Metcalf Money Moment the Podcast

Understanding the gift tax exclusion is essential for anyone looking to transfer wealth to family members. On this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric break down the most popular gifting strategies, including UTMA accounts, 529 college savings plans, and structured gifting through trusts. Learn how married couples can gift up to $38,000 per person annually without gift tax reporting, explore the new Trump savings accounts that offer government contributions, and discover how to use purpose-based distributions to maintain control over gifted assets. Whether you're funding education through a 529 plan with Roth IRA rollover options or setting up a revocable trust with age-based distributions, this episode covers everything you need to know about tax-free gifting strategies.What you will Learn in this Episode:How the annual gift tax exclusion allows you to gift up to $19,000 per person ($38,000 for married couples) without any tax reporting requirements or liabilityThe differences between UTMA accounts, 529 college savings plans, and new Trump savings accounts, including contribution limits, FAFSA impact, and withdrawal rulesHow to use revocable trusts with age-based distributions and purpose-based distributions to maintain control over gifted assets and prevent large windfalls to young adultsThe Roth IRA rollover strategy that allows up to $35,000 from a 529 plan to be transferred tax-free into a retirement account for the beneficiaryTune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Gifting strategies and common questions and answers about gift tax exclusion05:00 Deep dive into UTMA accounts and UGMA accounts, including ownership rules, FAFSA impact08:50 The new Trump savings accounts with government-matched contributions12:26 Comprehensive overview of 529 college savings plans, including contribution limits, beneficiary designation flexibility, and the Roth IRA rollover option for unused funds21:03 How to structure gifts using revocable trusts with age-based distributions and purpose-based distributions24:32 Addressing the common concern of overfunded UTMA accounts and how to transition them into trusts with beneficiary consent for better long-term controlKEY TAKEAWAYS: The new Trump savings accounts launching in 2026 offer a $1,000 government contribution for children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, with annual contribution limits of $5,000 and potential employer matching of $2,500, creating a powerful tax-deferred savings vehicle that converts to the child's IRA at age 18UTMA accounts and UGMA accounts are counted as the child's assets when filing FAFSA for student aid, which can significantly reduce eligibility for financial assistance, making 529 college savings plans a better option for families prioritizing federal student aid qualificationThe five-year gift tax averaging rule for 529 plans allows you to contribute $95,000 in a single year (5 years × $19,000) without triggering gift tax reporting, enabling grandparents and parents to front-load education savings and maximize tax-free growth potentialDISCLAIMER:This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.RESOURCES MENTIONED: Metcalf Partners - WebsiteJeb Graham - LinkedInEthan Hutchison - LinkedInEric Wymore - LinkedIn

Innovative tax planning strategies start with understanding your options before tax season arrives. In this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric welcome enrolled agent Christine Nosbush to discuss essential tax deductions, HSA benefits, and planning opportunities for 2026. Christine explains the difference between an enrolled agent and a CPA, shares insights on avoiding IRMAA Medicare surcharges, and reveals why tax extensions can actually reduce audit risk. Whether you're a high-income earner looking to optimize Roth IRA conversions or simply want to understand current tax code changes, this conversation provides actionable strategies for working with your financial advisor to minimize tax liability and maximize retirement planning success.What you will Learn in this Episode:The key differences between an enrolled agent and a CPA, and why tax planning strategies require specialized expertise in tax code rather than just accounting knowledge.How to maximize HSA benefits with triple tax advantages and use them strategically to avoid IRMAA Medicare surcharges while creating tax-free retirement income.Why tax extensions don't increase IRS audit risk and can actually improve accuracy, plus essential tax deductions that high-income earners often miss.Smart strategies for Roth IRA conversions, 529 plans, and account consolidation to work effectively with your financial advisor for optimal retirement planning.Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Christine, an enrolled agent, explains the role of a CPA versus an enrolled agent and how it relates to tax code expertise03:31 Tax planning strategies for the affluent families05:39 Tax deductions for high-income earners, including HSA benefits, Roth IRA contributions, and 529 plans07:53 Managing IRMAA Medicare surcharges through strategic income planning and capital gains planning13:26 Discussion of representing clients through the audit process, red flags to avoid, and the increase in fees charged by CPAs22:00 Why tax extensions reduce audit risk and scheduling tips for tax preparationKEY TAKEAWAYS: HSA benefits provide the best tax deductions available—money goes in pre-tax, grows tax-free, and comes out tax-free for medical expenses, making it superior to both traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts for triple tax advantages.IRMAA Medicare surcharges are based on income from two years prior, so strategic Roth IRA conversions and capital gains management with your financial advisor can help high-income earners avoid significant premium increases in retirement.Tax extensions don't increase IRS audit risk—they actually decrease it by allowing more time for accurate tax preparation, and enrolled agent representation covers all audit levels except criminal investigations.ABOUT THE GUEST: Christine Nosbush is an Enrolled Agent and the founder of Nosbush Tax, a Kansas City–based tax firm serving individuals and small businesses since 2018, with clients across the United States. Known for her experience, clarity, and client-first approach, Christine helps clients navigate tax preparation and planning with confidence, earning a strong reputation for professionalism, responsiveness, and making complex tax topics easy to understand.Nosbush Tax - WebsiteNosbush Tax & Accounting Services, LLC | Kansas City MONosbush Tax & Accounting Services, LLC | LinkedInMetcalf Partners - WebsiteJeb Graham - LinkedInEthan Hutchison - LinkedInEric Wymore - LinkedInDISCLAIMER:This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor. Christine Nosbush and Nobush Tax & Accounting Services, is not affiliated with or endorsed by LPL Financial and Metcalf Partners Wealth Management.

Retirement account consolidation is critical for protecting aging parents and simplifying their financial lives. In this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric discuss why consolidating multiple retirement accounts helps reduce the risk of missing required minimum distributions, which carry a 25% tax penalty. They explore how scattered accounts across multiple banks and advisors create unnecessary complexity, increase paperwork, and heighten vulnerability to financial elder abuse and scams. The hosts share real client case studies and provide actionable strategies for protecting aging parents from financial scams, streamlining beneficiary designations, and ensuring smooth asset distribution after death through proper estate planning and coordination with a single financial advisor.What you will Learn in this Episode:How retirement account consolidation prevents missed required minimum distributions and costly tax penalties of up to 25% on overlooked withdrawals.Warning signs of financial elder abuse and common scams targeting seniors, including government impersonation, grandparent scams, and tech support fraud, plus protective strategies like trusted contact designations and power of attorney.Why streamlining accounts with one financial advisor simplifies beneficiary designations, reduces paperwork, and ensures faster, cleaner inheritance processes for your family.Practical communication strategies for families to protect aging parents, including establishing family code words, setting up account alerts, and having early conversations about estate planning while mental capacity is strong.Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Protecting aging parents through account consolidation, understanding required minimum distributions, and avoiding 25% tax penalties05:16 Real case study: Client with scattered accounts across multiple banks and advisors10:02 Common scams targeting seniors: government, grandparent, and tech support scam prevention14:03 Red flags of financial elder abuse: unexplained withdrawals and spending pattern changes, and protective measures to take18:25 Post-death logistics: simplifying inheritance through retirement account consolidation23:44 Four tips for aging parents or caretakersKEY TAKEAWAYS: Retirement account consolidation with a single financial advisor dramatically reduces the risk of missing required minimum distributions, simplifies qualified charitable distributions, ensures accurate beneficiary designations across all accounts, and minimizes the 10-15+ tax forms scattered across multiple institutions that increase audit risk and filing errors.Seniors face escalating vulnerability to scam prevention challenges, including government impersonation, AI-cloned voice grandparent scams, and fake tech support—families should implement protective measures like trusted contact status, power of attorney, transaction alerts, credit freezes, and simple stalling language scripts.Proper estate planning through account consolidation enables faster inheritance settlement, prevents years-long probate delays, protects beneficiaries from missing market gains during estate limbo, and requires early family conversations about asset locations, plans, beneficiaries, and advisors. At the same time, cognitive decline hasn't yet impacted decision-making capacity.DISCLAIMER:This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.RESOURCES MENTIONED: Metcalf Partners - WebsiteJeb Graham - LinkedInEthan Hutchison - LinkedInEric Wymore - LinkedIn

