Pay your fair share, of course, but why pay more in taxes than necessary? Did you know that paying the least amount of tax in a calendar year may not be part the best strategy for your overall tax planning efforts. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss why tax planning and tax optimization can be essential components of your retirement plan.

Listening Time: 24 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

The number of retirees going back to work, full or part-time, is on the rise. Some return for financial reasons, others to resume professional and social engagement. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, discusses the benefits of returning to work after retirement, but also offers some cautionary notes you may not have considered.

Listening Time: 19 minutes

Roth IRAs offer tax advantages for younger workers, but they also offer benefits you may consider as you approach retirement. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss the broad range of financial benefits, and some of the restrictions, associated with the Roth IRA.

Listening Time: 22 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Are you focusing solely on “the numbers” when determining your investment success? Perhaps you should reconsider. There are many other aspects of financial planning that deserve your attention. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss why it’s necessary to look at the bigger picture when planning for your retired years.

Listening Time:  24 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Maintaining a balanced portfolio is an important part of your investment strategy. There are times, due to a surge in one market sector for example, where you may find your portfolio too heavily weighted in one company or type of investment. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss actions you may consider when your portfolio becomes less diversified due to the normal functions of the stock market.

Listening Time: 31 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Retiring early is the dream of many, but delaying your planned retirement may offer an upside. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss several benefits you may experience by extending your working years.

Listening Time: 23 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

The baby boom generation is the wealthiest in U.S. history. As the boomers age beyond retirement and pass their wealth to their heirs, collectively our country will experience the largest ever transfer of wealth. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, and Jason O’Meara, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, are joined by Adam Oliver, Wealth Advisor, Mercer Advisors. They discuss Adam’s recently published analysis on how this great transfer of baby boomer’s wealth will likely impact the lives of millennials.

Listening Time: 31 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Diligent saving for your retired years doesn’t mean you need to miss out on life’s pleasures. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss ways to help you strike the right balance between enjoying life today and planning for tomorrow.

Listening Time: 24 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

We’ve all heard them and frequently abide by them. While these rules are created with the best of intentions, blindly following popular investment rules of thumb may not always be your best decision.

Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss several additional rules of thumb that deserve careful analysis before being followed.

Listening Time: 25 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Rules of thumb. We’ve all heard them and frequently abide by them. While these rules are created with the best of intentions, blindly following popular investment rules of thumb may not always be your best decision.

Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss why many rules of thumb deserve careful analysis before being followed.

Listening Time: 26 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Protecting what have, and providing for those you care about, may depend on having the correct type and amount of insurance. Purchasing sufficient insurance can be an important component of your retirement and estate planning. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss best practices for you to consider regarding insurance needs at various stages of your life.

Listening Time: 25 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

If you don’t have a support system of family or friends, you may face challenging times as you age alone. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss specific plans to implement the care and assistance you’ll likely need in your later years.

Listening Time: 24 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Funding your 401k up to the amount of your company’s match is a no-brainer. Your contribution gets doubled, but should you contribute more? Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors is joined by two Mercer colleagues, Christopher Blakely and Jason O’Meara, both CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals and Wealth Advisors. They discuss retirement savings options that go beyond simply fully finding your 401k account. Tax consequences, account flexibility, and overall value should also be considered.

Listening Time: 23 minutes

Listening Time: 23 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

When planning for your retirement, having money set aside for short, intermediate and long-term purposes can be a viable approach to securing your future. This process is sometimes called the “bucket approach.” Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss the bucket approach and how it may help your financial resources last throughout your lifetime.

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Debt is a 4-letter word many savers and investors may want to avoid. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss smart ways debt can be used to your advantage in financial planning.

Listening Time: 24 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

News stories about an impending retirement crisis have been published regularly over the past several decades. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss the prevalence of published doom and gloom stories, why they exist and whether or not they deserve your attention.

Listening Time: 23 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

The building blocks that we played with as children take on a whole new meaning when they are imagined, later in life, to be more than just toys. Building blocks exist throughout our lives, and if used wisely, can help lead us to a better life financially and otherwise. John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by Fritz Gilbert author of the book “Keys To A Successful Retirement” and creator and writer of “The Retirement Manifesto” blog.

Listening Time: 25 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

For some, living on a budget is considered a disciplined plan for careful spending and saving. For others, having to adhere to a budget is an unwelcome restriction on enjoying life. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ professional Jason O’Meara, Wealth Advisor and Sr. Director, Mercer Advisors. They discuss budgeting and the clear distinction between wants and needs as they relate to spending.

Listening Time: 23 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Financial planning is about more than just numbers. It may be reflective of the values and priorities you hold dear. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, discusses ways to help identify your guiding principles. He also discusses the financial benefits you, and your loved ones, may receive when you apply those principles.

Listening Time: 21 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Spring cleaning our home or office is common for many of us, but have you considered spring cleaning for your finances? John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, discusses why now may be the perfect time of year to look at your financial plan, investments, debt and savings. Are all in line with your current needs and priorities?

Listening Time: 22 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

The very essence of this weekly podcast is about the inevitable intersection of Life and Wealth. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, discusses how your personal finances and your lifestyle are intertwined. He talks about the need to assess, and sometimes reassess, your priorities as you plan for retirement. Will you have the financial capability to enjoy your retired years as you imagined?

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Your 401k: Take It, Leave It, or Roll it into an IRA # 437

When you leave your employer, you have several options in dealing with your 401k. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by his Mercer Advisors’ colleague Dennis Jablonoski, Certified Retirement Plan Specialist. They discuss several effective ways to deploy your existing retirement plan dollars when you leave an employer.

Listening Time: 25 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

There have been reports that the IRS has strengthened its enforcement efforts. With this year’s tax filing deadline quickly approaching, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, is joined by Mercer Advisors’ Tim Joseph CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™  professional and CPA. They address several frequently asked questions about IRS audits. Plus, Tim shares a few tax filing tips to keep in mind.

Listening Time: 21 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Accomplishing things in a straight-forward and uncomplicated manor has a way of making life easier. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, discusses how to apply this philosophy to your financial and retirement planning to help increase your probability of success.

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.

Psychologists remind us that our thinking and reasoning are often influenced by our preconceived notions or ideas. Today, John Walker, Regional Vice President, Mercer Advisors, discusses ways to identify, as well as work with and around, biases we may have relating to money and investing.

Listening Time: 28 minutes

Mercer Advisors is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice to clients. All estate planning document preparation and other legal advice are provided through Advanced Services Law Group, Inc.