Scott Searles Podcasts

As the year comes to a close, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit a previous two-part episode on financial resolutions. This series was recorded a couple of years ago, but the show still has some great tips that can help you start your year off right. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: talkwithscott.net Tax-Free Toolkit: https…

We’re fortunate in Ballston to have an incredible array of neighborhood services – from coffee shops and eateries to bars and top-tier mixologists… but what if you could get all of that in the same place? Slipstream opened their Ballston location’s doors on March, Miranda Mirabella and Ryan Fleming’s fourth location in our area since bringing their…

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” – Eleanor Roosevelt… Ever wish you could foresee financial missteps before they happen? In today’s episode, explore some real-life stories of regret and arm yourself with the essential dos and don'ts to ensure your money works for you, not against you. Show N…

Losing a spouse is an unimaginably tough life event, but the financial implications can add another layer of stress to the grieving process. In this episode, we delve deep into the most common financial issues faced by widows and widowers, from dealing with income gaps to navigating tax changes as a single filer. We explore actionable strategies to…

We have a special edition of the podcast today! If you've been listening to the show for a while, you know that Scott and Walter talk about food quite often, so we thought it would be a fun idea to compile a few getting to know you questions from past episodes that were food related. We will get back to the financial talk next episode, so sit back …

Isa Seyran is the owner and operator of the Ballstonian, a mobile coffee cart serving Turkish coffee and pastries to the Ballston neighborhood He launched the Ballstonian earlier this spring after an illustrious and storied career in the upper echelons of Washington’s restaurant industry. He earned acclaim and local celebrity with his 2022 publicat…

In this episode, we tackle the common complaints and fears about financial situations during retirement. We'll discuss which concerns are well-founded, which are based on misconceptions, and offer insight on how retirees can best navigate their financial future. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: talkwithscott.net Tax-Free Toolkit: http…

There are some people who don’t care at all about leaving a financial legacy, but for those who do, it’s important to eliminate some of the common estate planning mistakes. In this episode, we cover topics ranging from poor expense planning to outdated beneficiary designations and family conflict triggers. We also shed light on some misconceptions …

Carola McGiffert is the owner of 30 Minute Hit Arlington, a women’s kickboxing gym right here in Ballston. After working in public and private sectors on US-China relations, she bought into the 30 Minute Hit franchise during the uncertainty of COVID. Her passion for fitness and women’s empowerment led her to 30 Minute Hit, where she has developed a…

Finding a trustworthy and competent financial advisor is essential for securing your financial future. After all, they play a vital role in helping you make informed decisions about your money, investments, and long-term financial goals. But how can you separate the wheat from the chaff? How can you identify problematic personalities that might ind…

Get ready for part two of our Retirement Cash Flow series! This time, we're diving into the income side of the equation. In part one, we tackled the ins and outs of your expenses in retirement. Now, it's all about understanding the crucial role of income analysis. We'll uncover the secrets of guaranteed income versus the uncertain stuff and shed li…

Don’t get us wrong. In many cases, your 401(k) can be your best investment vehicle, offering numerous benefits and tax advantages and many times a 100% return on some of your contributions (also known as an employer match). However, it's important to recognize that it might not always be the optimal choice for everyone. Join us in this thought-prov…

In this episode, we’ll explore many of the expenses in your life that might drastically change (one way or another) in retirement. We’ll break those expenses down further to see which ones are the top priorities and analyze some of the other factors that impact your cash flow in retirement. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: talkwithsco…

From time to time, we like to look at issues faced by people in other professions outside of the financial world and see what kind of retirement planning lessons we can learn from these other professions. Today, we’re seeing what we can learn from teachers and the issues they face. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: talkwithscott.net Ta…

Denise Adams is the Ballston Branch Manager for Northwest Federal Credit Union, a full-service financial institution ranking among the largest credit unions in Virginia and in the top 60 credit unions in the nation. She has spent decades in the financial services industry, and brings a unique expertise in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibi…

Silicon Valley, Credit Suisse, and First Republic are just a few banks that have experienced either incredible turmoil or complete collapse in the past few months. How should the average American respond with their money? Do you pull it all out in cash and store it under your bed? Should you throw all your money into depressed bank stocks in hopes …

