Tag Archives: Financial Planning

Secure Act 2.0, How Does It Work? With Dr. Jeff Allen, CFP®

January 20, 2023Financial PlanningCareer, Charitable Contributions, Children, Contributions, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Life Planning, Portfolio Management, Retirement, RMD, Secure Act 2.0, Spouses, Student Loans, Synergy Capital Solutions, Women, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

The Secure Act 2.0 is a 1.7 trillion dollar package, some of the features of the plan are very confusing, complex and broad, which is why it is recommended you talk with your advisor.

In this episode, David Vallieres talks with Dr. Jeff Allen, CFP®, to dissect the features of the Secure Act 2.0 on a high level and how it can benefit you.

Dr. Jeff Allen discusses:

Potentially significant changes with charitable distributions
The larger catch up for retirement contributions
Student loan payment matches beginning in 2024
And more

Connect With David Vallieres:

David Vallieres
Synergy Capital Solutions
Email at: hello@synergycapitalsolutions.com

Connect With Dr. Jeff Allen:

LinkedIn: Jeff Allen

About Our Guest:

Dr. Jeff Allen is a retired physician working as a financial advisor for Physicians, Dentists and other successful professionals with an understanding of their unique objectives. He focuses on helping my clients create financial freedom by creating a spending and investment plan to reach retirement goals. Additionally, he helps clients with college planning, investment management, insurance needs analysis and retirement planning.

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Looking Forward into 2023 with Eric Nahat

December 30, 2022Coronavirus, COVID-19, Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, Investments, UncategorizedAmanda Dorio, Career, Children, Denise Gergley, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Hannah Haley, Jordann Andrusiak, Life Planning, Synergy Capital Solutions, Women, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

2022 threw just about every financial disruption it could at us. At this point, nothing should surprise us.

In this episode, David talks to Eric Nahat, Advisor & Director of the Investment Committee at Synergy Capital Solutions. Together they go over the events of the past year and look forward to 2023. They discuss the state of the markets along with what they think the markets will hold in the new year.

David and Eric discuss:

How 2022’s markets differ from the financial crisis of 2008
Strategies for making smart financial decisions going into 2023
The importance of not letting your emotions cloud your judgment
And more!

Connect with Eric Nahat:

LinkedIn: Eric Nahat

About our guest:

Eric holds dual roles working on implementation of client investment portfolios and managing client financial planning and asset-management relationships. As Director of the Synergy Investment Committee, Eric consults on the Synergy Strategy Portfolios with a focus on economic analysis and security selection.

Previously, Eric worked for J.P. Morgan Private Bank where he assisted with high-net-worth families and institutions to monitor investment portfolios, model wealth projections, and provide investment solutions for their clients. He holds the Series 7, 63 and 65 licenses as well as Life, Health and Variable Annuities Insurance licenses. He has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan, where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Eric lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He enjoys being involved in the community and spends his free time traveling the world, tasting the newest local cuisine and playing various sports, most notably hockey and golf.

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Identifying Cybersecurity Threats With Sarah Khan

November 11, 2022Coronavirus, COVID-19, Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, Investments, UncategorizedCyber Security, Financial Advisors, Financial Planning, Hightower Advisors, Life Planning, Online Safety, Sarah Khan, Synergy Capital Solutions, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

Staying up to date on phishing and vishing scams, malware, ransomware, and other computer threats is absolutely necessary to keep your finances and identity safe.

In this episode, David Vallieres talks with Sarah Khan, a chief information security officer at Hightower Advisor LLC, to discuss cybersecurity. Sarah dives into what cyber security is, the different types of cyber fraud to look out for, and shares some essential tips for keeping yourself safe online.

Sarah discusses:

What cyber fraud is, and the different techniques scammers are currently using to compromise security for financial accounts and computer systems
Some examples of different fraudulent money movement scenarios
12 essential pieces of advice for staying safe online
And more

Resources:

About Our Guest:

Sarah Khan was born and raised in Chicago and is naturally drawn to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at UIC in electrical engineering and then attended Northwestern University for her Master’s degree in computer sciences. Over the past 20 years, Sarah has been focused on technology and security, specifically in financial services, and is currently the Chief Information Security Officer for Hightower Advisors and the Hightower Trust company.

