Archives: Press

By
June 26, 2025

Given projections for a 100,000 financial advisor shortfall over the next 10 years, successfully recruiting next-gen advisors has taken on added urgency for both our industry as a whole and the wealth management firms seeking to thrive within it.

Meeting this demographic challenge head-on is complicated by the evolving nature of wealth management. Increasing numbers of breakaways forgoing the wirehouse model, as well as the growing presence of aggregators, consolidators and private equity, are altering the landscape. The expansion of W-2 models in the independent space is redefining what it means to be independent. At the same time, technological innovation, particularly AI, offers great promise and an equal amount of trepidation.

The generational differences next-gen advisors and their clients bring to the table – priorities, expectations, skills and values – present yet another challenge when it comes to effectively engaging this group. However, meeting next-gen advisors where they are is a solid recruiting practice some firms can’t get their arms around. There’s a reason firms currently thriving in the marketplace with younger advisors are enjoying success…Read More

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By
February 25, 2025

Private equity-backed hybrid RIA Trilogy Financial Services has hired a new top advisor recruiter.

The $4.3bn wealth manager has brought aboard Jason Inglis to serve as its chief development officer. Inglis, who started working at Irvine, Calif.-based Trilogy on Monday, will report to chief executive Jeff Motske.

‘They’re already successful and growing,’ Inglis said of Trilogy. ‘The thought is that I can come in and really help us speed up a little bit. It’s not a monumental lift. It really is being part of a team and really being in a position to compete. There’s a lot of private equity in there, there’s a lot of advisor movement, and you need scale to compete.’  Read More.

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By
August 26, 2022

The addition of E. F. Heagan & Associates and Mandichak Investment Retirement & Estate Planning brings more than 500 new clients.

Trilogy Financial Services, a Huntington Beach, California-based hybrid managing $3 billion, has acquired E. F. Heagan & Associates of San Juan Capistrano, California, and Mandichak Investment Retirement & Estate Planning, of Laguna Niguel, California.

Terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed.

The two firms add $160 million in assets under management to Trilogy’s total and brings more than 500 new clients. Read More.

 

 

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By Authority Magazine
June 9, 2022

An Interview with Karen Mangia.

The pandemic pause brought us to a moment of collective reckoning about what it means to live well and to work well. As a result, employees are sending employers an urgent signal that they are no longer willing to choose one — life or work — at the cost of the other. Working from home brought life literally into our work. And as the world now goes hybrid, employees are drawing firmer boundaries about how much of their work comes into their life. Where does this leave employers? And which perspectives and programs contribute most to progress? In our newest interview series, Working Well: How Companies Are Creating Cultures That Support & Sustain Mental, Emotional, Social, Physical & Financial Wellness, we are talking to successful executives, entrepreneurs, managers, leaders, and thought leaders across all industries to share ideas about how to shift company cultures in light of this new expectation. We’re discovering strategies and steps employers and employees can take together to live well and to work well.

As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Broker.

Mike Broker is the Chief Strategy Officer at Trilogy Financial and a leader in the financial planning and investing space. He understands the need to work diligently in the moment to build something great for the future and is dedicated to helping his clients recover from hard times, get ahead with their finances, and develop a Life Plan. He is also highly focused on helping his team succeed. He authored the book Fit Financial Approach and utilized his background as a Certified Personal Trainer to coach his clients and team members to great success. Mike’s desire to help others pursue their goals runs through all that he does, which is why he’s quickly risen through management levels at Trilogy to lead this great team. Culture and wellness for the team is something that is at the forefront of Mike’s everyday operations. He wants to help cultivate the best and most effective team of Financial Advisors and support staff so they can be their best in helping everyday Americans get a handle on their finances.

Thank you for making time to visit with us about the topic of our time. Our readers would like to get to know you better. Tell us about a formative experience that prompted you to change your relationship with work and how work shows up in your life.

You know that saying, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life?” It’s complete crap. I love what I do. It has been a passion of mine for well over a decade, and it has still been hard at times and definitely felt like work! The saying should be, “If you love what you do, you will be willing to do the hard work.” When you know that the next phone call to a prospective client could help them answer a financial concern that has kept them awake at night for months, you’ll make that next call even when you’re ready to go home and call it a day. I can’t pinpoint a specific example, but every time I have a client become emotional in my office, because I have helped them overcome a hurdle in their life, I am invigorated to get to work helping more people.

Harvard Business Review predicts that wellness will become the newest metric employers will use to analyze and to assess their employees’ mental, physical and financial health. How does your organization define wellness, and how does your organization measure wellness?

For several years, Trilogy has completed a full 360-degree review of our staff. We have an outside, third-party complete surveys and interviews with every employee of the firm to gauge their employee satisfaction and engagement with their work. Our executive and leadership teams receive a report with scores and insights from across the company to support a positive work environment.

Based on your experience or research, how do you correlate and quantify the impact of a well workforce on your organization’s productivity and profitability?

In my recent studies for my Executive MBA at the University of Denver, I actually studied the cost of presenteeism on American businesses. Presenteeism is represented by workers who go to their jobs, but due to illness, injury, or a basic lack of wellness, they are not as productive and focused as they could be. While many illnesses or injuries are unavoidable, I would argue that some forms of lower back pain, arthritis, diabetes, and hypertension could be at least mitigated with a healthy lifestyle. I won’t go into a ton of detail here, but lower back pain is experienced by 25.7% of Americans in a given three-month period of time! Based on a study from Lockheed Martin in 2004, they found that back pain causes a 5.5% loss of productivity throughout the year. If you multiply that by a quarter of your workforce and their productive output, it is not a small amount of profit we are talking about for any business, and that’s just one malady!

Wellness is not just a benefit that Millennials and Gen Z would like to see offered by their employer as if it were a ping pong table or nap room. It effects a businesses bottom line and should be taken seriously.

Even though most leaders have good intentions when it comes to employee wellness, programs that require funding are beholden to business cases like any other initiative. The World Health Organization estimates for every $1 invested into treatment for common mental health disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity. That sounds like a great ROI. And, yet many employers struggle to fund wellness programs that seem to come “at the cost of the business.” What advice do you have to offer to other organizations and leaders who feel stuck between intention and impact?

I would ask them to try it. Take the leap. The worst that happens is you spend some money building good will among your staff and increase your recruiting capabilities. The best-case scenario is you see a meaningful bump in productivity and revenues. The WHO study is the tip of the iceberg for anyone who looks for research on the subject. Mental, physical, and emotional wellness all have studies showing their financial benefit if you’re willing to look.

Speaking of money matters, a recent Gallup study reveals employees of all generations rank wellbeing as one of their top three employer search criteria. How are you incorporating wellness programs into your talent recruitment and hiring processes?

Our CEO, Jeff Motske, has also repeatedly pushed his company team members to focus on work-life balance. He understands and values the fact that we have families and lives outside of work

As our CSO, I wrote the Fit Financial Approach which is intended to be a book that helps people see the correlation between your financial health and your physical health. I believe strongly in wellness, and my book is available at no cost to our employees to support their wellness journeys.

We also have a recognition points system where you can recognize other employees for living our core values. We can gain extra points through living a healthy lifestyle by reaching a certain number of steps per day. We also have access to discounts on fitness and wellness services across the country. Our team members can use their points for certain rewards — one of which is a fitness consultation and planning with a personal trainer.

We’ve all heard of the four-day work week, unlimited PTO, mental health days, and on demand mental health services. What innovative new programs and pilots are you launching to address employee wellness? And, what are you discovering? We would benefit from an example in each of these areas.

A lot of the innovative and new programs we’re offering our team members overlap across multiple categories of wellness. We want our team to perform at their best, and we know it requires a balance to do so. America isn’t like European work standards, where they can have long breaks throughout the day, shorter work weeks, and long vacations in the summer or winter. But it’s important that we find ways to help our employees find balance so they can be their best.

  • Mental Wellness: One of the standards we’ve always maintained is unlimited PTO for our salary employees. We know it’s important to have that flexibility and not have the anxiety of eating up your PTO if you need to stay home with a sick child or take time for oneself. We are also finalizing a hybrid work operating process with the purpose of providing flexibility for our team members to take care of personal needs while also remaining collaborative with their team members. Over the last few years, we’ve found that this flexibility is critical to mental wellness, productivity and a feeling of personal success.
  • Emotional Wellness: We have launched a book club where we will regularly select business-related books to read and discuss. Not only is this a way for us to come together socially to discuss ideas and concepts, but it’s an opportunity for personal growth for each of our team members who join us. The book we’re reading now is Simon Sinek’s ‘Start with Why', which is one of my favorite books. Every time I read it, I learn something new. Separately, we launched the Trilogy Leadership University for any of our employees who are seeking personal growth and self-improvement opportunities. It’s for employees of all roles, skillsets and experience levels where they can learn leadership skills from top business leaders from inside and outside the organization. This 12-week course is giving our team a new sense of pride in the work they do, their fellow team members they support, and it’s generally uplifting and empowering them to grow and achieve their dreams.
  • Social Wellness: The book club and Trilogy Leadership University I mentioned earlier are both great examples of social wellness at Trilogy Financial. Another program we have is a real-time recognition platform where employees can earn redeemable points. Some of those points include special social outings with company leadership, like a day of golf with our CEO Jeff Motske. We want to be able to give all of our employees recognition, access to leadership, mental breaks, reasons to celebrate and more.
  • Physical Wellness: The real-time recognition platform I mentioned earlier has a lot of aspects to it. One of the ways our team can earn points is by walking 10,000 steps a day. And those points can be redeemed for a number of different things, it can be books or apparel, these experiences with leadership I mentioned, or even other physical wellness things like a personal training package with me (since I’m also a fitness coach).
  • Financial Wellness: The current state of the nation in 2022 has us all feeling the impact of inflation, rising gas and food prices, and more. We have committed to provide monthly gas cards of $50 for the foreseeable future for each of our hourly employees to offset the cost burden of gas.

Generally, there are more things that we’re working on at Trilogy to help our team across these wellness categories. I’m excited to continue to launch more impactful wellness offerings to our team.

Can you please tell us more about a couple of specific ways workplaces would benefit from investing in your ideas above to improve employee wellness?

Turnover is one of the biggest cost burdens to businesses. Providing benefits to your team members for professional growth, wellness and flexibility will help improve productivity, help them achieve their goals, support their needs and keep them working hard with you for longer.

One of the other reasons why I’m personally passionate about wellness in the workplace is because if someone on your team is in need, and we can alleviate that need through some of these offerings. It’s the mentorship, the coaching, the support, and ultimate the impact that I want to provide to our team members. If we can support them in their overall wellness, they can do their job better, live their life better, recharge better, learn better, grow better and more. Like I mentioned before, we’re the only country who expects people to work as long as they do without substantial breaks. And it’s proven to be not sustainable.

How are you reskilling leaders in your organization to support a “Work Well” culture?

We are helping our leaders (and all employees) learn new skills to support a work well culture through our Trilogy Leadership University. It’s a 12-week program where we bring in some of the best leaders from notable companies to teach on topics such as the importance of gratitude and how to lead with empathy. Our team hears from great leaders with real stories, examples, problem solving and more. We often refer to it as a mini MBA course because we provide a real professorship environment where people can learn the real-life business skills needed in today’s work culture.

Our Leadership Book Club is also more than simply reading a book and talking about it together. It’s a conversation starter that gives permission to team members to create a dialogue around leaders and leadership. We want our team to know that it’s ok to be a leader, in fact we want them to and this is one way we’re giving them the skills to cultivate that. Humility is one of the pillars of our company and we invite everyone on our team to be their real, authentic selves in every environment we create. And book club meetings like this give everyone the power of a voice.

We’ve been working hard for a long time to focus on wellness in the workplace and building a culture that both embraces it and thrives in it. I’m proud to share the average years our employees have been with us is 9.4 years. That’s great tenure! It tells me we’re doing it right.

Ideas take time to implement. What is one small step every individual, team or organization can take to get started on these ideas — to get well?

We are social animals, and we make improvements in our lives together. Chances are, if our friends are doing it, so are we (sorry, mom!). So, get together and prioritize your wellness. Do some yoga during your morning standup zoom meeting. Take a moment to breathe between meetings instead of going back-to-back all day. If you have a one-on-one weekly meeting, go on what I call my walkabout meetings and take it outside around the block a few times. Some of my most productive meetings have been on the move.

There are simple ways you can incorporate wellness into your team or organizational culture to motivate those around you.

What are your “Top 5 Trends To Track In the Future of Workplace Wellness?”

  1. Individualized Health Insurance — discounts based on healthy habits — When I was studying abroad in South Africa in 2004, there was a company we met with doing this. The fact that it is 2022, and the practice of rewarding Americans for healthy habits is not yet mainstream is baffling to me.
  2. Measuring productivity rather than time — I believe in a results-oriented work environment (ROWE). If you can get the job done in 35 hours, I don’t need you to watch the clock to punch your time, and if you wait around, chances are you’ll distract those who need the full 40 hours while waiting for your time.
  3. Workers will demand more flexibility and support from their employers — When possible, hybrid work arrangements will become commonplace. Work that previously needed to be completed in an office can now be far more flexible, and employees will demand that. Support from an employer can take many forms, which we’ve spoken about previously. It could be personal or professional growth, physical and emotional wellness, or even a gesture that says you care about your employees. Money will only be one part of a decision to stay or go when it comes to employment in the future.
  4. Wellness is contagious — Let’s be honest, lifestyles are contagious. Whether positive or negative habits, they are generative. When I was in college, I picked up smoking, unfortunately. It was one of the most challenging habits to break, and there is no way I would have been able to quit without my wife supporting me and quitting with me. After we had quit and modeled the way, our parents and others close to us quit smoking as well. Smoking is a bad habit that hurts your health and your wealth, so although embarrassing, I am proud that we were able to quit and influence others to do the same. We can turn the downward trends around if enough people subscribe to a healthy life and convince others to join in.
  5. You cannot replace lousy management with wellness benefits — As usual, the pendulum will swing too far, and we will most likely have to learn the hard way. Employers will create these elaborate and unique benefit packages only to see their people quit anyway. These benefits may keep employees for a bit longer than they would have stayed otherwise, but a bad boss is a bad boss. Eventually, poor leadership will drive people away, no matter what benefits you provide.

What is your greatest source of optimism about the future of workplace wellness?

A few years ago, the companies that offered wellness benefits were few and far between. They were seen by their competitors as gimmicks and useless. Today, the conversation is changing. Workers are already asking for benefits like this, and soon they will be demanding these benefits. Most Americans know they should eat a banana rather than a candy bar, but receiving a discount on their health insurance for choosing the former more often will go a long way. Most Americans know they should save for retirement, but making employees opt out rather than opt into a retirement plan will help create good habits. We can become more healthy together, and it will benefit all of us.

Our readers often like to continue the conversation with our featured interviewees. How can they best connect with you and stay current on what you’re discovering?

Absolutely, people can follow our journey on Trilogy Financial’s LinkedIn page!

Thank you for sharing your insights and predictions. We appreciate the gift of your time and wish you continued success and wellness.

Click here to read the full story. 

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By Authority Magazine
April 8, 2022

By: Jason Hartman |

As a part of my series about The 5 Essentials of Smart Investing, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Broker.

Mike Broker is a leader in the financial planning and investing space and understands the need to work diligently in the moment to build something great for the future. He began his fiduciary focused and financial advisory career in the beginning stages of the Great Recession of 2008. Mike quickly gained great experience working with clients as they strived to recover and get ahead during a difficult time. He’s also the author of the book Fit Financial Approach. To write the book, Broker utilized his background as a Certified Personal Trainer to coach his clients and team members to great success, paving the way to grow quickly into the role of Chief Strategy Officer at Trilogy Financial. As an Investment Advisor Representative with Trilogy Capital, Inc., in which he holds his Series 65 Registration. He holds his Series 6, 7, 24, and 63 Registrations with LPL Financial and his Life and Health Insurance License. Mike leverages his expertise every day to help Trilogy clients build the path to saving, investing, and pursuing their dreams. It would be a great asset to share his five things essential to smart investing.

Thank you for doing this with us! Our readers would like to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the finance industry?

Hi! I’m happy to. With the last name Broker, it’s hard to say my path to finance wasn’t fate. My path to the financial planning industry actually started with a car accident when I was twelve years old. It was a bad accident that resulted in piecing my face back together and a bit of money for the trouble. Being a good steward of the funds awarded, my dad introduced me to his financial advisor, and I fell in love with the profession. All I wanted to do was help people live better, and at a very young age I realized that financial planners could do just that.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or take away you took out of that story?

