In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, tackle employee benefits open enrollment and how to make sense of that intimidating benefits guide before the deadline arrives. They walk through health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, along with some of the tempting extras that may or may not be worth the paycheck deduction. Rather than simply renewing last year’s choices or signing up for everything available, Regina and Jason explain how to compare what’s changed with what you actually expect to need in the coming year.

Takeaways

• Start with what changed. Even if you liked your current benefits, premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket limits, and employer contributions may be different next year.
• Consider both a best-case and worst-case year when comparing health plans, while factoring in known life changes or medical expenses.
• Don’t automatically enroll in every benefit offered. Evaluate insurance and optional benefits against your actual financial situation and needs so you’re paying for protection that provides meaningful value.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, continue their equity compensation series with a look at incentive stock options (ISOs) and non-qualified stock options (NSOs). They explain how these employer-granted options work, what happens when you exercise them, and why the tax consequences can look very different depending on which type you have and when you sell. From cashless exercises and capital gains to the alternative minimum tax (AMT), Regina and Jason show why stock options can offer valuable opportunities but also require careful financial and tax planning.

Takeaways

• NSOs and ISOs are taxed differently, especially when you exercise your options, making it important to understand exactly what type of grant you have.
• ISOs can offer preferential tax treatment, but taking full advantage of it may require navigating AMT and meeting specific holding-period requirements.
• Stock options shouldn’t be considered in isolation. Your exercise strategy should account for taxes, cash flow, diversification, and the risk of becoming overly concentrated in your employer’s stock.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this special mini-episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, trade financial planning for a little financial-themed music. With the FPFoCo team heading to San Diego for their annual company retreat and an industry conference, they’ve assembled the perfect soundtrack for the trip: FPFoCo Favorite$, a team-curated playlist featuring songs about money from across genres and generations. From Wu-Tang Clan to whatever other money-minded tracks made the cut, consider this your invitation to turn up the volume and follow the money.

Hear the Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ONSSqJuWSCKwlAdh8Z3Vd?si=msayp6m8SUaM_SkkYCyw0w

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Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, introduce the newest member of the FPFoCo team, Kelli, and give listeners a chance to get to know the person behind the client service emails. Kelli shares what she’ll be doing as FPFoCo’s new Client Service Specialist, from helping with account paperwork and follow-up to keeping client information organized and supporting the rest of the planning team behind the scenes. The conversation also covers her 15+ years of experience in financial services, her recent client service certification, and why attention to detail and continuing education matter so much in her role. And, of course, there’s time to get to know Kelli beyond the office, including life on the North Carolina coast, football season, and some very exciting family news.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, break down restricted stock and restricted stock units (RSUs). These two common forms of equity compensation can quickly turn into a complicated mix of vesting schedules, taxes, trading restrictions, and investment decisions. They explain the important differences between restricted stock and RSUs, when each becomes taxable, and why RSUs can often be viewed much like receiving a cash bonus. The conversation also explores the risks of accumulating too much employer stock and how a thoughtful strategy can turn equity compensation into cash for other financial goals, investments, or tax-planning opportunities.

Takeaways

• Ask yourself: If your employer gave you the same amount as a cash bonus, would you use it to buy company stock? If not, selling vested shares and redeploying the money may make more sense.
• Remember the risk of double concentration: your salary and benefits already depend on your employer, so holding substantial employer stock can concentrate even more of your financial life in one company.
• Build equity compensation into your financial and tax plan before shares vest so you know how you’ll handle withholding, potential tax liabilities, and the cash — rather than reacting after the fact.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this episode of Money and Taxes from BB to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, explore Coast FIRE, a retirement strategy built around saving aggressively earlier in life and then allowing those investments to compound toward retirement with little or no additional retirement contributions. They discuss how reaching a “Coast” point can create more flexibility to work less, change careers, spend more intentionally, or redirect savings toward other goals while existing retirement assets continue to grow. The conversation also covers the risks of relying on long-term assumptions — including inflation, taxes, and sequence-of-returns risk — and why regular financial planning and cash flow check-ins remain essential. Regina and Jason also highlight different versions of Coast FIRE, from continuing full-time work without retirement contributions to stepping away from work entirely while relying on non-retirement-specific assets.

Takeaways

• Coast FIRE relies on saving heavily early, giving those dollars more time to compound toward a future retirement goal.
• Reaching your Coast point can create greater flexibility with work, spending, and other financial goals, but it still requires careful planning.
• Because returns, inflation, taxes, and spending can change, regular cash flow and financial planning check-ins are essential to staying on track.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, examine the latest concerns surrounding the future of Social Security and what potential benefit changes could mean for retirement planning. They discuss the projected depletion of the Social Security trust fund and three potential solutions outlined by the Social Security trustees: increasing payroll taxes, reducing benefits for everyone, or reducing benefits for future claimants. The conversation also explores why fear alone should not drive an early claiming decision and how financial planning tools can stress-test different Social Security, inflation, tax, health care, and longevity scenarios. Rather than trying to predict exactly what lawmakers will do, Regina and Jason emphasize preparing a flexible retirement plan that can adapt as the system changes.

Takeaways

• If no legislative action is taken, Social Security could continue paying benefits from incoming payroll taxes, but at a reduced level once trust fund reserves are depleted.
• Potential solutions include higher payroll taxes, benefit reductions, later claiming ages, or a combination of changes.
• Don’t make a Social Security claiming decision based on headlines alone. Stress-test your retirement plan and adjust your savings, investments, or income strategy as new information becomes available.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo

In this episode of Money and Taxes from Bb to XYZ, Jason Speciner, CFP®, EA, and Regina Neenan, CFP®, ABFP®, explore one of the foundational questions of financial planning: Why do you invest? Using investment risk as the starting point, they explain that risk isn’t simply about stock prices rising and falling; it also includes factors like liquidity, inflation, savings rates, income needs, and the possibility of not reaching your financial goals. They distinguish between risk tolerance (the amount of investment risk you’re willing to accept) and risk capacity (the amount of risk your financial circumstances can reasonably support), then show how those concepts drive asset allocation and even where investments should be held for maximum tax efficiency.

Takeaways

• Understand your risk tolerance first. Determine how much investment risk you’re personally comfortable taking before choosing an investment strategy.
• Evaluate your risk capacity. Your timeline, financial goals, available resources, liquidity needs, and overall circumstances may require you to take more (or less) risk than your tolerance alone suggests.
• Match investments to the right accounts. Once your asset allocation is determined, use asset location strategies by placing growth and income-producing investments in the most tax-efficient account types to maximize long-term results.

Have a question for the show?

Email , and Jason or Regina might answer it in a future episode! New episodes drop every other Thursday, and they’re always ad-free with no subscription required. Learn more about FPFoCo at fpfoco.com and connect with us on social media @fpfoco.

Disclosures

Jason Speciner and Regina Neenan are investment advisor representatives of FPFoCo, a registered investment advisor. The information in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. It may not apply to your individual circumstances and should not be considered financial, investment, or tax advice.

© 2026 FPFoCo