reduced
  • The way increased catch-up provisions can benefit you
  • Why you may want to consider a larger charitable donation this year
  • And more!

 

Connect With Green Financial Group:

 

Please Note: While we are familiar with the tax provisions of the issues presented herein, as Financial Advisors of RJFS, we are not qualified to render advice on tax or legal matters. You should discuss tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. RMD’s are generally subject to federal income tax and may be subject to state taxes. Consult your tax advisor to assess your situation. Opinions expressed those of the Jeff Green and Lauren Smith and are not necessarily those of Raymond James. All opinions are as of this date and are subject to change without notice.

 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Retirement FAQs: How Do I Think About Money In Retirement? (Ep. 56)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, , , , , ,

The years you spend in retirement are supposed to be your “golden years.” A time to fulfill your dreams. Relax, travel, study, volunteer, or hang out with your family. Basically, a time to do whatever you want to do. But the first step is getting there. Do you have a plan?

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith cover some of the most frequently asked questions they get about strategic planning for retirement, including:

  • Can I afford to retire?
  • What does retirement look like for me?
  • Where will my money come from in retirement?
  • How do I grow my money when I’m retired?
  • And more!

Resources

Connect With Green Financial Group:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Find Your “Why” With The Birkman Assessment (Ep. 55)

Finance, Financial, Retirement, , , , , , ,

Do you know what motivates you? Do you know what fulfills you? Do you know what your “why” is?

These are big questions, but the Birkman Method can help you answer them with confidence (and it’s backed by 70+ years of data). This 30-minute assessment helps individuals understand their motivation, self-perception, social perception and mindset – and how to leverage each of these things to find more satisfaction in their lives.

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith sit down with Sharon Birkman, CEO of Birkman International, for an in-depth and eye-opening discussion on how Birkman can help us plan for a fulfilling future – especially with retirement in mind. They discuss:

  • The fascinating origin story of Birkman International
  • What the Birkman Assessment is and how it’s different from others, such as DISC and Myers Briggs
  • How the Assessment is used with companies and individuals
  • How you can use the Birkman to plan for a fulfilling retirement centered around your “why”
  • And more!

Note: Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the services of Sharon Birkman or Birkman International.

Resources


Connect with Sharon Birkman


About Our Guest: Sharon Birkman, CEO of Birkman International

As the daughter of company founder and influential industrial-organizational psychologist Dr. Roger W. Birkman, Sharon Birkman cultivated her deep expertise in human perception and organizational behavior through her lifelong interest in The Birkman Method.

Sharon, CEO of Birkman International, has been recognized with a multitude of awards, including EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year, the Women President’s Organization’s Mary Lehman MacLachlan Award, National Best and Brightest Places to Work For, and the Houston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award.

In addition to her responsibilities at Birkman, Sharon volunteers her services as a Board Member of Houston Public Media, Goodwill Industries of Houston, and a long-time Board member for ESCAPE Family Resource Center. Sharon co-authored the book “The Birkman Method: Your Personality at Work” and authored the book “Creatures of Contact” by ForbesBooks.

Birkman International is an industry-leading behavioral and occupational assessment company founded by innovative organizational psychologist Dr. Roger W. Birkman in 1951.

The Birkman Method remains a preferred instrument to better understand interpersonal dynamics through positive psychology. It is used widely in the fields of career and life coaching, leadership development, human resources management, and organizational design today.

Connect With Green Financial Group:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Feature

Giving Direction for Your Children’s Financial Success (Ep. 29)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Children are not getting the financial education in school that they need before they enter adulthood. But there are a few things you can do as a parent to help prepare your children for financial success before they are on their own.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith share some tips to help parents get into the mindset of preparing their children before they enter the financial world.

Jeff and Lauren discuss: 

  • Why your children need to build a credit history
  • The importance of teaching your children to have a sense of savings
  • Why your children should be aware of good debt and bad debt
  • The idea of networking to make connections
  • And more!

Resources: 

Connect With Green Financial Group:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Feature

Should I Pay Off My House Before I Retire? With Jim Chaplin (Ep. 28)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We all have those burning questions about planning for retirement. One of the most commonly asked questions that people want to know is, “Should I pay my house off before I retire?”