Business succession planning is critical for every business owner, regardless of when they plan to exit. In this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric sit down with attorney Jeff Coppaken to discuss the mergers and acquisitions landscape and the essentials of exit strategy. Jeff reveals that the best time to start business succession planning is always now—whether you're planning to sell in six months or six years. He explains common pitfalls in selling a business, the importance of having clean financials, and when to start the business succession planning process. Learn about deal structures, seller financing, and why assembling the right team of advisors early can maximize your business value and minimize tax implications when it's time to exit.What you will Learn in this Episode:Discover why business succession planning should start immediately, whether you're exiting in six months or six years, and learn which key advisors—including your business attorney, wealth management team, and tax strategy experts—need to be part of your planning process from day one.Understand the critical role of the due diligence process and clean financials in maximizing your purchase price, plus learn how business valuation works and why removing lifestyle expenses from your books is essential before bringing your company to market.Explore various deal structures, including seller financing, seller notes, and SBA loans, and discover how internal succession plans can create win-win scenarios that protect both buyer and seller while ensuring business continuity.Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 When to start business succession planning, including business attorney, wealth management, and tax strategy advisors06:51 Finding the right buyer through business brokers and ensuring culture fit in mergers and acquisitions 09:32 Pitfalls, including messy financials and owner benefits that negatively impact business valuation and purchase price 13:32 Deal structures explained: seller financing, SBA loans, seller notes, and why internal succession deals often include higher seller carryback percentages18:30 Typical transaction timelines for selling a business range from six to nine monthsKEY TAKEAWAYS: The best time to begin business succession planning is always now. Assemble your advisory team—tax strategy expert, wealth management advisor, and business attorney—to maximize value and minimize tax implications, whether you exit in 6 months or 6 years.Clean financials are crucial for selling a business at top dollar. So, remove excessive owner benefits from your books. Don't compare a fixer-upper to a renovated property when setting business valuation expectations.Internal succession deals often involve more seller financing due to established trust. Creative structures can include consulting arrangements and earn-outs, while proper collateral protects the seller's investment throughout the transaction.ABOUT THE GUEST: Jeff Coppaken, the founder of the Coppaken Law Firm, is a lifelong resident of Kansas City. Before becoming an attorney, Jeff spent almost a decade in sales, marketing, and customer service, which helped him understand unique aspects of the business model. His customer base includes closely held businesses, family offices, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, and developers, and is industry-agnostic. Jeff often assists his clients with buying or selling a business, ongoing business legal needs, and real estate transactions. Coppaken Law Firm - WebsiteJeff Coppaken - LinkedInDISCLAIMER:This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor. Jeff Coppaken, and Coppaken Law Firm is not affiliated with or endorsed by LPL Financial and Metcalf Partners Wealth Management.RESOURCES MENTIONED: Metcalf Partners - WebsiteJeb Graham - LinkedInEthan Hutchison - LinkedInEric Wymore - LinkedIn