I started in this business as a financial advisor who only wanted to help clients improve their lives; I didn’t want to lead anyone or manage people. As I was improving my skills and growing as a planner, I found that sharing what I had learned personally and professionally was a way that I could impact more and more Americans. I went from running a small team, to managing a larger team, to an office, to becoming an executive for a national firm — kicking and screaming the whole way. As a sole advisor, you can only comprehensively help 150 to 200 families before running out of time and capacity. In my current role, I have the opportunity to impact far more families nationwide. I’ve learned not to shy away from risk and challenges. Don’t let your prior judgments and expectations hold you back from trying something new. You never know — it could become your new passion, or an opportunity to create real change in your corner of the world.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

At Trilogy Financial, we are working on helping everyday Americans feel confident about their future. We’re working to build a scalable, yet individualized approach to financial planning and coaching that may help people make critical financial decisions — ones most Americans feel ill-equipped to handle on their own. We are building a movement that should help those in our country who really need it and have been continually overlooked in financial planning. In an industry known for selling products and lacking integrity, we are working towards becoming a brand that Americans can turn to when they have questions and concerns about their money.

Ok. Thanks for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. According to this report in Fortune, nearly two-thirds of Americans can’t pass a basic test of financial literacy. In your opinion or experience what is the cause of these unfortunate numbers?

Financial literacy is not a set of concepts you can tell someone, and they may remember for the rest of their lives. You cannot memorize a list of facts and regurgitate them on a test. Financial concepts are also intimidating for most Americans, and they can seem overwhelming and complex.

The truth is that financial literacy is a set of information that all works together, and it can be easy to learn if you’re willing to take it one step at a time and apply the knowledge gained as you learn.

Some of the basics are dollar-cost averaging, diversification, asset allocation, inflation, and compound interest. You can learn investment strategies, investment tools, financial products, taxes, and the like. You could also hire a financial advisor to educate you and use their extensive knowledge of all of these concepts to guide you in building a plan, just as you would hire a personal trainer to show you how to use the machines and utilize proper form while working toward good fitness.

If you had the power to make a change, what 3 things would you recommend to improve these numbers?

  1. I would add a personal finance curriculum in schools early and often. My wife works in education, supporting schools and districts with math curriculum and implementation. Kids learn math by building little by little, understanding and mastering the last skill before adding the next. They build this knowledge and skill over years before using math every day as an adult. In the majority of America, we don’t teach kids about personal finances. Many parents don’t feel confident enough to teach their kids what they know, so kids are left to trial and error.
  2. Consistent titles in the financial planning industry. I’d love to see some consistency and enforcement around the titles in financial planning. Someone who provides comprehensive financial planning, sells insurance, sells mortgages, and isn’t licensed could be called a financial advisor. I think the title of financial professional should be for those who are not licensed; “advisor” reserved for those who are licensed but do not do full planning; “financial planner” should be reserved for those who offer planning to clients.
  3. Amnesia from past public opinion. The financial planning industry has had a poor reputation for some time, and rightfully so because the American consumer often starts at a place of distrust with financial advisors. However, studies have shown that having a financial advisor helps Americans make better decisions with their money over time. I would love to see more people willing to seek out a planner’s advice when they have money issues or goals, rather than not engaging because they are afraid of being lied to or sold a product with no merit.

Ok, thank you! Now to the main question of our interview: You are a “finance insider.” If you had to advise your adult child about 5 non intuitive essentials for smart investing, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

  1. Don’t watch the market day-to-day. Financial plans are built over a long time. The day-to-day market is unpredictable at best, and making emotional changes to your long-term plan based on short-term changes can be detrimental to your future.
  2. The news sells ads, not information. The news reports that the market drops far more than the market gains because people will stay glued to the television when the market is going down. They are not giving you all the facts; instead, they give you the information you need to stay tuned during the commercials. My advice: just turn it off.
  3. Ask yourself “when is the best time to plant a tree?” The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, because it would be big and fruitful today. If you didn’t do that, the second-best time to plant a tree is now! Get started as soon as you can, as the most valuable resource you have is time, no matter how old you are.
  4. Remain “risky” in retirement. A portion of your investments should be set aside to keep up with inflation. Many people think you should retire and move your investments to cash or bonds, and the problem is inflation could eat away at the value of those investments. Living a long time could strain a too-conservative plan.
  5. Boring wins. If you see someone telling you to get on the next get-rich-quick scheme or invest in something that will “hit it big,” run in the opposite direction as fast as you can. Planning is about habits and long-term discipline and getting rich quick happens to very few lucky people. If you’re reading this article, it’s probably not you. Investments that are tried and true can be risky, but you know the risk you are taking for the relative reward you could receive. Stick to investments that make sense to you, and stay away from the flashy, enticing ideas.

What are your thoughts about investing in cryptocurrency? Can you explain what you mean?

I’m not going to go in-depth on what cryptocurrencies are, but it’s important to understand that they are highly speculative and are subject to many unique types of risk. The technology behind it, blockchain technology, is rapidly evolving with the possibility of impacting businesses way beyond just digital currency. I suggest you do your own research on blockchains and their role in cryptocurrency systems.

What are your thoughts about day trading using apps like Robinhood? Can you explain what you mean?

Day trading is essentially gambling, as the short-term markets respond to emotions, news, fear and greed. No one knows what will happen, and even if you have the best resources in the industry, an unexpected world event can instantly unravel your plans. Markets over the long-term respond to fundamental economics and trends, so when planning for the future you want, you could produce results if you stick to your plan over a long period.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am very fortunate to have the upbringing that I had. My dad taught me the importance of having a financial advisor and saving my money. He helped me open a Roth IRA to begin funding when I had my first job at 16 years old. Then, despite my being brand new when I became a financial advisor, he was my second client who trusted me from the beginning. Thankfully, it has worked out for us both, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the start he provided.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Esse quam videri” is a Latin phrase that means “to be rather than to appear.” When I was coming up in the business and learning my way around financial planning, I was struggling with having clients trust my recommendations. I went into my manager’s office and complained, “I just want to be seen as someone they can trust!” His advice has been burned in my memory, and I have repeated it many times to those who look to me for advice — “If you want to be seen a certain way, don’t wish to be seen that way. Just BE it. If you want to be seen as trustworthy, work to become trustworthy. Make good recommendations. Become a better planner. Then, and only then, will you be seen as trustworthy because you will be.” Sage advice.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Health and wealth! Many Americans are unhealthy and unprepared for their financial future. If I could create a movement to impact people the most, it would be to have Americans take a Fit Financial Approach to life!

Thank you for the interview. We wish you continued success!

Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advice offered through Trilogy Capital, a registered investment advisor. Trilogy Financial and Trilogy Capital are separate entities from LPL Financial.

Thank you for the interview. We wish you continued success!

Click here to read the full story.

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By Authority Magazine
March 20, 2022

By: Authority Magazine |

As a part of our series about the five things you need to successfully manage a large team, I had the pleasure of interviewing Windus Fernandez Brinkkord.

Windus is an senior vice president at Trilogy Financial, a national financial advisory firm. One of the things that sets Trilogy Financial apart from other firms is the dedication to cultivating a team that can best serve and advise everyday Americans. To Windus and her team, the term “everyday Americans” means everyone from hardworking employees to business owners and savvy investors, to new couples and more who want to build the businesses and lifestyles they dream. What Trilogy recognized was that in order to be a true fiduciary to its clients, they needed to be able to relate to them. And how better to relate to them than to build multi-generational teams that could relate to every family member, life event, dream and experience? Windus helped develop these teams within each Trilogy office while leading her local San Diego office to be one of the most successful offices in the company. Her dedication to her team has led to the success of her clients.

Windus Fernandez Brinkkord is a Registered Representative with, and securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through TC, a Registered Investment Advisor. TC markets advisory services under the name of Trilogy Financial (TF), an affiliated but separate legal entity. TC and TF are separate entities from LPL.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”?

I’m a third generation Californian and second generation San Diegan. I was raised in the community of Ocean Beach, which attributed to my love of the water. My husband is a cancer survivor and after his remission we adopted two babies, a brother and sister, and they are the joy of our lives.

My family has always been in property management, and after I spent some time in the industry, I realized I wanted to help build, create and foster an awesome culture for other professionals to grow their business. So I joined Trilogy Financial in 2003, and paired my determination with my commitment to relationships in my life.

I grew up at Trilogy and have really grown through management changes, industry changes and a company restructure that have all led me to the success I have today. Over that time, I went from being mentored to being the mentor. I used to reach out to so many of Trilogy’s top producers for help and bread crumbs on how best to succeed and then eventually, with their help, my career became the career I had always wanted. I couldn’t have done it without the guidance of so many people at Trilogy.

Today, I work with clients to visualize the pathways to their success so they can decide which route is better for them and help them change gears should their chosen pathway not be as productive as anticipated. Ultimately, I strive to help clients understand that success isn’t achieved with the first plan, but with their long-term relationship and commitment to work together.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I had met a person at a bazaar at their company, and they told me they were really interested in financial planning. So I called, left a message. Heard nothing. I called again and then again, and for 8 months I called to check in with them. Finally, they answered!

They had been in Africa for work and were so impressed with my follow through they became clients. Today, they are one of my largest clients and a tremendous referral source.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I don’t know that mistakes in financial planning are particularly funny, but I can look back on this one and giggle. I once asked me to wire them money for a trip, and I mixed it up. They then left on this trip! Instead of wiring it to them, I wired it out of their bank account. It was complete chaos, I had to reverse wires and chase them down while they were in the Bahamas on vacation. Lucky for me they are the nicest people and I was able to quickly correct it once I reached them. I learned that slowing down and doing things right the first time is critical, and it has made me a better advisor over time.

Ok, let’s jump to the core of our interview. Most times when people quit their jobs they actually “quit their managers”. What are your thoughts on the best way to retain great talent today?

I think one of the best ways to retain talent today is to be transparent and a good communicator. If you are transparent with challenges on the team and you’re proactive with an annual strategic plan, you are more likely to ensure everyone on the team is rowing the same direction. I believe that even in the best of circumstances “thinking things are fine” is definitely going to bite you in the toosh, so you should always be proactive. Often times, there are issues lurking within team. By having everyone aligned on the direction, goals and roles, you are more likely to see issues as they arise and can then proactively respond — instead of reacting after someone is disgruntled and leaving.

How do you synchronize large teams to effectively work together?

My experience is mostly with a team of 15 and below, though I have overseen much larger teams as well. Which is not very large, but I believe if you have a good strategy and process, it can be evolved for larger teams. The best way to get a team moving is to give your attention to the best workers — which is contrary to what we believe is natural. We often spend more time with the people who are under performing and work on improving them. However, I believe we need lift up and put attention on the top performers who will carry the team. It’s important to still give the underperformers guidance, but be aware of the pressure they cause the better performers when they can’t keep up.

Here is the main question of our discussion. Based on your personal experience, what are the “5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Manage a Team”. (Please share a story or example for each, Ideally an example from your experience)

The 5 things I think everyone needs to successfully manage a team are:

  1. Have a Strategic Plan: Everyone needs to know the rules of the game and what they are playing for. If the goal of the team is to increase revenue by 25%, you need to deep dive and break down how are you going to get there. For example, what weekly and monthly activities can you do as a team to make sure you stay on track? What type of revenue is going to best get you to the goal? It’s about defining the game they are playing and the rules of this game, so that your team can stay motivated and on point.
  2. Conduct a SWOT Analysis: The Strength–Weakness–Opportunity–Threat Grid is a good way for the team to acknowledge the positive while also being aware of any lurking negatives. When you run this exercise as a team, you get to know more about what the team is worried about. Once you discover what is keeping them up at night, you can often learn more about how to keep people on point and moving forward together. Also, it allows everyone to voice what they view as their own strength and weakness for the year. This should be redone at the start of each year after the Strategic Plan.
  3. Run With Your Winners: It’s so easy to get focused on the team members who are less productive. As a team manager, they rent space in your head, make you upset and keep you up at night. And allowing them to distract you is a dangerous game. Reward your winners and they will keep their eye on the ball and pushing forward. With that confidence, you can focus on those who need to catch up and if not, then know a performance improvement plan is needed.
  4. Keep Meetings Short and To The Point: Each Monday we have a standing team meeting where we assess what’s going on for the week and make sure there aren’t issues lurking. This meeting should be short, but productive. And it should including goals that people are working on weekly and monthly. This is very helpful in keeping people engaged with the Strategic Plan and what they need to focus on in order to contribute to that plan.
  5. Trust Your Team: People need to feel like they have the autonomy to work on their goals without worrying that someone is looking over their shoulder. I believe the new generation wants freedom to excel and independence over micromanagers and if you don’t, they will vote with their feet.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

The best piece of advice I have is to avoid being a control freak. Many of us feel that no one can do what we do as good as we do it…and that will be 100% accurate if you never give your team the chance to learn. Learning sometimes means mistakes and cleaning up their own messes, but then they become stronger and more capable faster.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Our mission statement as a company is to provide opportunities for people to live their best lives. When people know what they need to save, they know what they can spend and then they can spend with the freedom from guilt. That is the feeling of satisfaction that more people need, especially with money. This is a small but growing movement, and I’d love to make it much larger!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite life lesson quote is “do or do not…there is no try.” I hear this from my daughter all the time. And I tell her she will fail at 100% of the goals she never works toward. I believe people will eventually succeed when they put their mind to something. My old boss used to say “leave the word hope at church and when you come to work, get it done,” and it’s that same philosophy that I live and mentor by today.

Thank you for these great insights!

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By Authority Magazine
March 9, 2022

By: Charlie Katz |

As part of my series about the “How to Navigate and Succeed in the Modern World of Finance”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Motske.

Jeff Motske is an author of a financial compatibility guide, an accomplished executive, radio personality and host of The Jeff Motske Show, and financial advisor. More importantly, he is a believer in the power of everyday Americans and is committed to helping them reach financial independence. He began his career in retirement planning out of college, and as he watched the landscape of financial services, Jeff saw how disconnected most of his industry was from the real-life issues of Americans. In partnership with Kevin Mackintosh, he created Trilogy Financial in 1999 to bring together resources on financial, tax and estate planning for middle-class Americans. Jeff started Trilogy with the vision of improving the industry, a vision that is still guiding him today. In 2016, he spearheaded the creation of Trilogy Capital, an RIA asset management firm that provides investment solutions for everyday Americans. Jeff has dedicated his career to helping everyday Americans, business owners, savvy investors and new couples build the business and lives they dream.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I was a math major in college, and one of my professors suggested I get into the mutual fund or financial services business. At the time, it wasn’t a very common business. So I thought about it for a bit, and found a wanted ad for a financial advisor in the local newspaper. I took the job and was blessed enough to have a manager that trained and mentored me. This person really taught me to be an advisor to my clients, and I grew my career quite quickly. If it weren’t for that professor, I’m not sure I would have considered finance as a career.

When he retired, he recommended I be the manager of the office — and I was the youngest guy in the office! And I managed it really well. Once you have that kind of confidence, it helps take you out of your comfort zone.

That’s exactly what I did. And it helped me grow in my success with both clients and team members. I was happy and in a great place in my career. But one night when my wife and I were visiting with friends, my buddy’s wife — who was a woman of few words, but a deep listener — said to me “well, you know you’re going to leave that firm and start your own, don’t you?” She said it so confidently, and it meant a lot coming from her. At the time, my wife was pregnant and I thought there is no way this is a good time to take a risk like that. But she made such a bold impact on me, and so I did — I went and started Trilogy Financial in 1999 because I was in a good place financially. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have started my own company.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

There’s a lot of funny mistakes, but I think one of them stands out the most. When I left the old firm to start my own, I didn’t do it the “right” way. I didn’t have a business plan, I didn’t have office space, I didn’t have a team — nothing! I just dropped of my letter of resignation and that was that. Looking back, that probably was not the right way to do it, but it worked out somehow.

When I left, team members wanted to come with me! We had nothing — we worked out of my garage with cardboard furniture. It was late in the 1990s and when we had a new computer get delivered from Dell, people would calls dibs on the box to use it as a desk!

Integrity aside, I would have planned better. But it worked really well, and I’ve learned a lot from it and other mistakes.

It was funny, because when the pandemic hit, I needed privacy at my house to take calls (we have a lot of glass walls), and I found myself back in my garage with a make-shift desk and a water heater in the background — just like old times.

