Tag Archives: Financial Planning

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Should I Stay or Should I Move? (Ep.12)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Often one of the big decisions facing a widowed person is whether to move or stay in their current home. 

Working with a financial planner and an experienced real estate advisor is the logical next step.

In this episode, Dawn Bremer of Keller Williams Success Realty shares her expertise in helping widowed clients assess the value of their home, what to consider in this market, and the process she uses to guide clients through the next steps. 

Dawn discusses:

  • The educational process she takes her widowed clients through
  • How she assesses clients needs and considers their financial situation
  • The evaluation process for purchasing a home as a widow and what it entails 
  • The factors to consider when deciding between buying, selling, or renting 
  • And so much more

Resources: 

Connect with Dawn Bremer:

 Connect with Todd Bessey:

 About our Guest: 

Dawn Bremer leads the team at Keller Williams Success Realty as a real estate broker. She has over 20 years of experience in guiding her clients through the home buying and selling process. Along with her dedication to serving client needs, she has also been very active in the community. She has volunteered with many nonprofits, including the United Way and Food for Thought. She also serves as President of Kids In Need. Dawn holds leadership positions such as President of her local school board and Commissioner of planning and zoning in the city of McHenry, Illinois.



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Protecting Yourself and Your Assets (Ep. 11)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

An insurance specialist is one among a group of professionals a widow reaches out to for financial guidance after the passing of a spouse.

Choosing an insurance specialist that takes all your insurance coverage needs into consideration during this time is critical.

In this episode, Todd Bessey has David Albanese, an independent insurance agent with Neis Insurance for 13 years, on the podcast to share some of the top considerations when it comes to insurance planning, and more.

Todd and David discuss: 

  • What Property and Casualty insurance is and the types of coverage that most people might need
  • Examples of items not typically covered and how to include them in your policy
  • Service line coverage and how it can benefit you
  • Ways to save on your auto insurance premiums
  • And more

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

Connect with David Albanese:

About our Guest: 

David Albanese has been an independent insurance agent with Neis Insurance for 13 years.  He specializes in the areas of auto, home, and health insurance.  When working with clients, Dave likes to take a consultative approach, explaining the cost and benefits of the various coverage levels.  In his free time, he’s a bit of a sports fan and loves traveling to visit his 13 nieces and nephews.



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Tax Planning Ideas with Kelly Swisher (Ep 8)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

In the event of a spouse’s death, the surviving spouse is left feeling overwhelmed and confused when it comes to the family finances.

Suddenly being responsible for all the bills, investments, and other money-related items can feel like a daunting task. Especially if you don’t have any previous experience in this area.

In this episode,  Kelly Swisher, CPA and senior manager of accounting and tax services at Eder, Casella & Company returns to Widowed But Not Alone Podcast. She provides tips and tricks on how widows can keep more money in their pockets after their spouse’s death. 

Kelly discusses: 

  • Two things you need to do immediately after your spouse dies
  • The age the surviving spouse can start to receive benefits 
  • Taxation of Social Security Benefits 
  • How interest is taxed at the state and federal levels 
  • And More!

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

Connect with Kelly Swisher:

About our Guest:

My parents were great examples to me and my three sisters,” says CPA Kelly Swisher. “They showed us that hard work and generosity matters. They taught us how to be motivated, told us we should follow our dreams, and also encouraged us to enjoy life.”

Those lessons eventually led Swisher from Rockford, Illinois, where she grew up and attended high school, to college, where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Northern Illinois University in 2006 and a Masters of Accounting Science from the school a year later. She joined Eder, Casella & Co. in 2008, and is a manager working on tax returns, and monthly and quarterly accounting, while also offering QuickBooks assistance to business clients. “One of my strengths is I can easily adapt and work in many different accounting software platforms,” she says.

Swisher, who is a member of the Illinois CPA Society and the Barrington Breakfast Rotary, enjoys the problem-solving nature of client relationships. “I enjoy helping clients who have accounting problems, a situation where I can come in to fix issues,” the married mother of three says. “It is also great to help clients with their accounting efficiencies — anything to help the client save time and money. Accounting is like a puzzle you have to figure out, with many moving pieces, and it feels great when the puzzle is solved.”



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Tax Planning After A Loss with Kelly Swisher (Ep 7)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

The hardest part of widowhood is dealing with the series of firsts that proceeds with your spouse’s passing. There is the first month after, the first birthday, the first anniversary. 

Add in the first time doing taxes without your spouse on top of all of that can be daunting. Organizing your taxes is critical to giving you a sense of control.

So, where and how do you start the tax planning process? 

In this episode, Todd Bessey meets with Kelly Swisher, CPA and senior manager of accounting and tax services at Eder, Casella & Company. She provides tips and tricks that can help widows make good decisions when it comes to tax planning.

Kelly discusses: 

  • Best practices for widows dealing with taxes for the first time without their spouse 
  • How long children can be claimed as dependents on your tax return
  • What a spousal rollover is
  • What step-up in basis means 
  • And More!

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

Connect with Kelly Swisher:

About our Guest:

My parents were great examples to me and my three sisters,” says CPA Kelly Swisher. “They showed us that hard work and generosity matters. They taught us how to be motivated, told us we should follow our dreams, and also encouraged us to enjoy life.”

Those lessons eventually led Swisher from Rockford, Illinois, where she grew up and attended high school, to college, where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Northern Illinois University in 2006 and a Masters of Accounting Science from the school a year later. She joined Eder, Casella & Co. in 2008, and is a manager working on tax returns, and monthly and quarterly accounting, while also offering QuickBooks assistance to business clients. “One of my strengths is I can easily adapt and work in many different accounting software platforms,” she says.

