The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast

What Should We Know About End-of-Life Planning with Dorian Mintzer M.S.W., Ph.D.

Ep 098: A few weeks ago, we spoke with an older client who had managed her retirement planning well but hadn't addressed end-of-life issues beyond financial aspects, such as her legacy and comforting her loved ones. To help with this, we brought in a world-renowned retirement coach specializing in finding meaning and purpose in retirement challenges. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and tools for a confident and fulfilling retirement, including thoughtful end-of-life planning and its impact on loved ones.
Our next guest on the Retirement Success in Maine Podcast is Dr. Dorian Mintzer, a renowned therapist, relationship and executive coach, writer, and speaker with over 50 years of expertise in retirement and aging. She is the co-author of "The Couple's Retirement Puzzle" and the founder of the Revolutionize Retirement community, providing valuable resources and guidance for navigating midlife transitions. Dr. Mintzer is also a licensed psychologist and thought leader in retirement coaching, with her work featured in major media outlets like the New York Times, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal.
Chapters:
Welcome Dorian Mintzer! [5:00]
How can individuals approach end-of-life planning to ensure their wishes are respected and fulfilled? [14:45]
What should people keep in mind when planning their own funeral, and how can taking charge of these arrangements contribute to a sense of peace and ensure their wishes are respected? [22:23]
What are some insights for people thinking about legacy planning? [28:06]
What are some of the key emotional and spiritual aspects that individuals commonly face as they end up approaching death? [36:04]
How can families and caregivers best support someone emotionally and spiritually during end-of-life planning, and what advice would you give to those involved in this sensitive process? [40:23]
How can we effectively broach the conversation about end-of-life planning when there is difficulty from either party? How can we ensure that wishes are discussed and documented with family members to benefit everyone involved? [46:25]
How is technology influencing the documentation of our own stories for future generations? [59:58]
How is Dorian going to find her personal retirement success? [1:06:00]
Conclusion of show [1:11:04]

Using Disney Vacation Club to Live in Florida in the Winter Months in Retirement with Derek DeBoer

Ep 097: When working with retirees, we often face the question - “Where do I want to live in retirement?” This is something that we’ve discussed in previous episodes, but in this episode, we are taking a different angle. What if you could live in arguably the Happiest Place on Earth while in retirement? Of course, we are talking about Disney! Is that even possible? On today’s episode, we discuss utilizing Disney Vacation Club (DVC) to accomplish just that! 
We are joined by a Disney Vacation Club Expert who has spent more than 20 years working in the world of Disney and Disney Vacation Club. Our guest has sold over $22 Million in Disney Vacation Club direct and over $42 Million in DVC Resale. He is also a 6-time DVC Leadership Circle Award Winner. Please welcome Derek DeBoer to the Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Derek DeBoer! [5:02]
What drove Derek to work for Disney, and ultimately Disney Vacation Club? [17:23]
What are 3 not well-known things that everyone at Disney should experience? [25:06]
What did Disney learn from the perception of timeshares and how did it shape how Disney approached Disney Vacation Club? [30:57]
How do costs work throughout the life of the DVC contract? [35:14]
Are there better times than others to buy (especially on the resale market)? [45:06]
Rapid Fire! Quick questions about DVC Contracts. [53:57]
Can DVC Contracts be transferred/inherited and is that a good idea? [1:05:53]
How is Derek going to find his Personal Retirement Success? [1:10:25]
Episode Conclusion. [1:15:39]

