Insights
Money talk without the jargon
Articles from the newsletter, short videos from the YouTube channel, and a podcast that's been running for over a decade. One planning idea at a time, in plain English, from a guy who hates the word "holistic" as much as you do.
Planning · Article
How Much Does a Retirement Planner Cost? How to Choose One
Retirement planners are paid in a few different ways, and the total depends on which one you choose. Here is what each model means for you, the questions worth asking any advisor, and the costs we publish.
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Eldercare · Article
Who Qualifies for Maryland Medicaid Nursing Home Coverage?
What Maryland's Medicaid rules mean when a parent needs nursing home care: the asset and income limits, protections for a spouse at home, the look-back, and how to apply.
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Retirement · Article
Financial Planning for Early Retirement Before 65
Leaving work before 65 changes more than your paycheck. It changes your health coverage, your tax picture and the order in which you draw on everything you have saved.
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Planning · Podcast · Episode 32
Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Invisible Math of Everyday Finances
Episode 32 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Article
The Financial Advocate, October 2026: Phantom Deadlines, Tax Buckets and Medicare Surprises
October has a funny way of creeping up on us. In personal finance, the ghouls, goblins and phantom noises don't confine themselves to October 31st.
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Special Needs · Podcast · Episode 33
Breaking Down the Wall: Small Steps to Special Needs Financial Planning
Episode 33 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Video
Why December Is Too Late for Year-End Financial Planning
Watch it→
Eldercare · Podcast · Episode 31
Care Planning Without Chaos: Navigating Elder Care Logistics Without Going Broke or Crazy
Episode 31 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Podcast · Episode 28
The Not-So-Boring Mid-Year Review: Embrace the Chaos
Episode 28 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Podcast · Episode 27
Don't Confuse Volume with Value: The 1-2 Page Financial Action Plan
Episode 27 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Eldercare · Article
The Financial Conversation About Cognitive Decline Nobody Wants to Have
There's a topic that belongs in almost every retirement planning conversation and appears in almost none of them.
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Planning · Podcast · Episode 26
Beyond the Portfolio: What Real Financial Peace Looks Like
Episode 26 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Podcast · Episode 25
School's Out: Your Summer Financial Housecleaning
Episode 25 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Article
When the Real Worry Isn't About the Numbers
People come to me with financial questions every day. The question they ask out loud is rarely the question they're actually asking.
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Eldercare · Article
One Missed Deadline. Permanent Consequences.
Most people know Medicare exists. Far fewer realize that signing up late, even by a couple of months, can follow you for the rest of your life.
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Retirement · Article
Before You Build a Plan Around the 4% Rule
The 4% rule isn't wrong. It's just a lot more specific, and a lot more limited, than most people realize.
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Retirement · Article
The Retirement Number Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About
Fifteen years ago, a million-dollar retirement sounded enormous. Today, many people are realizing it may not buy the retirement they imagined. Not because they did anything wrong.
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Retirement · Podcast · Episode 24
The Switch That Won't Flip: How to Spend Money in Retirement
Episode 24 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Special Needs · Podcast · Episode 23
The 2026 ABLE Revolution
Episode 23 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Podcast · Episode 22
The Human Dividend: AI and Financial Planning
Episode 22 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Retirement · Podcast · Episode 21
The Tax Return Autopsy: 5 Hidden Opportunities in Your 1040
Episode 21 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Retirement · Podcast · Episode 20
Roth Conversions: Not an All-or-Nothing Decision
Episode 20 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Retirement · Article
The Hidden Tax: IRMAA
Most retirees think their Medicare premiums are fixed. They're not. A little-known surcharge called IRMAA can add thousands a year, triggered by decisions made two years earlier.
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Retirement · Podcast · Episode 19
The Fear of Spending Down: Helping Retirees Overcome the Emotion
Episode 19 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Retirement · Podcast · Episode 18
Retirement: Longevity and Real-World Planning
Episode 18 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Podcast · Episode 17
The No-Resolutions Podcast
Episode 17 of The Financial Advocate, about 10 minutes.
Listen on Apple Podcasts→
Planning · Video
The No-Resolutions Approach to Money
Watch it→
Eldercare · Video
3 Ways to Plan for Long-Term Nursing Care
Watch it→
Planning · Video
What Does a Financial Advisor Really Do?
Watch it→
Eldercare · Video
Legal Documents: Which Ones Do You Really Need?
Watch it→
Retirement · Video
Reduce or Eliminate RMD Taxes
Watch it→
Planning · Video
Planning Made Easy: A Case Study
Watch it→
Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Invisible Math of Everyday Finances: Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
Breaking Down the Wall: Small Steps to Special Needs Financial Planning: Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Consult your qualified legal and financial professionals prior to making decisions.
Why December Is Too Late for Year-End Financial Planning: Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
Care Planning Without Chaos: Navigating Elder Care Logistics Without Going Broke or Crazy: You are under no obligation to use the services of Averyn Care, and may choose any qualified professional to provide any of the services described. Averyn Care and their services are not affiliated with LPL Financial and Maryland Financial Advocates.
Roth Conversions: Not an All-or-Nothing Decision: Traditional IRA account owners have considerations to make before performing a Roth IRA conversion. These primarily include income tax consequences on the converted amount in the year of conversion, withdrawal limitations from a Roth IRA, and income limitations for future contributions to a Roth IRA. In addition, if you are required to take a required minimum distribution (RMD) in the year you convert, you must do so before converting to a Roth IRA.
Planning Made Easy: A Case Study: This is a hypothetical situation based on real life examples. Names and circumstances have been changed. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investments or strategies may be appropriate for you, consult your advisor prior to investing.
The podcast
The Financial Advocate
Bi-weekly, about 10 minutes an episode, running 10+ years. New episodes land here and on Apple Podcasts.
Shorts
Under a minute
Short videos from the YouTube channel on why December is a hard time to start year-end planning. Want the whole conversation? Watch the full video.
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0:41 · Short
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Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
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