Orion's The Weighing Machine

Global markets have been experiencing a lot of volatility lately, leaving many investors wondering how to respond. What strategies are successful money managers using to protect their clients' investments?In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Kenneth Sleeper, Co-Founder, Co-Managing Director, and Portfolio Manager at Ocean Park Asset Management, a firm with a unique investment approach that limits downside risk and delivers satisfying returns.Before co-founding Sierra Investment Management (parent company of Ocean Park Asset Management) in 1987, Kenneth applied his extensive background in statistical and computer applications to develop and refine computerized techniques for reducing downside risk. In his current roles at Ocean Park Asset Management, Kenneth jointly oversees all aspects of the organization’s activities, including asset management, research, and client relationships. He utilizes his experience to help create productive investment solutions for clients so they can retire safely and successfully. Kenneth talks with Rusty and Robyn about how successful money managers are responding to volatility, how investors can balance risk in uncertain times, and the biggest problems people face when it comes to investing.Key Takeaways [03:00] - What asset managers are responsible for. [05:05] - Kenneth's extensive experience in the investment management industry. [10:08] - How seasoned asset managers navigate the market in turbulent and volatile times. [14:36] - How the balanced risk model works. [16:57] - What keeps Kenneth's physical and mental health in peak condition. [22:27] - One of the biggest problems people face when it comes to investing. Quotes[03:00] - "We have to manage our portfolios both in good times and bad times, times when the markets are just trending uninterrupted for months and months, and then periods like this, where there's extreme volatility. We're still responsible for managing the portfolios every day. Every day the markets are open. We have to be doing that and we don't get a rest to think about what must be done." - Kenneth Sleeper[04:30] - "If we didn't have a process, if we didn't have discipline, where would we be? Where would our clients be? It’s even more important during this period of volatility." - Kenneth Sleeper[22:27] - "I think the biggest problem investment people have is having a mindset that doesn't make them open to change, that doesn't make them open to what can happen moving outside of their comfort zone." - Kenneth Sleeper Links  Kenneth Sleeper Ocean Park Asset Management Sierra Investment Management I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty Skip Schweiss Fiserv TD Ameritrade Steven Wilkes National Geographic Market Wizards by Jack Schwager The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Mania, Panics, and Crashes by Charles P. Kindleberger Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0403-OPS-3/2/2022

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Eben Burr, President of Toews Asset Management.Eben came to the financial industry with an unusual background. With degrees in architectural history and product design, he studied architecture in Paris, designed products, and worked in NYC real estate market, before eventually landing at Toews.That said, the common thread throughout Eben’s career has been a focus on user experience — a skill that turned out to be a huge asset at Toews. Eben talks with Rusty and Robyn about preparing for a potential bear market,  hedging portfolios against inflation, and bringing introspection to investing.Key Takeaways [06:45] - Are we in a superbubble? [10:52] - Are advisors ready for a bear market in the stocks? [15:58] - Some evidence-based findings on inflation. [19:30] - What's the hedge equity approach? [24:47] - Keeping up with quick volatility and market downdraft. [26:14] - Advice on unconstrained fixed income strategies. [27:48] - The importance of behavioral finance. [30:50] - A balance of empathy, integrity, and confidence. [32:54] - Why introspection is underrated. [34:54] - Eben’s personal investing practices. [37:23] - Eben’s book and podcast recommendations. Quotes[27:13] - “We've gotten so complacent with thinking about S&P large caps that we no longer have this idea of true diversification, where there's intentionally something underperforming, right? There's intentionally something not going well.” - Eben Burr[29:14] - “Seeing someone really compelling at a conference is not likely to change your behavior. There is a deep, deep gulf between inspiration and implementation. So we're working every day with advisors to help them improve their communication, portfolio construction (which is really important in behavior), and implement structure so that the advisor practice is really embracing behavioral change on all levels. Really you need to look at things like client delight and retention, as well as just their understanding. All those things come into play.” - Eben Burr[33:26] - “Know your strengths and weaknesses. I mean, introspection, I think is