The Guidance Point Advisors Culture Code

Ep 096: We are back! After taking a little bit of a break here in 2024 we are excited to have a new episode to share. Our firm has been growing and as businesses grow, you resource up, and we've been just working on that a lot. Thank you to those who have just stayed with us and are tuning in again today after our little hiatus. We promise we're back. We’ve got some really great guests that we're lining up here.
For today’s show, seeing as it's been a bit, one of the things that we want to talk about is that as we've been hiring people and as people hire us, we've been getting these questions of, "Okay, well who is this Guidance Point, and what do you guys stand for? Aren't all investment advisors the same?" We've been thinking about that a little bit internally, so much so that we put together a little bit of a thing that we call our Culture Code. The Culture Code is really who we are, what makes us different, and then why, so we want to walk you through that today by just spending a little bit of time on our firm and what makes us different, so today that’s exactly what this episode is about!             
Chapters:
What is The Culture Code? [2:50]
Rule #1 Make it Simple. [9:12]
Rule #2 Earn Your Business. [11:50]
Rule #3 Solve for My Success. [12:35]
Rule #4 Treating People Like a Person, not a Persona. [13:45]
Rule #5 Owning Your Screw Ups. [16:19]
Rule #6 Don’t Block the Exit. [19:39]
Rule #7 I Don’t Mind Paying, But I Do Mind Being Played. [21:36]
Rule #8 Do the Right Thing, Even When It’s Hard. [22:54]

Can I Predict If I’ll Need Long-Term Care Insurance? with Lily Vittayarukskul

Ep 095: When we sit down with our clients, one of the greatest fears in retirement is needing Long-Term Care services as we age. But our long-term care needs are often undefined. We don’t know how we’ll age. Some of us do know a bit about how our immediate family has aged and what their experience with long-term care has been, but is that relevant for us?
With our clients, we can roughly game plan whether our current retirement assets and savings might be enough to support one or two people’s long-term care needs. But it’s certainly a guess and it only discusses the financial component of long-term care. What about the burden on my family? What is their role going to be and how should they be involved in my aging process? Is it possible to strategize an Eldercare strategy for each of us individually? So, that is exactly what this show is about!
Our next guest spent 4 years specializing in molecular genetics and data science at UC Berkeley and did all things technical foundations, including biology, chemistry, physics, data science, computer science, statistics, and linear algebra. She has spent the last few years pushing for the early adoption of AI in biotech and healthcare. She is an Ex-NASA data scientist building the future of financial planning tools for eldercare using Artificial Intelligence. She’s the founder of WaterLily Planning, a software that leverages AI to help you personalize your long-term care plans. Please welcome Lily Vittayarukskul to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Lily Vittayarukskul! [3:15]
How does the WaterLily software work? [10:46]
Examining WaterLily’s output, using Ben! [15:00]
Caregiving and Long-Term Care. [24:39]
What’s the future of Long-Term Care in the United States? [37:04]
What is a Successful Retirement to Lily? [47:34]
Episode conclusion. [50:46]

What to Do When Things REALLY Don’t Go as Planned with Michael Allison

Ep 094: On today’s episode, we venture into a topic that all of us know one way or another, adversity. Throughout our lives, we spend countless hours planning for monumental life goals. We take time planning to carefully map out how we want our lives to play out. But, what happens when the things we strive towards for years, don’t happen at all? This emotional rollercoaster can be especially amplified when it comes to retirement. We spend decades planning our retirement and accumulating expectations, but then life throws us a curveball. Maybe we don’t have the money to carry out our plans, maybe we can’t live where we want, or maybe our health or the health of our family members declines. On today’s episode, we’re going to talk about what to do when things REALLY don’t go as planned.
Our guest today is a self-made entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to helping others by sharing his own story of dedication, resiliency, and faithfulness. He is the founder and CEO of The Adversity Academy, which is a coaching and consulting firm that helps individuals and businesses turn their challenges into opportunities. Our guest has graced several magazines such as Forbes, FOX, New York Times, and Entrepreneur Shark. He currently hosts The Overcoming Adversity Podcast and has been able to share his exact steps for overcoming adversity in his book, Overcoming Adversity: Getting Your Life Back on Track. Please welcome Michael Allison to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Michael Allison! [3:10]
What is Michael’s process to overcome adversity? [20:45]
What is the end goal that we strive for when we overcome adversity? [35:36]
How important is it to keep in perspective other people’s adversity versus our own? [41:18]
What role do other people play in helping us overcome our own adversity? [50:20]
How is Michael going to find his own Retirement Success? [56:18]
Episode Conclusion. [59:20]