Is there a particular book that you read, or podcast you listened to that really helped you in your career? Can you explain?

I’m a big reader. I’ve read so many books that have helped me in my career. I’m a big Patrick Lencioni fan, he writes on business and team management, and how to get teams to work better. I’ve read every book of his and love his disruptive style. His podcast The Table Group is great as well.

The book Learned Optimism by Dr. Martin Seligman is another great one. If you can get through the first third of it, I believe it’ll make you a better person, advisor, father and help you better speak for yourself. I’ve read it three or four times and I get something new from it every time.

Max De Pree wrote a great book called Leadership is An Art that looks at leadership as a kind of stewardship, stressing the importance of building relationships, initiating ideas, and creating a lasting value system within an organization. This book has also greatly helped me grow, lead and train teams.

All of these are a bit disruptive and unique, and I love that perspective because it really helps you step out onto a new platform of leadership.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We are! We are working on a state-of-the-art client experience service center. As a financial advisor, many people perceive our job is to advise people how to save and spend their money. But we believe it takes more that to make an impact.

The service center is called the Mack Service Center, named after my late partner and co-founder of Trilogy Financial Kevin ‘Mack’ Mackintosh — a meaningful client service team was one of his core focuses. He designed and developed the service team based on what he learned over the years as an Eagle Scout, rowing crew member and in business. From day one, he had a clear vision of what Trilogy could accomplish when we worked together and focused on service. In fact, he was an early and passionate adopter of our ONE TRILOGY culture — One Purpose. One Plan. One Experience.

This service team consists of a group of people with a unique culture that will be delivering great, helpful service to our clients. This is contrary to what’s “the norm” for financial advisory companies. Most have an advisor-led the service model, and there’s nothing wrong with that except that not all advisors have service as their strong suit.

We’re building what I call a “trust transfer” — we want the advisors spending more time advisor-ing while the service team does what they do best.

Mack took the ball and really got it rolling for this project. He found the right people to lead it and get it off the ground. He passed in early 2020, and the Monday before he did…he told me it was ready.

He instilled the right attitude, built the right culture. And I’m proud that his legacy lives on.

Thank you for that. Let’s now shift to the central focus of our discussion. Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When you started your company what was your vision, your purpose?

When I started Trilogy Financial, my vision and purpose was to help financial advisors be better advisors. However, as time has gone on, that’s evolved into something bigger. Now my purpose is to help everyday Americans gain financial independence. They are the group of people that often struggle to achieve their financial goals, and we want to focus and help those that need sound advice.

This is the culture we’ve built today. Our advisors want to help as many people as they can, and my job is to make those advisors more productive so that can do more for their clients. I know they’re making a difference. I see it, and clients tell me all the time “if it wasn’t for my Trilogy financial advisor, I don’t know where I’d be.” That is purpose-driven business.

Do you have a “number one principle” that guides you through the ups and downs of running a business?

I have so many, but the one that first comes to mind is that you have to wake up and challenge your comfort zone every day. Never challenge your values or morals, but always your comfort zone. If you do that, you’re going to continue to get better.

I’m a big fan of mentoring. I believe it’s important to know who is in your foxhole with you as you go through life. Who are the people you know will be there for you and you’ll be there to them? Know who they are, because they will help you succeed when you step out of your comfort zone.

As is relates to my business, I believe in One Trilogy, One Mission and One Vision. I wake up, think and talk that every day and it helps me challenge that comfort zone.

I also believe you have to trust your instincts. If they’re telling you something, you have to dig deeper to find out if its valid or not. That helps you be a better leader. And it is a muscle you have to flex. My instincts over time have grown and improved. It’s important to think through those instincts, because your words matter. You also can’t let your emotions get in the way of better decision making.

Lead generation is one of the most important aspects of any business. Can you share some of the strategies you use to generate good, qualified leads?

The best form of advertising is word of mouth. It’s your reputation! If you do good work, you’ll get introduced to high quality people and new clients. Your digital reputation is right behind that — potential clients are going to do their research and Google you, and you may or may not get a call based on that.

When you get a good referral, the foundation of trust is built in. And it’s all driven by integrity and good work you provide from there.

If a fellow business leader would ask you for advice about whether to bootstrap or to look for VC capital, how would you help them weigh the pros and cons of that decision?

Well…I bootstrapped it and I think that was the best decision because I didn’t have a boss with a different agenda. I have friends who went the VC route and they almost left because of that voice hanging above their head.

I recommend bootstrapping and raising the capital yourself, if you have that luxury. But if you have to go the VC route, choose wisely. This goes back to the beginning of my story. We bootstrapped everything. We had heart and grit and integrity to make it all happen. That’s why we succeeded.

What measure do you use to determine the value of a company? What advice would you give to other leaders about how to get an optimal evaluation of their business?

The traditional answer is try to maximize revenue and get your margins in line. But there’s always a story under the numbers, and I think we have a great story.

Right now, we’re focused on attracting advisors approaching retirement age with a financial planning book of businesses they need to sell and pass off their clients. Our firm is attractive to those entrepreneurs because we have the right people paired with the financial stability to take care of their clients when they retire.

Your company value includes those resources, your culture and story. We have built teams with advisors of all experience levels who support each other and the various generations of clients we have. That’s valuable.

Another huge component in your valuation in your team members’ tenure. We have long tenure within our entire team and those that are looking to sell us their business see the value because they know our team will be there for their clients for the long term.

What would you advise to a founder who initially went through years of successive growth, but has now reached a standstill. From your experience do you have any general advice about how to boost growth and “restart their engines”?

This was Trilogy Financial in 2015. The best piece of advice I can give is to think about what the future looks like, and how you’re going to pivot to reach that place. It’s the old Wayne Gretzky story — he wasn’t the fastest guy on the ice, but he always knew where the puck was going. And he could put himself in a position to succeed.

So how do you go about figuring out what the future looks like and how to benefit from it? It’ll take reflection, reading, some discussions with mentors or friends and more. But don’t do it in your office, or with anyone from your office. Go on vacation or put yourself in a situation that takes you away from your everyday so you can think clearly.

For example, I travel a lot for my kids’ sports. When I’m on that plane, I can put in my headphones and really go to that 35,000-foot space to think. Sometimes it’s on a beach chair on the sand — same thing.

In was 2015 on a beach reading a book that I realized I needed to pivot Trilogy from a broker-client relationship to a true fiduciary and advisor platform. I was clear we had to make that move in order to have experienced advisors making a big impact for a bigger amount of people. It was going to be hard, but we had to do it.

As a CEO, you’re constantly making decisions. And there are a handful of pivotal ones that you HAVE to get right. Think them through, talk to people who can give you advice — maybe a mentor from the past, but it’s most likely not someone inside your company because it could impact the company negatively.

What are the most common finance mistakes you have seen other businesses make? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?

Early on, it’s easy to not have an organized budget and operating plan. But you NEED to do those things. You need to figure out your budget quickly, your costs and your cost controls. If you’re not thinking about your Return on Investment (ROI) on every dollar you spend, you might get to a point where you’ve gone too far. Don’t just spend money on something because you need it. You have to draw a line, see the line and know where you will get results if you cross that line. It’s easy to misunderstand your ROI or not be able to apply the concept to everything you buy, because they’re not very tangible benefits. That’s when you have to think through it to identify them so you don’t spend your way into trouble.

Ok, here is the main question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to succeed in the modern finance industry? Please share a story or an example for each.

There’s a lot of things people need to succeed in the modern finance industry. It’s always changing!

  1. You have to have grit: Grit and perseverance are huge because it’s not an easy business. The barrier to entry is getting harder and harder. If you have grit, tenacity and can get out of your comfort zone, you can be successful. There are elements within the industry that are naturally not fun, but you have to do them in order to succeed.
  2. You have to be able to cater to the masses: It’s very important to hone your people skills and your communication skills. If you can figure out how to communicate with people individually, in a manner that best works for all different types of communication styles, the sky is the limit. And this goes for both speaking and writing!
  3. Be great at follow through and follow up: You have to say what you’re going to do, and then do it. At Trilogy, we get our clients’ questions answered, and we follow through on everything we said we were going to do. Sometimes it requires 2 of us in a meeting, so things don’t get missed, but that’s ok! There’s nothing worse than telling someone you’re going to do something and then don’t.
  4. Position yourself well: To excel in any business, you have to get good at promoting yourself in a way that makes your clients talk about you when you’re not around. That’s the fastest and healthiest way to build a financial firm. Make that positive impact on them, service them well and they will tell their story. You may even get longstanding professional friendships that give your business value through obtaining good referrals.
  5. Structure your week: Plan your week, your calls, meetings and the time you need to build plans, recommendations, etc. If you plan well, have good systems in place and are focused on doing good work for your clients, you can spend 90% of your time working on your clients and 10% of your warm referrals that are coming in the door — instead of spending a significant amount of chasing cold leads.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

The best tip I can recommend is to build that structured week. The beauty about a financial career is that you have flexibility to carve out what you need to do.

It’s important to keep ahold of your support system. They matter. For example, for the last 26 years my wife and I have had a date night every Wednesday. And we stuck to it — if I had a late meeting or engagement, I made it clear that I had to leave by 7pm. I also make sure I’m at my kids’ games or matches. And when we take our vacation over 4th of July weekend, we maintain a “no electronics week” to make sure we get the release we need. The ability to “shut off” is important. So plan your vacations and your breaks. If you’re working hard, you need a break. It’s the best way to be great for your clients.

Another suggestion is to not give your clients your personal cell number. You need to set boundaries, and be able to let go. A lot of good advisors get too many clients they’re trying to service, and it ends up being detrimental to everyone involved. You have to trust people on your team to help you out. You can only do some much and you have to let go and trust others — this is that concept of trust transfer again.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

My movement would be to have a well-regarded advisor in front of every everyday American. They’re the neglected population! I hear people who only want to go after high net worth individuals, but it’s those who are 52 years old with $400,000 in their retirement that need someone to get ahold of them. These are the people who need the support and the education to get to where they want and need to be.

The hard part is, that person who needs support the most often doesn’t think they have to money to sit down with advisors. These are everyday Americans and they deserve for someone to help them pursue their dreams.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Click here to read the full story. 

Jeff Motske is a Registered Representative with, and securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through TC, A Registered Investment Advisor. TC markets advisory services under the name of Trilogy Financial (“TF”), an affiliated but separate legal entity. TC and TF are separate entities from LPL.

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By Trilogy Financial
March 16, 2020

We have no doubt that the Coronavirus and the market volatility surrounding it have dominated your newsfeed of late. Naturally, this leads to questions and concerns about the market in general, and about how it impacts you specifically.

It is true that there are a lot of variables at play, a great majority of them out of your control. What is under your control is how you respond, or not. First and foremost, do not let fear guide your decisions. Market swings are inevitable. Long-term, goal-oriented investors understand the need to stay the course and, at times, do nothing at all. Dave Ramsey suggests the following, “Do not get off the roller coaster in the middle of the ride.”  Those who heeded this sound advice back in 2008 benefitted from the market rebound in 2009 and beyond.

Of course, our Financial Advisors are always available to address any specific concerns you may have and, if necessary, re-evaluate your financial plan. Clearly, times change. If your life, goals, or risk tolerance has changed, let’s sit down and make sure we are still on the best track for you to achieve financial independence.

Please know that Trilogy Financial remains committed to providing the resources you need to navigate through the uncertainty. Most importantly, rest assured knowing that this too shall pass and that you are not alone.

 

 

Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.  All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.  The economic forecasts set forth in this material may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful.

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By Authority Magazine
December 2, 2019

By: Tyler Gallagher |

As part of our series about what one should look for when hiring a financial planner or adviser, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Motske, CFP®, president and CEO of Trilogy Financial, author of “The Couple’s Guide to Financial Compatibility” and host of “The Jeff Motske Show.” Jeff Motske, CFP®, is president and CEO of Trilogy Financial, a privately held financial planning firm headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif. with 10 offices and more than 100 advisors nationwide. He is the author of “The Couple’s Guide to Financial Compatibility,” a book that equips couples with tools to keep their finances healthy and relationships strong, and host of “The Jeff Motske Show,” a podcast that also airs on LA’s AM 1150 where he guides listeners through proven steps toward financial freedom. Seeking a better version of the industry he had grown to love, Motske founded Trilogy in 1999 after observing that the “Wall Street-style” mentality of his peers conflicted with the “Main Street-style” needs of his clients. For the past 25 years, Motske has empowered everyday Americans to pursue the day that work becomes an option by providing easy-to-understand advice, educational tools and supportive guidance. He understands there is no one-size-fits-all approach to personal finance, and that people deserve advice that is tailored to their unique needs, lifestyle, personality and goals. Jeff Motske is a registered representative of and securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Thank you so much for doing this with us, Jeff! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit more. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was introduced to the financial industry by a college professor who noticed my aptitude for numbers. It was the people, the clients I met along the way who needed my help, that kept me in the industry. As a young man, I was empowered by the good I could do for my clients. There were retired widows who appreciated increases in their monthly incomes and young families just getting started on the road to financial independence. I truly value those relationships and am proud to see some of those young couples I worked with long ago reach their goal of financial independence and to work with their grown children who are just getting started on their own financial path.

Can you share a story about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting in the industry? Can you tell us what lesson or takeaway you learned from that?

Mistakes aren’t limited to when you start in the industry. I made one just a few short years ago that I often share. I had been working with a particular couple for twenty or so years when it was finally time for them to retire. Over the years we had discussed all sorts of aspects of their planned retirement, from the details of selling their business to the possibility of selling their home. When I met with them to finalize the details of officially turning off their wage-earner cards, I asked what they had planned to kick-off their retirement. The husband told me that he wanted to rent an RV and travel the country visiting all of the national parks. I laughed, believing this was a joke. He had never mentioned such plans in all the years I had been working with them, and based on the shocked look on his wife’s face, he hadn’t mentioned those plans to his wife either. A few days later, I received a call from the wife, telling me that I had to speak to her husband and talk him out of this idea. In the end, they chose to take one trip in an RV and headed out to Wyoming.

That trip seemed to satisfy both of them and became a great memory. For me, though, it was a reminder that you can never ask your clients enough questions. As the author of “The Couple’s Guide to Financial Compatibility,” I pride myself on asking in-depth questions to get couples on the same financial page. Clearly, though, it doesn’t hurt to dig a little deeper to ensure that you’re creating a detailed and thorough plan for your clients’ finances and life.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

At Trilogy, we are constantly refining our teams of advisors. In an effort to ensure a complete and uninterrupted service model for our clients, our advisors work in groups. Multiple team members sit in on client meetings to ensure proper notes are recorded and to establish relationships with clients. This creates a smooth transition should a team member ever be unavailable due to illness, other commitments or even vacation. Our team members also have different areas of expertise to ensure that every client receives a comprehensive level of service.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Is there a takeaway or lesson that others can learn from that?

There definitely have been moments in my career that heralded momentary success. Over the years, though, I’ve realized that it’s best to look ahead. Our industry is constantly changing, and it doesn’t benefit anyone to sit back and rest on their laurels. Success comes to those who are constantly striving to be innovative and ahead of the curve.

What three pieces of advice would you give to your colleagues in the finance field to thrive and avoid burnout? Can you give a story or example?

First, I do believe that being part of a peer-to-peer study group is an invaluable resource, as is finding a quality mentor. Spending time with other successful people is a great way to stay motivated. These people also provide strong examples of how to improve in your field. Some of Trilogy’s great innovations have been derived from sharing and refining ideas with peers, both by chatting with them and by seeing how they operate.

Equally important is enjoying what you do, which is why we champion the team dynamic. I truly believe that being a financial advisor is a noble profession. However, that doesn’t mean you have to like every aspect of it. When the right teams are formed, you can focus on where your strengths lie while another team member can excel in an area in which you would gladly not spend much time. Not only does this play to everyone’s strengths, but it also facilitates a flexible schedule where advisors are able to pursue other activities with their family or in the community.

Lastly, I do believe that you need a healthy work-life balance. Yes, you do have to work hard to achieve success. At the same time, you also don’t want to miss the moments of watching your child’s soccer game or giving time to a charity that is important to you. My personal mission statement is, “Do something wonderful for someone every day,” and I don’t mean just at work. Success isn’t simply a reflection of what your title is or how much you have in the bank. Success is a reflection of the positive impact you made on the people you interact with in every aspect of your life.

Ok. Thank you for all of that. Let’s now move to the core focus of our interview. As a “finance insider”, you know much more about the finance industry than most consumers. If your loved one wanted to hire a financial advisor (not you :-)), which 5 things would you advise them to find out about before committing? Can you give an example or story for each?

1. Comfort: Make sure that you find someone you can talk intimately with about your finances. You want to feel comfortable sharing personal details with them and be able to ask questions about the advice they’re giving you. You need to feel that you’re in a true partnership with your trusted financial advisor.

2. Communication: You need to communicate a lot with your advisor. You should be sharing both your dreams, so they can plan appropriately, and your fears, so they can adequately address them.

3. Credentials: You want an advisor that is acting in a fiduciary capacity. This means the advisor is acting in the best interest of the client at all times.

4. Part of a team: It’s beneficial to avoid relying on a single financial planner. There may be moments that you need a timely response, and it’s valuable to know there is someone you can address when your primary advisor is busy meeting with other clients or out of the office. Also, while working with a solitary older advisor can provide experience, younger clients need to be aware that they run the risk of these advisors retiring before they reach their own destination of financial independence. The last thing a client wants is for their financial advisor to not be available when he or she is needed most.

5. Connections: An advisor with access to other experts in neighboring fields, such as taxes, estate planning and insurance risk, can seamlessly solidify your personal network. Not only are such referrals valuable when trying to select a particular professional, but they can also add a level of ease and security if your financial advisor has an ongoing professional relationship with them.

I think most people think that financial advisors are for very wealthy people. This is likely not actually true. Can you explain who would most benefit from hiring a financial advisor and why? Can you give an example?

Middle America definitely needs to work with a financial advisor more than wealthy people. A trusted financial advisor can help keep you on track and accountable to your goals. Without that help, many will fail to save or plan enough and ultimately have trouble securing what they’ve been working so hard to achieve. Additionally, the market can be an intimidating place for inexperienced investors. A trusted advisor can ensure that they make sound decisions when things get rocky, rather than allow their emotions to take the wheel. Having money can solve a lot of problems, but building wealth requires a lot of work, patience and tenacity.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am part of a CEO study group, and I owe a lot to those group members. The open and honest feedback I have received over the years from my peers has been invaluable, and the relationships I have formed have been life-lasting.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

My personal mission statement is, “Do something wonderful for someone every day,” which illustrates my belief that each person has the power to make a positive impact. This extends well beyond finances. At Trilogy, we believe our purpose is to provide opportunities for people to live their best lives. Obviously, this can be seen in the steps that we take to help our clients reach financial independence. This also applies to how we empower and encourage our advisors to become leaders, both at Trilogy and in their community. We also encourage our team members across departments to aid and lift up their fellow associates. We are all interdependent, and we recognize that when we lift someone else up, we lift ourselves up as well.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

Click here to read the full story.

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By bankrate logo
November 11, 2019

Written by: Bankrate Staff |

Millennials (individuals born between 1981 and 1996) number 83.2 million and are characteristically known as the largest, best-educated and most diverse generation in U.S. history. However, saving for retirement, budgeting and establishing and maintaining a financial plan remains a challenge for millennials, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security.

Nearly half of all millennials are already concerned about their ability to retire when they choose and two-thirds are concerned about outliving their retirement savings. Crushing student loan debt has also crippled this generation’s ability to invest.

Millennials’ slower start to investing can also be attributed to watching their parents go through the Great Recession of the late 2000s and early 2010s. They may be more wary of the stock market, which can inhibit their willingness to take risks.

In fact, three in 10 millennials say cash is their favorite long-term investment, but a third of Gen Xers, 38 percent of baby boomers and 44 percent of the Silent Generation invest in stocks. Millennials have traditionally preferred saving their money rather than investing and view savings accounts as a safer bet than the stock market.

If you’re a millennial, Bankrate’s guide can help you determine why it’s important for you to invite risk, how to determine your investment goals and how to get started in the stock market.

Why should millennials invest?

Because they witnessed the Recession, you may perceive investing as risky, but not investing is actually riskier. “The worst thing you can do in your mid-twenties to mid-thirties is not saving money and invest. If you invest money early on, it gives your money a long time to grow,” says Mike Kerins, founder and CEO of RobustWealth. He says that in spite of the ups and downs of the market, it’s rare that the stock market stays down for a long period of time.

Stock investments deliver bigger returns over cash and bonds in the long run. Money sitting in savings accounts is stagnant and subject to rising inflation, whereas stock market investments can compound over the years. More specifically, large-capitalization stocks returned 10% compounded annually from 1926-2018. Over that same time period, long-term government bonds returned only 5.5% annually and T-bills returned 3.3% annually.

“The surest way to build wealth over long time horizons is to invest in a diversified portfolio of common stocks,” says Robert Johnson, professor of finance at Creighton University and chairman and CEO of Economic Index Associates.

The other advantage of saving money over time is that it’s like a snowball effect. “Millennials need to begin compounding early and let that compounding work its patient magic over decades,” says Johnson. Compounding means that when you earn interest on your investments, you earn interest on the interest.

For example, if you start investing $6,000 per year when you’re 25 years old, you’ll have a larger return than if you just deposited that money in a savings account or under the mattress.

Evaluate how much you’re able to invest

Just getting started is critical for any young investor. How does a 20-something novice investor with a modest income (who’s also likely making payments on student loans) get into the market in the first place? The first step is to determine your current situation.

Calculate your total debt

Put pen to paper (or get a budget app) and figure out how much money you make per month minus how much you have going out. Consider:

Rent or house payment

Student, auto and other monthly loan payments

Credit card monthly payments

Other debts or required payments

After you figure out generally how much it costs you to live on a month-to-month basis, you can determine how much extra you have to invest.

Next, determine how you’d like to approach your student loans, credit card debt and any other debt you have. Aim to pay off your high-interest debt first (called the debt avalanche method) or pay off your smallest amount of debt first (debt snowball method). The research shows that it’s much easier to stay motivated when you pay off smaller debts first because you get a quick win right away.

Mike Broker, chief strategy officer at Trilogy Financial, says, “You can start small while paying down large student loan debts or working on other obligations, but start to save for your future now.”

Determine your financial risk level

The Recession may leave some millennials with residual nervousness about the ups and downs of the stock market — but these ups and downs are normal. Consider goals-based investing to specifically invest for specific time horizons. In other words, if you have a short-term goal, such as saving for a house in a few years, you might consider investing more conservatively.

Decide where your investment funds will come from

Where will you pull your extra money for investing? From your savings account? From loose dollars you have in your checking account at the end of the month? What if you have no extra cash for investing and need to come up with an alternative plan? Here are several options for getting started.

Savings

If you have some money stashed in a savings account, you might consider it seed money for your investment accounts. Many companies require you to invest a minimum amount of money to get started. For example, the minimum initial investment for Vanguard Target Retirement Funds is $1,000. A $3,000 minimum applies to most other Vanguard mutual funds.

Set an investing budget

Once you determine how much you have leftover at the end of the month, put that money to work for you directly into an investment account at the end of the month. Amounts might vary per month (the car might inevitably need a new alternator) but at least you have an idea of a general amount to budget toward investing per month.

Educate yourself on stock market basics

Financial lingo can seem intimidating, but as you learn more about stock market basics and stay up to date on financial news, your financial knowledge will grow.

Beginner investing terms you need to know

Check out Bankrate’s full glossary of investing terms, but here are a few must-know-now terms:

Bonds: Bonds are loans made to large organizations, including corporations, cities and national governments. The interest payment (called the coupon) is what bondholders earn for loaning their funds to the issuer.

Brokerage account: An arrangement between an investor and a licensed brokerage firm where the investor can deposit funds with the firm and place investment orders through the brokerage.

ETFs (exchange-traded funds): An ETF is a basket of securities you buy or sell through a brokerage firm on a stock exchange. ETFs are offered on virtually all asset classes ranging from traditional investments to alternative assets like commodities or currencies.

Mutual funds: A mutual fund is a professionally managed investment fund that pools money from many investors to purchase securities.

Stocks: Stocks are securities that represent an ownership share in a company.

Financial news and education

Stay up to date on financial news/general stock market news, which you can find on any major news source. Brokerages such as Fidelity have a ton of free beginner investing resources and educational tools to help get you started on the right track. Do research on your own to determine what might work best for you.

Many millennials are interested in socially responsible investing (SRI), which can blend in investing with socially responsible causes to bring about a positive change. Studies have found that millennials prefer to invest where their money can make an impact. In fact, U.S. Trust found that 76 percent of high net-worth millennial investors have reviewed their assets for SRI impact and Morgan Stanley found millennial investors to be twice as likely as others to invest in companies that incorporate socially responsible practices.

Determine your long-term and short term goals

Short-term and long-term investing both require a different approach to investment goal-setting.

Short-term investment vehicles

Paying off student loans, vacation funds, financing a dream purchase, buying a house — all of these are considered short-term goals. Paying off student loans could also be considered another short-term goal.

If you have a short-term investing goal, consider savings accounts, short-term bond funds, money market accounts or certificates of deposit (CDs).

Savings accounts

Savings accounts are bank accounts that earn a small amount of interest. Marcus by Goldman Sachs Bank is a great place to start, and offers a high-yield savings account with a competitive APY. The best savings account rates will not net you too much interest at all, which is why

they’re ideal for short-term investing. Never invest any funds earmarked for retirement in a savings account.

Short-term bond funds

Short-term bond portfolios typically involve corporate and other investment-grade U.S. fixed-income issues from one to three years. These portfolios are attractive only if you have a short savings horizon because they are less sensitive to interest rates than portfolios with longer durations.

Money market accounts

Money market accounts are a lot like savings accounts. Unlike savings accounts, where your bank or credit union can only loan out your cash, in the case of a money market account, the bank can put your money into low-risk investments such as certificates of deposit or government securities.

Certificates of deposit (CDs)

CDs are money invested for a set period. The issuer pays interest at regular intervals until a specific date of maturity. Once your CD matures, you receive your original investment, plus all of the interest you’ve accumulated during that set period. This is only a good option if you can be sure you won’t need your money before maturity. You’ll have you have to pay a fee in order to withdraw the funds before maturity.

Long-term investment vehicles

It’s fine to have some short-term investments, but millennials should always have some sort of funds invested for long-term goals that you can turn into college funds for future children, a second stream of income and/or retirement.

Some excellent long-term investment vehicles include equity index funds, equity ETFs and mutual funds.

Equity index funds

Compared to bond market index funds, equity index funds can offer more risk (which is what you want when you have a longer time horizon). Your returns are higher compared to a bond market index fund, and equity index funds offer you the advantage of a hands-off, diversified, low-cost method of long-term investing.

Equity ETFs

Equity ETFs track an index and usually offer low expense ratios. You can also buy a basket of investments in a single fund, which offers ample diversification. They trade like a stock and are higher risk compared to a bond market ETF, ideal for long-term investing.

Mutual funds

Mutual funds deliver diversification, a distinct advantage compared to choosing individual stocks (a much riskier approach). A disadvantage of mutual funds is that they’re typically more expensive to manage over the long-term because they’re professionally managed.

Investing for retirement

More than any other generation, millennials are interested in work/life balance, saving and retiring early. You don’t need to work for an employer to invest for retirement, but if you do work for an employer, Kerins says it’s important to take advantage of your company match.

In order to take advantage of the company match, you must put in a specified amount of money into your company’s retirement fund. Under current regulations, an employee may contribute up to $19,000 of pre-tax earnings to an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan ($25,000 if you’re age 50 or older).

If you want to invest outside of your company’s 401(k) match, or your company doesn’t offer a 401(k), open an IRA. A traditional or Roth IRA are good choices. For 2019, your total contributions to all traditional and Roth IRAs cannot be more than $6,000 ($7,000 if you’re age 50 or older) or your taxable compensation for the year, if your compensation was less than this dollar limit.

How to get started in the stock market

It’s possible to go it alone or get help from a financial advisor or through other methods, but you can also go the DIY route and open investment accounts with a low-cost provider like TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, Charles Schwab or Vanguard.

DIY options

Broker says, “As a generation, millennials mostly like to be hands-off and make things automated, so send money to your savings account, Roth IRA or whatever vehicle is right for you automatically every month.”

For millennials who want to do the research and/or choose their investments completely solo, certain brokerage accounts are geared toward beginning investors, such as Robinhood or Fidelity. Monitor your portfolio to make sure you’re on track with your investment goals.

Guided investing

If you’d like guidance in building your investment portfolio, consider using robo-advisors. Robo-advisors are investment management companies that rely on computers rather than human beings to help you choose your investments. (Though some robo-advisors do allow you to talk to actual financial advisors.) Robo-advisors ask questions about accepted risk level, time horizon and overall financial goals to give you the best asset allocation possible and rebalance your portfolio over time.

The most important thing to remember? Just get started. With time on your side, Johnson says you have so many options at your disposal. “Time is the greatest ally of young investors because of the magic of compound interest,” he says.

Click here to read the full story.

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By Forbes logo
October 1, 2019

For most people, retirement planning is a critical, but often overlooked, a step that they don’t face until later in life. Just like most things on Wall Street, there are several ways to successfully plan for your retirement, the key is to find one that works for you. That said, here are three timeless lessons for your consideration:

1. Enough Money Is Not Enough – Your Living Expenses Will Be Higher Than You Think When You Retire

Most people create a plan that will give them “enough” money when they retire. The problem with that mindset is that it does not account for the unexpected (and often expensive) surprises that happen in life. Some of these surprises can be unforeseen medical costs (including LTC), unavoidable travel, income taxes (For most people, Social Security is considered taxable income), unplanned debt (most retirees today still have a huge mortgage or other debt), and inflation. So, it is not enough to plan for enough money when you retire, to be safe, you want to have more than enough money.

2. Always Respect Risk – Your Portfolio Is Probably Taking On More Risk Than You Realize

Respecting risk is one of the most important components of a proper retirement plan. Most people invest 100% of their retirement portfolio into the stock market. In up markets, that is a great investment because your portfolio grows steadily but in bear markets that is a very risky proposition. Remember, a bear market is defined by a decline of at least 20% or more from a recent high. Over the past 100 years, there have been 8 devastating bear markets, ranging from -21.8% to -83.4%. The last bear market was in 2008-2009 and the market was cut in half. It is important to note that another bear market will happen, it is just a matter of when, not if. The key is to prepare for it now before it happens. Not after the fact.

3. Update Your Retirement Plan Frequently – The retirement plan you created just 5 years ago is probably obsolete or needs to be updated.

Think about everything that has changed in your life in the last 5 years. For most people, their occupation, income, spending, health, or even geography may have changed. That’s why it is imperative to update your retirement plan to make sure your plan stays aligned with your current (and future) needs. I spoke to Stephen A. Hartel, AIF® Wealth Advisor at Trilogy that has $3 billion in assets under management*, and he told me, “Your plan needs to be a living, breathing thing that you and your advisor work on every quarter or at least every year.” Steve told me that he does not believe in cookie-cutter financial plans because everyone’s needs and goals are different and that inspired this article.

Bottom Line:

These are just a few points to consider when planning for your retirement. The key is to plan early and make sure you are way ahead of the curve so you can retire comfortably.

Read the article here.

* Correction: Trilogy Financial has over $2 billion in assets, rather than the $3 billion referenced in the Forbes article, “3 Timeless Lessons for Your Retirement”.

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By Hearing Health Foundation logo
August 22, 2019

Out of the estimated 48 million Americans living with some degree of hearing loss, only one in five wears hearing aids. The main reason? Cost. And these aren’t the only costs associated with hearing loss. Over the course of a lifetime, healthcare fees can add up to tens of thousands of dollars—or more. Here are tips to help you budget and plan for these expenses.

Find a health insurance plan tailored to your needs. Hearing aid devices usually range from $1,000 to $4,000 each and may require replacement roughly every five years. Many insurance companies do not provide full or even partial hearing aid coverage. Currently, only 22 states require insurance companies to provide hearing aid coverage for children, and only five states have provisions that include coverage for adults. Government healthcare programs such as Medicare offer little to no coverage, with the breadth of coverage varying from state to state for Medicaid.

If your current health plan does not cover hearing aids, an accredited insurance broker or agent can help you identify a plan that will work best for your situation and location. Make sure your agent represents several major insurers to ensure they are not incentivized toward selling you a specific plan.

Plan and budget to cover your healthcare costs. Plan for three types of expenses: fixed monthly premiums to your insurance company; routine out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., hearing devices); and unexpected costs (e.g., emergency room visits). In addition, make sure you understand all the costs included with your health plan, including deductibles, copays, co-insurance, and the out-of-pocket maximum. Once you’ve identified all these expenses:

Add up the cost of your fixed premiums and routine out-of-pocket expenses. Divide the total by 12 and aim to save that amount each month.

