Simply Wealth Radio Program

Hosted by Paula Straub on WebTalkRadio.net

Listen Now To Previous Shows- Click on Blue Links Below

Jan 2008

Is Commercial Real Estate Taking the Same Beating as Residential?

Join Paula as she interviews guest Monte Lee-Wen, a successful commercial real estate buyer and educator. They discuss the current shaky residential real estate market and compare these investments to Commercial Properties. Monte will also tell listeners what to look for when choosing a profit making commercial property and how the smaller investor can get started.

Surviving the Mortgage Meltdown -

If you are trying to get a loan in today's shaky environment, or need to get out of a mortgage you can no longer afford, you may not know where to start. Join Paula and her guest, Jack Guttentag - author of "The Pocket Mortgage Guide" and "The Mortgage Encyclopedia", who offers suggestions on how to get the best loan possible despite today's more difficult lending criteria and what to do if the loan you have is dragging you under.

February 2008

Is your CPA working for you or against you?

Paula talks with prominent author, tax strategist and CPA Diane Kennedy of taxloopholes.com about finding the right tax professional to help you meet your wealth planning goals. It's important to know the right questions to ask before working with a new CPA and to know when to change tax professionals  if they don't have your best interests at heart.

Investing Overseas- A Good Alternative to the Crazy US Market?

Paula discusses the option of going outside the US to invest. Her guests are Mynette Boykin and Glen Fulton who specialize in real estate projects outside of the US. Find out about hot markets and return potentials as well as how to avoid being scammed.

Do you need a Financial Professional to help increase your wealth?

How successful have you been doing all your own investing? When is the time to get some professional help and how to you go about choosing the right person for your needs? Paula and her guest, John Napolitano of US Wealth Management answer these questions plus give insight into other areas of your financial plan that are crucial, yet seldom considered and implemented.

Take Charge of your Retirement Account Investments-

If you ever thought that having investments such as real estate in your retirement account should be allowed, learn how this may be possible right now. Paula has Tom Anderson,  CEO and Founder of Pensco Trust Co, which is a custodian for self-directed IRAs as her guest. Find out if you qualify to have a self-directed IRA and exactly what types of assets can be held in one

March 2008

Selling Real Estate by Auction-

How would you like to pick a day to sell your home or investment property? If you don't have the luxury of waiting until your property sells on its own, or you don't want to haggle over price with potential buyers, auction might be for you. Paula talks with guest Cory Shepard of Prudential California Realty about the pros and cons of selling real estate via the auction process. Find out if it is a viable alternative to traditional marketing and how to choose the right auction company to get the best price and the most qualified buyers.

Why Would You Want to Own Real Estate with Other People? -

You’re used to owning real estate by yourself and being in charge. You like to go visit your local properties and make sure everything is in tip top shape. So, why would you give all that up to own a commercial property with a bunch of strangers – probably in another state? More money and fewer headaches for a start… Paula and her guest Zach Roberts, a Tenant in Common Sponsor executive discuss the pros and cons of 1031- Tenant in Common Exchanges.

Life Settlements- Are You Sitting on a Gold Mine? -

Do you own a life insurance policy that you can no longer afford to keep or no longer need? Are you aware that it may be worth a lot more at fair market value than if you cash out or simply stop making payments? Join Paula and guest Tony Steigerwald of Dunhill Marketing and Insurance Services, who specializes in Life Settlements. There is a fairly new and exploding marketplace for the sale of in force life insurance policies which no longer fit their original purpose. If you meet some basic criteria, you can find out how much your policy is worth and you might be extremely surprised. Best of all, it won’t cost you a dime to find out.

Protecting Assets from Long Term Care Costs -

No one wants to think of themselves or their loved ones needed help with the basics of life such as bathing, dressing, moving around, eating, or taking medications properly. The hard truth of it is, the longer we live, the more likely we will need this help and the costs are skyrocketing. Nothing can deplete a nest egg faster than ongoing medical costs and Medicare does not cover them. Paula and her guest Heather Adamson from One America, who specializes in alternative methods of protecting assets while providing long term care coverage, discuss who should protect themselves and their families from losing their hard earned savings.

Reverse Mortgages- Look Well Before You Leap -

If you are house-rich and cash-poor getting a loan with no payments during your lifetime to help with the bills may be the solution you need. Beware of solicitors who encourage you to take out a reverse mortgage for the wrong reasons however. More scams are popping up all the time. Join Paula and her guest Susan Bierly-Craig, a reverse mortgage counselor, as they discuss the pros and cons of this booming market. Learn what you need to know before tapping into your home equity.

April 2008

Listen to Paula Straub talk about the subject she knows best- ways to minimize your taxes when you sell your assets. Why work so hard to grow your assets, only to surrender 15-50% to Uncle Sam when you need it the most? Paula shares the secrets to legally hanging onto the maximum amount of your hard earned proceeds when you sell the assets meant to fund your retirement years and pass to your heirs.

