The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast

9 Financial Tips for May 2023 from Financial Planners and Advisors

Ep 083: Lately with our show, we've been going into a lot of purpose driven topics and naturally, our goal is to be tying money and purpose as part of our Practice, but also as a podcast theme here on The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast. Sometimes, we think that we need to lean back into the financial end on this show, and that's exactly what we are going to do on this episode! In this episode, you’ll hear from Austin, Ben, and Curtis, from Guidance Point Advisors, directly as they are going to share with you some of the top financial tips that they are providing in their financial planning and advisory sessions each day.
Chapters:
Take a hard look at your cash accounts. [2:22]
Take a look at your debts. [7:42]
Pad your emergency fund. [10:04]
Fight Inflation. [13:43]
Re-think your stock to bond mix. [26:45]
Be greedy when others are fearful. [28:00]
Consider a ROTH Conversion. [31:40]
Check your pandemic subscriptions. [33:24]
Be careful of what you hear/see online. [36:45]

How Brain Cancer Taught Me to NOT Live a Life of Comfortable Complacency with Chris Gathers

Ep 082: We all know that life can change in an instant. Picture yourself sitting through an MRI for 30-45 minutes, and as you’re being wheeled out, you catch a glimpse of the screen and you see a mass, a white mass, and the doctor comes in and says, “We’re really glad you came in today.” Your heart sinks. The radiologist has confirmed that you have a tumor on your brain and it’s a 4-centimeter tumor. The sound of that diagnosis doesn’t come lightly to anyone’s ears. You start thinking about how would this news change how you spend your days. What would you say to your spouse, kids, or other loved ones? Would you think differently about your past experiences and relationships? How would you plan your life to maximize your time alive? This is exactly what happened to our next guest. In this episode we’ll talk to him about his current health, how he was able to live focused on an optimistic future instead of dwelling in the past, and how to NOT live a life of comfortable complacency!
Our guest started an Instagram page @culminationpoint in which he posts regular messages about surviving brain cancer, trauma, and lessons learned about healing and growth.  As a Regional Vice President for Nationwide Insurance, he understands the value of planning and is doing all he can as a husband and father of two girls to make every day count. Please welcome Chris Gathers to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Chris Gathers and hear his story! [2:07]
What is comfortable complacency? [23:31]
How can we reconcile pain in the past? [34:30]
Where do we all need to improve so that we don’t settle into being comfortably complacent? [49:02]
How will Chris find his personal Retirement Success? [57:02]
Episode Conclusion [1:00:41]

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs in Retirement with Danielle Abbott

Ep 081: We all have stories we have about ourselves as we age. Stories that tell us we’re too old for this or it’s too late for that. Our team of financial advisors hears this ALL the time. One thing we heard from Michelle Dickinson in a previous episode was her idea of a happiness scale. She talked with us about on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is the happiest you’ve ever been, how happy are you now? What sort of things would you like to do that would make you happier? We have asked these questions a few of them said “I’m too old to do that thing I’ve always wanted, it’s too late” or, “Maybe it’s not possible to be that happy again”. These are the thoughts that we tell ourselves and make reality just by thinking about them. So how do we overcome these thoughts to make our dreams and vision of our lives a reality? Our next guest is here to tell us!
She is an energetic leadership coach, cultivating confident leaders who are able to engage, communicate and lead teams with success. She helps businesses and leaders create cultures where employees are loyal, engaged, and where they WANT TO WORK! She’s able to allow business owners and executives to focus on the day-to-day operations while she supports their leadership teams by providing 1:1 support, education, and strategic leadership courses. Our guest has had a successful corporate career at such places as Bank of America and Northern Light Health and now has her own coaching business. Please welcome Danielle Abbott to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Danielle Abbott! [3:16]
What is a limiting belief? [11:27]
Why are we scared of achieving a better version of our current self? [14:18]
How can caregivers talk through and challenge limiting beliefs? [20:40]
How can we help other people overcome their own limiting beliefs? [35:22]
How will Danielle find her personal Retirement Success? [45:25]
Ben and Curtis conclude the conversation. [47:52]

Managing Anxiety As We Age with David Prescott, PhD

Ep 080: In our practice with our financial planning clients, we see signs of anxiety and untreated anxiety start to shrink our clients’ worlds. They start getting more anxious about traveling to other parts of the world, they get anxious about social situations, or they stop going to the doctor because they might be anxious about hearing possible bad news. There are things that we can do to address our anxiety and help us manage our fears, whether logical or illogical. Today, we wanted to have a discussion about managing anxiety as we age.
Our next guest attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine where he earned a B.A. with a double major in psychology and music. After a year he spent the next decade completing an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Nebraska and a clinical psychology predoctoral internship at Indiana University Medical School. For more than the past 17 years, he’s worked at Northern Light Acadia Hospital, a psychiatric treatment facility in Bangor, as a psychologist, program director, and quality improvement director. Please join us in welcoming David Prescott to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, David Prescott, PhD! (2:45)
What is an anxiety disorder? (10:29)
What are some common anxiety triggers? (20:32)
What is helpful anxiety and what is unhelpful anxiety? (26:16)
When does a doctor or patient know when it’s time to use medication to assist with managing anxiety? (35:47)
What resources are out there for people experiencing anxiety? (44:56)
How will David find his personal Retirement Success? (47:52)
Ben and Curtis conclude the show. (52:06)

A Guidance Point Advisors Roundtable Conversation

Ep 079: Our team at Guidance Point Advisors (GPA) is often asked to give our thoughts on the investable markets and what it means for our retirement. On this show, we mainly discuss life challenges pre and post-retirement, to hopefully lead to a Successful Retirement. As we say goodbye to 2022 and move into 2023, we wanted to bring some of the GPA team together to discuss some important topics around the investable markets right now. Please join us for Episode #79 where we have a 2022 Roundtable Recap and 2023 Preview!
 
