Category: Financial Strategies

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7 Costly Financial Planning Mistakes You’re Making (And How to Avoid Them!) [Ep. 167]

7 Costly Financial Planning Mistakes You’re Making (And How to Avoid Them!) [Ep. 167]

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How well do you truly know your tax bracket? Did you know that not knowing enough could cost you thousands?

Get ready to learn some critical financial planning mistakes that might secretly derail your financial security.

This week on the Life Unlimited podcast, Larry Heller identifies the seven most common financial mistakes people make and how to avoid them—such as lacking knowledge about their tax bracket and neglecting estate planning updates. 

Key conversations include:

  • Understanding Your Tax Bracket: Learn why knowing your tax bracket is essential for maximizing opportunities like Roth conversions and minimizing overpayments.
  • Zero Capital Gain Brackets: Discover how to take advantage of tax-free gains to grow your wealth.
  • Investment Pitfalls: Avoid the dangers of chasing past investment performance and align your strategy with your goals.
  • Estate Planning Essentials: Ensure your estate planning documents are up to date and reflect life’s changes.
  • Liability Insurance: Protect yourself and your family with adequate coverage, including an umbrella policy for uninsured motorist protection.
  • Heir and Spouse Preparedness: Steps to prepare your loved ones, including non-financial spouses, for managing wealth.
  • Spending and Withdrawal Strategies in Retirement: Avoid overspending while ensuring your savings last throughout your lifetime.

Actionable Takeaway: Through practical examples and insightful advice, Larry highlights the importance of staying informed and proactive with your finances. 

 

Connect with Larry Heller: 

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Protecting What Matters Most: Estate Planning for Women with Allison Dolzani [Ep. 166]

Protecting What Matters Most: Estate Planning for Women with Allison Dolzani [Ep. 166]

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Estate planning goes beyond documents—it’s about protecting loved ones, achieving financial independence, and aligning plans with long-term goals.

In this episode of the Life Unlimited podcast, host Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, sits down with Allison Dolzani, estate planning attorney and partner at Julie Kessler, LLP, to explore strategies tailored to women navigating major life transitions like divorce, widowhood, or retirement.

They discuss critical topics, including naming guardians for minor children, safeguarding inherited assets, and maintaining up-to-date estate plans. Allison also emphasizes the importance of foundational documents like healthcare proxies, powers of attorney, and trusts in creating a solid plan.

With actionable insights on avoiding costly mistakes and tailoring plans to personal and family goals, Allison provides a clear roadmap for building an estate plan that safeguards your future and protects what matters most.

Key Points Covered:

  • Unique Considerations for Women: Proactively update estate plans after major life events and align documents with custody agreements.
  • Guardianship Essentials: Designate primary and successor guardians to ensure your children are cared for according to your wishes.
  • Critical Documents: Secure essential documents such as wills, trusts, healthcare proxies, and powers of attorney for comprehensive protection.
  • Managing Inherited Assets: Protect personal wealth from marital commingling and preserve assets for future generations.
  • Legacy Planning: Create a lasting impact by incorporating charitable contributions or personal wishes into your estate plan.
  • Tax Planning: Navigate challenges like New York’s “cliff tax” and take advantage of exemptions tailored for single women.
  • Empowering Financial Independence: Use estate planning to confidently manage transitions, secure financial stability, and achieve long-term goals.
  • And much more!

Actionable Takeaway: Estate planning is vital to stabilizing your family’s future and building financial independence. Start today by consulting an estate planning professional to create a plan tailored to your unique needs.

Connect with Larry Heller: 

Connect with Allison E. Dolzani: 

About Our Guest:

Allison Dolzani specializes in estate planning, estate administration, and Surrogate’s Court practice. Allison represents domestic and international individuals and multigenerational families in sophisticated estate planning, emphasizing minimizing the impact of gift, estate, generation-skipping transfer, and income taxes.

Allison joined the firm in September 2018. Before joining Julie Kessler LLP, Allison was an associate at a New York City law firm focused on estate administration and litigation.

Allison earned her law degree from Touro Law School. While in law school, Allison served as Research Editor of Touro Law Review and authored Intellectual Property and Constitutional Law articles.  Allison graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.

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Navigating S Corps: The Pros, Cons, and Tax Implications for Small Businesses [Ep. 165]

Navigating S Corps: The Pros, Cons, and Tax Implications for Small Businesses [Ep. 165]

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Choosing the right business structure isn’t just about compliance – it’s about maximizing tax efficiency and aligning with your long-term goals.

Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, and William Huether, CPA, CGMA, MBA, discuss how S-Corporations can help business owners save on taxes, streamline compliance, and drive growth. They compare S-Corps to C-Corps, LLCs, and partnerships, offering insights on tax benefits, drawbacks, and strategies to align business structures with long-term goals. 

With practical advice on avoiding double taxation and leveraging pass-through entity tax (PTET) benefits, William provides a roadmap for optimizing your business structure.

Key Points Covered:

  • Why S-Corps Work: Reduce double taxation, save on self-employment taxes, and enjoy a corporate framework’s perks
  • PTET Benefits: Discover how to bypass the $10,000 SALT cap using pass-through entity tax strategies
  • Entity Selection Simplified: Weigh the pros and cons of S-Corps, C-Corps, LLCs, and partnerships to find the best fit for your business
  • Compliance Essentials: Stay on top of filing deadlines, salary requirements, and state-specific rules like New York elections
  • Avoiding Pitfalls: Learn about reasonable salary requirements, local jurisdiction limitations, and transition strategies between entity types
  • And much more!

Actionable Takeaway: The right business structure could be the key to significant tax savings and long-term financial success. Consult a CPA or tax professional to evaluate your options and create a tax plan tailored to your goals.

 

Resources:

Connect with Larry Heller: 

Connect with William Huether: 

 

About Our Guest:

William Huether is a Certified Public Accountant with over eleven years of experience with clients in a broad range of industries, including the retail, wholesale, distribution, restaurant/hospitality, not-for-profit, solar, investment company, manufacturing, and real estate industries.  William holds the Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation from the AICPA and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

William works in Sheehan’s assurance practice and provides auditing, accounting, and consulting services to clients in various industries in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and International Financial Reporting Standards.  William also provides a variety of tax planning, compliance, and consulting services to individuals, corporations, flow-through entities, and trusts. He is an active member of the firm’s recruiting committee, a mentor in the firm’s career advisor program, and serves on the firm’s Quality Control Committee.

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Beyond Accumulation: Mastering Your Retirement Distribution Strategy [Ep. 164]

Beyond Accumulation: Mastering Your Retirement Distribution Strategy [Ep. 164]

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Retirement isn’t just about accumulating wealth – it’s about making sure it lasts. 

In this episode, Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, explores the essential elements of a well-rounded distribution strategy for retirement, including guiding you through five key areas every retiree should prioritize: income vs. total return, tax management, investment allocation, longevity, and estate planning.

Larry dives deep into the shift from accumulation to distribution, revealing strategies to help retirees sustain income, reduce taxes, and cover health expenses—all while preparing a meaningful legacy. With a focus on turning retirement into a financially secure and fulfilling stage of life, this episode provides actionable advice on balancing your immediate needs with a long-term vision.

Whether you’re entering retirement or aiming to enhance your financial strategy, this episode will equip you with the tools and mindset to enjoy a confident and comfortable retirement.

Key Points Covered:

  • Combining income sources like Social Security, pensions, and investments to balance retirement income and comfort
  • Reducing tax burdens through Roth conversions and managing required minimum distributions (RMDs) under the latest Secure Act changes
  • Using the “reservoir strategy” to balance cash, bonds, and equities for steady income and minimized risk
  • Addressing healthcare and long-term care costs to protect assets and maintain financial stability
  • Aligning estate plans with tax strategies to maximize inheritance for heirs
  • And much more!

Actionable Takeaway: Review your retirement plan to ensure it supports your lifestyle, reduces tax impacts, and aligns with your legacy goals. Consult a financial planner to tailor it to your unique needs for a fulfilling retirement.

 

Resources:

Connect with Larry Heller: 

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Risky Business: The Hidden Risks of Handshake Agreements with Rachel Partain [Ep. 163]

Risky Business: The Hidden Risks of Handshake Agreements with Rachel Partain [Ep. 163]

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Handshake deals might seem convenient, but they could put your business at serious risk. Discover how to protect your company from these hidden dangers and build a reliable foundation.

Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, is joined by Rachel Partain, a leading tax attorney and partner at Forchelli Law, to break down the risks of running a business without formal agreements. 

