Episodes

  • Choosing the Right Financial Advisor: Trust, Fit, and Red Flags
    Mar 19 2026

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Choosing a financial advisor isn’t just about credentials or performance, it’s about trust, communication, and fit. In this episode, Mark sheds light on what really matters when deciding who to work with and why early impressions can be just as important as technical knowledge. Not every advisor is right for every person, and that’s okay. The goal is clarity, confidence, and a relationship built to last.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🤝 Trust & Gut Instincts: Why first impressions still matter

    🧰 Advisor Skill Sets: Matching expertise to your situation

    👂 Listening & Customization: Why good advice starts with understanding

    🚨 Problem Identification: Catching issues before they become costly

    🧭 Mark’s Approach: Advice rooted in experience, not products

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

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    10 mins
  • Popular Advice… But Is It Good Advice?
    Mar 5 2026

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Bold financial opinions are everywhere, and they’re often delivered with total confidence. Mark takes a more discerning look at popular money advice, and why it can sound smart while missing important context. The problem isn’t that these takes are always wrong, it’s that they’re often applied without considering real people, real timelines, and real tradeoffs. Big financial decisions deserve more than headlines and absolutes.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🎙️ Financial Advice Culture: Why strong opinions travel fast

    🔍 So-Called Experts: Separating insight from influence

    💬 High-Profile Opinions: When popular advice oversimplifies reality

    🏠 Lifestyle vs. Strategy: Why personal context changes everything

    🧭 A Practical Approach: Advice built around the individual, not the trend

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

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    13 mins
  • Mailbag: Social Security Fears, 401(k) Changes, and Dream Retirement
    Feb 19 2026

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    In this mailbag episode, Mark responds to listener concerns that highlight the uncertainty many people feel as retirement gets closer. These are the kinds of moments where hesitation, assumptions, or bad timing can have lasting consequences. Before making a move, it’s worth slowing down, because big decisions deserve more than guesswork.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    💸 Social Security & Taxes: Why benefits can be taxable

    🧾 401(k) Plan Changes: What happens after a merger or transition

    ⏳ Timing Social Security: Weighing early vs delayed decisions

    😟 Social Security Anxiety: Fears about the system’s future

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

    520.618.5323

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    11 mins
  • Unlocking The Power of Your Biggest Financial Assets
    Feb 5 2026

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Most people focus on saving more but overlook how much power they already have. Mark walks through the major financial assets many people take for granted and explains why ignoring them can quietly limit retirement confidence.

    Tune in to make sure your biggest resources are working together for you, not against you.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🏠 Home Equity: Understanding its role in retirement decisions

    💼 Workplace Savings: Why old allocations can become liabilities

    🧩 Social Security Value: Treating it like the asset it is

    🗂️ Consolidation: Simplifying accounts for clarity and control

    📈 Future Potential: Using earning years wisely before retirement

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

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    13 mins
  • Let's Declutter: Tips To Take Out The Financial Trash
    Jan 15 2026

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Clutter isn’t just a problem in your garage, it creeps into your finances, too. In this episode, Mark talks through the habits, products, and decisions that weigh down your money without adding real value. Discover how to clean up your finances and invest confidently for the future. If your finances feel messy or inefficient, this is a smart place to start cleaning up.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🧾 Debt Reality: Knowing what actually adds value

    🎢 Risk Awareness: Understanding what you’re really exposed to

    💸 Hidden Costs: Fees that quietly erode your progress

    💤 Lazy Money: Cash that’s falling behind inflation

    🤝 Trust Matters: Avoiding costly mistakes and bad incentives

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

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    11 mins
  • What The Wizard of Oz Teaches About Retirement
    Dec 31 2025

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    What does The Wizard of Oz have to teach us about smart financial planning? More than you might think! In this episode, Mark uses the timeless lessons of Dorothy and the Yellow Brick Road to explain why a clear financial plan matters- and why “winging it” rarely works. Just like the journey to the Emerald City, retirement planning requires direction, flexibility, and the ability to adjust when obstacles pop up along the way.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🟡 Why every retirement plan needs a clear “Yellow Brick Road”

    🧩 Financial planning is more than investing

    🏡 The emotional vs. financial side of paying off your mortgage

    🧠 Improving financial literacy and avoiding bad advice

    🧙‍♂️ The importance of getting advice from qualified sources

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

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    13 mins
  • Don’t Catch These: The Top Financial Diseases & Their Cures
    Dec 18 2025

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    The doctor is in! Most people worry about small financial details while ignoring the big issues that can quietly derail retirement. In this episode, Mark introduces a series of “financial diseases” that show up when planning gaps go unchecked. You’ll hear how easy it is to miss these problems until they become expensive. The good news: once you can diagnose them, you can actually treat them.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🧭 Risk Awareness: understanding time horizon and volatility

    ⚠️ Risk Apathy: ignoring portfolio risk until stress hits

    ⏳ Longevity Risk: inflation and living longer than expected

    🏥 Care Costs: long-term care expenses catching families off guard

    💸 Tax Exposure: Uncle Sam taking more than expected

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

    Show more Show less
    12 mins
  • From Fairytales to Finances: Lessons from the Seven Dwarfs
    Dec 4 2025

    Want to get in touch with Mark? 👉 https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Step into a fairytale-inspired take on financial planning as Mark matches real-life money habits to the colorful personalities of the seven dwarfs. Gain fresh perspective and actionable wisdom for your own financial story, all while having a little fun along the way. Ready to discover which financial dwarf you might be? You might be surprised which one you relate to most.

    Here’s what we discuss in today’s show:

    🧙 Seven Dwarfs & Money Habits: how timeless personalities show up in financial planning

    😐 Managing “Grumpy” Clients: expectations, mindset, and choosing the right fit

    🥱 Sleepy Investors: how disengagement affects long-term outcomes

    🤒 Health Concerns & Planning: why “Sneezy” needs a different retirement timeline

    🧠 Working With “Doc”: why intelligence doesn’t always equal good money decisions

    Want to get in touch with Mark?

    Web:

    https://silverman-associates.com/home

    Email:

    mark@silverman-associates.com

    Phone:

    520.512.8832

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    14 mins