Category: Education

5 Hidden Year-End Tax Saving Strategies (Ep. 7)

5 Hidden Year-End Tax Saving Strategies (Ep. 7)

2022 has been a challenging year, to say the least. From the war in Ukraine, inflation and elections to the downward shift in the market, there are a number of factors coming together, causing us to stress about our finances. Thankfully, the year is not over yet and we have a few effective strategies that might save you tax-free money. 

In this episode, Josh Leonard discusses five hidden tax-saving opportunities you may want to take advantage of before year-end.  

Josh dives into: 

  • How to get more tax-free money
  • Making savvy retirement planning moves
  • Being charitable, skipping your RMD, or getting rid of some qualified money
  • Bundling up the deductions as you make big money moves
  • Maximizing the current tax discounts
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

Leaving a Legacy Through Audio Memoirs with Daniel Powell (Ep. 6)

Leaving a Legacy Through Audio Memoirs with Daniel Powell (Ep. 6)

Do you ever wonder about how people will think of you or remember you once you have passed away? Is it important for you to leave behind a story or personal anecdote that you feel defines your life? 

In this episode, Daniel Powell from Liminal Legacy Media is here to talk about legacy planning and the different ways you can create this legacy that can be shared for years to come. From creating an audio memoir to offering your family the expertise that you have perfected in your lifetime, it is time to start thinking about what you might want to leave behind for your family to remember you by. 

Daniel discusses: 

  • What an audio memoir entails and the value of capturing one as part of your total legacy plan
  • What a legacy plan looks like beyond just finances 
  • The ideal age to start recording audio memoirs
  • How you can leave a positive mark on your family through the years of experience you have to offer 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Daniel Powell:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

About our Guest: 

Daniel Powell is an audio producer and storyteller based in Fort Collins, Colorado. He’s the founder and owner of Liminal Legacy Media, a business that partners with individuals entering their golden years. He works with his clients to capture their life stories, share their legacy with loved ones, and of course, preserve those tales for the life of generations to come.

What he does with a client is he works to create an immersive audio memoir focused on their life experience. The audio memoir is a documentary centered on their life experiences. These productions don’t just explain your story to loved ones, but it helps immerse them in your experience and gives you a unique firsthand insight into their lives.

Client Retirement Story: Cycling Across the USA with Al Miller (Ep. 5)

Client Retirement Story: Cycling Across the USA with Al Miller (Ep. 5)

Are you unsure what your retirement will look like? Finding new passions at an old age can be challenging but finding an activity that releases your serotonin like never before can jumpstart you into a fulfilling retirement, living out your days to the fullest.

In this episode, Josh Leonard is joined by Al Miller, an avid cyclist who completed his ride across the US last year that he blogged live, where he averaged 350 viewers per day with a grand total of 18,000 viewers in 16 different countries. He dives into where his passion for cycling started and how he has turned it into a passion project over the last couple of years. 

Josh and Al discuss: 

  • All the benefits of cycling
  • How staying active helps, especially in this day and age
  • His most recent ride and all the scenic places he would like to visit again
  • The importance of retiring to something, not from something
  • His favorite ride and why he and his brothers were so determined to complete it
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

About Our Guest:

Al Miller is an avid cyclist who completed a ride across the United States last year.  His adventure was chronicled through his blog with 86 followers and an average of 350 viewers per day. 18,000 total views in 16 countries. Al is a retired engineer, husband and father in addition to being a cyclist.

Tricks and Treats for Retirement This Halloween Season (Ep. 4)

Tricks and Treats for Retirement This Halloween Season (Ep. 4)

As we get our front porches wrapped with spider webs and observe the leaves changing colors, it might be a good time to take one step forward in your retirement planning. 

In this episode, Josh Leonard discusses some tricks and treats for retirement along with all the planning that goes into it as we head into the final quarter of the year. Additionally, he explains some ways to develop an efficient plan to take advantage of current market conditions, prepare for recessions before they come, and make smart health and tax decisions.

Josh discusses: 

  • How you can use tax loss harvesting to benefit your portfolio
  • The benefits of a donor-advised fund
  • Ways you could earn more with your savings accounts 
  • How to take advantage of the current market conditions
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

Meet the Dream Team at Leonard Advisory Group with Bill Leonard, Angela Ferrante and Desiree Hoosac (Ep. 3)

Meet the Dream Team at Leonard Advisory Group with Bill Leonard, Angela Ferrante and Desiree Hoosac (Ep. 3)

With the large number of clients under our belt, we pride ourselves in adapting and catering to any of our client’s needs, in any circumstances. This is why we work with trusted professionals, as well as other partnered firms such as AE Wealth Management and Morningstar Investment Management. 

In this episode, Josh Leonard is joined by some of the key players from his team: Angela Ferrante, Desiree Hoosac and the founder of Leonard Advisory Group, Bill Leonard. They explain what you can expect while working with them as you plan your retirement. Additionally, they talk about some fun events you can look forward to participating in when you join the clientele. 