Have you ever wondered why you handle money the way you do? It turns out your financial behaviors can be traced back to your formative memories. In this episode, we explore how historic market crashes have left a lasting impact on our relationship with money. We’ll also contrast them with the way more recent crises have shaped our financial views a…

Have you ever wondered if the Social Security system will run out of money before you retire? Or if claiming benefits as soon as you're eligible is the best decision for your financial future? In this episode, we'll be debunking common myths about Social Security and answering the questions you've been curious about. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A C…

Lisa Fikes is the President & CEO of the Leadership Center for Excellence, the region’s trusted, non-profit resource for leadership development and civic engagement. Since 1998, the programs offered at the LCE and the network they nurture has helped people change themselves, businesses, and our community. What skills do leaders need to develop to t…

Are you a golfer? Even if you're not, the game of golf can teach us valuable lessons about retirement planning. For example, hitting a hole-in-one might be thrilling, but it won't necessarily guarantee your overall success. And just like you need different clubs in your golf bag to play a round, you need a well-balanced approach to your investments…

Christine Searle is the owner of Searle Business Solutions, and has spent more than three decades helping people and organizations navigate finances, taxes, and obstacles. After 24 years at the Red Cross, she served as an Audit Director responsible for internal audits of finance, supply chain, and disaster relief programs - all the while expanding …

Are you preparing for retirement but feeling confident that you have covered all the expenses? Well, think again… It turns out that many retirees overlook some crucial expenses that can leave them financially vulnerable. In this episode, we explore the retirement expenses that most people tend to forget, including skyrocketing medical bills, unexpe…

Arlington is a true destination for businesses, talented employees, residents, visitors, and guests alike. Our proximity to the world’s most powerful city - combined with our own business community’s identity, forged over decades of hard work and innovation - makes Arlington an ideal location for talented people and impactful organizations to thriv…

Retirement can come with a lot of tax questions and concerns. From understanding the tax implications of withdrawing from your retirement accounts to minimizing taxes on investment income, it can be overwhelming. On today’s episode, we’ll break down the top ten tax questions retirees are asking in 2023. Before you file your 2022 taxes and plan ahea…

Lent March 5-2023 by Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Edina, MNBy Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Edina, MN

Lent March 12-2023 by Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Edina, MNBy Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Edina, MN

Ballston has long-served as a HUB for innovation and technology with impacts far beyond our neighborhood. From tech startups and higher-education institutions to researchers like DARPA, the organizations in our business community have created some of the most important technological innovations our world has seen - ever heard of the internet? The t…

After being discussed in Congress for nearly a year and a half, the SECURE Act 2.0 passed in January. Listen to today’s episode to see what you need to know and learn four ways the new changes might impact you. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.com/ Tax Free Toolkit: https://5p7b1gdm.pages.infusionsoft.net/…

Even if you’ve been saving your money and investing for a long time it’s easy to make rookie mistakes. On this episode, we’ll cover some of the top rookie mistakes we see people make, illustrate how to avoid them or how to fix them if you’re already made some mistakes in your financial life. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://tal…

Another year is upon us and it’s a great time to ask yourself 10 questions to assess how ready you are for retirement to kick off 2023. If you’re retiring this year, it’s essential to have some concrete answers to these questions. If you’re still a few years from the milestone, tune in so you can start thinking about these critical conversations. S…

Saving in your 401(k) can be an easy and painless way to build your retirement savings. But because it’s so easy and painless, it can also be easy to ignore for long periods of time, which often leads to mistakes. We’ll cover at least the top 5 mistakes people make in their 401(k)s. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.…

2023 marks the 99th year of operations for the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, an incredible asset and perennial keystone of Arlington’s business community. In addition to providing invaluable resources, programs, and advocacy benefitting its hundreds of member organizations - the Chamber has evolved over nearly a century to meet a diverse array of …

Sometimes it might seem like talking to your financial advisor feels like talking to a therapist, and that’s ok. Let’s discuss some scenarios where it’s almost inevitable that a talk with your advisor seems like a counseling session. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTFVMMCwsss Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.com/ T…

Sometimes you need to find a new financial advisor. Other times, you might think you need a new advisor, but really, you’re just guilty of thinking that the grass is greener on the other side. Let’s discuss some common scenarios and whether they’re legitimate reasons for leaving your advisor. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://ta…