Whether you’re launching a startup, managing growth, or exploring new partnerships, Rachel provides actionable insights to help you understand the risks of inadequate documentation and strengthen your business with essential agreements and expert legal guidance.

Key Points Covered:

  • The widespread use of handshake agreements and the risks they pose to businesses
  • The impact on business management from operational turmoil caused by unclear leadership succession plans to disputes over roles, voting rights, and profit distribution
  • Barriers to securing loans and attracting investors due to informal business structures
  • Tax complications, such as IRS audits and challenges related to shareholder contributions
  • Legal exposure, including the risk of litigation and potential personal asset vulnerability
  • And much more!

Actionable Takeaway: Assess your current business agreements today and consult a professional to protect yourself against potential financial and legal challenges.

Connect with Rachel Partain:

Connect with Larry Heller: 

About Our Guest:

Rachel L. Partain is a Partner at Forchelli Law concentrating her practice on complex tax advisory and tax controversy services for low to middle-market businesses and high-net-worth individuals. Rachel advises businesses on how to structure transactions in a tax-efficient manner and handles general corporate and transactional matters.

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The Ripple Effect: How Recent Fed Actions Affect your Financial Plan [Ep. 162]

The Ripple Effect: How Recent Fed Actions Affect your Financial Plan [Ep. 162]

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Interest rates may be falling, but your financial strategy doesn’t have to follow. Learn how to stay ahead in today’s ever-changing financial landscape.

Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, breaks down how these shifting rates impact everything from mortgages to retirement plans. Whether you’re buying a home, optimizing investments, or planning for your financial future, Larry offers actionable insights to help you navigate today’s economic landscape. Covering the rise and fall of interest rates and their effects on borrowing, saving, and investing, he provides strategies for adapting your financial plan across asset classes to protect your wealth.

Key Points Covered:

  • The Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut and its broader economic implications
  • How shifting rates impact mortgage costs, housing availability, and borrowing strategies
  • Key adjustments to retirement planning, including withdrawal rates and asset allocation in a low-rate environment
  • Adapting your savings strategy with CDs and treasuries (while considering the current inverted yield curve!)
  • Effective investment approaches across bonds, stocks, and real estate in the face of rate fluctuations
  • Opportunities in private equity and private credit investments as interest rates decrease
  • The importance of a diversified strategy and proactive communication, as emphasized by Heller Wealth Management
  • And much more!

 

Connect with Larry Heller: 

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Breaking Free: Unmasking High Conflict Divorces with Susan Bernstein [Ep. 161]

Breaking Free: Unmasking High Conflict Divorces with Susan Bernstein [Ep. 161]

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High-conflict divorces are some of the most emotionally draining and complex experiences a family can face, especially when children with special needs are involved. In this episode of Life Unlimited, host Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, sits down with Dr. Susan K. Bernstein, a certified divorce coach specializing in high-conflict cases, to explore how divorce coaching can help navigate this emotionally charged process.

Dr. Bernstein shares practical strategies to save time, reduce costs, and help families manage the legal and emotional hurdles of divorce. From uncovering hidden assets to ensuring proper care for special needs children, her advice offers a roadmap for those seeking a more manageable, less overwhelming approach to divorce.

Key Points Covered:

  • The role of a divorce coach in offering emotional support, preparing clients for legal meetings, and simplifying high-conflict divorces
  • Strategies for handling challenges like hidden assets, domestic abuse, and custody battles in high-conflict divorces
  • The importance of organizing finances and emotionally preparing children before starting legal proceedings
  • The value of a team approach, including a CDFA®, attorney, and therapist, to streamline the divorce process
  • Dispelling the myth that hiring a divorce coach increases costs, when it actually saves money by reducing inefficiencies
  • And more!

 

Connect with Dr. Susan Bernstein:

Connect with Larry Heller: 

 

About Our Guest:

Dr Bernstein is a Certified Divorce Coach and Certified High Conflict Divorce Coach with a speciality in Post Divorce Transition and  Recovery and will help you go through the changes of divorce with ease.  She helps clients achieve their goals and get to where they want to be.  Susan helps many clients who want to get out of toxic relationships get what they need and deserve related to their children and finances. Susan is a mom, best selling author, leader for Vesta Divorce and the National Association of Divorce Professionals (NADP) as well as The Divorce Coalition. She teaches a mastermind class and coaches coaches! She is also a Certified Divorce Specialist and Pre Mediation Divorce coach. Prior to becoming a Certified Divorce Coach Susan earned her doctorate in Education Leadership and was a school teacher and administrator. Her studies and focus have always been on what is best for the children.  Susan’s promise to you is that you will end each session with action steps to get you closer to achieving your goals and the life you want! Susan is the coach that attorneys hire for their own divorce! 

