đź Open Enrollment: The Annual Game of âGuess What These Benefits Actually Meanâ
Every fall, HR drops that mysterious email: âItâs time for open enrollment!â And suddenly, youâre scrolling through options that sound like they were written by a committee of lawyers and robots.
â ď¸ âHigh-Deductible Health Planâ sounds scary. đ° âHealth Savings Accountâ sounds like a trap. đĄ And âFlexible Spending Accountâ? Not flexible enough when you forget to use it by December. Thatâs where planning actually pays off. In this weekâs video, I break down how to make smart benefit elections that fit your financial plan, not just your employerâs brochure. Because open enrollment shouldnât feel like a pop quiz you didnât study for.
The Parent 529 Playbook: How to Pull Money the Right Way (and What to Do with Leftovers)
If youâre paying college bills with a 529, this is your 4-minute, no-nonsense guide. Youâll 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 âmy kid needed the laptop for Netflix.â
What youâll learn
Timing rules: Match the 529 distribution to the expense in the same calendar year
đŽââď¸ In the Retirement Unit, financially-motivated crimes against common sense are considered especially heinousâŚ
These are their stories. DUN DUN.
Hi, Iâm Nick St. George, CFPÂŽ, and in todayâs episode of Retirement & Order, we meet Rob and Jen Langston. (Not their real names, of courseâthe names and some details have been changed to protect the financially innocent.)
Theyâre retired. Living the good life. Then BOOM đĽâcurveball. One of their adult kids hits a financial snag.
Rather than torch their retirement plan with capital gains or mortgage stress, we got creative. No, not “hide your money in a coffee can” creativeâstrategic creative.
We used an asset-backed loan against their taxable investment account. â No closing costs â No tax returns or underwriting drama â No capital gains â No disruption to their portfolio
Just fast, flexible helpâwith structure, boundaries, and peace of mind.
đŻ Moral of the story: You can be generous without going broke.
If you’re in the same boat, donât play financial detective solo. Book a quick callâletâs protect your retirement and your sanity.
Then you might be playing a dangerous game of financial Jenga â 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).
đ¨âđŠâđŚ The Daltons? College bills are now. đś The Simmons? Planning way ahead. Different stages. Different strategies. One simple truth: planning always wins.
And yes â in the spirit of Law & Order â the stories are real, but the names have been changed to protect the innocent (and the occasionally tax-confused).
If youâve got RSUs vesting and arenât sure whether to sell, hold, or hide⌠Watch this before you let the tax tail wag your financial dog.
đŚ Bonus: I explain RSUs in plain English â no CPA required.
đĽ Watch the full video or catch the podcast version â your future self (and your accountant) will thank you.
Weâve all been there: đš Debating if your adult kids need another “loan” or just a reality check. đš Arguing about who inherits grandmaâs prized casserole dish. đš Rolling your eyes at yet another Amazon box mysteriously appearing at your doorstep.
Money fights happen. But they donât have to turn your relationship into a Netflix drama.
Here are 5 common money battles couples faceâand how to fix them:
1ď¸âŁ Supporting Adult Kids: They’re adults, but somehow your payroll keeps growing. Time to draw some boundaries before your home turns into a wildlife preserve (you know, “Donât feed the animals,” right?).
2ď¸âŁ Inheritance Drama: Decide together who gets what before your kids decide with lawyers. (Spoiler alert: No one enjoys a family feud sequel).
3ď¸âŁ Opposite Spending Styles: Whether you’re the “budget wizard” or the “flash sale aficionado,” create space for BOTH styles. A little compromise = fewer glares at dinner.
4ď¸âŁ Hidden Spending: If youâre hiding packages or credit card statements, you’re not hiding moneyâyouâre hiding trust issues. Pour some bourbon, and have the talk regularly. No judgment, just honesty.
5ď¸âŁ Conflicting Goals: Camper vs. 401(k)? Retirement vs. adventure? Itâs not “either/or,” itâs “yes, and.” Dream together, plan together, thrive together.
How to Save for Your Kids and Your Retirement (Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money)
Letâs play a game: Youâve got one dollar.
đź Your kid wants to go to college (and preferably not be buried under student loan debt). đ§ Youâd like to retire someday without eating cat food.
So… who gets the dollar?
Welcome to one of the most commonâand emotionalâfinancial dilemmas: Do I save for my kidâs future or secure my own retirement?