Open a separate medical emergency fund. You’ll want to start saving enough to cover your deductible and eventually, your plan’s annual out-of-pocket maximum. Consider opening a high-yield savings account, as they often have no fees and no minimum balance and offer higher returns than a typical savings account.

Ask your employer whether you’re eligible for a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), both of which allow you to make tax-free contributions to save for medical costs. You may be able to use HSA or FSA funds to pay for hearing aid devices and hearing aid batteries. One key difference is that HSA funds automatically roll over from year to year, while FSA accounts have a use-it-or-lose-it provision.

If you’re raising a child with hearing loss, consider developing an estate plan to help ensure they are financially secure. A financial planner or estate planning attorney can help you navigate this complex topic and

develop a plan tailored to your financial situation as well as to your child’s needs. A trust, for example, can ensure your child’s inheritance is carefully managed according to your wishes. If your child is eligible for Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a special needs trust will ensure that he/she will remain eligible for federal benefits.

The costs associated with hearing loss can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. A trusted financial professional can help you plan for these expenses or ensure your loved one’s costs are taken care of after you’re gone.

Matthew Phillips is a wealth adviser at Trilogy Financial, a privately held financial planning firm with advisers across the country. Based in Corona, California, Phillips partnered with RISE Interpreting and California Baptist University to deliver American Sign Language–certified translation, workshops, and other services to better serve his clients. For more, see trilogyfs.com. This article originally appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Hearing Health magazine.

For references, see hhf.org/spring2019-references

Click here to read the full story.

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By best company logo
August 17, 2019
Written by: Alayna Okerlund | Last Updated February 24th, 2020 

Congratulations! You just completed one of life’s greatest milestones: marriage.

Whether you had an elegant reception or a lovely, intimate ceremony, you and your spouse are likely making plans for the life you two will build together. And that’s how it should be.

Unfortunately, some newlyweds lose this level of excitement and bliss early on because they fail to be on the same page when it comes to finances.

According to the 2017 Divorce and Debt Survey conducted by MagnifyMoney, 21 percent of U.S. adults who were polled said money was the main reason for their divorce.

Finances can be tricky to manage, and having another person in the mix can make it even more of a challenge. To help you and your new spouse, we asked a few experts for their top finance tips for newlyweds.

Focus on communication

“In general, be open about finances with your spouse. Money is one of the biggest causes of divorce in the United States. Specifically, lack of communication or total one-sidedness (i.e., one spouse being controlling) when it comes to finances can lead to marital stress. Each spouse is going to come to the table with different feelings and experiences with money, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The important thing is to have frank, honest discussions about money and to make sure you are maintaining open airwaves of communication during the inevitable periods of disagreement.” — Taylor Jessee, Director of Financial Planning at Taylor Hoffman Wealth Management

“As newlyweds, it's more important than ever to get on the same page with your finances. Preferably you do this in your pre-marriage counseling through your church. Things to talk about include long-term goals, spending habits, monthly budget, retirement, investments, and more. The best thing you can do for your marriage is to have open communication and that is especially important when it comes to money. Talk about your finances early and often for a successful marriage.” — Kelan and Brittany Kline, The Savvy Couple

“You need to be talking about everything related to your finances: your goals, your debt, your dreams for retirement. You need to talk about the good stuff and the rough stuff. You need to talk — and a monthly financial date night with your partner can provide you with that opportunity.

If you need ideas on what to talk about, you can go through my financial compatibility quiz, which covers topics from spending, saving, childcare, mortgages, charitable giving, aging parents, and expectations for retirements. You’ll find topics to agree on, but you’ll undoubtedly find things you don’t agree on. When you discover these topics you don’t see eye-to-eye on, then you have to see how much both of you are willing to compromise on.

Perhaps your idea of retirement is traveling the country in an RV, but your partner wants to see the world in top-rated resorts. Or perhaps your parent is in failing health and you want them to move in with you, but your partner is willing to take a second job to afford for them to stay somewhere else. I’ve seen these situations, and because they were brought up early enough, the couples were able to discuss their views, their options and find a compromise that worked for everyone.” — Jeff Motske, CFP, President, and CEO of Trilogy Financial

“One major financial tip for newlyweds is to get comfortable talking about your financial health with your new spouse. In fact, not talking about money can hurt your relationship.

A Policygenius survey found 17.5 percent of couples who don't know each other’s credit score plan to leave their partner due to money issues, compared to 2.5 percent of couples who do. Just over half — 53 percent — of survey respondents said they had shared their credit score with their partner.

This friction comes in part from a lack of communication or transparency about financial wellness. For example, if one spouse has bad credit, it could impact the couple’s ability to get joint financing for major purchases, like a home.

It’s important to be open and honest about your money with your partner. Set aside a regular time to have a conversation with your significant other about your financial health. Go over short-term and long-term spending goals to ensure you’re both on the same page.” — Hanna Horvath, Personal Finance Reporter at Policygenius

“Finances can be a touchy subject. It may be that the love of your life has a completely different view about how to handle finances. This can be a big strain on a new relationship, and it is said to be the number one reason for divorce. So, do your relationship a favor and address this topic early. Many people think that marriage means joint everything. However, this is a personal choice and needs to be discussed.

You may decide on separate accounts but what cannot be separate is your financial plan and the discussion you have about it. You are partners, which means you need to share and the other person has a right to know. Business partners cannot hide things from one another and neither should marriage partners.” — Justin Lavelle, Chief Communications Officer for BeenVerified

Set goals together

“After you’ve tied the knot, take some time to discuss your current financial situation with your spouse.

You’ll likely have done this well before the ceremony, but there’s a good chance that the celebration and its accompanying events took a serious financial toll, too, so it’s best to factor that into the mix once things have actually settled down.

Explore your mutual financial goals, and see if they’ve changed since before your marriage. If they have, consider adjusting your budget accordingly. This may require you to reconfigure the way you approach a number of major financial factors, such as savings, debt, or investments.

If either of you is struggling with debt, try to come up with a joint approach to eliminate it and build both of your credit scores. The higher your scores, the more likely you are to be able to rent desirable properties and secure large loans with appealing rates, and these may be fundamental for your future if you’re aiming to buy a house or a new vehicle.” — Sean Messier, Credit Industry Analyst at Credit Card Insider

“Life goals translate directly to financial priorities. If one spouse wants to create a work environment that allows her to train for a marathon every year, and her husband feels strongly they be fully focused on working to build up savings before starting a family, there can be issues. Whether the goals are to take a vacation or fund a future child’s college education, discuss them and write them down.” — Sean Fox, Consumer Finance Expert and Co-President of Freedom Debt Relief

“When the officiant said ‘and now you are one’, you didn't stop having your own ideas, dreams, and goals. You have to intentionally decide what to do with your money and when you'll do it, and discuss the specifics. Just like in Kindergarten, when you share, you don't always get your way, so be prepared to compromise.” — Christian Barnes, Ramsey Preferred Financial Coach for Do Better Financial

Consider getting joint health insurance plans

“If both employed, take a close look at your company health insurance benefits. It may make sense for one spouse to switch over to the other’s health plan, or to continue keeping separate plans. The employer of one spouse might offer better/cheaper benefits than the others.

If you are both covered by High Deductible health plans, and you have access to a Health Savings Account, then the amount you can save into the Health Savings Account doubles.” — Taylor Jessee, Director of Financial Planning at Taylor Hoffman Wealth Management

Consider creating a joint budget and joint financial accounts

“Working with newlyweds and engaged couples, I have noticed that budgeting and spending plans are few and far between. Many couples are unaware of how much they are spending. I sympathize with them because society makes it very easy to spend using credit cards, shopping online, and very little use of checkbooks or cash.

The most important step that I think all newlyweds, engaged couples, or people in long-term partnerships should do is to figure out how much they are spending each month. Then, figure out how much is coming in each month. If you have funds leftover — great. Now you can figure out where to put those additional funds to help accomplish your goals. If you find that you have more month than money, a serious look at your expenditures will allow you to see where you can cut back.” — Tiffany Welka, Financial Advisor and Accredited Wealth Management Advisor at VFG Associates

“If you don’t want money to become a worn-out subject in your marriage, try sharing it. Sharing money, when done with a budget, will eliminate 99 percent of all money arguments instantly. Create a shared budget with your spouse, give it full control of the money, and you’re done. So if you want a new pair of jeans, don’t get into heated conversations with your spouse. You have a budget — you and your spouse have already agreed on the ideal way to spend your money. Instead, ask your budget if it’s ok to buy jeans. You’ll get an unbiased answer based on your finances. If it says you can afford jeans, buy them without hesitation. If your budget says you can't, listen to it. Let a budget be in charge of your spending, and you will eliminate the source of money arguments between you and your spouse.” — Evan Sutherland, Co-founder of Budgeting Couple

Budgets get a bad rap for being straight-jackets, but in reality, they are a plan for telling your money where to go and ensuring it doesn’t wander off without you even realizing it. Create a plan for each month before the money comes in so you’re both striving towards the same goals and not pulling in different directions. — Ben Watson, CPA and Personal Finance Expert for DollarSprout.com

“One of the best finance tips for newlyweds is to get on a budget as soon as possible. But it needs to be a joint budget, where both parties have input. You should get the budget set up with the basics, like fixed expenses, for cable TV, smartphone, and Internet, and then look at the subjective categories, especially entertainment and discretionary spending. For the latter category, consider setting a rule whereby any purchases that surpass a certain dollar amount, approval is needed from the other spouse.” — David Bakke, Personal Finance Expert at Money Crashers

“Switch all of your savings to a joint high-yield savings account. It's a good excuse when you get married to do some spring cleaning and make sure your money is in the best spot.” — Kevin, Manager of Just Start Investing

“The purpose of a joint bank account is for you both to have access to the same assets. Take on a ‘what’s mine is yours’ mentality. Just as it’s important to discuss your debts, make sure your partner knows what assets you have and be open to sharing. Communicate and check in with each other often to ensure you’re sticking to your budget and not overspending the assets you share.” — Erin Ellis, Accredited Financial Counselor at Philadelphia Federal Credit Union (PFCU)

Be smart about your marital income

“The best financial advice that we've ever gotten was from my father-in-law, and it's helped us maintain a debt-free lifestyle for the last 18 years.

The advice was this: If you ever plan on living on one income during your married life, always life just off of that income and save the other. Is one of you going to stay home and raise kids? If you are, then don't live a lifestyle that's based on needing both incomes to keep it up. If someone's going to take eight years off of work to raise kids until school age, it's difficult to keep up with house payments and expensive car payments when one whole income goes away.

We've lived by this rule our entire marriage, and we've had savings when we needed it and could pay cash for things like cars and vacations without incurring more debt.” — David Gafford, Co-founder and Director of Marketing of Shift Processing

“It's time to invest (if you don't already), and take advantage of as many tax-deferrals as possible, while also saving up for the next big life event.

This order is all about what types of accounts to invest money in, in the best order, to take advantage of as many tax-deferrals as possible. The best order to save for retirement is

Contribute to your 401k up to the company match

Max out your IRA to the annual contribution limit

Go back and max out your 401k to the annual contribution limit

If you qualify for a Health Savings Account (HSA), contribute to the max and treat it like an IRA

If you earn a side income, take advantage of a SEP IRA or Solo 401k

Save any excess in a standard brokerage account

After you have your investments set up, you should also be saving for the next big life event.” — Robert Farrington, America’s Millennial Money Expert and the Creator of The College Finance Investor

“Start saving now, not tomorrow. Time is something you cannot get back, and the longer you save, the better. Research compound interest and see how much you could have. I understand that for most people, retirement seems like a million years away. I am now 56 and have no idea where the time went. If you start saving when you are young, your retirement can be full of choices.” — Jay Ferrans, President of JM Financial & Accounting Services

Create an emergency fund

“Whether it’s three or six months’ worth of daily living expenses is up to you, but start to put away some cash in an easily accessible account, in case of unemployment, major illness, or another unforeseen event. Those with less stable income, like freelance and contract workers, are urged to save more.” — Sara Skirboll, Shopping and Trends Expert for RetailMeNot

Consider getting life insurance

“Now that you have someone else depending on you, you need to arm yourself in the event something bad happens. Life insurance is often overlooked, despite how important it is. There are many different kinds from many different companies, but the main thing is to make sure you leave enough behind for your loved ones to pay for final expenses, replace your income for a certain number of years, put your kids (or future kids) through college, etc.

Your loved ones will already be overwhelmed and saddened as is when you do pass away, so this will help relieve a huge burden and create more peace of mind. Further, life insurance is cheaper and easier to acquire the younger and healthier you are.” — Chase Lawson, Author of Financial Freedom: Breaking the Chains to Independence and Creating Massive Wealth

“Even if one or both of you have life insurance through your employer, it's crucial to get a term life insurance policy on both spouses separate from an employer. When you change jobs or get laid off, your life insurance terminates immediately. Since rates for term life insurance are set according to your age and health status, you could end up paying more than a few years from now for the same policy. — Lingke Wang, Co-founder of Ethos

Meet with a finance professional

“I recommend talking to a financial planner around life events. The reason? The same financial plan should work during the same period of the life event. For example, if you create a financial plan as a newlywed, the same plan should work for you until you have children (if you don't have them already).” — Robert Farrington, America’s Millennial Money Expert and the Creator of The College Finance Investor

“Meet with a financial planner and possibly a mortgage broker if a home purchase is in the near future. Getting an outside perspective really helps to understand how to lay out your goals together. Meet with the financial planner even if you don’t meet with the mortgage broker.” — D. Shane Whitteker, Owner and Chief Mortgage Broker at Principle Home Mortgage

Keep your taxes in mind

“Make sure to adjust your W-4 elections to 0 and single to prevent taxes being owed from the ‘marriage penalty’ since you will be filing jointly for the first time. Many couples are shocked to see their taxes go up, so to avoid owing money, make this adjustment to your withholdings. — Jacqueline Devereux, Finance and Credit Expert with SproutCents

Be dedicated to credit

“A newly married couple may have recently exchanged wedding vows but have they exchanged their credit reports? Financial transparency is important to establish with your spouse and one of the ways of accomplishing this is for each person to request their credit report and review it together. Consider it as an opportunity for the couple to address any concerns and identify what they may need to work on in order to create financial stability and wellness in their marriage.”

“Frequently, couples think they will share credit reports and scores once they get married. The reality is that each spouse has his or her own credit reports and scores. These are based on accounts each person maintains in his or her name (even if they share the same last name). Each person needs to obtain his/her own credit reports, review for accuracy regularly, and correct errors on his/her own credit report.” — Sean Fox, Consumer Finance Expert and Co-president of Freedom Debt Relief

“Do not jump the gun to start fresh and cancel your credit cards. This may impact your credit score since it is established based on things such as length of time a card has been held by a user. Instead, look to add each other to your desired accounts. This also removes the need to explore alternative credit options, which can additionally impact your credit score.” — Jared Weitz CEO and Founder of United Capital Source Inc.

“Build your spouse's credit. If you haven't already had the money talk, do it now. If one or both of you has credit card debt, it's time to formulate a plan for paying that off together. You may also learn that you have better credit than your partner. If your spouse has a lower credit score than you, consider opening a credit card and making your partner an authorized user.

As you and your partner use the card responsibly — by paying your bill on time, every time and by using 30 percent or less of the credit available to you — you both will enjoy the benefits. Your strong score will only get stronger, and your spouse's score will improve over time as well. A higher credit score will matter when it comes time to buy that first house, as you'll be eligible for lower interest rates and more favorable terms.” — Michael Cetera, Finance Analyst at FitSmallBusiness.com

The bottom line

In the end, it’s up to you and your spouse to determine how to handle finances in your marriage. Ideally, you should aim to have financial conversations with your significant other even before

you get married. Knowing where they stand and what they believe in when it comes to finances early on can save you and your spouse a significant amount of stress, heartache, and time.

To sum it up, you and your new spouse should take the following steps:

Focus on communication

Set both financial and non-financial goals together

Consider getting joint health insurance plans

Consider creating a joint budget and joint financial accounts

Be smart about your marital income

Create an emergency fund

Consider getting life insurance

Meet with a finance professional

Keep your taxes in mind

Be dedicated to credit

Click here to read full story.

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By Wall Street Journal
August 5, 2019

Many grandparents are willing to help with college costs. One thing to keep in mind is that grandparent-owned 529s have a downside related to FAFSA, though there are workarounds.