so fantastically underrated in American society. You know, we're amazing doers as Americans, right? We're just like, give me something to do and I will do it to death but don't ask me to think about it after I've done it. Cause I don't want to do that.” - Eben BurrLinks  Eben Burr on LinkedIn Toews Asset Management "The IVth Crusade" by Bolt Thrower Ol’e Nessie by Mastodon Rise Above by Black Flag Jeremy Grantham Super Bubble Comments Calling a Super Bubble: Front Row With Jeremy Grantham | YouTube ‘SNL’: Pete Davidson, Jack Harlow Deliver Eminem-Inspired Rap Explaining NFTs | RollingStone Behavioral Investing Institute Brian Portnoy Advisor Communication for Bubbles and Market Crises Toews Economic and Capital Markets Update 1Q22 Importance of Emotional Intelligence Attention Robinhood power users: Most day traders lose money by Bob Pisani | CNBC Cocoa Barn NYC  Odd Lots Podcast Standard Deviations Podcast Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business by Rana Foroohar Alexander Hamilton: A Life by Willard Sterne Randall Downtown by Pete Hamill The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy - What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny by William Strauss Blast Beats The 10 best fictional architects | The Guardian Meditation Super Bubble Bubble Gum S&P 500 L’Ecole Bleue Monty Python The Towering Inferno Fountainhead Wesley Snipes Paul Newman John Cleese The history of inflation in the United States Investor Behavior in a Market Crisis Investments and Wealth Monitor Toews Agility Shares ETF’s Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0348-OPS-2/23/2022

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Justin Christofel, Portfolio Manager at BlackRock. For more than a decade, Justin has been overseeing and managing income-oriented multi-asset portfolios. His focus is to generate a consistent level of cash flow for clients, particularly for those who are living through retirement.Justin talks with Rusty and Robyn about active management strategies, the challenge of measuring volatility for the investing population, and the need for a disciplined and methodical investing approach during highly inflationary periods.Key Takeaways [01:19] - COVID, tech stocks, and the Fed’s actions toward inflation. [02:10] - The state of the labor economy.  [05:37] - The difference between CFA and CA designations. [07:05] - What's the best way to build a portfolio? [11:10] - How can investors adjust their portfolios according to how inflation will move? [14:53] - Learning from active management strategies at BlackRock. [17:39] - Domestic vs global exposure of investment portfolios. [19:11] - Is targeting an absolute yield viable? [20:56] - Justin's outlook on the economy. [23:49] - What makes a good investment manager? [26:05] - The importance of psychology in finance. [27:34] - Why boring return generators are better most of the time. Quotes[15:45] - “We're trying to hit singles and doubles consistently for clients. We're not trying to hit triples and home runs. And we're certainly trying hard not to strike out. We want to get on base all the time.” - Justin Christofel[22:19] - “A little bit of volatility in the short run begets a much healthier backdrop for taking risk over time. I think continuing to run pretty high allocations to equities focused more so on value and dividend orientations, as opposed to the sexier growth stuff that's worked over the last three to five years makes a lot of sense.” - Justin Christofel[26:51] - “As much as we all like to think that there's a science to investing, that having a great process or focusing on the fundamentals and valuations will lead to success, I think perhaps equally important is managing emotions, and kind of combating the falsehoods and the biases and the tricks that our minds can play on us.” - Justin ChristofelLinks  Justin Christofel on LinkedIn BlackRock Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N’ Roses Rain Is A Good Thing by Luke Bryan S&P 500 Big Money Thinks Small: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing by Joel Tillinghast Bloomberg  Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa State Cyclones Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0260-OPS-2/9/2022

When it comes to building an investment portfolio, it's important to have a diversified mix of assets in order to reduce risk. While there are a number of different options to choose from, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) can be an attractive choice for investors looking to add some diversity.  