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2022 Q4 Market Update With Mark Burns and Eric Nahat

October 7, 2022Financial PlanningAmanda Dorio, Career, Children, Denise Gergley, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Hannah Haley, Jordann Andrusiak, Life Planning, Synergy Capital Solutions, Women, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

Are we currently in a recession or are we headed towards a recession? Because of the economic cycles and changes, there are always times where the market goes through good and bad periods, that’s one of the reasons why you need to be a long term investor.

In this episode, David Vallieres talks with Mark Burns and Eric Nahat from Synergy Capital Solutions to discuss the fourth quarter market update and what trends they have noticed over the past couple of months.

Mark and Eric discuss:

Why your economic outlook should match your portfolio planning
Why long term investing is so effective
The Monte Carlo simulations and how you can use it to make predictions
And more

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Controlling Your Budget and Spending With Alex Burns, CFP®

August 19, 2022Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, Investments, UncategorizedAlex Burns, Budgeting, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Life Planning, Spending, Synergy Capital Solutions, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

It is vital to control your finances with all the uncertainty in the markets.

In this episode, David Vallieres talks with Alex Burns, an advisor at Synergy Capital Solutions. Alex explains the importance of controlling your spending and details how your savings should be organized for the short, medium, and long term.

Alex discusses:

What can be truly controlled by investors
The three-step process of saving
Why time in the market is better than timing the market
And more

Connect With Alex Burns:

LinkedIn: Alex Burns

About Our Guest:

Alex Burns, CFP®, began his business career as a sales account manager for Symantec Corporation and its subsidiary Veritas. He brings deep database knowledge to Synergy Capital Solutions and enjoys working alongside his father, mother and sister. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Michigan State University.

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The Growing Business of Insurance with Dr. Jeffrey Allen, CFP®

June 17, 2022Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, Investments, UncategorizedFinancial Advisors, Financial Planning, Investment Planning, Life Planning, Long Term Care, Risk, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

When it comes to financial planning, insurance is a necessary evil in planning for your future.

In this episode, David Vallieres chats once more with Dr. Jeffrey Allen, CFP®, on insurance and risk management within financial planning while discussing options for long term coverage.

Dr. Jeffrey discusses:

How he mitigates risk for his clients
The different types of insurance
Long term care insurance options
And more!

About Our Guest:

Dr. Jeffrey Allen, CFP®, entered the financial service industry 15 years ago following his vast experience in the medical industry. Jeff is our team specialist in working with medical practices, closely held corporations and families to provide wealth management solutions. He focuses on developing a coordinated wealth creation and preservation plan to help with investment planning issues often encountered by medical professionals. As a certified physician, Jeff brings a distinct perspective and experience to these client needs.

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Honoring Women in Finance for International Women’s Month With Sarah Zvekan

March 25, 2022Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, InvestmentsCareer, Children, David Vallieres, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Life Planning, Synergy Capital Solutions, Women, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

Women now control about a third of the world’s wealth and over half of the wealth in the United States. A lot has changed over the years and we want to take the time to recognize the work from generations of women.

In this episode, David Vallieres chats with Sarah Zvekan financial advisor at Synergy Capital Solutions about the importance of women in the financial industry, and the impacts that they have had. Sarah also talks about planning your taxes for charitable giving.

David and Sarah discuss:

Her observations as a woman in finance
Women in philanthropy
Tax planning for philanthropic and charitable giving
And more

Connect with David Vallieres:

David Vallieres
Synergy Capital Solutions
Email at: hello@synergycapitalsolutions.com

Connect With Sarah Zvekan:

LinkedIn: Sarah Zvekan

About Our Guest:

Sarah Zvekan delights in working hand in hand with clients in developing their goals that drive their long-term financial plan. Sarah enjoys helping clients organize their financial life to lessen their burden and stress. She has a high level of proficiency in the financial planning platforms that are used to serve clients and is consistently willing to leverage specialized tools to empower clients to accomplish their goals.

