Un Eff Your Finances

Tax planning happens now. Tax prep happens in April. And unless you've got a DeLorean that hits 88 mph, there's nothing you can change in February. Most people think year-end planning means checking how their portfolio did. In this episode of Un Eff Your Finances, Nick St. George, CFP®, explains why your portfolio may be the least important thing on the list, and walks through the 8 things to review before December 31st, while you still have time to act. In this episode: 1. Taxes: What can yo

What does financial advising actually look like when you get beyond investments, charts and market predictions? In this episode of Un‑Eff Your Finances, Nick sits down with summer intern Ryan Dunn, an All-American golfer and senior at Oglethorpe University to unpack what Ryan learned during his firsthand look at the financial-planning profession. They discuss why every financial plan has to be personal, the importance of understanding the person behind the portfolio, and why an advisor’s real

Most retirees are asking the wrong tax question. They ask, “How do I pay less this year?” But the better question is, “How do I pay less over the next 10 years?” In this episode, I break down the tax trap that can happen before RMDs begin — when retirees avoid taking IRA withdrawals or doing Roth conversions during low-income years, only to face bigger forced withdrawals, higher taxable income, possible IRMAA Medicare surcharges, and rising living costs later. We’ll cover: • What RMDs actual

Before I ever recommend an investment, I ask five questions. Not about stocks. Not about the market. Not about what your neighbor is buying. Because great retirement planning has very little to do with chasing returns—and everything to do with building a strategy around your actual life. In this episode, I walk through the five questions I ask every new client to uncover: What “work optional” really looks like for them Where their retirement income will actually come from The tax risks hid

Most high-income W-2 employees are doing exactly what they were told to do: Max out the 401(k). Save aggressively. Keep building. The problem? Almost nobody is showing them what happens later. In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked tax strategies I see with professionals in their 40s and 50s—and why waiting too long to address it can create a massive tax problem in retirement. We cover: Why “tax deferred” doesn’t always mean “tax efficient” The hidden future risk of large

You don’t mess up retirement at 65… You lock in the mistakes at 45. In this episode, I break down why I focus on the Retirement Red Zone—the 10–20 years before you retire—and why that’s where the biggest financial decisions actually get made.