How can ETFs be a low-risk option for diversifying portfolios and why might they be a good option for you?In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with John Davi, Founder, CEO, and Chief Investment Officer of Astoria Portfolio Advisors, an investment management firm that specializes in research-driven, cross-asset, ETF, and thematic equity portfolio construction.John Davi is an award-winning research strategist and has more than 20 years of experience in macro ETF strategy, quantitative research, and portfolio construction. Prior to founding Astoria, he was the head of Morgan Stanley’s Institutional ETF Content and advised many of the world’s largest hedge funds and asset managers on ETF portfolio construction. John is a regular contributor to CNBC, Bloomberg, and other media outlets. He was recognized by Bloomberg as an “ETF Master Chef”.John talks with Rusty and Robyn about what makes ETFs attractive as investment vehicles, how his company addresses inflation, and how he uses social media to engage with his audience.Key Takeaways [02:18] - The story behind John's walk-up song. [03:33] - What led John to start his own company. [05:04] - What makes ETFs attractive as investment vehicles. [09:16] - Why some people think direct indexing could kill ETFs. [11:31] - John's market outlook for 2022. [14:30] - The key differences to look for in 2022. [16:06] - How John and his team plan to tackle inflation. [19:08] - How ETF PPI came about. [22:13] - John's recommendation on how to allocate equity using PPI. [24:35] - John’s perspective on traditional fixed income and how he uses it. [28:05] - How John uses social media platforms to reach his audience. [29:51] - What qualifies someone to become a member of John’s team. [31:21] - What makes a good investment manager. [32:05] - What makes a good financial advisor. [34:10] - John's investment strategy for himself and for his family. [36:40] - What John does to stay at the top of his game. Quotes[05:26] - "Over time, ETFs proved that they're tax-efficient, they're liquid. You can build a portfolio and you can basically replicate any risk-return profile that you want." - John Davi[18:34] - "What we're seeing now in terms of inflation and all the crosscurrents between COVID is just something that we haven't seen in a long period of time. So, you want to have a strategy for inflation and then you want to embrace it. And you want to look for sectors that benefit from higher inflation. Don't be scared of it, try to embrace it and build a portfolio that can actually benefit from it." - John Davi[20:13] - "Different asset classes perform at different stages of the inflation cycle. So cyclical stocks tend to be early, commodities tend to be a little bit later. So, we think that there's value in all three of those asset classes, but you want to tilt more toward the four sectors - banks, energy, materials, and industrials." - John Davi Links  John Davi on LinkedIn John Davi on Twitter Astoria Portfolio Advisors Sailing by Christopher Cross Morgan Stanley Merrill Lynch VanEck Matthew Santini State Street Global Advisors Access Investments CNBC Bloomberg Bob Pisani Bridgewater Vanguard Warren Buffet Orangetheory Fitness Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0244-OPS-2/8/2022

Risk is inherent in any investment. It is therefore crucial to plan your investment portfolio in a way that protects you against losses. Without a solid downside risk management strategy in place, you are exposing yourself to unnecessary losses and financial instability. Taking steps to protect yourself from losses can help ensure that your portfolio remains healthy and profitable, even in difficult market conditions.In today’s episode, Rusty talks with Geremy van Arkel, Principal and Director of Strategies at Frontier Asset Management, an independent national asset manager that supports and manages strategies for the clients of investment advisors.With more than 25 years of extensive experience working with national accounts as well as with financial advisors and their clients, Geremy has developed expertise in managing global allocation portfolios, performing manager due diligence, and working with advisors and enterprise clients. As a member of Frontier’s Investment Committee, he is an expert in mutual fund selection, asset allocation, and portfolio optimization.Rusty talks with Geremy about the importance of downside risk management, why Frontier Asset Management puts a lot of emphasis on actively managed mutual funds, and how international and emerging markets are becoming a serious part of the investment opportunity set.Key Takeaways [03:44] - How Geremy began his asset management career. [05:17] - What Frontier Asset Management is all about. [07:11] - Why risks are like a black swan. [11:57] - What led Geremy to establish his firm in Sheridan, Wyoming. [14:53] - Overview of the Deconstructing Alpha Podcast. [17:14] - How Frontier Asset Management views valuation. [21:29] - Frontier's preferred valuation metric. [28:24] - Why Frontier puts a lot of emphasis on actively managed mutual funds. [34:42] - Frontier's approach to identifying superior, actively managed funds. [38:36] - The reasons for low interest rates. [43:25] - Why values are great in emerging markets. [48:22] - What makes a good investment manager or investment professional. [51:58] - Qualities that make a good financial advisor. [53:56] - How Geremy invests for himself and his family. [56:23] - How Geremy ensures a high level of performance. Quotes[07:19] - "Risk in the modern markets happens like a black swan. We don't get these obvious signs that it is