Chapters:
Welcome, to the Guidance Point Advisors Roundtable! [1:10]
A recap of the year 2022. [5:57]
Is the 60/40 portfolio dead? [10:56]
Bonds are terrible, right? [15:31]
What can investors do when their Financial Plans get off-track? [22:18]
Should we still be concerned about inflation? [30:48]

The Best of the Best Foods in Maine with The Maine Foodies

Ep 078: One thing that we agree upon is that we are both passionate about really great food. Our conversations in previous episodes have helped us with how to really experience food in retirement. But one area that we haven’t done is how to experience the best of the best foods in our own backyard, the state of Maine! So, that’s what this show is all about!
Our next guests are “The Maine Foodies” - food bloggers that have been documenting their Maine food adventures as a hobby since 2020. The Maine Foodies live in Portland, Maine’s Arts District, and are passionate about supporting their local Maine restaurants, bars, and farms across our beautiful state. They are continuously seeking the best food and drink experiences Maine has to offer. Please welcome Alexis and Erik Dirkmaat, The Maine Foodies, to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, The Maine Foodies! [1:48]
What is it that makes the Maine food scene unique? [10:43]
For someone visiting Maine, what are some recommendations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? [14:43]
Lobster Rolls! What makes the perfect lobster roll? [17:16]
Doughnuts! What makes a doughnut the best doughnut? [20:02]
What are some must-do food experiences in Maine? [24:01]
Burgers! What is the perfect Maine burger and fries? [27:58]
What’s going on with the beer and spirits scene in Maine? [31:04]
What is next for the food scene in Maine? [34:55]
How will The Maine Foodies find their personal Retirement Success? [42:05]
Ben and Curtis wrap up the conversation. [46:56]

Identifying and Overcoming A Gambling Addiction with Patrick Chester

Ep 077: One topic that we know we wanted to discuss on our show is gambling and retirement in the State of Maine. So far, we have two retail casinos in Maine, one in Oxford and one in Bangor. Also, sports betting is getting closer and closer to becoming available in the Pine Tree State. With some cold harsh winters in Maine and a lack of entertainment options, there could be some potential for us to get a bit carried away with participating in retail and sports gambling. But how do we know if we’re developing an addiction that we can’t control? How much is too much? This can be especially problematic for retirees that feel like they have money to gamble but might be living beyond their means to allow for their funds to last for the entirety of their retirements. That’s what this show is about!
Our next guest is a graduate of the University of Washington and eventually went on to work for himself as a general contractor.  He built a solid reputation for years and was widely respected as a business owner and professional. What people didn’t know is that he also spent 15 years as a raging gambling addict, lost millions, and nearly destroyed his family. Our guest is a TEDx speaker currently presenting to college student-athletes across the country, and he’s been fortunate enough to guest on over 200 podcasts worldwide. With that, please welcome Patrick Chester to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Patrick Chester! [3:11]
What are the signs of a gambling problem versus recreational gambling? [16:13]
What are the major risks with problem gambling and who is more likely to develop a compulsive gambling issue? [22:27]
What is the best way for us to help a loved one suffering from a gambling addiction? Is there a “right way” to help? [30:36]
How will Patrick find his personal Retirement Success? [43:03]
Ben and Curtis conclude the conversation. [46:11]

I’ve Been Diagnosed with Cancer in Maine - What’s Next? with Ray Ruby

Ep 076: One of our favorite charitable events we support each year is the Energy4Life Golf Scramble. Maritime Energy started the Energy4Life program to help local families dealing with cancer. Each year, hundreds of golfers come together to support the Energy4Life charity, and this year, our guest was speaking to the group on behalf of the Maine Cancer Foundation. He painted a picture of how cancer is impacting the State of Maine but how the dollars raised locally are helping our families, friends, neighbors, and communities. We ran up to him after his talk and introduced our podcast and how it would be a great episode to discuss what happens next when we’ve been diagnosed with cancer and how Maine in particular is impacted by cancer rates. So, that is what we’re going to discuss today! 
Our next guest earned a degree in criminal justice from St. Joseph’s College of Maine and began work as a beat cop in Portland in 2005. In 2018, he joined the Maine Cancer Foundation, first as the Community Outreach Manager and the Director of Development and NOW as Executive Director. He's just as easily found in Aroostook County as he is in Cumberland. An avid outdoorsman and studying to become a registered Maine guide, it's not uncommon for him to forgo a hotel room for his tent while on the road for Maine Cancer Foundation. With that, please welcome Ray Ruby to The Retirement Success in Maine Podcast!
Chapters:
Welcome, Ray Ruby! [3:17]
What is the Maine Cancer Foundation? [10:03]
What’s happening in Maine around cancer? [18:18]
What is “day one” after receiving a cancer diagnosis? [34:18]
What can we do to be prepared regarding our treatment plan? [42:50]
What can we all do to help kick cancer in the butt? [53:19]
How will Ray find his personal Retirement Success? [58:40]