The bull market officially hits its three-year milestone, marking a significant period of growth since October 2022. In this episode of Metcalf Money Moment, hosts Jeb, Ethan, and Eric break down what bull markets and bear markets really mean for investors. They explore historical data showing that bull markets typically last 4.3 years with average gains of 150%, while bear markets last only 1.5 years. The team discusses investor psychology and common emotional pitfalls — such as fear, greed, and overconfidence — that threaten portfolio performance. Learn about average bull-market duration and returns, and discover why staying invested through market volatility is crucial to long-term investing success.What you will Learn in this Episode:The key differences between bull markets and bear markets, including how the S&P 500 moves through the cycle, with bull markets averaging 4.3 years and 150% gains versus bear markets lasting just 1.5 years with 35% declines.Why investor psychology and emotions like fear, greed, and overconfidence pose a bigger threat to your portfolio performance than actual market volatility, and how to avoid common investment strategy mistakes.How to leverage market corrections as opportunities rather than threats, and why working with a financial advisor helps you stay focused on long-term investing instead of attempting market timing.The current bull market trajectory and potential headwinds, including tariffs, interest rates, and geopolitical concerns that could impact your wealth management and retirement planning goals.Tune into the Metcalf Money Moment podcast for expert insights on wealth management and retirement planning! Join Jeb, Ethan, and Eric for practical Estate Planning strategies that you can implement to unlock financial clarity and confidence. Listen now to inspire your financial journey!TIMESTAMPS:  00:00 Discussion of the three-year bull market anniversary and overview of bull markets versus bear markets02:30 Defining bull markets and bear markets: Understanding the 20% threshold for the S&P 500, market corrections, and historical data 08:24 Current bull market analysis: Ethan discusses the 90% gain since October 2022, potential headwinds, and why long-term investing beats trying to time the market11:45 Investor psychology and Emotional Threats: Eric covers fear, greed, overconfidence, regret, herd mentality, and impatience that damage portfolio performance more than market volatility18:38 Patience and Strategy: The importance of working with a financial advisor, avoiding emotional decisions, and staying committed to your financial planning through market cyclesKEY TAKEAWAYS:  Bull markets occur 75% of the time and last significantly longer than bear markets (4.3 years versus 1.5 years), making staying invested through market volatility the smarter investment strategy than attempting market timing.The longest bull market in history ran from 1987 to 2000 with a 582% gain, while the shortest bear market (COVID) lasted only 1.1 months—proving that markets take the escalator up and the elevator down.Emotional threats like fear, greed, overconfidence, and herd mentality pose greater risks to portfolio performance than actual market declines, which is why working with a financial advisor helps maintain discipline during turbulent periods.The current bull market is only three years old with 90% gains since October 202. If history repeats itself, there could be another 12-24 months of growth, making patience and long-term investing essential for successful retirement planning.ABOUT THE HOSTS: Jeb Graham, the CEO and Managing Partner at Metcalf Partners Wealth Management, is a seasoned financial advisor with a CFP® designation and executive education in retirement planning from Wharton. His expertise and community involvement make him a trusted voice in the field. Before founding Metcalf Partners, Jeb was a financial advisor in Overland Park, Kansas. Active in the Kansas City community, Jeb serves on the Kansas City Chapter Board of the Entrepreneur Organization (EO). He holds a finance degree from Kansas State University and a CFP® designation, and has completed additional executive education in retirement planning at Wharton.Ethan Hutcheson is a Partner and Financial Planner at Metcalf Partners. He is passionate about helping people prepare, plan, and execute their goals. With a career in Financial Services, his expertise spans Financial Planning, Tax, and Investment Management. Outside of work, Ethan enjoys hunting, cycling, and outdoor activities with his wife, Shanna, and their sons, Rhett and Levi.Eric Wymore is a Partner and Wealth Manager at Metcalf Partners Wealth Management. His career has been dedicated to wealth management. As an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, he prioritizes acting in clients’ best interests. Originally from southeast Iowa, Eric has lived in Kansas City for 20 years with his wife, Becky, and their sons, Gabe and Nolan. He holds a degree in finance from Iowa State University.DISCLAIMER:This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal advice. We recommend discussing your particular situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor.RESOURCES MENTIONED: Metcalf Partners - WebsiteJeb Graham - LinkedInEthan Hutchison - LinkedInEric Wymore - LinkedIn