happening. If you just look at all the risks that have occurred in my entire career, the last 30 years, every risk event was a complete surprise." - Geremy van Arkel[15:17] - “I have a deep affection for the management and the art and science that security selection managers bring to the table. I understand the difference between different types of stocks and different types of exposures within a portfolio. And I believe in this day of indexing, it's almost like a lost art." - Geremy van Arkel[49:00] - "You have to be unafraid to be wrong and alone in some areas. So, the key is understanding history and then being able to look forward and balancing all the opportunity sets that are in front of you. Not just betting on what you think will happen, but really balancing multiple outcomes to end up being on the right side of things." - Geremy van ArkelLinks  Geremy van Arkel on LinkedIn Radiohead Sabotage by Beastie Boys The Sound of Winter by Bush Intergalactic by Beastie Boys Machinehead by Bush The Chemicals Between Us by Bush Optima Fund Management Frontier Asset Management Deconstructing Alpha Podcast MSCI Morningstar Manias, Panics, and Crashes. A History of Financial Crises Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds Envestnet Orion Advisor Solutions The Mint Bar Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0243-OPS-2/8/2022

Firms and investment professionals must keep up. Tech innovations, demographic shifts, redefined client-advisor engagement—you name it. The future of the investment management industry is promising. But, how can the industry keep its vision to provide continuous better outcomes for clients?In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Noreen Beaman, President at Orion Advisor Solutions. Aside from oversight of the firm’s operations, Noreen serves as a leader and a mentor to almost 1200 investment professionals at Orion. Her focus is mainly on the firm’s investments and sales and marketing operations. Prior to that, Noreen was the Founding Partner and CEO at Brinker Capital where she offered her expertise for 29 yearsNoreen talks with Rusty and Robyn about the importance of behavioral finance, the strategies of being a successful professional, and the future of Orion and the entire investment industry.Key Takeaways [04:28] -  What is the secret to being a successful investment firm? [05:45] - Noreen’s industry forecast. [07:37] - What Noreen is most excited about for Orion's future. [08:46] - Why mentors are so important. [11:40] - How to bridge the gender gap in finance. [13:47] - The effect of financial advising on Noreen's life. [15:03] - How a financial advisor can land a dream job in the advisory space. [16:21] - Noreen's tip for financial advisors: Listen. [17:32] - Noreen’s fiction and non-fiction reading list. [20:23] - How to take the first step as an investment professional. [21:21] - Essential books on financial advising. [22:25] - Noreen’s podcast recommendations. [23:21] - How the president of an investment firm stays on top of every aspect of her life. Quotes[06:13] - “The consumer today and the end investor is smarter than they've ever been because they have access to so much information. They're going to drive for continued personalization. And I'm a big believer in that. We need to be ahead of that curve, thinking about what they are going to want.” - @nbeaman[13:15] - “There are women in our organization that have had the opportunity to be successful. And now we need to continue to mentor and bring the next generation of young women into this industry.” - @nbeaman[15:40] - “This is not an easy business. I would say it's not for the faint of heart. So this is not an easy job to have. It's a lot of responsibility, but going after that with the right attitude and being resilient, and being able to weather those storms, when the markets go in a direction that you might not have expected them to—it’s important to have an open mind.” - @nbeamanLinks  Noreen Beaman on Twitter Noreen Beaman on LinkedIn Orion Advisor Solutions Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen Ernst and Young St. Peter’s University Orion’s 3D Risk Profile Chuck Widger Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman What Great Managers Do by Marcus Buckingham | Harvard Business Review Money Management Institute Harry Truman What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles Charlotte’s Web by E.B White Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden House of Gucci (2021) The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham The Behavioral Investor by Daniel Crosby Storytelling For Financial Advisors: How Top Producers Sell by Scott West Standard Deviations with Dr. Daniel Crosby Podcast Eric Clarke Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0150-OPS-1/24/2022