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The Six Silent Threats to Your Retirement [Ep. 160]

The Six Silent Threats to Your Retirement [Ep. 160]

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Could these six retirement mistakes jeopardize a successful retirement? What steps can you take to avoid them?

In this eye-opening episode of Life Unlimited, host Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, reveals six critical retirement mistakes that could threaten your financial security when it comes to planning for your retirement. These pitfalls are unfortunately common, but there are steps you can take to better prepare for these financial curveballs. 

Key Points Covered:

  • Understanding the importance of a written financial plan
  • Recognizing the risks of overly optimistic investment assumptions
  • Identifying the impact of not spending enough
  • Exploring the dangers of blindly trusting financial advisors
  • Learning the risks of generosity towards family
  • Balancing and diversifying your investment portfolio
  • And much more!

 

Resources:

Connect with Larry Heller: 

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Divorce Without Drama: Understanding Collaborative & Mediation Options with Andrea Vacca [Ep. 159]

Divorce Without Drama: Understanding Collaborative & Mediation Options with Andrea Vacca [Ep. 159]

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Divorce is rarely easy, but what if there were alternatives to the adversarial process of litigation that could lead to more peaceful resolutions? 

In this episode of the Life Unlimited podcast, host Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA® is joined by Andrea Vacca, Founder of Vacca Family Law Group, to define and explore two powerful divorce alternatives: mediation and collaborative law.

From choosing the right attorney to the importance of strong communication skills, Andrea provides tips and resources for transitioning between mediation and collaborative law, ensuring you have the support you need every step of the way. If you’re facing a divorce or simply curious about your options, this conversation could be the key to finding a less stressful, cost effective, and more collaborative path forward.

Key Points Covered:

  • The definitions and differences between Mediation and Collaborative Law and how these processes address both the emotional and practical needs of both people
  • How these methods give couples more control over their own divorce process, often leading to clearer agreements and fewer post-divorce regrets
  • The positive mindset these methods reinforce with their focus on problem-solving and mutual agreement
  • Practical tips such as choosing the right attorney and emphasizing clear communication between spouses
  • The benefits of having a team working on your case versus a solo attorney
  • And much more!

 

Resources:

Connect with Andrea Vacca:

Connect with Larry Heller: 

 

About Our Guest:

Andrea Vacca graduated from SUNY College at Buffalo with a B.A. in Journalism and received her J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University. Andrea was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1993 and to the Federal Bar, N.D.N.Y. in 1994. She earned a Certificate in Positive Psychology in 2013.

Whether you are ending a relationship or trying to prevent potential problems in your current relationship, Andrea wants to help you reach your goals with minimal conflict. Andrea gets to know her clients, their concerns, and their goals for their future so that she can assist them by crafting solutions to meet specific needs before, during, or at the end of a marriage.

As an attorney in the collaborative process, Andrea is a strong advocate for her clients without being adversarial, and without inflaming the strong emotions that can arise during divorce. When serving as a mediator, she helps both parties understand each other’s concerns, bridge their differences, and arrive at an agreement that works for both.

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New Laws, New Opportunities: Secure Act 2.0 Changes to 529 Plans [Ep. 158]

New Laws, New Opportunities: Secure Act 2.0 Changes to 529 Plans [Ep. 158]

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Could your children or grandchildren’s 529 plan be the key to their future retirement success? 

In this insightful episode of Life Unlimited, host Larry Heller, CFP®, CDFA®, explores the new provisions of the Secure 2.0 Act that allow 529 plan rollovers to Roth IRAs. Larry outlines the conditions and strategic benefits of this new rule, offering listeners practical advice on optimizing retirement strategies.

Key Points Covered:

  • Understanding the traditional benefits of 529 plans for tax-free educational savings
  • Exploring the new rules for 529 plan rollovers to Roth IRAs:
  • Strategic benefits of overfunding 529 plans to maximize retirement savings for beneficiaries
  • Illustrating potential growth of rolled-over funds with examples showing substantial retirement savings growth
  • And much more!

 

Connect with Larry Heller: