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"Fresh Finance"

Get a fresh take on finance with Kyle Ryan, CFP and Thomas Elms, CFP. Fresh Finance is intended to educate the viewers on the many facets of financial planning through the lens of a pair of young CFPs. Not only do the pair discuss financial planning topics and strategies, but also current factors going on in the the world that directly affect the market.


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Episode 47 - A Recap of the 2023 Stock Market

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle recap the major market events in 2023 and what they are keeping an eye on in 2024.



Episode 46 - What Types of Insurance Should I Have?

       

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle touch on the three different financial aspects to insure in your life: your wealth, health, and income. This is achieved through life, disability, health, LTC, homeowners, auto, umbrella, etc. insurances.



Episode 45 - End of Year Planning

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle touch on some ideas and strategies to consider before the end of the year.



Episode 44 - How to Improve Your Credit Score

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle explain what makes up your credit score. Specifically, we break down each factor that makes up your score and what impact it has. We then discuss the impacts that your credit score can have on your financial life and some tips on how to build up your score.



Episode 43 - What It's Like to Run a Sports & NIL Agency with Michael Raymond

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Michael Raymond, founder of Raymond Representation, a sports agency firm that specializes in NIL and Talent Management.



Episode 42 - Government Shutdowns and the Fed (Third Quarter Update)

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle look back on the third quarter of 2023 and reflect on major market events that occurred.



Episode 41 - Investing When Interest Rates Are High

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss different things to consider when investing in a high interest rate environment.



Episode 40 - Tax Strategies for Business Owners

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss various tax strategies for business owners. Some topics including: determining your corporate structure, how much to pay yourself vs. take in profit, employee benefits and retirement plans, etc.



Episode 39 - Put Your Money Where Your Plan Is

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the importance of aligning your values with your wealth. No one plans to fail, but people can fail to plan. Without a clear path forward toward your goals, you may be 'winging' your financial future. This episode highlights some strategies and ideas to help solve this issue.



Episode 38 - Renting vs. Buying: Which Makes More Sense?

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the pros and cons of renting vs buying a home. Many wish to fulfill the American Dream of owning a home, but are they overlooking some 'hidden' costs? Should you look at your primary residence simply as a place to live, or is it another investment? There are many factors that tie into why the decision to buy a home relies solely in your unique goals and circumstances.



Episode 37 - Understanding Life and Disability Insurance

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the basics of life and disability insurance. We touch upon how to determine if one has life insurance needs, how much those needs are, and different insurance policies that can accomplish their goals. Similar with disability insurance, and we dive in deeper on how disability insurance can impact business owners.



Episode 36 - Understanding IRAs and 401(k)s

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the basics of retirement plans. This includes Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and much more. We dive into how each of these plans work and when you can take advantage of each retirement vehicle.



Episode 35 - An Update on Inflation

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the elephant that has been in the room for the last year and a half - inflation. Inflation has reared it's ugly head on the global economy after the onset of the pandemic, and it has remained persistent. We discuss just how 'sticky' inflation is and how it impacts you financially.



Episode 34 - Health Insurance: The Benefit of Understanding Your Benefits

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle welcome Jacob Katzfey. Jacob is a Junior Partner at Apollo Insurance Group. Health Insurance can sometimes be really hard to comprehend when it comes to recognizing what your benefits are and how they work. This episode is all about understanding your health insurance coverage. The guys discuss coverage options, things to consider, HSA's and more with Jacob.



Episode 33 - Building Wealth As An Influencer with Jaylin James

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Jaylin James, an influencer with over 3 million followers across various social media platforms. We discuss how Jaylin handled the sudden increase in wealth and fame, and how he planned accordingly to preserve his financial future. Many people wish to gain notoriety and fame, but lose themselves in this search. Jaylin opens up about the path that led to his success, and what has kept him grounded along the way.



Episode 32 - How Do Athletes and Celebrities Purchase Insurance with Zach Wolkstein

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Zach Wolkstein, an associate broker with the Balaban Group, LLC. In this episode, we discuss the nuances of estate planning and risk management (insurance) for high net worth and high profile individuals, such as celebrities and entrepreneurs.



Episode 31 - 30 Episode Reflection

       

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle celebrate 30 episodes of the Fresh Finance podcast! We reflect on how the podcast has grown and changed from when we started it, as well as how we have personally grown from creating the podcast.



Episode 30 - Building Your Financial Team

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the importance of building your financial team early. These are the people you will go to when you are in a pinch, so it is essential to form trust with them prior to when it is needed. We discuss who the members of the team are and why they are each important.


       

                                                     

Episode 29 - Property & Casualty Insurance: Finding Your Policy with Sean Robinson

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Sean Robinson, a Property and Casualty Insurance Specialist to discuss the ins and outs of auto, home, and umbrella liability coverages. This episode emphasizes the importance for people to review their insurance policies whenever they experience a significant life change.


                                                     


Episode 28 - Pay Yourself First: Reverse Budgeting Explained

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle talk about the power of paying yourself first. Many people struggle with managing their expenses, and seldom keep a consistent budget. We dive into the pitfalls of a traditional budget and explain what reverse budgeting is and how it may better align someone's expenses with their short and long term goals.


                                                     


Episode 27 - Employer Stock and Employee Stock Options

       

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss many of the nuances associated with receiving employer stock options. These can come in a variety of forms, such as ESPPs, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, etc. We break down each of these different types of stock options and how you as an investor may take full advantage of these benefits.


       

                                                     

Episode 26 - Estate Planning 101 with Sal Bello

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Salvatore Bello III, an attorney with a focus on estate planning located in King of Prussia, PA, right outside of Philadelphia. In this episode, we discuss why we believe it is important for everyone to have a will. We also dive into the value of trusts and how they can work for you. The biggest misconception with estate planning is that it is reserved only for the wealthy, but, as we discuss in this episode, there are many ways in which everyone can benefit from some form of estate planning.

           


Episode 25 - Banking System Commentary and First Quarter Update

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle touch on the recent shock that overtook the banking system globally and the fallout the occurred. We also touch on everything that happened in the investing world in the first quarter and what we believe investors should keep an eye on moving forward into 2023.



Episode 24 - Taxes, Taxes, Taxes with Cayden McLaughlin

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Cayden McLaughlin, an Enrolled Agent located in the Clearwater, Florida area whom helps individuals with tax preparation and filing. In this episode, we discuss common mistakes made on taxes and how to avoid them.



Episode 23 - Saving (For) Your Kids Future

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss how young parents can help save their kids future (financially). From topics such as understanding credit scores, building valuable habits, learning to set and work toward goals, etc. this episode covers what we believe everyone should know when trying to successfully position your child for financial success.



Episode 22 - Homebuying 101: Understanding Mortgages & Refinancing

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle are joined by Mike Harvey, a mortgage broker located in the Greater Philadelphia area whom helps individuals with obtaining financing for mortgages, refinancing, etc. In this episode, we discuss things to look out for when buying home and different programs that could save you thousands.



Episode 21 - Decreasing Risk: The Long-play

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the most important component of risk for many investors - time. Understanding the difference between one's risk tolerance and risk capacity can broadly change one's perception of long-term investing, especially during downswings. As our time horizon for requiring liquidity from investments decreases, so should the amount of portfolio risk.



Episode 20 - Early Retirement: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle talk about what many people are interested in - early retirement! While this is an increasingly popular idea, there are many nuances and complexities when it comes to planning for an early retirement. Working can be seen as a means to an end when it comes to planning for retirement, but what are the best steps for YOUR specific circumstances. What are some pitfalls to watch out for? These topics and many more are discussed in this weeks video.



Episode 19 - Passive Income Requires Active Planning

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle take on the topic of passive income and what it takes to create a passive income stream that you can rely on in the future. Active planning and goal setting are crucial elements for creating passive income.



Episode 18 - The Importance of Diversification

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss how important having diversification is in your life. Diversification in your investments, income, assets, or anything else can help reduce risk in your financial life and provide a more steady income stream to rely on in the future.



Episode 17 - Financial Skills to Master Early

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss four financial skills that they believe are crucial for anyone to master. The sooner one can master these skills, the sooner their pathway to financial independence can begin.



Episode 16 - The Importance of Planning Early

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss how impactful early financial planning can be. People don't plan to fail, but some fail to plan. This episode details easy ways for people to begin the process of financial planning.



Episode 15 - Tax Planning Strategies for 2023

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle cover different ways that people can get ahead of their taxes. No one likes owing taxes, and when you're filing your taxes it's too late to change anything. Therefore, prompt and thorough tax planning will help people retain more money in their pockets, rather than the governments.



Episode 14 - The Secure 2.0 Act and Who It Affects

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the recent tax law changes that came with the passing of SECURE 2.0. The SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) greatly expands credits for employers to open retirement accounts, allows for availability for investors to contribute to Roth accounts, and much more.



Episode 13 - Market Recap of 2022

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle reflect on how the markets performed in 2022. Headline issues, such as inflation, rising interest rates, the Russia-Ukraine war, and consumer sentiment are well known, but why did they impact the markets the way they did? This and many other lesser known headwinds are broken down in this episode.




Episode 12 - Don't Fight The Fed

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the current state of the market. We dive into different topics such as our thoughts on what the Fed is doing, why they are doing it, and how it impacts investors. We follow the Fed's statements and analysis of the current economic conditions in the US and try to determine how the markets will react. In short - don't fight the Fed!




Episode 11 - Why Business Owners Work With Advisors

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss how business owners are traditionally some of the busiest people, as they have to focus most, if not all, of their time and energy on actually running their business. Financial advisors can help play a role in setting up a business owner for financial success not only today, but in the future.



Episode 10 - How To Analyze A Portfolio

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss how investors can both analyze their portfolios and rethink their investment strategies. The investing landscape is ever changing, which is why we provide investors with different ways of staying up to date with their investment portfolios and how to change their mindset to not allow for short-term market fluctuations to get in the way of their long term goals.



Episode 9 - Monthly Market Update: May 2022

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the volatility in the stock and bond markets and how investors can position themselves to handle this downturn, both financially and emotionally.



Episode 8 - Estate Planning: Don't Let the Government Be Your Primary Beneficiary


In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the significance of having an estate plan. Estate planning is not just for the wealthy, as everyone ought to have some sort of plan, whether it is in the form of a will, adding beneficiaries to financial accounts, etc. Who would you rather decide where your money goes when you pass, the government or you?


Episode 7 - Understanding Interest Rates

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the impact of a rising interest rate market environment. Many people are worried about rising rates and how it may impact anything from mortgage payments, car payments, lower earnings multiples for stocks, etc.

Today is all about touching on the important things to consider in rising rate environments like this and how sticking to a long-term investment approach tends to be the most effective path forward.



Episode 6 - Income & Tax Planning


In this weeks episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss the nuances of income and tax planning. The most important thing to remember is that it's not how much you make, but how much you keep.

Thomas and Kyle dive into different misnomers out there relating to tax planning, as well as ways to increase income and allocate it according to your plan.


Episode 5 - Monthly Market Update: March 2022

In this weeks episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss their thoughts on what has been occurring in the markets since the start of 2022. With volatility spiking due to a myriad of factors such as geopolitical pressure, rapidly increasing inflation, and rising interest rates, it is important to keep a level head and stick to your long term investing plan.

This episode focuses on how investors can perceive changes in the market and reminds them to remain objective in their investing and not emotional. While it is not time to panic within investment portfolios, it is important to be mindful of changes in the economic cycle and how it may impact ones investments.



Episode 4 - Retirement Planning: It's Never Too Early

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle discuss retirement planning and how it is never too early or too late to begin planning for retirement.

Topics covered include different types of retirement plans that one can contribute to, understanding expenses before and into retirement, Social Security strategies, and much more.



Episode 3 - Cash Flow: Building Wealth & Reducing Debt

In this week’s episode, Thomas and Kyle talk about the base of Financial Planning, Cash Flow. It’s so important to understand what is coming IN and what is going OUT and balancing that in a way that has you saving, investing, and also enjoying your life in the present.

It’s also important to understand what you want your cash flow to look like in retirement as well, because if you don’t have that nailed down, how are you actually measuring your progress towards being able to achieve a successful retirement?



Episode 2 - Investing 101: Account Types, Diversification, and Rebalancing

On this weeks episode of Fresh Finance Thomas and Kyle talk about the most exciting part of the Financial Planning process; Investments.

There are so many important pieces to investment planning, but understanding the account types you can utilize, the importance of diversification, and setting a rebalancing strategy are a few of the key things to consider.



Episode 1 - Introduction to Fresh Finance

On the pilot episode of Fresh Finance, Thomas and Kyle introduce the show and some topics they will be covering on the podcast in episodes to come.

Fresh Finance is hosted by Thomas Elms, CFP®, a Financial Advisor affiliated with LPL Financial and Kyle Ryan, CFP®, a Financial Advisor affiliated with Cetera Advisors. These two parties act separately. This podcast is only made for general educational purposes and should not be interpreted as Financial Advice.



ALL EPISODES CAN BE FOUND ON APPLE PODCASTS - CLICK HERE!


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