There are several ways grandparents can help pay for a grandchild’s education without giving money directly to the student. Grandparents, parents, and students must understand each of the options before deciding which one may be appropriate for them.

For instance, they need to know whether the method they’re using jeopardizes a student’s prospects for need-based financial aid, or if it meshes well with the grandparents’ overall estate plan.

Here is a look at three ways grandparents can help fund a grandchild’s education, and the pros and cons of each:

1. Invest in a ‘529’ plan

Financial advisers often recommend the state-sponsored education-savings plans known as 529s to grandparents who want to help with college costs because of the many advantages this type of plan offers.

These plans, which invest mainly in mutual funds, offer tax-deferred growth on every dollar invested, and distributions are tax-free when used for qualified educational purposes. Grandparents can pick any state’s 529 plan, and some states even offer residents a tax deduction on contributions. These plans also are flexible in that any unused funds can be transferred to another grandchild or blood relative.

Grandparents can put as much as $15,000 a year ($30,000 if they are married) per grandchild in a 529 plan without triggering gift-tax consequences. Even better, they can “bunch” five years of annual $15,000 gifts into a 529 in one year without triggering a taxable event, a potentially attractive benefit for those seeking to reduce the size of their estates.

“To me, the 529 is the turnkey solution for college planning,” says Jeff Motske, certified financial planner and president of Trilogy Financial, a financial planning firm in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Grandparents have the option of owning the 529 themselves or contributing to a 529 plan owned by the parent for the benefit of the child. One advantage of owning the account is that you “can control where the money goes right up until the time it’s used,” says Jody D’Agostini, a certified financial planner with AXA Advisors’ Falcon Financial Group in Morristown, N.J. Grandparents can even use the funds for themselves, albeit with tax consequences, should a financial need arise, she says.

INVESTING IN FUNDS

There is, however, a downside to grandparent-owned 529 plans for families seeking need-based financial aid: Distributions count as student income on the Free Application for Federal

Student Aid, or FAFSA, and student income is weighted much more heavily than parental income in the aid formula.

There are some potential workarounds, however. One option is to switch ownership of the 529 to the parent around the time the grandchild expects to start college. Not every state’s 529 allows for a change in ownership, however, so this is something to explore before choosing a plan, Ms. D’Agostini says.

Another option is to wait until after Jan. 1 of the beneficiary’s sophomore year in college to take a distribution, says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of research at Savingforcollege.com. Since the FAFSA now asks for income and tax information from two years back, there would be no FAFSA on which to report the distribution if the student plans to graduate in four years. (If the student expects to graduate in five years, the family should wait until Jan. 1 of his or her junior year to take a distribution, Mr. Kantrowitz says.)

The grandparent also could roll over up to a year’s worth of college expenses to a parent’s 529 plan after the FAFSA has been filed. Provided all of the funds are spent on qualified educational expenses, it won’t have to be reported on the next year’s FAFSA, Mr. Kantrowitz says.

Some grandparents may not want the responsibility of owning the account, preferring instead to contribute a certain amount each year to a 529 plan owned by the parent for the child’s benefit. This may be appealing to those who want to give small amounts of money each year—around $1,000 or less.

In this scenario, “your grandchild gets all the benefits without you having to worry about maintaining the account,” says Joseph Conroy, a certified financial planner and financial consultant with Synergy Financial Group, a wealth-management firm in Towson, Md.

The downside, of course, is the grandparent cedes control of the money to the parent.

2. Direct payment to an educational institution

Grandparents can write a tuition check for any amount directly to a qualifying college or graduate school without triggering gift-tax implications, says Eric Brotman, chief executive of BFG Financial Advisors, a financial planning and wealth-management firm in Timonium, Md.

Some grandparents like this option because they can pay the university directly and still give the grandchild an additional $15,000 tax-free.

Grandparents, however, can’t claim a charitable distribution for tuition they pay on a grandchild’s behalf. Also, this exemption to the IRS’s gift-tax rules applies only to tuition expenses and not to other college-related expenses such as books and supplies. Another consideration is that the money isn’t refundable if the student decides to switch schools, so it isn’t advisable for grandparents to prepay tuition for all four years. Also, grandparents should be aware that this type of payment could have an impact on the student’s eligibility for need-based financial aid.

3. Fixed-indexed universal-life insurance policy

Another, less-talked-about option for paying for college—albeit a controversial one—is using cash-value permanent life insurance.

One type that some advisers like is fixed-indexed universal-life insurance. Mike Windle, a partner, and financial adviser at C. Curtis Financial Group, a financial-planning firm in Plymouth, Mich., recommends this option because of the flexible premiums and upside potential without the downside risk.

To make this strategy work, the policy should be owned by the grandparent, with the grandchild as the insured, making the cost of insurance inexpensive, says Mr. Windle, who owns these types of policies and offers them to clients.

Having such a policy allows grandparents to contribute after-tax money in a lump sum—monthly, quarterly or annually. When the funds are used, they are considered a loan against the cash value of the policy. They are tax-free at distribution, and they don’t count as income or assets on the student’s FAFSA, Mr. Windle says.

He generally recommends fixed-indexed universal-life insurance policies to clients whose grandchildren are 8 years old or younger. The policies he recommends have no cost to the grandparent to withdraw funds (and withdrawals aren’t counted against the grandparent’s yearly gift-tax limit) if the loans from the policy occur in the 10th year of the policy or later, Mr. Windle says. If grandparents take a withdrawal before the 10th anniversary, it could cost them about 2% of the loan, depending on the insurance company, he says.

Though premium rates aren’t guaranteed, Mr. Windle says the additional cost for a child would be minimal and is likely to be offset in part by growth in the policy’s cash value.

Another benefit is that the money can be used for multiple purposes—it isn’t limited to education. And the policies have a death benefit if something happens to the child.

There are downsides to using life insurance as a vehicle for college savings, however, and not everyone thinks it is a good idea. An insurance policy can be pricier and the investment selections more limited than with some other options grandparents have for funding college, financial experts say.

Before purchasing a life insurance policy for college-savings purposes, grandparents should consider the type of insurance and return on investment, as well as applicable costs, to ensure it’s the best option for their situation.

Click here to read full story.

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By Orange County Business Journal logo
July 11, 2019

Founded 1999 … now $3B AUM, 20K clients, 200+ workers in 10 offices … clients $200K+ in assets … baseball player, Vanguard U, 1980s … hires athletes: ‘discipline’ … president, booster club, Pacifica Christian H.S. (see David Bahnsen) … on Trilogy softball team with father, son … plays bridge … supports Anaheim Ducks (see Tim Ryan) … first car: 1975 Chevy Malibu

Click here to read the full story.

 

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By Forbes logo
July 10, 2019

Written by: Kathryn Flynn | 529 plans are investment products designed to help families save for future education costs. A direct-sold 529 plan is a lower-cost, DIY option that can be opened online. Advisor-sold 529 plans must be purchased through a licensed financial advisor.

There are many advantages to using an advisor-sold 529 plan. According to a study by Fidelity, 67 percent of families who work with a financial advisor feel they have a good understanding of the best way to save for college, compared to only 40 percent of families who do not work with an advisor.

But financial advice rarely comes free, and college planning is no exception. Families who purchase a 529 plan through a financial advisor often pay a sales charge in addition to the plan’s underlying mutual fund fees. The amount of commission an advisor earns depends on the mutual fund share class selected within the 529 plan.

Under the suitability standard, broker-dealers must have a reasonable basis to believe their share class recommendations are suitable based on the client’s needs and investment profile. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently launched a 529 Plan Share Class Initiative to improve the supervisory practices and procedure of broker-dealers who sell 529 plans.

Two areas of concern were brokers who were recommending share classes to beef up their commissions, and the change in tax code that made K-12 tuition a qualified 529 plan expense.

A Sneaky Sales Practice

Advisor-sold 529 plans offered through brokerage firms (Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, UBS, etc.) are typically sold as Class A shares or Class C shares. Class A shares have an upfront sales charge (as high as 5.75%) and low annual fees, and Class C shares have no upfront sales charge with higher annual fees.

Generally, Class A shares are recommended for 529 plan beneficiaries who have a longer investment time horizon, since there is more time to absorb the cost of the upfront sales charge and the investor will benefit from the lower annual fee.

But, some advisors intentionally placed clients with young children in Class C shares to collect the higher ongoing sales charges.

Shorter Investing Time Horizons for K-12

As a general rule of thumb, some broker-dealer firms recommended Class A shares for all beneficiaries younger than 12 years old. This was considered a suitable investment since the child had at least six years until college.

However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 allows families to use up to $10,000 per year of 529 plan savings to pay for K-12 tuition expenses. Families paying for K-12 tuition typically have a much shorter time horizon than those saving for college, and therefore have less time to absorb the cost of an upfront sales commission.

How Broker-Dealer Firms are Responding to the Initiative

Many broker-dealer firms now use a suitability questionnaire and breakpoint calculator to see which share class is the best fit. FINRA supplied firms with a framework for the calculator, which provides a recommendation for Class C shares or Class A shares based on the investor’s time horizon.

Jeff Motske, President at Trilogy Financial Services in Orange County, CA, says that some broker-dealers are very strict about share class recommendations. Advisors are expected to understand the client’s investment goal and time horizon and keep documentation.

“With these new rules and regs, you’ve got to be examining pricing as part of your planning practice with your clients or you’re just not meeting the standard,” says Motske.

Russ Ryan, formerly FINRA’s Deputy Chief of Enforcement and a partner in King & Spalding’s Special Matters and Government Investigations team, says that although the deadline to self-report violations to FINRA has passed, taking a look at a firm’s supervision is a good business practice.

“The initiative may be prompting brokers to ask more questions of their customers before they make a recommendation to make sure they really do understand all the facts and circumstances of the customer’s situation and making sure that they are recommending the right type of 529 share class,” says Ryan.

How 529 Plan Fees Affect Your College Savings

With almost any 529 plan, the investor pays annual mutual fund fees. Direct-sold 529 plans typically invest in passively managed funds (such as index funds) with very low expenses. However, many advisor-sold 529 plans invest in actively managed funds with expenses as high as 1% and come with an additional sales charge to compensate the advisor. A 529 plan's expense ratio also varies by share class.

Even a small difference in 529 plan fees can add up over time. For example, if you invest $100,000 in a 529 plan with a 1% expense ratio you would pay $1000 in fees. If you instead invest in a 529 plan with a 0.10% expense ratio you would only pay $100 fees that year.

And remember, a 529 plan’s annual expense ratio is based on a percentage of assets in the account. So, as your account balance grows you end up paying more in fees. The more you pay in fees, the less money you are investing for your child’s college education.

Alternatives to Broker-Sold 529 Plans

Advisor-sold 529 plans are also sold by registered investment advisors (RIAs). RIAs have a fiduciary duty to put their clients’ best interests first. Instead of Class A shares or Class C shares, some RIAs place 529 plan clients in no-load share classes, such as Class I shares. The sales charge is waived, and the advisor typically charges an hourly rate, or an AUM advisory fee based on the assets in the 529 plan.

But, not all RIAs charge for 529 plan advice. Matthew Murawski, a financial planner with Goodstein Wealth Management, LLC in Encino, California offers pro-bono college planning advice to clients. His firm recommends 529 plans with low-cost index funds, no sales charge and no asset-based fee.

In Murawski’s experience, consumers are generally unaware of 529 plan share classes and that they can usually get the same investment at a lower cost. He recently helped two clients roll existing 529 plan assets from Class A and Class C shares to lower-cost Class I shares.

“Even if we were charging for it, let’s say we had an asset fee on there, we would still be saving you an incredible amount of money over the lifetime of the 529,” he says. “Fees really add up over the lifetime of a 529.”

Another RIA option is U-Nest, a college savings app that determines an optimal 529 plan investment portfolio based on your child’s age and time horizon. The funds are invested in Class I shares of the CollegeBound advisor-sold 529 plan managed by Invesco. Instead of charging an hourly rate, there is a $3 per month fee to use U-Nest.

According to Ksenia Yudia, Founder and CEO of U-Nest, the app is ideal for low- to middle-income families who may not be comfortable investing in a direct-sold 529 plan.

“Direct-sold plans come with certain complications, meaning the clients need to be comfortable opening their own investment account without the help of a financial advisor,” she says. “They need to have at least some basic knowledge of finance and investing.”

Final Thoughts

Families should regularly review their 529 plan to make sure the investments are still appropriate for their situation. It's perfectly reasonable to ask your advisor about which 529 plan share class you are invested in, especially if you have concerns.

Click to read full story.

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By investment news publication logo
June 14, 2019

James Rooney hadn’t planned on carving out a niche working with deaf clients. But nearly 30 years after his first encounter with a deaf client, he has become Morgan Stanley’s go-to adviser for this unique community of clients.

“If a deaf client were to walk into any Morgan Stanley office anywhere in the country, they will find me,” he said.

Mr. Rooney, who is based in West Hartford, Conn., and has been an adviser at Morgan Stanley for 20 years, was with Merrill Lynch in Long Island, N. Y., in the early 1990s when he noticed the receptionist struggling to communicate with a deaf client.

“I walked over and started talking to the person in sign language,” Mr. Rooney recalls. “Within six months, I probably got a dozen or more unsolicited walk-in deaf clients.”

Mr. Rooney, who now has 225 deaf clients, learned sign language as a child growing up in a household with two deaf parents.

Even though he and his team also work with about 1,000 other clients without hearing impairments, he considers his work with deaf clients as a “way to honor my parents.”

“I have grown my client base of deaf people every year and it’s mostly word-of-mouth referrals,” he said.

There are an estimated 2.2 million deaf people living in the United States, a number that is shrinking as a result of medical and technological advancements. But financial advisers who work with one or several deaf clients uniformly agree that it is an underserved market.

It was less than two years ago that wealth adviser Matthew Phillips had his first encounter with a deaf prospective client who emailed him at Trilogy Financial and closed with the explanation, “we are deaf.”

Mr. Phillips, who had studied sign language in college but didn’t consider himself fluent, wasn’t sure how to proceed.

“I reached out to our team to ask how we should handle this, and nobody had any idea,” he said. “I started to realize no one at Trilogy [which has 150 advisors in 10 offices] has dealt with this before.”

Mr. Phillips, who now works with 20 deaf clients, contacted his former sign language instructor at California Baptist University for some advice.

The instructor, W. Daniel Blair, organized a tutorial for a half dozen Trilogy advisors.

One of the challenges when it comes to providing financial advice to a deaf person is clear communication. With technology and creative determination, the communication can be managed even if the adviser isn’t fluent in sign language. But even being fluent in sign language doesn’t guarantee perfect communication.

“There’s so much in the financial world that doesn’t exist in sign language,” Mr. Blair said.

Not only does sign language differ by region, similar to regional accents, but he said some words just don’t exist in sign language.

“Take compound interest, for example, which I don’t think most hearing people even understand, but there’s just no way to interpret that in sign language,” Mr. Blair said.

In another example, he recalls watching a certified American Sign Language interpreter signing for the word investment in a way Mr. Blair said he would have signed for the word contribute.

“And what I was signing for investment, the interpreter was using for saving,” Mr. Blair said.

Mr. Rooney of Morgan Stanley has had similar experiences trying to employ words and phrases that did not yet exist in sign language.

“There’s a sign for interest and most everyone understands that, but I found there was not a sign for dividend, which is similar to interest,” he said. “So I decided to make a sign for dividend, and now I see other signers using it. That’s exactly the way it works. Sign language, like all language, evolves.”

Of course, many financial advisors don’t even have a foundation in sign language to start with. But that hasn’t prevented John Cooper, private client advisor at Greenwood Capital, from working with a deaf client for the past 10 years.

“We meet in person once a year, and I give him a notepad and I have a notepad, and that’s how we communicate,” Mr. Cooper said. “Let’s just say there’s not a lot of small talk.”

Technology, including the internet and smartphones, has made communication a lot easier than with the early teletype phone communication of decades ago when deaf people would have to type messages to a hearing operator, who would act as translator.

Mr. Rooney said he now has a video phone in his office that enables him to sign with his deaf clients in real-time.

For advisors who are interested in working with deaf clients, or who might be having trouble communicating with current clients who are deaf, Mr. Rooney said it’s important to make eye contact and remember always to face the deaf person.

“They may be able to read lips, so be sure to enunciate properly, maybe even over-enunciate,” he said. “And be patient. I find it much more frustrating for me not being able to get my ideas across than they were with me because they couldn’t understand what I was trying to say.”

