Tag: Taxes
Meet the Newest Member of Our Team: Pete Belcastro, CFP® (Ep. 27)

Meet the Newest Member of Our Team: Pete Belcastro, CFP® (Ep. 27)

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Get to know another puzzle piece that intertwines perfectly in the Leonard Advisory Group’s growing team…

In this episode, Josh Leonard is joined by Pete Belcastro, Financial Planning Consultant at Leonard Advisory Group. Pete shares his journey from cold calling to becoming an investment banker and then a Certified Financial Planner. Pete also discusses his passion for outdoor activities and his dedication to community service. 

Josh and Pete chat about: 

  • Pete’s personal background, including being a Pittsburgh native and a sports fan
  • Pete’s career journey into the world of financial planning and investments
  • The importance of comprehensive financial planning
  • His other certified hat: a father and husband
  • His involvement in the Reading is Fundamental program, which promotes literacy among elementary school students in Pittsburgh
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Pete Belcastro: 

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

About our Guest: 

Pete is a seasoned Financial Planning professional with over 15 years of diverse experience in financial, business, sales, and marketing domains. Presently, Pete serves as a financial planner, specializing in helping clients make decisions that align with their current and future financial requirements. His extensive career includes roles as an independent advisor, a registered assistant, and a licensed banker, providing him with a broad spectrum of financial expertise.

Pete’s belief in the value of a multifaceted background is rooted in his conviction that it enables him to offer clients a distinctive and ultimately more effective perspective when it comes to future planning and goal setting. He firmly believes that a comprehensive understanding, not just of financial matters but also of clients and their individual needs and desires, is the cornerstone of a robust financial plan. This holistic approach underscores his commitment to delivering the strongest financial solutions for his clients.

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How to Choose the Best Place to Retire (Ep. 24)

How to Choose the Best Place to Retire (Ep. 24)

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Are you questioning whether you want to retire in your home state or venture into a different area during your golden years? 

Josh Leonard explores the topic of the best places to retire, depending on an individual’s savings and personal preferences. He explains the important factors to consider when making the decision to relocate such as thinking about the taxes, the cost of living, the proximity to family and friends and more.

In this episode, Josh covers: 

  • How to research the cost of living for the place you desire to relocate to
  • Getting to know the climate or seasonal changes in certain retirement locations
  • Considering the travel time to visit your loved ones, especially any kids or grandkids in your family
  • Looking for areas where it’s not going to be difficult to stay active and make new friends 
  • Thinking about healthcare needs before making a move in retirement
  • Considerations for living overseas in retirement
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

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How Can You Prepare for the Rising Cost of College? with Dan Cieniewicz (Ep. 23)

How Can You Prepare for the Rising Cost of College? with Dan Cieniewicz (Ep. 23)

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As your children get closer and closer to graduation, that education cheque is slowly becoming your reality. 

In this episode, Josh Leonard is joined by Dan Cieniewicz aka The College Dude, to discuss all things saving for college. They emphasize the need for parents to come up with a budget and consider sources of funding for college including the FAFSA process and recent changes to it. 

Dan and Josh discuss: 

  • Retirement benefits grandparents can receive through paying for their grandchildren’s education 
  • The challenge of integrating grandparents into the conversation about college funding
  • The importance of scholarships, grants, and choosing the right school for each student
  • The FAFSA Simplification Act and its implications for grandparent-owned 529 plans
  • The four fits and factors you need to consider before choosing a college 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

About our Guest: 

Dan Cieniewicz works with parents of teenage children as they find themselves in a position to strategize to pay for college while also staying on track for retirement. Dan’s goal when working with clients is to explain the complexities of the financial aid & college application process and to strategize to make sure that both parents and children are set up for long-term success. 

Dan was born & raised in Berks County. He attended Albright College, majoring in Economics & Political Science and played on the football team.  Dan has obtained the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. 

Dan is the head girls basketball coach at Warwick High School in Lititz, PA and loves working out and playing basketball. He resides in Lititz with his wife, Carly.  He also became a father in March of 2022, to a beautiful daughter, Stella.

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Spring Cleaning! 10 Tips to Clean up your Finances (Ep. 14)

Spring Cleaning! 10 Tips to Clean up your Finances (Ep. 14)

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As the flowers bloom, the grass gets greener and our worries feel lighter, we know that spring is around the corner. You’re probably cleaning out your closets this spring or your garden beds but we’re going to talk about financial spring cleaning as this is a great time to get organized. It is a process of organizing your finances and reviewing your financial position. It can help find areas to save money, reduce expenses and improve your retirement.

In this episode, Josh Leonard discusses 10 different ways you can clean up your finances to get ready for this season and easily transition, helping you feel confident in your portfolio. 

Josh discusses: 

  • How you can calculate and review your expenses 
  • Cleaning up debt and checking your credit report
  • How to approach that junk drawer we all dread going in to 
  • Optimizing your tax strategy to pay fewer taxes in retirement
  • Some strategies on how to operate inactive accounts from prior jobs or student accounts that are no longer in use
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Josh Leonard: 

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

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

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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:

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Retiring With Intent (Ep. 2)

Retiring With Intent (Ep. 2)

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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: 

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