In this episode, Rusty talks with Eric Clarke, CEO of Orion Advisor Services. Eric is a high-profile industry speaker and advocate, and has won numerous industry awards. As Orion’s CEO, he’s focused on creating a suite of technology that can fully transform every client-advisor journey for the better.Eric talks with Rusty about how tech integrations can help build meaningful and seamless client-investor connections, and what the coming months and years look like for Orion and the industry.Key Takeaways [03:46] - Fintech in 2022, according to Eric Clarke. [05:23] - Exploring new dimensions after the merger with Brinker Capital. [06:41] - Implementing tools to build better relationships between advisors and investors. [08:43] - Evolving value propositions in the fintech industry. [10:53] - How does a firm keep productivity high in a remote-working world? [13:41] - Orion’s acquisition of Brinker Capital. [15:52] - Why is pays to stick with your long-term investing strategy. [19:35] - Eric's first investment story. [20:56] - Eric's insights on digital assets and cryptocurrency. [23:58] - A CEO's morning routine. [27:59] - What’s in store for Orion Advisor Services in 2022? Quotes[07:18] - “The basis of all great relationships, at least I believe, are founded on trust. And being able to help the advisor understand the investor in at a more meaningful level is something that we think will set the relationship off to a good start and help the investor better respond to the coaching that they are receiving from all these great advisors that we work with.” - Eric Clarke[17:29] - “Obviously, as an investor, every time you can have that long-term perspective and not panic and stick with your strategy, you’re rewarded for that. And I'm a believer that whether that's a strategic or tactical or even an alternative strategy, if you stick with it over the long-term, odds are you'll be rewarded for that and it'll be worth it.” - Eric Clarke[28:49] - “What we're focused on here in 2022 is all about connecting that experience through technology integrations, through seamless user experience, helping our advisors connect with their client in a more meaningful, seamless way and using technology to efficiently make that happen.” - Eric ClarkeLinks  Email Eric Eric on LinkedIn Orion Advisor Services Beautiful Day by U2 Standard Deviations with Dr. Daniel Crosby Podcast: Eric Clarke - Driving Better Investor Behavior Orion’s 3D Risk Profile Workplace from Meta Noreen Beaman Marriott Ric Edelman’s The Truth About Crypto Manish Khatta Netflix Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Jamie Susanin, portfolio manager at Brinker Capital Investments, LLC.At an early age, Jamie was already learning about the basics and even foundational skills in finance from her then-advisor grandfather. While Jamie was in sales, one of the (toughest) first clients she served was her grandfather.  There was pressure, but most of all there was a lot of mentoring and guidance.Currently, Jamie is part of the Tax Management Team at Orion- Brinker. Applying what she has learned from her mentor-grandfather, she helps clients keep unrealized gains invested within their portfolio through effective tax management.Jamie discusses with Rusty and Robyn the impact of investing in yourself, the importance of having a mentor, and the true value of tax management.Key Takeaways [01:16] - The rise of long-term interest rates. [01:56] - The current state of labor markets. [06:01] -  How Jamie Susanin started her journey into the world of finance. [08:05] - Who are Jamie’s key mentors? [10:50] - Removing the intimidation factor in the workplace. [11:00] - Why perception is different from reality. [13:13] - What it’s like having your grandfather as a client. [14:35] - How to kickstart your career in the investment industry. [15:36] - Finding ways to creatively invest in yourself. [18:02] - How the industry can create equal opportunities for men and women. [20:01] - Why learn about finance early on? [24:57] - What is direct indexing? [27:25] - The true value of tax management. [28:13] - Tax alpha vs. tax savings. [34:17] - How Jamie stays on top of her health and performance. Quotes[15:44] - “What’s very important is this concept of investing in yourself. And that looks different for different people and you can go about it in different ways. One of which is pursuing a designation or postgraduate education or something along those lines. But there are other soft skills that are really important in the industry as well.” - Jamie Susanin[10:18] - “It can be hard in the industry to feel comfortable asking questions and challenging things. And having someone to go to for these seemingly dumb questions got me comfortable being someone who continually asks questions and challenges what's going on. That was so helpful for my professional development. And it's definitely something that I've carried into when I'm considering being a mentor for other people as well.” - Jamie Susanin[29:09] - “The other part of that tax savings number that's very important is the upfront tax savings when we do that tax transition of a portfolio. So the fact that a client comes to us, we're able to keep a lot of their unrealized gains invested within the portfolio—that's a value added to them since day one.” - Jamie SusaninLinks  Email Jaime Brinker Capital Investments Carson Group Tax Managed Solution - Orion Household Surveys - Census Bureau Current Employment Statistics - Bureau of Labor Statistics Where Is The Love by Black Eyed Peas Dartmouth College Bank of America GlaxoSmithKline Stocks Wall Street Journal Podcasts Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0077-OPS-1/13/2022