Hereâs the answer: đ You can do both. You just need a strategy that doesnât come from the back of a cereal box.
1. Secure Your Oxygen Mask First
You know the airplane analogyâand itâs true. If youâre not okay financially, your kidâs future isnât either. Prioritize building your retirement foundation first. Your kids can get scholarships, part-time jobs, or choose a more affordable school. But thereâs no financial aid for retirement (unless your kid becomes a billionaire and returns the favor).
2. Automate Both Goals (Even If It’s Uneven)
Donât overthink perfection. Set up automatic contributions to your retirement and a 529 or custodial account for your child. Even small, consistent contributions compound over timeâand you wonât have to decide which goal wins every month. Youâre funding the future on autopilot.
3. Donât Guilt-Trip Yourself
This isnât a competition of love. Choosing to prioritize your long-term stability doesnât mean you donât care about your kids. It means you want to avoid becoming a financial burden on them later. (And letâs be honestâtheyâre already going to blame you for something, might as well not add âfinancial stressâ to the list.)
đď¸ Give the full audio a listenâI unpack this balancing act with a dose of real talk, some strategy, and a little humor (because letâs face it, finances can be stressful enough without sounding like a spreadsheet).
Remember: đĄ Youâre not choosing between your future and theirs. Youâre building a plan where everyone wins.
Letâs un-eff your financesâone smart move at a time.
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 mindset of strategic achieversâthose who are too busy to manage every financial detail but want their money to work just as hard as they do.
Nicholas discusses:
(00:02:22) Strategic financial planning for busy professionalsÂ
(00:04:20) The importance of starting retirement savings earlyÂ
 (00:06:13) Real-life investment missteps and successes
(00:12:27) Creating a flexible financial game planÂ
(00:20:03) The role of a financial advisor in managing emotions and legacy planningÂ
What questions should you ask before entrusting your finances to an advisor?Â
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?Â
(06:05) How advisors get paid and why it mattersÂ
(11:09) Why knowing your advisor’s qualifications upfront saves headachesÂ
(12:06) The real deal on financial planning licensesÂ
(15:14) A philosophy that stands the test of financial timeÂ
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 youâve been unknowingly sacrificing to Uncle Sam. Grab your headphones as Nick and Mark highlight common mistakes, from last-minute filing frenzies to the myths about tax refunds, and unravel how proactive planning can save you from pulling your hair out come March!
Mark and Nick discuss:Â
(02:48) Top three tax mistakes – procrastination, reactive planning, and poor communicationÂ
(06:36) Differences between tax deductions and credits and why mixing them up can cost youÂ
(13:26) The importance of building a team of trusted advisors for holistic financial well-beingÂ
(21:59) Creative gifting strategies for leaving a meaningful legacy while optimizing your taxes
(22:40) The value of real-time tax planning over delayed fixes and how âGoogleâ isnât your perfect tax advisor
Mark Carrison is a Tax Supervisor for Verdolino & Lowey, P.C. Mark joined the firm in January 2020 and has more than 15 years of public accounting experience. Mark provides accounting and advisory services in tax, accounting, financial reporting, and consulting services for individuals, privately held companies, and trusts. Mark is a member of the Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He has had active roles on numerous not-for-profit boards in Rhode Island and Massachusetts including Treasurer and Board of Director of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, Boy Scouts of America, and Rhode Island Wild Plant Society. Mark received a Bachelor of Science degree from Bryant University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Leo University in Accounting with a Fraud Examination concentration.
Wondering how to navigate your tax forms this season without losing your coolâor 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:Â
(05:02) Deductible Dilemmas: Understanding what you can and can’t deduct
(12:42) Tax Time Preparedness: Anthony shares practical advice on not getting blindsided by missing paperwork
(15:11) Tax Loss Harvesting: Why selling a loss might be your new favorite strategy
(26:54) RMDs and Tax Planning: Simplifying your taxes in retirement planning
Anthony R. Ruffalo is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER⢠Practitioner. The CFPŽ certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold a CFPŽ certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. Currently, only 62,000 individuals have obtained CFPŽ certification in the United States.
Anthony holds the series 24, 7, 66 securities licenses through LPL Financial as well as Life, Health, Long Term Care, Medicare Supplement, and Annuity licensures.