Swisher, who is a member of the Illinois CPA Society and the Barrington Breakfast Rotary, enjoys the problem-solving nature of client relationships. “I enjoy helping clients who have accounting problems, a situation where I can come in to fix issues,” the married mother of three says. “It is also great to help clients with their accounting efficiencies — anything to help the client save time and money. Accounting is like a puzzle you have to figure out, with many moving pieces, and it feels great when the puzzle is solved.”



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Understanding Your Personal Net Worth (Ep 6)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

Understanding what you own versus what you owe can be a difficult task for a widow. 

Organizing your assets and liabilities is crucial to giving you a sense of control. It can also reduce your anxiety regarding your finances while still dealing with your grief. 

In this episode, Todd Bessey continues his discussion on best practices when helping widows organize their financial assets and liabilities.

Todd discusses: 

  • What are assets and liabilities 
  • How to calculate your net worth
  • The importance of understanding your tax situation 
  • The role of the Power of Attorney 
  • And More!

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

 

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Preparing to Make Financial Decisions (Ep 5)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, , , , ,

Making decisions and taking action can be quite difficult for a widow. However, at some point you must address financial issues that need your attention. 

Organizing your finances is critical to giving you a sense of control. It can also reduce your concerns about financial stability while you’re still dealing with grief, fear, and uncertainty.

So, where and how do you start? 

In this episode, Todd Bessey discusses best practices when helping widows deal with the financial decision making process. 

Todd discusses: 

  • Why having a good support system is so important
  • The value of having a trusted professional to guide you through making financial decisions
  • The different types of retirement accounts that need to be looked at or reviewed
  • The effects of the surviving spouse not being employed
  • And More!

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

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3 Stages of Transformation in Widowhood With Maggie Moore (Ep.4)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, , , , , ,

Making decisions in the midst of the chaos after the death of a spouse is extremely difficult. 

While you are experiencing both physical and emotional grief, there is also the financial burden of making sure that your short-term and long-term goals are met. 

In this episode, Todd Bessey sits down with Maggie Moore, Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist and The Widow Coach. Maggie continues to provide advice on how to handle important decisions after the death of a spouse.  

Todd & Maggie discuss: 

  • The challenges of having your inner and outer worlds collide
  • Three stages of the transformation process  
  • How a good advisor can support you
  • How to deal with decision making during the grief process 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

Connect with Maggie Moore:

About our Guest: Maggie has been professionally helping and healing others since 2015. Catapulted on her journey by the loss of her own soul mate and spouse, she has helped hundreds of people transform their lives through implementing practical guidance with life beyond loss, resolving the past and living in the present.

As a Speaker, Widow Coach & Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®, Maggie believes in using practical tools of her Widowed Navigator® and Widowed Compass® to manage the widowed process, enabling time and space for transformational coaching from the inside out.

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Two Sides of Grief with Maggie Moore (Ep.3)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, , , , , ,

Organization is something that as a married couple and a team, you probably take for granted.

But after the loss of a spouse, finding a new sense of organization through the chaos is challenging.  

In this episode, Todd Bessey sits down with Maggie Moore, Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist and The Widow Coach. Maggie discusses her life-changing experience after the loss of her spouse in 2014 and how she took action to assess and prioritize what needed to be done to continue on her journey through life alone.

Todd and Maggie discuss: 

  • The challenges that Maggie faced after the loss of her husband
  • The support systems she relied on when she felt the most alone 
  • The TWO sides of Grief –  biological and emotional
  • FOUR key terms to getting organized  
  • How to deal with decision making during the grief process 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

Connect with Maggie Moore:

About our Guest: Maggie has been professionally helping and healing others since 2015. Catapulted on her journey by the loss of her own soul mate and spouse, she has helped hundreds of people transform their lives through implementing practical guidance with life beyond loss, resolving the past and living in the present.

As a Speaker, Widow Coach & Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®, Maggie believes in using practical tools of her Widowed Navigator® and Widowed Compass® to manage the widowed process, enabling time and space for transformational coaching from the inside out.

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Emotional Healing After Losing a Partner (Ep. 2)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, , , , , ,

When someone loses their significant other, it can be difficult to regain a sense of normality and to feel in control of your own life again. 

But you don’t have to go through that alone…

In this episode, Todd Bessey continues his new series, Widowed But Not Alone, focused on helping those who have lost a partner figure out how to manage finances, as well as strategies to better handle the stress and feelings of being overwhelmed.  

Todd discusses: 

  • Where to start when rebuilding life without your partner 
  • How to find the right resources to support the next part of your journey 
  • Handling the feeling of being overwhelmed 
  • Different issues older and younger widows go through
  • What to do when time isn’t on your side in your grieving process
  • The importance of a close inner circle and who should be included 
  • And more

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

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The First Steps to an Optimistic Future (Ep.1)

Education, Finance, Financial Advisor, Financial Planning, Investing, Retirement, , , , ,

Losing a partner can have a serious impact on everything. It can be hard to not feel alone when you are going through the necessary steps, but it doesn’t have to be that way… 

In this podcast series, Widowed But Not Alone, learn how to tackle issues such as grief, widow scams, survivor’s guilt, and how to continue living your best life. 

In this inaugural episode, Todd Bessey introduces himself and his company, Creidim Wealth Partners. Follow along, and learn how to best protect yourself and your finances during some of life’s hardest times. 

Todd discusses: 

  • How he got into the field and why his focus is on advising widows 
  • Todd’s history and past professional experience 
  • What the name Creidim means 
  • Todd’s business philosophy when working with people in delicate situations
  • How Creidim works with all types of clients needs, to best fit each individual
  • What to expect next episode 
  • And more

Connect with Todd Bessey: 

 

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