Tag: Retirement Goals
How Grandparents Can Support Family Without Hurting Their Retirement with Yana Leonard (Ep. 112)

How Grandparents Can Support Family Without Hurting Their Retirement with Yana Leonard (Ep. 112)

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Helping your children and grandchildren can become one of the most meaningful parts of retirement, but how much time, money, and energy can you comfortably give?

In this episode, Josh Leonard and Yana Leonard, Chief Risk and Operations Officer at Leonard Advisory Group, explore how grandparents are becoming a bigger part of childcare, family finances, and everyday life. They share their own experience relying on grandparents, examine the financial pressure that family support can create, and consider 529 plans, family trips, relocation, and other ways retirees may help. 

Josh also explains why these choices belong in retirement planning, including the need to protect your own time, resources, and independence.

Key points:

  • How childcare and after-school help from grandparents can change a working family’s budget and daily routine
  • Why financial help for adult children and grandchildren needs to be considered within a retirement plan
  • How 529 plans, family vacations, and other gifts can turn retirement resources into shared family experiences
  • Why grandparents need room for their own travel, interests, independence, and personal retirement priorities
  • How retirement planning can account for family support without overlooking your own financial and personal needs
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

Connect with Yana Leonard:

About our Guest: 

Yana Leonard serves as Chief Risk and Operations Officer, where she helps ensure every client experience is delivered with clarity, care, and consistency. She oversees firm operations, internal controls, and compliance, supporting a strong foundation that allows advisors to focus on helping clients plan with confidence and live with intent. With 15 years of corporate finance experience, Yana brings a disciplined, thoughtful approach to decision-making, always focused on protecting clients’ best interests and the long-term strength of the firm.

Yana holds her Life and Fixed Annuities and Accident & Health insurance licenses, reinforcing the firm’s comprehensive approach to retirement planning. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting with a minor in Economics and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Accounting from Baldwin Wallace University. She is also a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).

Yana lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, Josh, their sons, Eli and Isaac, and Layla, their golden retriever. When she’s not working, she enjoys gardening, volunteering, traveling, and being on the sidelines for her boys’ sporting events.

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Mastering the Tax Triangle (Ep. 84)

Mastering the Tax Triangle (Ep. 84)

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What do taxes and retirement have in common with your happiest Saturday? 

In this episode of Relax, It’s Retirement, Josh Leonard invites you to unravel the often confusing world of taxes as you approach your golden years. He dives into the “tax triangle” strategy, offering a simplified perspective on how to categorize your assets for better tax efficiency. 

Josh shares tips on navigating taxed always, taxed later, and the coveted taxed never categories, as well as how these can impact your retirement strategy. 

Josh discusses:

  • The Tax Triangle and how it can guide your financial decisions
  • The benefits of tax-advantaged accounts like Roth IRAs
  • Tips for balancing your tax strategy in retirement 
  • Avoiding common tax pitfalls and optimizing for future changes
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

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Making the Most of Holiday Giving in Retirement (Ep. 81)

Making the Most of Holiday Giving in Retirement (Ep. 81)

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Giving is a joyful part of the holiday season, and retirement offers unique opportunities to make it meaningful.

How can retirees balance financial, personal, and charitable giving during the holidays? How can creative and intentional choices enhance the spirit of giving?

In this episode of Relax, It’s Retirement, Josh Leonard and Pete Belcastro discuss strategies for embracing the joy of giving in retirement, including financial tips, creative gift ideas, and charitable contributions. From smart tax planning to handmade gifts, this episode is packed with practical advice for a thoughtful and budget-friendly holiday season.

They Discuss:

  • The emotional and personal rewards of giving during retirement, including the value of sharing time and handmade gifts
  • Creative and budget-conscious gift ideas, such as shared experiences and handmade items, to add meaning without overspending
  • Charitable strategies like Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) and donor-advised funds to maximize the impact of financial giving
  • The importance of holiday traditions and how simple, shared activities can create lasting memories
  • Year-end financial planning tips, including Roth conversions and tax-efficient
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

Connect with Pete Belcastro: 

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Empowering Women in Retirement: The Legacy of Barbara Hillary (Ep. 43)
Empowering Women in Retirement: The Legacy of Barbara Hillary (Ep. 43)

Empowering Women in Retirement: The Legacy of Barbara Hillary (Ep. 43)

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What’s your retirement adventure? Meet Barbara Hillary, the trailblazer who set foot on the North Pole at 76. Let’s explore her remarkable story!

In this special Women’s History Month episode, Josh Leonard and Yana Leonard, CIA, MBA, Director of Finance, share the incredible life story of Barbara Hillary, an inspiring woman who challenged herself to achieve the impossible. From battling cancer to conquering the North Pole at 76, Barbara’s journey is a testament to resilience and determination. Discover how she raised funds, trained rigorously, and embodied the spirit of adventure in retirement, inspiring others along the way. Get ready to be inspired to embrace new horizons and set audacious goals.

Josh and Yana discuss: 

  • How Barbara Hillary conquered the North Pole at 76 and later the South Pole
  • Overcoming health challenges and turning them into inspiration
  • The importance of finding purpose and adventure in retirement
  • Planning for the next chapter in life and empowering women to chase their dreams
  • Embracing new challenges and adventures in retirement
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

Connect with Yana Leonard:

About our Guest: 

Yana Leonard, CIA, MBA, is the Director of Finance at Leonard Advisory Group. Ms. Leonard has held various finance roles within the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries. In her current role, Ms. Leonard delivers strategic recommendations and implements targeted solutions to drive business growth and optimize financial performance. Ms. Leonard earned a bachelor of arts degree in accounting and a minor in economics from Baldwin Wallace University and a masters of business administration (MBA) with a concentration in Accounting. She is a certified internal auditor (CIA). Ms. Leonard grew up in Solon, OH and resides in St. Joseph, MI with her husband Josh, their children, Eli and Isaac, and Layla, a golden retriever. In her spare time, she enjoys attending her kids’ extracurricular activities, traveling, volunteering, reading, and spending time at the lake with friends and family.

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