The Leonard Advisory Group team discusses: 

  • Everyone’s individual role within the business and how it all works together 
  • How the Leonard Advisory Group started out 
  • The importance of a close-knit environment among the staff 
  • How we have helped clients no matter what step in their planning process they are at 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

About our Guests:

William Leonard founded Leonard Advisory Group to fill in the gaps he saw when helping his mother plan for retirement. Bill focused much of his career on the insurance and annuity industry. As an independent advisor, he helped thousands of retirees and pre-retirees face the financial challenges that lie ahead with confidence. Since 1996, Bill has worked in a variety of capacities, gaining valuable experience with insurance. In 2007, he became an independent consultant, focusing on income protection and retirement planning. In his free time, Bill enjoys traveling, boating, skiing, hiking, biking, restoring antique vehicles, and spending quality time with family, friends, and clients. He has been married to his wife, Cindy, for almost 40 years. They have three children: Zach, Josh, and Zoey, as well as a crazy border collie named Sweep. After over 25 years assisting families transition into retirement Bill is excited to transition himself into retirement at the end of 2022. 

Angela Ferrante is a 1987 graduate of Allegheny College with a degree in Economics and Finance. She started with Equitable Life as an insurance representative 2 weeks after graduation selling life and disability insurance to the medical community. By 2005 she was supervising 165 representatives in 4 states and running the brokerage side of the office which included the opening of accounts, research, trade placement, cashiering of upwards of $2 million per month, as well as her own client base. Angela became an Accredited Investment Fiduciary in 2015. Angela and Mark live in Somerset County where she enjoys skiing, hiking, biking and gardening.

Desiree Hoosac has worked for over 20 years in client service and administrative roles in the financial and medical industries. Her top priority is to provide exceptional service to clients. This includes assisting the team in preparing for client reviews, updating plans and various service items. Desiree resides in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, with her two rescues: Maggie, a Lab mix, and Mittens, her cat. She has a daughter, Deanne, and granddaughter, Eliza. Desiree stays active trying to keep up with her many great nieces and nephews and enjoys golfing with her dad, playing pinochle, reading, spending time with family, history and being outdoors.

Retiring With Intent (Ep. 2)

Retiring With Intent (Ep. 2)

Retirement looks different for many people. For some, it might be slowing down, taking your foot off the gas, and leaning back into a more relaxed lifestyle. For others, it may be continuing to work part-time but focusing on passions rather than a career. An intentional retirement can kickstart this process for you through planning ahead early and identifying your goals. 

In this episode, Josh Leonard details the retirement planning process at Leonard Advisory Group. He explains how they mentor and guide their clients by the breakdown of INTENT – I (yourself), Needs, Taxes, Endowment, Navigating Financial Tools, and the Team helping you through this process. 

Josh discusses: 

  • What needs and wants to identify when planning your retirement 
  • How you can start saving at a young age while simultaneously being able to enjoy your money
  • Important questions to ask yourself before creating your retirement plan
  • The three-bucket approach to dealing with finances 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

A Father & Son Legacy: Meet the Leonards (Ep. 1)

A Father & Son Legacy: Meet the Leonards (Ep. 1)

Retirement may pose many questions, but you can make the most of this next chapter of your life by preparing for it intentionally. 

And you’re in the right place if you’re wondering how. 

Introducing the Hello Retirement podcast with Josh Leonard.

In this inaugural episode, Josh Leonard is joined by the father of the Leonard Advisory Group, Bill Leonard who also happens to be his father and real-life mentor during his shift to the financial services industry. 

Bill and Josh share: 

  • Stories of how each of them started in the financial industry
  • What their business philosophy is 
  • How they integrate teaching in their client community 
  • Leonard Advisory Group’s five areas of personalized retirement planning
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

About our Guest:

William Leonard founded Leonard Advisory Group to fill in the gaps he saw when helping his mother plan for retirement. Bill focused much of his career on the insurance and annuity industry. As an independent advisor, he helped thousands of retirees and pre-retirees face the financial challenges that lie ahead with confidence. Since 1996, Bill has worked in a variety of capacities, gaining valuable experience with insurance. In 2007, he became an independent consultant, focusing on income protection and retirement planning. Bill was an honorary host of the “Protecting Your Profits” radio show on 94.5 3WS Pittsburgh and a weekly guest on the national broadcast “Financial Safari” radio show heard locally on NewsTalk 104.7 FM. He has also been featured on WISR 680 AM and WORD FM. In his free time, Bill enjoys traveling, boating, skiing, hiking, biking, restoring antique vehicles, and spending quality time with family, friends, and clients. He has been married to his wife, Cindy, for almost 40 years. They have three children: Zach, Josh, and Zoey, as well as a crazy border collie named Sweep. After over 25 years assisting families transition into retirement Bill is excited to transition himself into retirement at the end of 2022.