What’s the Future of Real Estate in Maine and Nationally with Tom Miller, CFA

Ep 093: Maine offers a lot of unique opportunities for those looking to acquire real estate. Whether you're interested in growing your real estate portfolio, purchasing a rental property, or finding a second home to escape to, you've come to the right place. With more people working remotely, and Maine experiencing an influx of new residents, how is this trend effecting our real estate? For those who already own real estate in Maine, there can be questions regarding when to sell or how national trends will impact our region. On today's episode, we're going to unravel the strategies, challenges, and potential rewards of investing in real estate.
Our guest brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer at Union Square Capital Partners, a firm specializing in real estate fund management. Our guest holds a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. Please welcome Tom Miller to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Tom Miller! [2:20]
Introduction to Union Square Capital Partners (USQ). [5:24]
What are some trends that Tom is seeing nationally around read estate? [7:48]
How is property like Timberland typically valued? [15:53]
Compare and contrast real estate investing through a fund versus privately. [21:49]
What trends is Tom seeing around Shopping Mall Real Estate? [33:57]
What has the market been like for second, luxurious home purchases? [37:52]
How will Tom find his personal Retirement Success? [45:00]
Episode Conclusion. [46:50]

Preserving Our Memories for Generations with Jim Gebhardt

Ep 092: We often hear that our clients are sifting through old pictures, VHS tapes, DVDs, YouTube videos, etc., and are looking for a way to keep their memories alive over time, but it all seems unorganized and not coordinated to the people we ultimately want to give these memories and their context to! Enter MyArkit, an online digital archival company preserving the legacy of loved ones and friends. As we live our lives digitally, we save memories to devices, clouds, or social media sites that may get lost due to faulty equipment or careless handling. We all have thousands of pictures and videos on our devices that get clicked away with no story behind them that gives them real meaning and emotion. Imagine your great-grandkids being able to view your life in your own words and thoughts. Well, that is exactly what we are talking about today!
Please welcome our next guest, the Principal and CEO of MyArkit.com, Jim Gebhardt to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Jim Gebhardt! [1:56]
Intro to MyArkit.com. [5:43]
How has the process of passing down images evolved over time? [12:02]
How has digital storage evolved? [16:01]
How does MyArkit address Cybersecurity and protecting client files? [19:27]
What happens when the owner of a MyArkit account passes away? [22:34]
How is Jim going to find his personal Retirement Success? [27:25]
Episode Conclusion. [28:49]

Using Functional Fitness to Successfully Age in our Homes with Doctor Lynn Anderson

Ep 091: When we sit down with many of our clients, one of their greatest fears is not being able to stay in their homes for the duration of their retirement. So, if that’s one of the biggest fears, what are we doing about that to ensure we stay in our homes as long as possible? We can use our retirement savings to make our homes more age-friendly, but are we investing in ourselves through diet and fitness to do activities to keep us moving appropriately in our homes? That is exactly what this show is about, Using Functional Fitness to Successfully Age in our Homes!
Our next guest, a Naturopath and Yoga therapist, has authored multiple book series and has been published in major publications such as Reader’s Digest, Shape, SELF, SPRY, The Chicago Times, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and Redbook. She was featured as one of the “hottest” fitness professionals over fifty in Spry Magazine. She is the creator and producer of Doctor Lynn’s Anti-Aging Workouts for Every Body with international distribution. She has also created and produced Doctor Lynn’s Functional Fitness for JLTV.T. Please welcome Doctor Lynn Anderson to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Doctor Lynn! [1:59]
What is Functional Fitness? [11:34]
How can we adapt to take care of ourselves as we go through the decades? [17:28]
Why do people struggle aging in their homes? [22:45]
What should we know about diet and our bodies that can be applied over time? [35:18]
How will Doctor Lynn find her personal Retirement Success? [37:23]
Episode conclusion. [40:42]