What happens when creativity, money, and purpose all collide? In this episode, Frankie Guida sits down with songwriter and entrepreneur Stokes Nielsen for a wide‑ranging conversation on focus, financial discipline, faith, and life after peak career moments. From lessons learned at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville to personal stories about family, retirement, and long‑term purpose, Stokes shares how surrounding yourself with the right people and planning ahead shapes both finances and fulfillment. The discussion blends music, money, and mindset into a thoughtful look at preparing for whatever chapter comes next.

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Learn more about Frank and Frankie's book here!

Buy Frank's book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Buy Frankie's book! Amazon Best Seller, ""A Better Way to Retire: How a Fiduciary Retirement Planner Can Be the Key to Financial Success"

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

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Your retirement savings may feel like they’re yours—but the rules say otherwise. In this episode of Empower Your Retirement, Frank and Frankie Guida unpack how taxes, required rules, and account structures can limit flexibility in retirement. Using a surprising Oscars analogy, the conversation explores IRAs, 401(k)s, Roth conversions, and why tax planning plays such a critical role as savings grow. The discussion focuses on understanding government rules, managing future tax exposure, and evaluating how different strategies can affect long-term retirement decisions.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

Learn more about Frank and Frankie's book here!

Buy Frank's book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Buy Frankie's book! Amazon Best Seller, ""A Better Way to Retire: How a Fiduciary Retirement Planner Can Be the Key to Financial Success"

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many retirees discover too late that their spending plan isn’t working the way they expected. In this episode, Frankie Guida discusses why income and spending plans often fall out of sync in retirement and what commonly leads people to cut back sooner than planned. The conversation covers the role of income planning, fixed income gaps, inflation, and asset allocation, along with why having numbers in place matters before leaving the workforce. It’s a practical look at how retirement income decisions can shape day‑to‑day life long after work ends.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

Learn more about Frank and Frankie's book here!

Buy Frank's book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Buy Frankie's book! Amazon Best Seller, ""A Better Way to Retire: How a Fiduciary Retirement Planner Can Be the Key to Financial Success"

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saving for retirement is one challenge—figuring out how to invest once withdrawals begin is another. In this episode, Frankie Guida explains why retirement requires a shift in investment mindset, especially when income is coming from the portfolio. The discussion covers balancing market risk, planning for withdrawals, and why investment strategies that worked during working years may not translate the same way in retirement. Listeners will also hear how risk tolerance, market declines, and timing can influence long‑term outcomes once retirement begins.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Read our book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may know what a Roth is—but what exactly is a mega backdoor Roth, and who can actually use it? In this episode, Frankie Guida breaks down how higher earners can potentially move more money into tax‑advantaged accounts through employer retirement plans. The discussion walks through how after‑tax contributions, plan rules, and Roth conversions intersect, and why tax efficiency becomes increasingly important as retirement approaches. Using real‑world scenarios, the episode highlights how understanding these rules can reshape long‑term retirement planning decisions.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Read our book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much do you really need to retire—and does a single dollar number even make sense? In this episode, Frank and Frankie Guida unpack why widely quoted retirement figures like $1.6 million miss the mark for most people. The conversation focuses on income, timing, pensions, Social Security, taxes, and risk, showing how retirement readiness depends on personal circumstances, not averages. A practical discussion about shifting the focus from comparing balances to understanding cash flow and planning around the life you want to live.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Read our book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

School taught trigonometry and the recorder—but skipped the money lessons that matter most. In this episode of Empower Your Retirement, Frank and Frankie Guida of A Better Way Financial talk about the financial basics many people were never taught and why that leads to uncertainty later in life. The conversation focuses on common retirement questions people feel embarrassed to ask, the value of slowing down complex financial topics, and how understanding income, taxes, and planning decisions can change how retirement is approached. It’s a practical discussion about learning what you don’t know and why asking questions matters.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Read our book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much do you really need to retire—and why do the headline numbers miss the mark? In this episode of Empower Your Retirement, Frank and Frankie Guida break down the real factors that shape retirement income needs, from spending habits and lifestyle changes to inflation and income sources like Social Security and pensions. The conversation walks through how to estimate retirement expenses, why one-size-fits-all numbers fall short, and how understanding cash flow and future costs can bring clarity to retirement planning.

Schedule a complimentary appointment: A Better Way Financial

CLICK HERE to register for one of our upcoming Tax-Smart Retirement Planning Dinner Workshops.

Read our book! Amazon Best Seller, “The Book on Retirement: A Better Way to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars While Living the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.”

Follow us on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.