Episodes

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.

🔥 Fall Money Fire Drill: Time to Un-Eff Your Finances 🍁💸 It’s that time again — the leaves are falling, pumpkin spice is attacking everything, and your money might be feeling a little… crispy around the edges. So here’s your 5-step Fall Money Fire Drill to go from Hot Mess Express to Game Day Ready: 1️⃣ Cash-Flow Reset – Give your money a job. Bills. Buffer. Goals. (No freeloaders allowed.) 2️⃣ Subscription Sweep – Those “free trials” that grew into $14.99 zombies? Time to cancel ’em. 3️⃣ Deb...

💼 Open Enrollment: The Annual Game of “Guess What These Benefits Actually Mean” Every fall, HR drops that mysterious email: “It’s time for open enrollment!” And suddenly, you’re scrolling through options that sound like they were written by a committee of lawyers and robots. ☠️ “High-Deductible Health Plan” sounds scary. 💰 “Health Savings Account” sounds like a trap. 💡 And “Flexible Spending Account”? Not flexible enough when you forget to use it by December. That’s where planning actually pay...

The Parent 529 Playbook: How to Pull Money the Right Way (and What to Do with Leftovers) If you’re paying college bills with a 529, this is your 4-minute, no-nonsense guide. You’ll learn exactly when to take distributions, what actually qualifies, how to keep an audit-proof paper trail, and smart moves for leftover funds (yes, including the Roth IRA path). No fluff. No “my kid needed the laptop for Netflix.” What you’ll learn Timing rules: Match the 529 distribution to the expense in the same ...

Retirement Red Zone: The 20-Year Game Plan (From the 20 to the Goal Line) 🏈 You can’t “cram” for retirement. That’s not a plan—that’s a Hail Mary with a flat football. In this video, I (Nick St. George, CFP®) lay out a clear, yard-by-yard blueprint from 20 years out to 24 months before retirement—so you’re not guessing at the goal line. What you’ll learn How to set your savings rate, kill high-interest debt, and build smart tax buckets (pre-tax, Roth, brokerage) When to use Roth strategies, a...

👮‍♂️ In the Retirement Unit, financially-motivated crimes against common sense are considered especially heinous… These are their stories. DUN DUN. Hi, I’m Nick St. George, CFP®, and in today’s episode of Retirement & Order, we meet Rob and Jen Langston. (Not their real names, of course—the names and some details have been changed to protect the financially innocent.) They’re retired. Living the good life. Then BOOM 💥—curveball. One of their adult kids hits a financial snag. Rather than torch ...

🎓💸 Got RSUs and college-bound kids? Then you might be playing a dangerous game of financial Jenga — and Uncle Sam is just waiting to topple your tower. In my latest video, I break down two real-life families navigating college costs, RSUs, and the ever-persistent tax goblin that shows up uninvited (and never brings snacks). 👨‍👩‍👦 The Daltons? College bills are now. 👶 The Simmons? Planning way ahead. Different stages. Different strategies. One simple truth: planning always wins. And yes — in ...

We’ve all been there: 🔹 Debating if your adult kids need another “loan” or just a reality check. 🔹 Arguing about who inherits grandma’s prized casserole dish. 🔹 Rolling your eyes at yet another Amazon box mysteriously appearing at your doorstep. Money fights happen. But they don’t have to turn your relationship into a Netflix drama. Here are 5 common money battles couples face—and how to fix them: 1️⃣ Supporting Adult Kids: They’re adults, but somehow your payroll keeps growing. Time to draw ...

🎬 If you believe retirement is just about having enough money, then you’re missing the bigger picture. Sure, money matters, but retirement isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s about experiences. It’s trading your morning commute for sunrise tee times, swapping endless meetings for endless adventures, and replacing your daily grind with checking off your bucket list. 🏌️‍♂️🌴⛵ Retirement is the freedom to choose how you spend your days—making memories, traveling, and finally taking the time t...