Click here to read full story.

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By Orange County Business Journal logo
June 3, 2019

Written by: Jeff Motske |

Veteran money counselors are aging apace with the baby boomers they serve, a sometimes troubling fact for those approaching retirement. They want to be sure their financial advisers will be there when they need them the most.

As advisers retire, clients moving to the up-and-coming generation—ones they may feel lack sufficient experience and wisdom—can be challenging.

What’s a boomer to do?

Partners

The key to a transition is partnership.

Younger advisors are eager for impact.

The independence and flexibility of an adviser’s schedule is attractive but many of them want more. They want to find meaning in their careers, and after 30 years in the industry, I can think of few careers with more purpose than helping people pursue financial independence.

Young advisers seek a career path with upward mobility and freedom to explore, as we did when we were in their shoes. The creative nuances of financial planning—both art and science—offers that.

Once the desire is there, partnership fills the gaps.

Mentors

Veteran advisers must be willing to mentor—a departure for many of them from decades of professional practice. A seasoned advisor has often built success on flying solo, with perhaps the support of administrative service teams.

But the industry is evolving and moving toward a team-based, holistic approach to financial planning. That means veterans who are about to retire need to learn how to attract and connect with younger advisers.

The industry’s aim must be to cultivate the next generation of financial advisers. This fosters continued growth and ensures a future legacy.

Growth

Growth doesn’t happen without intention—a plan to empower advisers to flourish.

Plans start with focused efforts on recruiting and training talent—and nourishing team relationships.

Adviser partnerships reach into client relationships as well: those trusting the firm with their finances meet with seasoned “lead” advisers and associate advisers or “wings.” The former guides conversations; the latter observes, takes notes, and supports and serves the clients and their accounts.

Over multiple meetings, older clients communicate more with the younger advisers, establishing rapport, building relationships. In the end, these clients are at ease knowing there is a team ready to support them. The secret is the older advisers bring the younger advisers along so the client feels comfortable with the latter.

Legacy

They say the only constant in life is change. This can be a hard reality, particularly in finance.

Partnerships protect legacies, for both clients and advisers.

If veteran advisers don’t connect with their older clients’ beneficiaries, they will miss out on those assets. According to an Investment News survey, 66% of children don’t continue working with their parents’ advisers after they inherit.

If a relationship isn’t established before that, advisers risk losing a great deal.

A combined mentoring program lets younger advisers connect with younger beneficiaries and establish relationships that can secure generational planning. These partnerships simultaneously secure the legacy of an adviser’s practice and create the next generation of financial advisers.

Editor’s Note: Jeff Motske is founder and chief executive of Huntington Beach-based Trilogy Financial Services, which has 20,000 clients

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By saving for college dot com
May 2, 2019

Written by: Kathryn Flynn | College is a major expense, and families without a plan for their children risk jeopardizing their retirement and future financial independence. Many financial advisors discuss college savings as part of a family’s overall financial plan. New parents, parents of high school students and grandparents all turn to financial advisors for help with college planning.

Here are expert tips from financial advisors on how to help clients solve three common issues with college planning.

Click here to read the full story.

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Prior to investing in a 529 Plan investors should consider whether the investor's or designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program. Withdrawals used for qualified expenses are federally tax free. Tax treatment at the state level may vary. Please consult with your tax advisor before investing.

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By Forbes logo
April 19, 2019

With heavy financial burdens like student loans, rent, credit card payments and more, starting “adult life” on the right foot can feel impossible for many Millennials and Gen-Zers. These generations often receive conflicting advice about how to achieve financial stability: Some experts urge them to pay off their debts as quickly as possible, while others tell them to start building their retirement nest egg while they’re young.

While both paths are valid, it shouldn’t be one or the other. Instead, it’s important to create a strategic financial plan that addresses both short-term debt and long-term savings. Below, the experts of Forbes Finance Council share their advice for young professionals seeking a healthy balance.

Click here to read the full story.

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By fit small business logo
April 19, 2019

Starting and growing a business can be very challenging. While it’s possible to achieve some of your financial goals without consulting a financial planner, working with one can have more advantages to both your business and personal financial health. We spoke with experts who shared a few signs you need a financial planner.

Here are the top 21 telltale signs you may need a financial planner:

Click here to read the full story, featuring Trilogy Advisor, Windus Fernandez Brinkkord

 

 

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By financial planning logo
April 8, 2019

Written by: Matthew Phillips | The last words of the email stood out the most. “… the thing is … we are deaf.” This is how the prospective client closed her message to me in 2017.

When I agreed to meet with the woman and her husband, I was feeling uncertain about how to best communicate with them. To prepare, I added captions to my usual video presentation. But halfway through, I realized the couple was completely overwhelmed with the financial vocabulary I was using, which was entirely new to them. Improvising, I pulled up a blank Word document and started typing which allowed us to converse back and forth. I felt completely inadequate and regretted not preparing more, but did my best to connect with the couple.

To my surprise, the meeting concluded with the wife rejecting my handshake and instead grabbing onto me tightly as she began to cry. “Matthew, thank you for what you have done,” she said. “We have sat with five advisors, and none have come close to helping us like you have. I know we have missed out on financial opportunities because we are deaf.”

Click here to read the full story.

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By financial planning logo
February 28, 2019

Written by: Chelsea Emery | Jeff Motske has one of the strongest ways to tease out client priorities I’ve heard in quite a while.

“What if?” Motske asks clients.

“What if one if your partner needs critical care? What if you want to move to Arizona? What if one of your kids starts a family on the other side of the country?,” the CEO of Trilogy Financial asks.

It’s deceptively simple, but an excellent method for getting at the heart of clients’ values and fears.

“These are critical questions,” Motske told me during a recent visit to Financial Planning offices in New York. “You want to ask them before things happen.”

Click here to read the full story.

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By Cheapism logo
February 21, 2019

Written by: Andrew Lisa | Roughly 1 in 2 Americans retire between the ages of 61 and 65, and nearly 1 in 5 retire before that. Most Americans also now take Social Security before their full retirement age, which varies by year of birth. Not only are people retiring earlier, but they're also living longer — much longer — and there's mounting evidence to suggest that early retirement often doesn't translate into just a few extra years of golf, fishing, and margaritas on the beach. From your health and happiness to, of course, financial realities, consider the risks of calling it quits too soon.

Click here to view the slideshow.

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By Forbes logo
February 11, 2019

When Jeff Bezos started Amazon — originally called Cadabra — he announced, “Our goal is to be earth’s most customer-centric company.” Today Jeff Bezos calls it “customer obsession.”

As I explored why customer focus is the primary driver of many of the world’s most successful companies, I was thinking about conversations I had over the past year with CEOs who through customer-centric models are leading their industries. What I found is the key to a world-class customer experience really starts with your own culture. Below are direct quotes from 10 CEOs whose companies are leaders of service in their industry.

Click here to read the full story.

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By financial planning logo
February 4, 2019

Written by: By Amanda Schiavo | In your career as a planner, you’re bound to meet a character or two. Plus, when you consider the unique bond that develops in an advisor-client relationship, it makes sense you will field some, well, unorthodox requests from clients from time to time.

Scroll through the following list to see advisors' favorite anecdotes on baffling, funny and just plain strange queries.

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By the ceo forum group logo
February 1, 2019

“We all must work together for the client, connecting and collaborating to help solve their problems.” – Jeff Motske

Robert Reiss: Let's roll back to 1999. Talk about your vision for Trilogy.

Jeff Motske: I created the model that we use at Trilogy Financial, which is the combination of tax, financial and estate planning. In my previous life I was in the retirement planning space, but I knew there was more out there. I was working with my clients, and I recognized they had needs that we didn't service. So, I built a little network to better serve those needs, specifically tax and estate planning. Then I realized that a more comprehensive solution needed to be created, and the only way to realize this vision was to start my own firm…and that was the very beginning of Trilogy Financial. The way I look at it, tax, estate and financial planning may be in different lanes, but they're all on the same highway heading toward our clients' final destination. We all must work together for the client, connecting and collaborating to help solve their problems.

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By the ceo forum group logo
February 1, 2019

Radio host Jeff Motske CEO of Trilogy Financial shares the financial compatibility model changing the investing world.

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By the knot
February 1, 2019

If you’re planning a wedding, this conversation is a must.

Having debt is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, according to CNBC, 70 percent of college students graduate with student loan debt (the most common type of debt faced by newlyweds).

But if you do have debt (or your partner does), the one thing you need to do—no matter how uncomfortable or awkward it feels—is discuss it with each other.

“It’s important you’re transparent, for better or worse,” says Jeff Motske, president and CEO of Trilogy Financial and author of The Couple’s Guide to Financial Compatibility. “Get it out on the table now, because there’s nothing worse than statements showing up in the mail or online and all of a sudden, you realize you’re both liable for paying off the debt.”

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By
January 7, 2019

Written by: Dan Rafter

You’ve worked hard to build your own business, and you love the perk of being your own boss. But going solo does come with one big challenge: It can be tough to save enough for retirement.

When you work for a company, you often have access to a 401(k) plan in which you can automatically deposit money for your retirement. It’s not as simple when you’re self-employed. When you’re working for yourself, you need to develop a retirement plan and stick to it. Otherwise, you may face a long, stressful retirement, worried you won’t have enough money to pay for the lifestyle you want.

Here are some tips for building a retirement nest egg even when you’re self-employed.

Budget with Goals in Mind

Kevin Gallegos, senior vice president of client enrollment in the Phoenix office of Freedom Debt Relief, said the biggest challenge self-employed people face when saving for retirement is that their monthly income fluctuates so often.

It’s hard to save when your income soars to $10,000 one month but then crashes to $4,000 the next.

“Income that fluctuates from month to month does make it harder to establish any regular budgeting and savings, but it is doable with a different approach,” Gallegos said.

That different approach? Gallegos recommends that those who are self-employed create a budget that’s based not only on dollars and cents, but on goals, too.

These goals may include being able to retire at a certain age, taking regular vacations, buying a new car or just having the time to take a daily walk. Once you write down these objectives, you can build your budget with them in mind, Gallegos said.

What a Budget Should Include

Your budget should list your mandatory expenses each month – everything from your mortgage payment to your car loan to the minimum you need to pay each month on your credit cards. It should also record those regular monthly costs that fluctuate: items such as your utility bill, groceries and transportation. Estimate what these are, and don’t forget to factor in the money you spend on discretionary expenses, such as eating out and entertainment. Finally, your budget should include your regular monthly income.

When you look at your income and your goals, you might decide it’s time to make changes. You may have to scale back some of your loftier ambitions.

“It might mean modifying the hoped-for China vacation to, say, San Francisco’s Chinatown,” Gallegos said. “But whatever happens, you’ll find that you will be spending smartly and getting where you want to go.”

Work into your budget a line item for retirement savings in your expenses area. Gallegos recommends you choose a percent of your monthly income to designate for savings. Take a portion of that amount and save it in an IRA or other retirement savings vehicle to help steadily build your reserve.

Make It Automatic

Tommy Valmeyer, chief executive officer of San Francisco-based digital marketing company OpenKit.io, said the biggest challenge for the self-employed is remembering to contribute to a retirement fund at all.

“When you have a standard 9-to-5 with a company, they can automatically contribute a portion of your paycheck to retirement,” Valmeyer said. “This is not the case for the self-employed.”

The best solution? Valmeyer recommends that self-employed individuals find a checking account that allows them to automatically submit a certain amount of money each month to a retirement account. The key is to make the commitment to this deposit, and to keep it going even when your business might not be booming.

Consider a “Solo” 401(k)

Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and chairman of Debt.com, said self-employed individuals need to consider all their options when it comes to saving dollars for retirement.

“Being your own boss is awesome, but being your own retirement savings plan can be a real downer,” he said.

If you work for yourself, you probably already know of traditional and Roth IRAs. But Dvorkin said many who are self-employed don’t know about the benefits of a “solo” 401(k) account.

This type of retirement savings vehicle, also known as a Self-Employed 401(k) or Individual 401(k), was designed for employers who have no full-time employees other than themselves and their spouse. In other words, it’s designed for people who work for themselves.

This 401(k) plan offers the same benefits as traditional versions. You can contribute up to $19,000 in your solo 401(k) plan in 2019 when contributing as an employee or up to $24,500 if you are 50 or older. When contributing as an employer, you can contribute up to 25% of your compensation. The total amount you can contribute to your individual 401(k) account, not counting catch-up contributions if you are 50 or older, is $55,000 in 2019.

If you are contributing as an employer, your contributions to the 401(k) plan are tax-deductible. If you are contributing as the employee, your contributions will reduce your taxable income.

Find the Right Savings Vehicle

Windus Fernandez Brinkkord, managing vice president in the San Diego office of Trilogy Financial, said self-employed people have several options when it comes to retirement savings vehicles.

Those who aren’t going to save more than $5,500 in a year will do well with a traditional IRA, Brinkkord said. Once these individuals are ready to save more money, though, Brinkkord recommends they invest in an individual 401(k) plan.

“Self-employed people often put so much back into their business they forget to save for their own retirement,” Brinkkord said. “In many cases, the business is them and, therefore, not sellable. Be cognizant of saving for yourself.”

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By Forbes logo
December 28, 2018

Many individuals reach significantly higher levels of earning – and spending – in their 30s. Many of them have moved up in their careers, branched out across sectors, started investing, gotten married or started a family, to name a few. All of these events can also drain savings significantly, not to mention cut into retirement plans.

With so much capital moving around, it is important to set goals and guidelines for how and when money is spent. To give you a better understanding of how 30-somethings can stay on track for general savings and retirement, 14 entrepreneurs from Forbes Finance Council share their top advice for those needing to find a balance between spending and saving in their 30s.

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By Forbes logo
December 28, 2018

If you didn’t grow up around people who invested, then chances are that you still may not know a whole lot about the process. It may seem like something you should do as an adult but otherwise difficult to wrap your head around. Particularly for young adults who entered the job market during the Great Recession, the idea of investing heavily in the stock market still carries a certain level of fear.

Yet, with the right knowledge and guidance, young investors are quite capable of successfully creating a portfolio that will deliver solid returns. To help you gain that crucial insight, 15 members of Forbes Finance Council share the most important things young investors should know about getting started with stocks…

Many view the stock market as a roller coaster, but they ride it the wrong way. Instead of a quick ride full of highs and lows, start the ride early, travel through the small bumps and know it will go back up in the decades between today and retirement. Remember, though, the key to financial success doesn’t depend on the market’s performance but on the sound financial decisions you make each day. -Jeff Motske CFP®, Trilogy Financial

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By Trilogy Financial
November 27, 2018

Money is something every couple talks about and struggles with at some point and it can be one of the biggest sources of stress in a relationship. Add kids to that, and you’ve got even more financial demands and desires to think about. It’s something Chris and I constantly have to work on and we’re still not where we’d like to be in the twilight of our careers. But outside of winning the lottery, how can we fix our financial woes? Is it too late for us?

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By wealth management logo
November 16, 2018

To those who haven’t witnessed it first-hand, guardianship may sound like a heroic assignment in which bigger, stronger, more seasoned protectors keep individuals who are unable to fend for themselves. However, as the ragtag super hero team the Guardians of the Galaxy has come to learn, the reality of assuming guardianship (over a single person, let alone the entire galaxy) is far less than ideal.

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By aaptiv logo
November 1, 2018

Thanksgiving – with its juicy turkey, rich side dishes (scalloped potatoes, anyone?), and an array of desserts—isn’t the most health-conscious holiday. But neither is the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday is one of the biggest consumer holidays of the year, with hoards of people lining up in the middle of the night to score deals on everything from clothes to cell phones to TVs. A spending frenzy won’t have the same immediate impact on your body as multiple slices of pumpkin pie. But, there’s no denying the strong link between financial and physical health. Here, we explore how your finances affect your health and how you can get a better handle on your money—and health—in the process.

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By business insider logo
November 1, 2018

When Jill Caponera was 25, she moved from New York to Los Angeles. That’s when the money trouble began.

“The cost of moving and everything that goes along with a move are kind of how my financial pitfalls started,” Caponera says. “I was looking for work for quite a few months, and once I found work, I wasn’t being completely responsible with my credit card.”

Before she knew it, she had $5,000 in credit-card debt, and her credit score had plummeted to 600. “It seemed like out of nowhere it snowballed out of control,” she says. “It made me really stressed out and worried about how long it was going to take me to pay off this debt.”