Let’s explore some of the things you should be thinking about to make smart financial decisions when you encounter some of the most significant events in your life. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.com/ Tax Free Toolkit: https://5p7b1gdm.pages.infusionsoft.net/By Scott Searles

As we approach the end of the year, saving money on taxes becomes a bigger focus for many people. But let’s broaden the scope out for this particular episode and focus on some of the most common retirement planning questions about taxes. We’ll talk about mistakes to avoid and how a proper plan can make a significant difference in someone’s tax savi…

At this time of year, you can find football on TV almost every night of the week. So, let’s take some concepts from the game of football and apply them to our retirement planning. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.com/ Tax Free Toolkit: https://5p7b1gdm.pages.infusionsoft.net/…

It’s more than fair to say ARLnow has become a commanding presence within the Arlington community, and one of the premiere voices across our region. It’s almost a sure bet that you’ve read (or at least shared) some of their coverage - over the past decade plus. As one of the country’s leading Designated Market Areas, our region is one of the most e…

There are plenty of decisions that you’ll make in the retirement planning process that can’t be undone, so you want to make sure that you make the right call. On this episode, we’ll explain why these decisions are so important and can’t be undone. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.com/ Tax Free Toolkit: https://5p7b1…

We’re bombarded with ads each day in all forms of media. But have you ever taken a closer look at these messages? If we unpack some of these headlines and ads a little bit more, we’re able to clearly understand what emotions they’re trying to elicit. More importantly, we can figure out what companies are trying to sell us. For this episode, we just…

You’ve most likely heard plenty of “rules” you’re supposed to follow to retire successfully. Some of these rules are stated so confidently, you’d be crazy not to immediately accept them as fact. But we don’t mind the threat of being called crazy, so let’s dive into some of the most popular retirement “rules of thumb” to see if they truly lead us do…

If you’re in Ballston - stop, and look up! Our neighborhood is an urban oasis with neighborhood services, restaurants, retail, and office. And ALL those buildings towering above us are home to what makes our almost 24/7/365 community run. Chances are, one of those buildings is owned by The Shooshan Company; a local developer and community supporter…

Weather enthusiasts and retirement planning worlds collide… Each Fall we spend a lot of time watching and listening to the news and the Weather Channel getting reports of developing hurricanes and are treated to lots of updated graphics to bring us a refresher on how hurricanes work. So, let’s take the opportunity to see what we can learn about ret…

Don’t dread this as much as you hated hearing these words as a kid, but it’s time for a pop quiz! We’re putting retirement planning preparedness under the microscope with 5 critical questions to which you need to know the answers. So sharpen those pencils and let’s see how ready you are for retirement. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott:…

If you’re a Ballstonian - or Arlingtonian for that matter - you’ve at least HEARD of the Arlington County Board. And whether it’s a business matter, a community or social issue, or a pandemic-related measure - our county’s governing board has a hand in almost all of the policy decisions and capital improvement implementations we see in Arlington. T…

Going through a divorce at any age is difficult, but doing it near or in retirement adds all sorts of additional complications. On this episode, we’ll talk about some of the financial mistakes we see people make in the midst of a divorce. Show Notes & Info: Schedule A Call With Scott: http://talktoscott.com/ Tax Free Toolkit: https://5p7b1gdm.pages…

In Ballston, our restaurant scene is one of our greatest assets, and one of the biggest reasons people are so drawn to our neighborhood - for employees, residents, and neighbors alike. And it’s not just about locations with variety - like the plethora of options at Quarter Market and along Ballston Exchange. Events like the Quarterfest Crawl, the W…

*This episode has been reposted from 6/15 to correct a technical error and to address the closing of the public comment period for the Ballston West Metro Entrance* Ballston’s multi-modal transportation options - combined with ease of bike and walk-ability - have positioned our neighborhood as one of the region’s most accessible areas. And with imp…

In some ways, retirement planning was easier for past generations. Let’s explore how a good financial advisor helps people overcome the additional challenges of today. Our parents and grandparents may not have had to face these things, so just relying on the experiences of family members might not be enough to help us achieve our own financial succ…

Do you know what red flags, but also some good signs, to be on the lookout for when you’re searching for an advisor to work with as you prepare for retirement? On this episode, we’ll give you some red flags to be aware of, teach you how to spot them and illustrate the difference between an advisor who does the bare minimum versus one who goes above…