Did you ever get advice from an accountant, financial planner or attorney to just pay your taxes now and reinvest the proceeds when you sell an asset? Did they tell you had other choices that would increase your bottom line? Probably not, because very few know what options are available and how they work. This information is usually only provided to a select few who consult specialists in this area. Join Paula and her guest Ben Barker, CFO of the National Association of Financial and Estate Planning (NAFEP) as they discuss how a Self Directed Installment Sale can literally mean a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars in your pocket vs. going directly into the coffers of the IRS. If you are selling highly appreciated real estate, businesses, collections, etc. this is a show you want to listen to right now.

Are you going broke filling up your tank as gas approaches the $4 mark? Have you seen the increase in staples like food because it is costing more to deliver the goods to retailers? Can you believe the price of oil has topped $115 per barrel and continues to climb? Join Paula and her guest John Cadwell, CEO of Cadwell Energy as they discuss how you can benefit from the price of rising gas and oil by actually investing in new drilling projects right here in the USA. Also find out about little known tax advantages given by the US government for these investments and how they may even qualify to satisfy a real estate 1031 exchange.

Do you have health insurance coverage? Have you been denied coverage or priced out of the market? Do you understand the plan you have and what it covers? Are you a risk taker that is certain you can do without the coverage because you rarely go to the doctor? Health insurance is a major issue for everyone in the United States today. Premiums keep going up and seem to provide less each year. All it takes is one major medical event and if you aren’t covered by insurance your entire estate can be decimated. What are you willing to pay to protect your assets, and do you even have the choice? Paula will let you know what questions you need to ask your insurance agent or employer to be sure you know exactly what is at risk when it comes time to pay your medical bills.

May 2008

Our health care system in the United States is truly broken and we all need to take part in making sure something is done to improve it. Do you know what each presidential candidate is proposing as a solution? Paula continues her discussion on the problems facing all of us. With people losing jobs, we are also losing health coverage. If you decide to pay the mortgage rather than your health insurance bill you may not be able to reinstate your coverage if you have any number of pre-existing conditions. Find out how health insurance companies can discriminate when it comes to offering coverage on an individual basis and how even having a body scan done can hurt your chances of obtaining life insurance. Do you think all Americans deserve to have access to medical care?

We hear about all of the people in our country losing their homes due to foreclosure. 18.6 million homes are sitting empty and the numbers are growing. It is now a buyers market and it may be the time to make your move if you are a first time homebuyer or long term renter. Loans today are very confusing and it pays to educate yourself on how not to get into the same situation as those currently finding themselves out on the street. Join Paula and her guest Kathy Austin of Avalon Mortgage in a discussion on what assistance is available to first time buyers no matter where you live.

Usually, the word tax is enough to put you in a bad mood. It conjures up those few weeks of nightmares prior to April 15 when you are under pressure to gather up all of the previous years data, put it in some kind of order and either fill out your own tax return or turn it over to a professional. That costs you money and then you may even have to write a check to the IRS. This is tax preparation and isn’t a whole lot of fun. However, what if you found a way to pay less in taxes and keep more in your pocket just by making a few painless changes to the way you managed your finances and investing? What better way to give yourself a raise without switching jobs or being at the mercy of your boss? Paula and her guest, CPA Bob Bledsoe of Provision Wealth talk about ways to reduce your tax bill and make tax planning your friend and not your foe. Find out why you need a specialist and not the guy or gal from the “Big Box” tax agency who may do you more harm than good!

The television program Dateline recently did a special on Indexed Annuities and if you didn’t know much about them before seeing the show, you would probably think they are the mother of all evil. Going for sensationalism and ratings may work well when trying to catch a predator, but scaring people unnecessarily and without balancing the many factors in play is the real crime here. Paula gives her take on which barbs were justified and what valuable information was never presented at all. This is Part One of a Two Part program.

June 2008

The most important part of any investment product is how much it earns for you compared to the risk you are willing to take. Most annuities have built in safety factors but the amount of interest credited each year can vary considerably. There are so many products on the market, how can you choose between them? Paula breaks down the important factors you need to be aware of and points out what you can do to educate yourself and ask the right questions before you commit to a product that may not be the best for you. She also shares how you can shoot yourself in the foot by making a decision based on what you “want to hear” versus following the guidance of specially trained professionals.

If you have never had your personal information stolen and used by criminals to run up charge accounts or take over your identity don’t become complacent. It may happen when you least expect it and you won’t see it coming. It can literally ruin your finances and take years to repair. Paula and her guest Cortney Read from LifeLock discuss just a few of the sneaky ways that thieves obtain and use your information to make themselves rich and you a lot poorer. The numbers of victims are staggering and growing by leaps and bounds. No matter how careful you think you are being, you can still be an easy target. Learn how to take some basic steps to protect your identity and your bank accounts. This will save you both time and money should the worst happen and you are the thief’s next target

The old adage that the only two things certain in life are death and taxes still holds true. One of the hardest subjects to think or talk about is the topic of medical issues which may be incapacitating or fatal, but approached with the right mindset will be one of the most important topics you will ever face. What would you do if a parent become too ill to make their own financial or health choices but had no plan in place? Do you know who would step in or what would actually need to be done? Paula discusses some of the most common documents that everyone should have and the reason a few hours of discomforting thoughts and actions are well worth the peace of mind achieved when it counts the most. This is the first of a series on different aspects of estate planning that everyone needs, whether or not you feel you have a sizeable estate. Also, what can you do yourself and when should you consult with a professional?

When most people hear the words “Estate Planning” they think that it is only for those who have accumulated a large amount of wealth and maybe for those in their senior years. This could not be further from the truth. Paula and her guest Jeff Isaak, also known as “The lawyer in Blue Jeans” discuss why anyone with a family and/or a home needs to have their house in order from the get go. Learn the difference between a will and a trust and why one will not be sufficient to settle your estate and may still cause your family a ton of money and time once you’re gone. The bottom line is, do you want to leave your care and your family assets up to an impersonal court appointed representative whom you have never met, or do you want to be able to control how your family’s future is laid out?

If you are thinking about selling, or already have your business up for sale, you don’t want to make any crucial mistakes that will cost you big time.Most business owners only sell one business in their lifetime. The results of this sale have a major impact on the financial future of your family. You may be an expert in business development, but totally in the dark about most aspects of the best way to sell.Join Paula and her guest business broker Dave Kauppi of MidMarketCapital as they discuss how to take the proper steps to make sure you are getting the true value that your company is worth and not succumbing to the all too common stumbling blocks encountered by inexperienced and unprepared sellers.

July 2008

Finding a way to give back, or “pay it forward” is an integral part of any financial plan. This very important show focuses on how you can help our wounded veterans get training in a new career that will also give them a new lease on life.Who better to understand how important these programs are than two incredible men, each involved with non-profit organizations, and who are both dedicated to providing the necessary help to get wounded war heroes back on their feet and leading productive lives. Join Paula and her guests, Brad Saul, Executive Director of the Radio Center For People With Disabilities and Ryan Kules, head of the Warriors to Work Division of the Wounded Warrior Project. Both have overcome their own personal challenges to become successful businessmen and philanthropists. In Part Two, Paula will let you know how she and these organizations are teaming up to allow you to not only help a hero but also minimize your tax bill when selling an appreciated asset. And, it doesn’t involve pledging your asset to charity when you pass away.

With this rocky economy it seems scams of all sorts continue to become more prevalent. The Internet is a breeding ground, but you can just as likely be victimized in your own home. Paula discusses over 20 of the most common scams today and how you can prevent being taken by being aware of what con artists are doing to rob you of your money. Some scams are just variations of what have been used for almost one hundred years. Others are a result of changing times and new technologies. If it sounds too good to be true it most likely is. After listening to this show, if you or anyone you know has been victimized by a scam not mentioned, email Paula at simplywealthshow@gmail.com and Paula will be sure to get the word out so no one else is taken advantage of.

Hopefully, we all enter into marriage with the belief that it will be forever and we will be with that partner for life. The reality is that almost half of first US marriages end in divorce and the numbers grow larger for second and third marriages. So, is ignorance really bliss or should each spouse be aware of the effect divorce can play on each others financial future? Do you need a pre-nup, separate bank accounts, credit cards? Is your state a community property state or does it have different laws which govern dissolution of marriage? How can you protect your children and their future? Is it possible if the worst happens that your spouse may act from a less than loving place and do things that are really out of character? Join Paula as she discusses what you need to know “just in case” things don’t work out.

During good financial times we don’t exactly keep track of the money we are spending. But, when times get tough and prices rise faster than our paychecks, the only sane choice is to tighten our belts any way we can. A little short term sacrifice can mean staying in our homes and not getting more into debt. Paula talks frankly about cost cutting and discusses many ways to minimize the money going out. Who knows, you may not even feel the pinch with some of these suggestions!

August 2008

With the Dow Jones jumping up and down 200 to 300 points daily on a regular basis, is it best to stay away from the stock market until things calm down? What if you’ve lost a significant amount in your savings or 401K- should you cut your losses and go to all cash? What got our markets into this yo-yo condition anyway? Are we repeating past events that we should have learned from the first or second time around? When will we see some stabilization? There may be no easy answers to these questions but Paula and her guest Dr. Scott Brown, Professor of Finance at the University of Puerto Rico discuss some of the things to do to ride out a rough economy and come out ahead financially in the long run.

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