But now, five years later, Caponera, now a senior PR manager with Promocodes.com, has $20,000 with a credit score of 805. She’s planning to start mortgage shopping soon, and has been told she’s “highly qualified.”

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By Trilogy Financial
October 14, 2018

Jason Feifer, Jennifer Miller and Jeff Motske

Welcome to Relationship Management 101: Working with your spouse can be extremely rewarding (and complicated). In this episode, we dive deep with three people who’ve mastered the balance of professional ambition and personal relationships. Kicking off the show is Entrepreneur Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Jason Feifer, and author and journalist, Jennifer Miller. This husband and wife duo recently co-authored the comedic romp, “Mr. Nice Guy”, and learned about their marriage in the process. Jason and Jennifer reveal their top tips on working with loved ones. Next we'll speak with Jeff Motske, President and CEO of Trilogy Financial, Certified Financial Planner, Host of “The Jeff Motske Show”, and Author of “The Couple's Guide to Financial Compatibility”. Jeff serves up important lessons on collaborative money management, and explains why having a succession plan in place is integral for a healthy business environment. Tune in to find out how open communication, compromise, and preparation can help you strike the ideal work/life harmony.

[00:00:00] Personal and Professional Relationships

[00:05:30] The Power of Open Communication

[00:11:31] Tips for Working with Your Spouse

[00:18:21] Schedule a Financial Date Night

[00:26:11] Your Ego is the Enemy of Humility

[00:33:22] Why You Need a Succession Plan

Click here to listen to the full podcast.

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By Trilogy Financial
October 12, 2018

Fintech-related deals in the Denver metro and Boulder metro are booming. But can the area keep up with competition on both coasts?

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By Trilogy Financial
September 21, 2018

IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO boost your bank account and lower your bills, assessing where you can trim your expenses is an ideal step toward taking control of your finances. But just as cutting back on calories isn't always easy, paring back your expenses and identifying areas where you're overspending can present a challenge. You may have to modify your budget, re-evaluate your spending habits and even shift your mindset. So if you want to go on a financial diet but aren't sure how to start, try the following expert-backed strategies.

Start tracking your expenses. “In order to cut back on the budget, you need to have a budget,” says Kevin Gallegos, the vice president of client enrollment with Freedom Debt Relief, a debt settlement company based in Phoenix. “While people may talk about trimming the budget, relatively few actually have one written down. A spreadsheet or pencil and paper will work as well as budget-specific software or an app,” he says.

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By Trilogy Financial
September 18, 2018

Businesses with more than one owner face unique challenges in planning for the future. A buy-sell agreement is an arrangement between business partners to govern potential ownership transitions, including the “four Ds”: death, disability, divorce and disagreement.

One of the advantages of a buy-sell agreement is that can protect the company and the remaining owners by outlining how the departing owner’s shares are handled.

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By Trilogy Financial
September 14, 2018

You’re in a pinch and in desperate need of money. You’ve already asked family members for help, but nobody can assist you. You’ve heard of a personal loan before, but is taking one out a good idea?

In short, it depends on your particular financial situation. If you’ve racked up high-interest credit card debt, for example, and you can take out a personal loan with a lower interest rate to consolidate and pay off that debt, a personal loan might be right for you. But if you have other assets you can borrow against that will have lower interest rates — such as a 401(k) loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) — you might want to consider pursuing those lines of credit instead of a personal loan.

Here’s everything you need to know about when a personal loan might be worthwhile, and when you might want to look elsewhere.

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By Trilogy Financial
August 23, 2018

It’s never too early to begin discussing the concept of money and personal finances with your children. In fact, some financial experts suggest these conversations should begin during elementary school.

For parents who missed that boat (and you’re not alone if that’s you), all is not lost. It’s even more critical to sit your child down and talk about effective personal finance management as he or she is preparing to leave the nest for college, a time in life when they’ll be faced with credit card offers; signing onto student loans, and, in many cases, living on their own for the first time.

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By Trilogy Financial
August 7, 2018

Independent advisors need to lead the recruiting and training of a new generation of wealth managers, according Jeff Motske, president and CEO of Trilogy Financial, $3 billion hybrid RIA based in Huntington Beach, Ca.

“The public wants independent advisors and the industry is moving in that direction,” he said. “Clients are already asking older advisors about who is going to advise them when the advisor retires. Older clients want someone who can see their family through the estate transition process. A younger planner gives clients confidence that someone will be there to help them through their entire life and afterward.”

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By Trilogy Financial
July 24, 2018

Cerulli Associates, a leading financial services market research firm, projects that more than one-third (35 percent) of financial advisors will retire in the next 10 years. In its wake, the next generation of advisors will inherit roughly $6 trillion of advisor-managed assets. This begets a crucial question: where will the industry find this next generation of advisors? As it stands, only a quarter of today’s advisor population is under the age of 40, according to the CFP Board, and of this, a mere 10 percent are under 35, Cerulli reports.

Why is the industry experiencing this new talent shortage? Of the myriad obstacles, poor industry perception and a lack of necessary structure to engage and mentor promising young leaders are two worth noting. However, they can be overcome with a commitment to understanding millennial preferences in the workplace and investing in the necessary resources to inspire today’s brightest talent to choose financial advising. It’s an investmentthat will deliver significant returns for both advisory firms and their clients.

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By Trilogy Financial
July 5, 2018

As a parent, it’s natural to want to help your children succeed. In fact, in a recent survey of parents, 37% of respondents said no investment goal is more important than saving for a child’s college education.

If you plan to pay for all of your child’s college expenses, you can expect to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for one year, according to the College Board’s 2017-2018 figures.

While it might feel good to give your child a head start in life, choosing to pay for their education might not be an easy choice for everyone.

“The decision to contribute to a child’s college education is a deeply nuanced and personal decision,” said Jeff Motske, a certified financial planner and the president of Trilogy Financial.

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By Trilogy Financial
July 2, 2018

It’s human nature to address challenges based on their most pervasive effects, rather than dissect their causes. Take the ongoing discussion about the need for diversity in wealth management as an example. Endless articles have been written about the need to have more women, more people of color and more age diversity in the industry. As one of the white males who too often exemplifies the status quo, I couldn’t agree more with the impulse: the future of financial advice must be more female, more ethnic and age diversified than it is today.

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By Trilogy Financial
June 22, 2018

As a parent, it’s natural to want to help your children succeed. In fact, in our recent survey of parents, 37% of respondents said no investment goal is more important than saving for a child’s college education.

If you plan to pay for all of your child’s college expenses, you can expect to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for one year, according to the College Board’s 2017-2018 figures:

While it might feel good to give your child a head start in life, choosing to pay for their education might not be an easy choice for everyone.

“The decision to contribute to a child’s college education is a deeply nuanced and personal decision,” said Jeff Motske, a certified financial planner and the president of Trilogy Financial.

Click here to read the full story.

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By Trilogy Financial
June 19, 2018

No matter how much you and your partner have in common, investing will uncover differences. Maybe one likes playing it safe while the other relishes risk-taking. One wants to invest every available penny, while the other yearns to live it up now. Or perhaps you disagree on when to retire.

Differences are inevitable, says Kathleen Burns Kingsbury, founder of KBK Wealth Connection in Waitsfield, Vermont. “That’s the nature of a partnership.”

But some couples don’t discover their differences until they fester into conflicts. You can avoid discord by bringing financial topics into the open, finding common ground and compromising.

“Learning how to talk about and work through conflict will make you stronger partners,” says Kingsbury, author of “Breaking Money Silence: How to Shatter Money Taboos, Talk More Openly About Finances, and Live a Richer Life.”

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By Trilogy Financial
June 12, 2018

The Social Security Administration’s 2018 Trustee report contains the same dire news as last year – the benefit program will run out of money in 2034. Some look at this distant date as a reason to remain calm, confident a solution will be found. “Despite the projections on the insolvency of Social Security, I do not hold the belief that Social Security will dry up entirely,” says Ryan Repko, a financial adviser for Ruedi Wealth Management, Inc. in Champaign, Illinois. “For better or worse, social security has become hardcoded in the American DNA, after all, it is not called the ‘3rd rail of politics’ for nothing. No politician wants to be in office and have social security dry up, so something will have to change that will reform social security, to keep it intact for generations to come. That’s my humble optimistic view.”

Others deny the way the math is interpreted. “Social Security is definitively not on the cusp of insolvency,” says Glenn Sulzer, Senior Analyst in the Corporate Compliance division of Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. “The media hysteria that typically accompanies the SS Trustees’ Report ignores the fact that under current tax collections, the trust fund will be sufficient to pay 3/4 benefits for 75 years. The choreographed emergency is especially misplaced with those currently 50 and older, and even with respect to employees under the age of 50.

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By Trilogy Financial
June 6, 2018

It’s the time of year when many parents have watched their children graduate from high school. While no doubt proud of their offspring’s achievements, in the back of their heads, all parents wonder about one thing: does my child have good financial habits. As they embark for the first time into that brave new world of adulthood, they’ll also be venturing into the terra incognito of money. Are they prepared?

It’s a challenge for parents to teach their children everything they need to know to ready them for their lives ahead. A good, practical, common sense financial education often falls far to the back of the priority list (though sometimes for good reasons). It shouldn’t. “If there’s one huge gift we as parents can give our kids,” says Jessica Ludvigsen, Sr. Vice President of Retail Banking at Axiom Bank in Orlando, Florida, “it’s the knowledge they need to grow up to be financially stable adults.”

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By Trilogy Financial
May 29, 2018

Over the past century, life expectancy in the United States has dramatically increased, a fact that has profoundly impacted the financial security experienced during our golden years.

After World War II, the first generation of retirees were generally expected to live less than a decade after leaving the workforce. Now, the average American is living to be about 78.8 years old, and as a result retirement can last anywhere from 20 to 30 years, with some people spending more time retired than they did working.

That sort of longevity is wreaking havoc on the best of financial plans, particularly when combined with the rising costs of some of life’s most significant expenses.

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By Trilogy Financial
May 14, 2018

The digitization of financial services is upon us and with it comes an opportunity to grow—not just in our use of technology, but also in the way we serve clients. In this age of hybrid financial advice, where clients wish to experience the same autonomy they have on Amazon with the customized advice they get from their therapist, we have a lot of growing to do in the industry to meet these demands. Innovation is the key and technology is just a piece of the puzzle.

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By Trilogy Financial
May 12, 2018

Giving your teenager a credit card may seem like a scary proposition, but it could be the safest way to teach them about credit. Credit expert John Ulzheimer says it's just like teaching your teenager how to operate a car, but in a controlled environment. “Nobody would just let a teen hop in a car and drive,” says Ulzheimer, who formerly worked with Equifax and FICO. “And nobody should just let their kid get a card on their own someday without some teaching by the parents.”

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By Trilogy Financial
April 19, 2018

Trilogy Financial has added Ginger Silverman, founder and president of Aha! Unlimited Consulting and vice president of marketing, brands and campaigns at Behr Paint, to its board of directors. Silverman has also led communications initiatives for companies including Prudential, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Homebase and Lindora Medical Weight Control. “Ginger’s leadership, communications excellence and commitment to innovation aligns seamlessly with Trilogy’s core values,” said Jeff Motske, president and CEO of Trilogy Financial.

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By Trilogy Financial
April 19, 2018

Ferrero, global confectionary giant, has brought on Cheryll Forsatz in the newly created role of VP, PR and corporate communications. Forsatz joins Ferrero from Ketchum, where she was a senior VP with responsibility for the agency’s external communications. Before that, she served as director of communications for McDonald’s New York Metro Region and was also a senior VP at MWW PR. At Ferrero, she will lead PR and corporate communications plans and strategies for its product portfolio (which includes Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder Joy) as well as for the Ferrero corporate brand.

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By Trilogy Financial
April 18, 2018

RIA Kestra Private Wealth says it has added a group with two advisors from Merrill Lynch: True Alpha Wealth Management of Sandusky, Ohio, is led by Brian C. Duttera and Elizabeth Skrinak, CFP.

Duttera was with Merrill Lynch for the past 30 years, while Skrinak worked for the wirehouse for the past 13 years.

“We chose Kestra PWS because of its easily adaptable platform, cutting-edge technological capabilities, integrated CRM tools and most importantly – the team’s commitment to helping us serve our clients and grow our business,” said Duttera, in a statement. “We’re thrilled, energized, and very happy with the support we received thus far.”

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By Trilogy Financial
April 10, 2018

Sometimes a cliché is best captured in a picture. On my colleague's phone was a black Bentley, chrome logo glistening in the sun. The car belonged to one of his most successful clients, but it wasn't the presumptive price tag that was jarring. The custom license plate read, “NVSTWME,” surrounded by a frame stating, “My other car is a yacht.”

Photographic evidence of people's worst assumptions about financial advisers: extreme affluence, simplistic value proposition, garnished with a touch of hubris. Truth is, the majority of people in financial services do not carry themselves with…

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By Trilogy Financial
April 6, 2018

We need them to abandon the machine work that has become such a distraction. Oftentimes, smart advisors use less than superior tools to do their darndest to serve their clients and in the meantime have lost human connection. It is time to alter our expectations of financial advisors. We primarily need to expect them to act in human, not machine ways, and in doing so more than earn their fee. What are the human things great advisors do?

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By Trilogy Financial
April 1, 2018

A financial expert breaks down how to get through tax season unscathed, including how to prep, when to file jointly and the best ways to optimize your refund.

’Tis the season—for taxes. Listen, we know shuffling through IRS forms and deciphering a new tax code is one of the least enticing ways to kick off newlywed life (especially if you just returned from your honeymoon and finally wrapped up thank-you notes). But if you haven’t already, it’s time to get down to business filing your first tax return as a married couple. Have questions? We have answers, thanks to Jeff Motske, president and CEO of Trilogy Financial and author of The Couple's Guide to Financial Compatibility. Here’s what first-time newlyweds need to know this tax season.

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By Trilogy Financial
April 1, 2018

Much has been said about the rise of robo-advisors in the financial services industry. With tens of billions of dollars being invested in these online platforms, it is undeniable that consumers are craving the speed, efficiency and data that they can provide. While many of us agree that no computer can offer the one-on-one relationship that a client-advisor relationship can, we would be remiss to ignore this growing trend.

Some advisors react to the rise of these platforms by dismissing the trend and lamenting about the good old days when an account application could fit on a postcard. What they should be doing is exploring why robos are so appealing and what aspects of that technology could be incorporated into their practices.

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By Trilogy Financial
March 22, 2018

We are at our best as educators and space-makers for a deeper engagement with the financial world, and all our work with our clients should spur on hope.

Many people in my profession would not make an immediate leap from the late physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking to our work of capital markets, mutual funds and financial planning. This is understandable. Our work in financial advising is overtly pragmatic. It’s either mathematical or fervently personal, with little room for theory or imagining the “why” behind what we do. It is—I suggest—so much like the world of science Hawking was awakened to 50 or more years ago. He watched as the imaginations of his peers went deeply to the practical, to the technological, while he dreamed of deeper questions about how and why.

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By Trilogy Financial
February 26, 2018

I’ve sat in those rooms, and you have too. You know the ones, where some war-weary veteran of the good old days of financial services talks about how they used to walk uphill both ways in a blizzard to every client meeting.

How the account application was as small as a postcard. How they didn’t even have calculators and surmised rates of return on the back of a napkin.

We are all told that a return to such days would be a good thing for clients and advisors alike and that all of this technology “stuff” is simply ruining a business that at its core is about helping people save for their future, not do calculus.

But those are not the only rooms.

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By Trilogy Financial
January 15, 2018

Jeff Motske advocates a special kind of date with your spouse – “a financial date night” – to discuss the family’s finances…

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By Trilogy Financial
October 25, 2017

Trilogy Financial, formerly part of the National Planning Holdings network bought by LPL Financial in August, says it will affiliate with the independent broker-dealer. The Huntington Beach, California-based group has some 150 financial advisors and over $2 billion in client assets.

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By Trilogy Financial
October 19, 2017

Trilogy Financial, with over $2 billion in client assets one of the largest financial planning firms affiliated with National Planning Corp., said on Thursday afternoon it was joining LPL Financial.

LPL in mid-August said it acquired the assets of National Planning Holdings Inc., an independent broker-dealer network with 3,200 advisers and $120 billion of client assets. The firms in the NPH network are: National Planning, Invest Financial Corp., Investment Centers of America Inc. and SII Investments Inc. Combined in 2016, they generated $909 million in revenues, according to InvestmentNews data.

Click here to read the full story.

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