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith talk with Jim Chaplin, vice president/senior mortgage loan originator at Elite Lending Group to get his perspective on the topic.

Jim Chaplin discusses: 

  • The items to take into consideration before deciding to pay off your mortgage before retirement
  • The backseat figures of making the decision
  • The state of the real estate market right now and how this may impact your decision
  • And more

Connect With Jim Chaplin:

Connect With Green Financial Group:

About Our Guest:

Jim Chaplin: Jim Chaplin has a total of 30 plus years of real estate related experience. Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker since 1974 which makes him very familiar with promulgated contract documents. Specialties include, lot loans, and construction loans as well as a wide range of mortgage products.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Feature

How to Protect Your Aging Relative with a Caregiving Plan (Ep. 27)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

How will you step up when the time comes to fully support an aging relative? This is a question that will face more and more people as science and medicine continue to extend human life expectancy.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith hit a few of the hot points to help you begin having these tough conversations with family members about their wishes and plans. 

We discuss:

  • How to start thinking about the recipient’s needs
  • Why it’s important to make decisions and have documents in place before cognitive impairments become overwhelming
  • How to prioritize your mental and physical health as a caregiver
  • And more!

Tune in as Jeff and Lauren help you to start thinking about a caregiving plan for your aging relatives!

Resources: Green Financial Group: (713) 244-3030 | Jeff Green | Lauren Smith

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Feature

Spring Cleaning – with guests Carroll Cartwright, Paige Ebanks and Rudy Vierra (Ep. 26)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

Spring is finally here! And do you know what that means?

It’s spring cleaning time!

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith are joined by Carroll Cartwright and Paige Ebanks of Neatly Houston to discuss how they put a fresh perspective on organizing, styling and moving to clean and tidy your home. Rudy Vierra of SteaMyCar joins in on the conversation to share how your car can get the best wash and interior clean it has ever had.

We discuss:

  • The process for having Neatly come clean your home
  • Tips to help get you into the spring cleaning mindset
  • The eco-friendly car wash process service by SteaMyCar
  • The types of services offered by SteaMyCar
  • And more!

Tune in to learn how you can outsource to save time and avoid the spring cleaning most of us dread! 

Resources: Green Financial Group: (713) 244-3030 | Jeff Green | Lauren Smith | Neatly | SteaMyCar: (832) 308-8400

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Feature

Tech Tools to Make Your Life Easier (Ep. 25)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

In a world full of technology, there are many tools and apps that can help make your life easier and more entertaining.

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith take a little break from finance and explore the world of technology. In this fun-packed episode, they discuss many different types of apps they find useful and explain the functionality of each one of the apps. 

We discuss:

  • Two business-related tools to help you at work
  • Two travel-related tools to use when you’re planning your next trip
  • Two cybersecurity tools to keep you protected
  • Four health and wellness tools to stay mentally and physically healthy
  • And more!

Join Jeff and Lauren as they share the specifics of each tool, how they work and why they love them!

Resources: Resources:  Green Financial Group: (713) 244-3030 | Jeff Green | Lauren Smith | Raymond James | Blinkist | TripIt | Timeshifter | noMorobo | LastPass | WaterMinder | PillBoxie | Peloton | Calm | Vivino | RunPee | Furbo |

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Feature

Transition into Retirement with a Coach as Your Guide — With Cindy Wylie (Ep. 24)

Finance, Financial, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

Change can be a good thing. However, the uncertainty of moving forward can spark fear and create stress.

This is especially true with major transitions, like retirement. 

In this episode, Jeff Green and Lauren Smith sit down with Cindy Wylie, a career and life transition coach, to explore how coaches can make this transition easier for you as a new retiree. They reveal how a coach can help you identify your values early on and ways they can help ease you into retirement.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • A coach’s role around the transition from work to retirement
  • The importance of identifying your personal values
  • How someone like Cindy can help you through transition into retirement
  • And more!

Join Jeff, Lauren, and Cindy to learn how you can benefit from hiring a coach for your retirement!

Resources: Green Financial Group: (713) 244-3030 | Jeff Green | Lauren Smith |(713) 562-5566 | Contact Cindy

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed