The Secure Act 2.0 was signed into place on December 23, 2022. This opens several new strategies you can dip into, in order to save for your retirement and/or fund important goals such as education.
In this episode, Josh Leonard discusses the number of changes this act has brought forward to us so that we can save more money more efficiently. Whether you are in the planning stage of your retirement or are looking into the future to understand how to further your savings, this episode will help you move forward.
Josh discusses:
What this act means for people under or over the age of 72
Changes in required minimum distributions and how the reduction penalty has lowered
The increase in catch-up contribution amount for different plans
The ability to roll leftover 529 funds into a Roth IRA tax and penalty-free
How you can more effectively donate to charities of your choice
What is your biggest fear? Many times our fears don’t align with our biggest risks. Market risk has been on the top of everyone’s mind but that is not the only risk we need to worry about in retirement.
In this episode, Josh Leonard discusses what risks you should be wary of when preparing and in retirement. Due to the recent market activity, everyone’s been worried about the stock market, but that might not be the biggest risk you might be facing in your financial life.
Josh discusses:
Common risks we might not be aware of in retirement
How current tax cuts will affect your portfolio in the next few years
Longevity risk and how that ties into your retirement plan
Isn’t that always how it goes? Most of us set some goals but fall off the wagon not too long after. We get it.
In this episode, Josh Leonard talks about the challenges of staying accountable and on track with your New Year’s resolutions. He shares some tips and tricks for how to overcome these VERY common challenges.
Josh discusses:
His New Year resolutions and how he plans to stay on track for achieving them
The SMART goals framework, how it works and why it works
The importance of staying accountable to achieve your goals
Some creative ways to make goal-setting a fun process
Looking for last-minute gift ideas for your Grandkids? Look no further! Although they might be looking for fun toys, it might be time to offer them the gift that keeps on giving; a solid financial foundation.
In this episode, Josh Leonard is joined by Bill Leonard, father and founder of the Leonard Advisory Group. As the holiday season is sneaking up on us, it might be time to start thinking about some non-traditional gifts you can offer your children. These gifts can aid in the stability of their financial future, whether that is opening a savings account for them or offering aid through goal setting.
Josh and Bill discuss:
Ways to incentivize savings accounts among younger children
Some out-of-the-box gift ideas you can offer your children or grandchildren that can help their financial future
Some teachable moments that come from fun experiences
How to help your children understand the idea of savings
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 of assisting families transition into retirement Bill is excited to transition himself into retirement at the end of 2022.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