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Preparing for Tax Season With Mark Burns, CFP®, CIMA® and Sarah Zvekan

February 25, 2022Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, InvestmentsDavid Vallieres, Financial Advisors, Financial Planning, Life Planning, Mark Burns, Sarah Zvekan, Synergy Capital Solutions, Tax Planning, Taxes, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

Tax season is on the horizon once again but, if you think about taxes all year round it doesn’t have to be such a burden at this particular time of year.

In this episode, David Vallieres speaks with Mark Burns, CFP®, CIMA®, chief executive officer and investment officer and Sarah Zvekan financial advisor at Synergy Capital Solutions. They discuss how to prepare for tax season, creating retirement plans that clients can be excited about, and the importance of investment planning.

Mark and Sarah discuss:

Building a stable cash flow plan for after retirement to mitigate risk
Creating retirement plans that are client oriented and help clients visualize an end goal
Investment planning and the importance in creating a diverse portfolio of well managed assets
Passing down your values and your wealth to your family through wealth transfer planning
And more

Connect with Mark Burns:

LinkedIn: Mark Burns

Connect With Sarah Zvekan:

LinkedIn: Sarah Zvekan

Connect with David Vallieres:

David Vallieres
Synergy Capital Solutions
Email at: hello@synergycapitalsolutions.com

About Our Guests:

Mark Burns began his financial services career in 1982 and quickly became a widely recognized advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors and its predecessor firms. Mark focuses on investment planning and consulting, in addition to overseeing the asset management process. He spearheads the Synergy Investment Committee which manages client portfolios on discretion using Synergy Strategy Portfolios. Mark believes continuing education enhances Synergy’s advisory services and investment strategies.

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Financial Concerns Changing with Age With Norton Stern

February 11, 2022Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, InvestmentsBusiness, Clients, David Vallieres, Financial Advisors, Financial Freedom, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Life Planning, Market changes, Norton Stern, Podcast, Synergy Capital Solutions, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

Part of the role of a good financial advisor is to be able to change with your clients and meet their needs to relieve their concerns.

Your market advisor should be able to identify those concerns and create a plan of action based on that information.

In this episode, David Vallieres talks to Norton Stern, advisor at Synergy Capital Solutions to discuss the financial setbacks he’s seen within his career and how he was able to manage them. Plus, how his financial outlook has changed as he aged.

David and Norton discuss:

How he is adapting to financial concerns to prepare his clients for potential issues
Modern technology and its potential misuses in the future
The different mindsets of clients based on their age
And more!

Connect with David Vallieres:

Connect with Norton Stern:

Synergy Capital Solutions

About Our guest:

Norton Stern assists Synergy Capital Solutions as a specialist in institutions and charitable foundations. He began his financial services career in 1969 creating a diverse and multi-layered scope of experience. He also works with individuals and families to continually monitor and provide individualized plans. Prior to joining Synergy’s predecessor firm, he was the registered principal and president of Franklin Financial Investments, LLC. Norton holds the Series 1, 24, 63, 65 licenses along with Life, Health and Accident, and Variable Annuities Insurance licenses.

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A Look Back on 2021 and Forward to 2022 with Eric Nahat

December 31, 2021Financial, Financial Planning, Investing, Investments2021 wrap up, 2022 predictions, David Vallieres, Eric Nahat, Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Financial Planning, Investment Decisions, Life Planning, Synergy Capital Solutions, Your Financial Plan-ItAnne Iwasko

2021 was a year with a lot of ups and downs. COVID-19 affected day-to-day life and many financial decisions.

But, even though 2021 was unpredictable, 2022 is right around the corner with new economic predictions and opportunities.

In this episode, David Vallieres is joined by Eric Nahat, director of the investment committee at Synergy Capital Solutions, to discuss a market wrap-up of 2021, and what to expect in 2022.

David and Eric discuss:

What’s next for the economy
Stocks and equities in 2021 and what to expect in 2022
2021’s fixed income and bonds, and what’s around the corner in the new year
And more!

Connect with David Vallieres:

Connect with Eric Nahat

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