Dollars & Common Sense

Hosted by Wealthway Financial Advisors

Business

Website RSS feed

Episodes

104

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

A listener-driven radio show aired on WNIS AM790. Objective, unbiased financial advice on all personal financial planning matters delivered by CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 202643 min

The Financial Decisions That Matter More Than Investment Returns

Most people assume investment returns are the biggest factor in building wealth, but the reality is often much different. In this episode, we explore the financial decisions that can have an even greater impact on long-term success, including saving habits, spending choices, tax planning, risk management, and retirement income strategies. You'll learn why strong financial outcomes are usually driven by consistent, repeatable decisions rather than finding the perfect investment. We also discuss how emotions and behavior can quietly undermine even the best portfolios, and what you can do to stay focused on what you can control. If you've ever wondered whether financial planning is about more than just investment performance, this conversation will help put returns in their proper perspective.

May 28, 202642 min

What Happens to Your Money If You Don’t Have an Estate Plan

Most people assume estate planning is something only wealthy families need, but the reality is that every household can face serious complications if proper documents are not in place. In this episode, we explore what can happen when someone passes away or becomes incapacitated without an estate plan, including court involvement, family conflict, delays accessing accounts, and uncertainty around medical and financial decisions. We break down the core documents that form a solid estate plan, explain common misconceptions, and share real life examples that highlight why planning matters. More importantly, we discuss how thoughtful estate planning is not just about money, but about protecting relationships, reducing stress, and creating clarity for the people you care about most. This conversation is designed to help listeners understand that estate planning is ultimately an act of responsibility, care, and preparation for life’s unexpected moments.

May 14, 202643 min

Giving with Purpose: How Charitable Giving Fits Into Financial Planning

This week’s show explores how charitable giving fits into a thoughtful financial plan and why generosity is about far more than tax deductions alone. We’ll discuss how families can align their giving with their values, teach generosity across generations, and create a greater long-term impact with more intentional planning. From donor advised funds and appreciated stock gifts to legacy conversations and qualified charitable distributions, we’ll break down practical strategies that can help make giving both meaningful and efficient. Most importantly, we’ll talk about how generosity and financial security do not have to compete with each other when giving is approached with purpose and structure. Whether you give regularly or are just beginning to think more intentionally about philanthropy, this episode offers a thoughtful conversation on using money to reflect what matters most.

April 30, 202643 min

The Hidden Risk of Underspending in Retirement

Many retirees spend decades doing everything right financially, only to find themselves holding back far more than they need to once retirement begins. This episode explores the often-overlooked risk of underspending and why fear, not math, is usually the driving force behind it. We break down how this cautious mindset can quietly limit experiences, increase stress, and lead to regret later in life. You will hear why traditional planning often falls short in giving people real confidence to spend. Most importantly, we share how a thoughtful, coordinated plan can help turn savings into a reliable paycheck and give you permission to truly enjoy retirement. Because the goal is not just to avoid running out of money, but to fully live the life you worked so hard to build.

April 16, 202643 min

Tax Planning vs. Tax Filing: Why It Matters

This episode breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in personal finance: the idea that taxes are solved in April. We explore the critical difference between tax filing and tax planning, and why most of the decisions that impact your taxes are made long before you ever sit down to file. You’ll learn how everyday financial choices like saving, investing, and timing income can shape your long-term tax picture. We also discuss why so many people miss planning opportunities and how that leads to unnecessary stress each year. By the end, you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of how proactive tax planning can lead to better outcomes and fewer surprises.

March 26, 202642 min

Decisions You Make During the Year That Shape Your Taxes

Most people think tax season is when their taxes are decided, but in reality, the outcome is shaped by financial decisions made throughout the entire year. This show breaks down how choices around retirement savings, investment activity, income timing, and charitable giving all play a role in what you ultimately owe. Instead of reacting in April, we explore how proactive planning can lead to more predictable and efficient tax outcomes. You will learn how small decisions made consistently can add up to meaningful tax savings over time. The goal is not to avoid taxes entirely, but to make smarter, more informed choices that align with your long term financial plan.

March 12, 202642 min

The Financial Advice People Wish They Had Followed 10 Years Earlier

In this episode of Dollars & Common Sense, we explore the financial advice people most often say they wish they had followed ten years earlier. Looking back, many individuals realize that a few key decisions—such as saving earlier, staying invested during market volatility, and avoiding lifestyle creep—can have a major impact on long term financial confidence. We discuss why time and consistency are some of the most powerful forces in building wealth and how small habits compound into meaningful results over decades. The show also highlights the value of financial guidance and how planning conversations can help people stay focused on long term goals. Most importantly, this episode reframes financial hindsight not as regret, but as a learning tool that can help listeners make better decisions moving forward.

February 26, 202642 min

From Paycheck to Portfolio: Turning Savings Into Steady Income

This episode focuses on one of the most challenging transitions in retirement: moving from steady paychecks to generating income from savings. It explores why the loss of a predictable paycheck creates stress even for retirees with substantial assets, and how that stress is often rooted in uncertainty rather than investment performance alone. The conversation breaks down key risks such as sequence of returns, emotional reactions to market volatility, and the mindset shift required to move from saving to spending. Listeners are guided through building reliable income layers using Social Security, pensions, and sustainable portfolio withdrawals to create structure and predictability. The show also emphasizes flexibility as a built in safety valve, highlighting how thoughtful income planning can reduce anxiety, increase confidence, and replace paychecks without replacing peace of mind.

February 12, 202643 min

The Retirement Red Zone

In this episode, we define the Retirement Red Zone—the five years before and after retirement—when financial decisions become larger, more permanent, and far less forgiving. We walk through the five critical choices that can make or break retirement: when to claim Social Security, how to turn savings into reliable income, managing taxes and RMDs, preparing for healthcare and longevity risk, and ensuring control and continuity if life interrupts the plan. The central message is clear: retirement success is driven less by chasing performance and more by coordination across income, taxes, healthcare, and family decisions. If you’re approaching retirement—or already there—this episode offers a structured framework to avoid costly missteps and replace uncertainty with clarity and confidence.

January 29, 202642 min

Top 10 DIY Investor Mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Most DIY investors don’t have an investing problem—they have a behavior problem, and this episode proves it with hard numbers: over the last 10 years, the average investor trailed the S&P 500 by about 3.3% per year, and even over 20 years they lagged by roughly 1.1% per year. We break down the 10 most common mistakes—from panic-selling and market timing to performance chasing, poor diversification, and treating investing like entertainment. Then we lay out an “advisor-like” improvement plan you can implement immediately: a one-page investing rulebook, automation, and a simple rebalancing system designed to keep emotions from hijacking results. We wrap with practical guidance for listeners who decide they want professional help, including what to look for in a fiduciary CFP® at a Registered Investment Advisor.