Behind The Designs
Ever wonder what financial advisors have to say about money related topics? Join us every other Tuesday for a sneak peek into our internal conversations at Financial Design Studio. If you want to better understand the whys behind the complex designs of taxes, insurance, planning, retirement, or investments, then subscribe! … because this podcast is for you! Hosted by Michelle Smalenberger. Co-Hosts featuring members of the Financial Design Studio team. Recorded, Edited, and Produced by Anna Lewis. DISCLAIMER : All content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of FDS, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources and no representations are made by our firm as to other parties’ informational accuracy or completeness. All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation.
Episodes
73 episodes
Raising Kids Who Understand Money: Teens + College Students
As your teen or college student begins to make their own money, you want to continue to teach them wisdom with their money. In this episode, we cover finding a job and eventually a career, banking and credit cards, and how plan for big savings ...
Raising Kids Who Understand Money: Ages 0-12
Long before kids earn their first dollar, they’re forming beliefs about money. In this episode, we explore how children ages 0–12 begin forming their understanding of money, and how you can instill good habits for giving, saving, spending. ...
What Pancreatitis Taught Us About Caring in Crisis
How do you care for someone well in the middle of a crisis? In this episode, Michelle interviews Anna Lewis, about what she’s learned after her mom spent a month in the ICU with severe pancreatitis. We explore the ways both community and financ...
What You Should Expect If You Are Named as Trustee
As trustee, your role is to distribute someone else's money. But the emotions, expectations, and estate rules can make this role more complex than you expected. In this episode we explain how the legal process of inheritances work, how to manag...
What You Forget to Plan, Until After Your Spouse Passes
If your spouse knows how your finances work, what happens after they pass? In this episode, we helped our fictional client Renee, a recent widow, understand the moving parts of her financial picture, work through the inheritance process, and ad...
What to Learn from Retirees Who Donated All Their Money
In this episode, we walk through all the years of planning we've done for two fictional clients near the end of their retirement. Adam & Alice have saved super well but don't have any family to pass these assets onto. Their plan covers how ...
Case Study 3: Repairing DIY Retirement Mistakes
In this fictional case study, we repair an outdated, one time, DIY retirement plan for recently retired professionals. With us on their side, its easy to repair common mistakes, start implementing strategies, and have peace of mind while enjoyi...
Case Study 2: Relocating to Care for Aging Parents
In this fictional case study, we help a couple nearing retirement decide how to fund the purchase of a new home, as they adjust to relocating to care for aging parents, without taking on debt and pushing back their retirement date.
Case Study 1: Retiring Early to Travel
In this fictional case study, we walk you through a financial plan for two executives retiring in five years. They wonder how they will retire early without dealing with large withdrawal penalties or taxes on short term gains. And while they fe...
2024 Tax Season Recap and 2025 Tax Planning
You might think about taxes once a year, but as financial advisors, we think about it all year round! In this episode, we share what we noticed while filing 2024 tax returns and how, in light of upcoming legislative changes, you can start your ...
Hack Your Travels with Credit Card Points with Ism Shovan
Luxurious, regular travels might be more possible than you realize. Ism Shovan is a digital nomad that slow travels the world with his family using credit card points. In this episode, he talks about the travel lifestyle, how he plans his trips...
How to Plan for RMD Taxes
If you have a retirement account, one day you will face Required Minimum Distributions. And the sooner you plan for these the better it will be for your taxes! In this episode, we walk you through how RMDs work, how to plan for them in advance,...
A Crash Course on Equity Compensation
How can executives make the best use of their company stock? In this episode, we break down a few common forms of granting stock, and strategies for how to exercise them in a tax efficient way. But that's not all, so take a listen for a crash c...
The True Cost of Healthy Living with Rachel Staycheff-Hamm
The cost of healthy living be an expensive commitment. But you might find its worth it for your retired self. In this episode, our guest, Rachel Staycheff-Hamm shares how a diagnosis changed how she lives. She shares the ways she focuses on hea...
The Anti-Consumerist Manifesto
More isn't always better. Maybe living more really means living with less. In this episode, Anna breaks down the history of consumerism and where the dangers lie, as well as ways that you can chose to live differently.
How to Get Involved and Make a Difference
Living a full life isn't about what you keep, it's about what you give. In this episode, we interview Marsha McClary who knows how to get involved, from her local town politics to international non-profits, like Feed My Starving Children. She s...
The Secret to Holiday Hosting with Chris and Kathy
Memorable gatherings leave you with stories for years. And this is what Chris and Kathy work to accomplish through their legendary parties, and their decor, themes, and guest lists. In this episode, these seasoned hosts share how they do holida...
Start with Why: Steve's Story
In this episode, we interview Steve Smalenberger, the CFO and tax specialist at FDS. Get to know the man behind the scenes as he talks about his expereinces caddying, starting his own company, and training new accountants.
What the Election Results Mean for Your Money
The 2024 presidential election results are in. Whichever candidate you voted for, we want to look at the next four years from a purely financial standpoint. In this episode, we talk though the market's historical trends, how potential initiativ...
So, You Want to Start a Business
What do you need to know before taking a hobby full time or launching a start up? In this episode, we break down the financial side of how to start a business. From finding funding, to deductions and distributions, and tax implications, we shar...
Healthcare for Aging Parents with Leah McNamara
Providing healthcare for aging parents (or yourself!) can be the most expensive part of your financial plan. In this episode, Leah McNamara, an ICU nurse, shares her story and the options you have for finding the right care for both your family...
How to Lower Your High Insurance Costs, with Ryan Delp
Expensive insurance seems to be the new normal. In this episode, Ryan Delp, an insurance agent, talks with us about why that is the case, ways you can look to lower your own high insurance costs, and what we might see going forward.
What Can I Do With My Mortgage with Tom Cramer
I have a mortgage but . . . whether you want to refinance, purchase a second home, or are getting divorced, you have a lot of options. In this episode, Tom Cramer, a mortgage officer at Wintrust, explains what is currently effecting the l...
Changes to Estate Tax Exemptions with Heather Walser
Estate planning can be as much about taxes as it is about beneficiaries. With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 sunsetting in 2025, there are going to be significant changes to the Estate Tax Exemptions. In this episode, our guest Heather Walse...
Making the Most of Your Life Insurance Policies
Young families, professionals, and retirees will come to us with questions about their life insurance policies. Do they have enough coverage? Should they keep this old policy? And how can they can actually be used? We talk through each of these...