The start of the year is always interesting for investors and advisors. In this episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Kim Arthur, President and CEO of Main Management, LLC.Kim has been in the finance sector for 35 years. At Main Management, he’s laser-focused on delivering beta plus strategies to clients. According to Kim, investors should keep more of their returns by having control over costs and taxes.Kim talks with Rusty and Robyn about thematic investing, active strategies, and insightful investment predictions for 2022.Key Takeaways [01:03] - Tougher Federal Reserve, higher interest rates, and higher cases in COVID. [05:39] - Stock market return estimate in 2022. [06:40] - Kim Arthur’s insights on inflation. [08:04] - How investors can diversify equity risk. [10:08] - What is thematic investing? [11:44] - What’s the rule of thumb when portioning your investment portfolio? [12:29] - What’s the active sector rotation strategy? [14:17] - The promise of international stocks to outperform in 2022. [15:23] - What negative surprises might come in 2022? [19:32] - Resources for investors and advisors. Quotes[03:54] - “If you constantly put the client first and you deliver exceptional service, I think you can win in this game. If you lose sight of that, then some bad things happen. And I think the other piece too, that is very important, that hasn't changed is trust. You have to earn the client's trust.” - Kim Arthur[10:37] - “We define thematic as investing in the future. And typically what happens with that is the total addressable market is the portion that the market usually does not get dead right. It typically ends up being much larger than they expect. So what ends up happening is the return stream is not a straight or it's not a 45 degree line up into the right. It tends to be very stairstep-ish.” - Kim Arthur[18:16] - “I've got four things that I focused on on a daily basis. The first is making sure that I've got that balance with family and work. I think that's very important because that can obviously lower the stress levels. The other three pieces are sleep, nutrition, and exercise.” - Kim ArthurLinks  Kim Arthur Main Management AC/DC - Back In Black Candy 0 - The Cars Edward Kelly @loggyrhthm on Twitter Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 0070-OPS-1/12/2022

When it comes to retirement, the difficult part is figuring out what retirement plan will work best for you. Many people are afraid to invest their money because they don't know how or where to start. Fortunately, there are lots of options.In today’s episode, Rusty and Robyn talk with Brian Dobbis, Director of Retirement Solutions at Lord Abbett. Having spent 19 years of his professional career carrying out various roles under the retirement umbrella, Brian has lived and breathed retirement.  Being well versed in the industry, he provides clients with smart retirement savings plans tailored to their unique needs.Brian talks with Rusty and Robyn about the ins and outs of Roth IRAs, the best retirement vehicles, and how to save smart for your retirement.Key Takeaways [05:58] - Brian's role at Lord Abbett. [09:15] - How financial advisors help investors prepare for retirement. [11:42] - What you need to know about Roth IRAs. [14:16] - How backdoor Roth IRAs work. [15:28] - How minors can contribute to Roth IRAs. [17:10] - HSAs (Health Savings Accounts): What are they and how do they work. [19:49] - What makes a good financial advisor. Quotes[09:25] - "What I tell the advisors to continue to focus on is taxes. Not only federal and state taxes, but all that I call stealth taxes, all the other things that can impact a retirement account withdrawal." - Brian Dobbis[15:28] - "There is no minimum age to establish a Roth IRA. All that is needed to make a Roth IRA contribution is earned income. We're seeing a lot more teenagers that own businesses. They're entrepreneurial and they're self-employed. As long as they have the earned income, they are eligible to fund a Roth IRA up to the lesser of $6,000 or the amount that they earned for the year." - Brian Dobbis[18:01] - "If you make an HSA contribution, you have a triple tax advantage. You receive a federal and most likely a state tax deduction, your dollars grow tax-deferred, and all your earnings are distributed tax-free for qualified medical expenses." - Brian DobbisLinks  Brian Dobbis on LinkedIn New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Alive by Pearl Jam American Retirement Association Medicare Reasons to Consider a Roth IRA for Kids Retirement Perspectives: More RMD Changes to Come for 2022 Retirement Perspectives: The Stretch IRA is Not Dead - Yet Connect with our hosts Rusty Vanneman Robyn Murray Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts 3128-OPS-12/16/2021