Have you ever wondered how your giving can have a lasting impact?

Or are you thinking about how to make sure your charitable contributions align with your values and life goals?



In this episode, financial advisors Jeff Green and Lauren Smith cover effective ways to approach charitable giving during the holiday season, discussing strategies to maximize personal impact and tax benefits. They guide listeners through essential considerations for end-of-year philanthropy, including:

• Tips for selecting causes that resonate with your personal values
• The importance of researching how donations are used by organizations to ensure contributions have the intended effect
• How to use Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), potentially avoiding taxable income on required minimum distributions
• An overview of donor-advised funds for potential tax benefits and flexibility to direct contributions over time to chosen charities
• Why you might consider giving long-term appreciated assets, like stocks, to bypass capital gains tax while receiving a charitable deduction for full market value
• Reminders for how we can all avoid common charitable giving pitfalls
• And more!

Connect With Green Financial Group:

• jeff@greenfinancialgrp.com
• (713) 244-3030
• Schedule A Call With Jeff or Lauren
• Green Financial Group
• LinkedIn: Jeff Green
• LinkedIn: Lauren Smith

Have you ever considered how vulnerable your personal information is in today’s digital world?

Do you feel like you’re doing everything you can to protect yourself online?

In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, Lauren Smith is joined by Green Financial Group Director of Marketing, Claire Holmes, to explore the critical importance of cybersecurity. Drawing from Claire’s personal experience with an identity theft and social media hacking incident, they delve into simple, practical steps everyone can take to feel more protected in their digital lives. Together they discuss:

• Why using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) on public Wi-Fi is essential for protecting your data
• Ways to spot sophisticated phishing attacks via email and text to protect yourself from identity theft or other cyberthreats
• How enabling MFA (multi-factor authorization) on any online account you can is one of the best ways you can safeguard information online (yes, even if it requires a little bit of extra time on your part!)
• Ideas for how to incorporate stronger, more complex passwords into your digital lives
• Insights into the company’s strong cybersecurity practices, including phishing tests and employee training from Raymond James
• And more!

Connect With Green Financial Group:

• jeff@greenfinancialgrp.com
• (713) 244-3030
• Schedule A Call With Jeff or Lauren
• Green Financial Group
• LinkedIn: Jeff Green
• LinkedIn: Lauren Smith

Do you feel prepared to face life’s most challenging transitions? For milestones such as becoming caretakers for your parents as they age, preparing for your retirement from your career and even planning for health concerns for yourself or loved ones, it’s important to have a solid plan in place. While conversations around these issues can be difficult, it’s essential to discuss them openly with your financial advisor as they impact both your everyday cash flow as well as how you will want to strategically manage your investments and customize your financial plan. In this episode of The Green Zone Podcast, co-hosts Jeff Green and Lauren Smith delve into these significant life changes, talking through a few key financial approaches that can help you navigate them with confidence. Together, they discuss:

• The types of transitions many of their Baby Boomer clients are currently facing
• Why it’s important to establish Power of Attorney and clear estate plans
• How to think about planning for long-term care and the associated costs
• Ways to manage the emotional and logistical aspects of estate management and planning for your future
• Strategies for consolidating assets and organizing critical documents
• Recommendations for how to have open and ongoing conversations with family about future responsibilities
• And more!

Connect With Green Financial Group:

• jeff@greenfinancialgrp.com
• (713) 244-3030
• Schedule A Call With Jeff or Lauren
• Green Financial Group
• LinkedIn: Jeff Green
• LinkedIn: Lauren Smith