Volatility Isn’t the Villain—Your Reaction Might Be ⚠️ Breaking news: The market went down. 🎉 Also breaking: It went back up. And down again. And… you get the idea. If market swings give you anxiety and make you want to cash out faster than a kid with birthday money at Target—this one’s for you. Because here’s the truth: Volatility isn’t the enemy. Panic is. 📉 The Market Is a Roller Coaster—Not a Death Trap Yes, it goes up and down. But like a roller coaster, unless you jump off mid-ride, yo...

How to Save for Your Kids and Your Retirement (Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money) Let’s play a game: You’ve got one dollar. 🍼 Your kid wants to go to college (and preferably not be buried under student loan debt). 🧓 You’d like to retire someday without eating cat food. So… who gets the dollar? Welcome to one of the most common—and emotional—financial dilemmas: Do I save for my kid’s future or secure my own retirement? Here’s the answer: 👉 You can do both. You just need a strategy that do...

3 Creative Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money (Without Putting Them to Sleep) Let’s be honest: most kids think money just comes out of the wall. Or worse—“Can’t you just use the card?” If you’ve ever watched your child blow through their birthday cash like it’s Monopoly money, this post (and video 👇) is for you. We want to raise Game Changers and Wealth Builders—not future adults who learn the hard way that “0% interest for 12 months” is not free money. 1. Gamify the Basics Kids love games. ...

💸 Your kid can explain Minecraft strategy in painstaking detail… But ask them what a Roth IRA is, and it’s 🦗🦗🦗. 📚 It’s time we taught our kids more than just how to swipe a debit card. In this episode of Un Eff Your Finances, I break down how to get your kids started with real-world money smarts—without boring them to tears (or making it feel like detention). 🙌 Let’s raise the first generation that actually understands compound interest before they sign for student loans.

What can market pullbacks teach us about investing? Tune into this round of Un Eff Your Finances, Nicholas St. George dives into the intricacies of market pullbacks. Buckle up as Nick unravels the chaos and gets to the heart of why these pullbacks aren’t just unavoidable but can actually work in your favor! Nick discusses: (00:03:00) The normalcy of market pullbacks and how history shows they’re nothing to fear (00:06:04) Strategies to use pullbacks to your advantage through smart planning ...

Could you be leaving money on the table when it comes to taxes? Nicholas St. George unravels the mysteries of effective tax planning. This episode is your lowdown on how proactive tax strategies can prevent unnecessary stress and ensure that Uncle Sam doesn’t get more than his fair share. With relatable humor and real-life examples, Nick dives into: (03:27) The importance of proactive tax planning and reassessing withholding and estimated payments (07:43) Maximizing contributions to tax-adva...

What’s the secret sauce for building wealth while juggling life’s chaos? Nick St. George from St. George Wealth Management kicks off the latest episode of Un Eff Your Finances with an engaging discussion on the importance of a structured financial plan for busy executives and business owners. With a mix of humor and expertise, he breaks down why starting early is key, the risks of an unstructured approach, and how failing to plan is essentially planning to fail. This episode dives into the minds...

What questions should you ask before entrusting your finances to an advisor? Dive into this episode where Nicholas St. George uncovers the essentials to choosing the perfect financial partner. Whether you’re a hotshot business owner or just getting started in the financial game, these insights will keep you on the straight and narrow. Nick breaks it down with humor and honesty, so you don’t end up with regrets. This installment of Un Eff Your Finances highlights: (04:36) What is a fiduciary? (0...

Do you find yourself tangled in tax season chaos every year? You’re not alone! Dive into this episode for a laugh and some clarity! In this episode, Nicholas chats with his brother from another mother, Mark Carrison, a seasoned tax pro from Verdolino and Lowey. Prepare to unwind those tax-time worries and learn how to save the bucks you’ve been unknowingly sacrificing to Uncle Sam. Grab your headphones as Nick and Mark highlight common mistakes, from last-minute filing frenzies to the myths abou...

Wondering how to navigate your tax forms this season without losing your cool—or your cash? Don’t worry, we’re here to break it down. In this episode, Nicholas St. George teams up with Anthony Ruffalo, a social media legend and financial advisor, to get real about taxes and smart financial planning. Join us for full transparency and a few good laughs as Nicholas and Anthony help un-eff your finances just in time for tax season. Nicholas and Anthony discuss: (05:02) Deductible Dilemmas: Understa...