On today's episode of Great Points, Matt speaks with Randall Gregory, an independent benefits consultant at Core Benefits Group. As we enter into Open Enrollment season, they talk about the various terms related to Medicare enrollment and the different plans available before diving into what types of plans might be right for you. Confused by Part A, Medigap, Supplement, or Advantage plans? This episode is your one stop shop for deciding the right coverage for you. To ...

On today's episode, Matt explains the new "Trump Account" proposed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed earlier this year. The new account type is set to be pre-filled with $1,000 for children born between 2025 and 2028. How much could that be worth in 65 years? What are the rules around the new account type and when might it make sense to add funds to the account as a parent? As always, the Personal Finance landscape is ever-changing. Listen in to le...

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt reacts to recent news of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement in the way he knows best: by relating it to financial planning. We're not talking about financial tactics of a celebrity wedding, but rather focusing on the things that can actually impact your life.

On today's episode, Matt speaks with Family and Divorce Attorney, Teresa La Vita. Money is often a difficult topic, and even more so in family situations where many emotions are also at play. As a solo practitioner out of Danvers, MA, Teresa has seen all types of cases and offers valuable insight on a variety of issues related to family law. If you are getting married soon, should you consider a prenuptial agreement? What happens to a spouse's pension in a divorce? How...

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt kicks off a series of conversations around building good financial foundations as an adult. He covers some basic definitions, and discusses the concepts that will be helpful for young adults to build good habits from the start. Financial wellness ultimately comes down to a combination of knowledge and good habits. This episode will help you or your adult child to establish both.

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt talks about doing your taxes. While the 2024 tax deadline was a few weeks ago, there are a handful of simple ways you can be better prepared for next year. Your tax preparer will thank you, but so will your future self for taking a few steps now to make tax season less stressful in the future. Furthermore, once you have your system down, there are numerous opportunities to engage in "tax planning" to minimize future taxes owed rather ...

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt talks through some key concepts and context that will help you manage negative emotions when there is market uncertainty. Taking inventory of your situation compared to many others can help you keep perspective. Furthermore, through Covid, recent world conflicts, and even in the more distant past, there are many examples of market resilience despite uncertainty.

On today's episode, Matt offers some perspective during the current environment of high market volatility. While many investors look at their portfolio with fear when financial markets are highly variable, there are multiple things you can do to ease your stress. Having some cash for your near term expenses, diversifying your investments, and having a plan will help you weather times where there is market uncertainty.

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt takes a look at the numbers behind Social Security benefits. While it's a common talking point in different forms of media, is it really possible that Social Security could go away anytime soon?

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt reacts to a recent article he read on the non-financial considerations of retiring. As lifespans get longer, there is growing consideration for what happens to the brain in retirement. While the science is somewhat inconclusive, there are a lot of things you can do to make sure you maximize your golden years.

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt Schroeder has an all-star cast of guests to discuss the first time home buying experience from beginning to end. Realtors Shea Pilsbury and Matt Munson (Munson Realty Group) join Mortgage Advisor Jeff Rolke (Gold Coast Mortgage) and Real Estate Attorney Michael Osborne (Michael Osborne Law). They cover everything from the first steps you should take, all to way to the closing date. Along the way, the group highlights some things to watch ou...

On today's episode, Matt walks through a scenario many investors encounter after periods of strong growth: owing capital gains taxes. If you have investments in a non-retirement account where your growth is subject to capital gains tax, you likely have some gains from the last few years of market growth. While no tax is due until you realize those gains, there is also the possibility that your portfolio is no longer in the desired ratio of stocks to bonds. How can you rebala...

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt addresses a common question: does it make sense to help an adult child to purchase a home? With Real Estate prices significantly outpacing inflation over the past few decades, gifting may be one pathway to help your child afford a home. However, it's worth asking whether you can reasonably afford to help and--maybe more importantly--if you should. Matt walks through some of the considerations to make the right choice for you.

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt talks with Linda Savarese of North Share Care Management. As a certified LifeCare Management professional, Linda specializes in helping elderly and cognitively disabled people navigate their lives. They discuss some of the signs that your loved one might be struggling to care for themselves and what to do when you start to see those signs. If your loved one is showing signs of cognitive decline, getting the right help can help them to...

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt lays out the steps to calculate your Net Worth, and the value of making it a regular habit. Just knowing your Net Worth is a good start to be able to make informed financial decisions. But it will also help you to set meaningful goals, and track progress over time. What small changes can you make over the coming year that will put you in a better position this time next year?

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt speaks with custom construction professional Ken Kumph of Premier Builders in Georgetown, MA. What are some of the things you might do to make your current house more livable, even as you age? What are the challenges that come along with these projects? What is the timeline? And how can you use your current financial assets to make the projects a reality? Listen in to learn about single-floor living, garage conversion, pri...

On today's episode of Great Points, continuing with the theme of Real Estate, Matt speaks with Shawn Grenier. Shawn is the founder of Real Property Management Reliance, specializing in helping clients manage rental properties in the North Shore of Massachusetts. Matt and Shawn talk about some of the challenges of managing your own rental property, especially when it's a second home or your only property. While it may seem easy to manage one property, it can be hard to deal w...

On today's episode, Matt speaks with realtors Shea and Matt Munson of Munson Realty Group. Inspired by the TV show "Love it or List it", Matt speaks with his guests about some of the reasons people might make a housing change, especially in or near retirement age. From relocating, to adding an in-law suite, to downsizing, there is no one size fits all approach. But a bit of forethought can drastically reduce the chance of buyer's or seller's remorse.

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt talks about what it's like to work as a Financial Advisor. If you are a college student or young professional considering a career in Financial Planning or Advice, this episode is a must listen. From career path, to skills needed, to compensation, Matt covers a lot of the questions you may ask about the profession.

On today's episode of Great Points, Matt makes an analogy about how the process of merging onto the highway relates to planning for retirement. If getting to cruising speed is the equivalent of a smooth retirement, how would you approach the process of getting there? Are you adequately using the onramp to build momentum while also planning where you want to slot it? Or are you accelerating blindly? While you may "get away with" taking an unorthodox route to merge on th...