The Pilot’s Advisor Podcast

Crafting Investment Philosophies Around Retirement with Lee Hyder

We’re excited to bring on Lee Hyder of Lee Hyder & Associates today to share insights and stories from 30+ years of experience. Join us as we go back and forth on the highs and lows investors face, underscoring the need for resilience and a long-term outlook when building a portfolio for retirement.
We spend the first part of the how discussing fees and how you should approach them with your investment portfolio. Who wouldn’t pay a percent or two to get an extra three or four percent return? That’s part of what you should be evaluating and we’ll get Lee’s insight on how he evaluates investments for clients. Plus, let’s take a look at the S&P 500 and why it isn’t the way to get true diversification in your portfolio.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
0:49 – Howard Capital portfolios
7:21 – S&P 500
10:33 – Educating pilots  
12:27 – Distribution phase
14:23 – Final wisdom from Lee
 
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
 
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
 
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
 
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2
 

Will The Economy Boom Or Bust In 2024?

Everyone wants to know. Will the economy boom or bust in 2024? Join us as we explore a range of expert predictions, from the shifting trends in housing prices to the looming question of a potential recession or stock market crash.
We'll balance our discussion with both optimistic and pessimistic perspectives from an array of sources to give you a comprehensive view. Ryan will also weigh in with his own perspective on each of the financial topics so tune in to navigate the uncertainties and opportunities of 2024's economic landscape and equip yourself with knowledge for the year ahead.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
2:55 – The stock market in 2024
13:04 – The economy in 2024
15:32 – Housing in 2024
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
 
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
 
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
 
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

Soaring Above Market Turbulence with Lee Hyder

We’re excited to bring on Lee Hyder of Lee Hyder & Associates today to share insights and stories from 30+ years of experience. Join us as we go back and forth on the highs and lows investors face, underscoring the need for resilience and a long-term outlook.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
2:41 – Keeping up with change in the industry
4:07 – Using technology to trade
6:58 – Returns
13:26 – Managing expectations
16:56 – Greed vs Fear
 
About our guest: https://www.leehyder.com/ 
 
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
 
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
 
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
 
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

Breaking Down the Details & Financial Impact of the New Southwest Airlines TA

This episode is going to delve into the significant new Tentative Agreement for Southwest Airlines pilots and break it all down so you know the most important details. By the end of the show, you should be up-to-date on the impact and the implications of the TA.
We’ve invited Captain Robert Ecklund of Southwest Airlines to talk about some of the key aspects of the contract that's coming out, including compensation, disability benefits, retirement plans, and the implementation schedule. We’ll focus on some of the intricacies of the cash balance plan, the exceptional disability benefits and that compensation increase.
Stay tuned after our conversation with Rob because we’ll bring on Zach Smith, Managing Partner, CPA to dive into all the tax details so you’ll have a better idea of what this could mean on your bottom line.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
1:45 – Guest intro
5:36 – Overview of the TA
7:03 – Cash balance plan
11:35 – Changes in disability
17:30 – Company contributions
21:55 – Tax rates
26:22 – Compensation details
33:30 – TA Tax implications with Zach Smith from Pilot-Tax
 
Connect with Pilot-Tax: https://pilot-tax.com/
 
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
 
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
 
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
 
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

The Power of Delayed Gratification

Sometimes it’s hard to make financial sacrifices when the reward might not be seen until several years in the future, but the idea of delayed gratification is at the core of retirement planning.
In this episode we’ll talk about some of the situations where you might be inclined to take the immediate benefit when you should really consider the delayed rewards. 
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
3:55 – A lesson instilled
4:32 – Passing up the company match
7:01 – Saving in tax-deferred accounts
9:33 – Emergency fund
11:55 – Pulling out of retirement account early
15:15 – Home maintenance and upgrades
17:38 – Social Security
20:36 – Health check-ups
23:16 – Working with an advisor
 
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
 
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
 
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
 
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

Should You Take the new Delta GVUL Option?

The goal for the show today is to provide you with a broad picture of being offered and share some things from our research that Delta pilots should be aware of and think through. Plus, we’ll offer some alternative options to this GVUL policy for pilots looking for a safe asset. If you’re just looking for a quick cliff notes version of what we discuss, skip to the final few minutes to hear us summarize all of our thoughts.
 
Also, make sure you check out this sequence of returns explanation Ryan recorded to understand this risk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSsR7Km5XRw
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
2:15 – What is this new policy and what is it replacing?
4:50 – The difference between term life and permanent life?
7:38 – 3 reasons why a Delta pilot might want to do this.
12:42 – The cons for this specific GVUL option that you need to be aware of.
21:52 – What could cause a policy like this blow up?
23:59 – Alternative options
33:02 – Structuring the policy for someone that isn’t concerned about the death benefit.
 
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
 
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
 
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
 
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

Never Lose the Power of Your Money with Dave Befort

The idea we’ve been exposed to about investing is that our money can only be in one place at a time, right? That’s all we’ve ever heard, but that’s not exactly true. Your money can work for you in two different places thanks to the Infinite Banking Concept. It’s a strategy that we’ve previously discussed with today’s guest, Dave Befort, but today we want to dive into how to truly harness the power of being your own bank.
 
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
0:00 – Intro
4:24 – The Infinite Banking Concept
7:59 – Why Dave does this  
14:45 – The amount the average person pays towards debt
18:52 – Using this vehicle to replace a Roth
21:46 – Having access to your money
25:13 – Why should a pilot consider this?
32:49 – Why Ryan won’t invest in any fixed income again
35:57 – How do you get to a point where you’re putting all your money in here?
 
Learn more about Dave: https://maxperformancefinancial.com/about/
Read ‘Becoming Your Own Banker’ by Nelson Nash: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Your-Own-Banker-Infinite/dp/B001NZO1DS
 
Resources for Pilots:
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

Rethinking Your Survivor Benefit Options with Dave Befort

Many of the FedEx and UPS pilots still have a pension and they often ask what to do about the survivor benefits. Many of them are inclined to lean towards the 50% survivor benefit, but that’s not typically the best option.
To help us explore some of these other options, we’ve invited Dave Befort onto the podcast today. He’s an expert in the Infinite Banking Concept for pilots as well as many other aspects of retirement, and we’re going to talk today about different survivor benefit options and how they play into your overall retirement strategy. Dave believes strongly in using life insurance to help you control your money and he’ll explain some of these strategies in this video.
#pilotlife #infinitebanking #survivorbenefits
 
Here are some of the highlights from this episode:
0:00 – Intro
2:06 – The math behind the 50% survivor benefit
6:02 – The questions you need to be asking
12:02 – Another option: permanent life insurance
19:35 – The benefits of the Infinite Banking Concept
22:49 – Tax strategies
29:24 – Sequence of return risk
 
Learn more about Dave: https://maxperformancefinancial.com/about/
 
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2

Recapping the 2023 South Carolina Coaches for Charity Event with Steve Sharp

We’ve talked about it some already on the show, but the South Carolina Coaches for Charity event has become a passion of ours. The money raised goes to help some outstanding charities, including the Fisher DeBerry Foundation started by Ryan’s former head coach.
Our goal for the 2023 event was to pour our time and effort into helping the organizers continue to grow the event and build on the success they’ve already seen. To help us do that, we brought in Steve Sharp of Sharp Digital Marketing. He’s the man behind everything we do at The Pilot’s Advisor and his expertise made a huge impact on results for this year’s Coaches for Charity event. 
We spent a little time with Steve after the event to talk more about what we were able to do and what we thought about the way everything turned out. Plus, we wanted to introduce him so you could learn more about someone who has been a big part of our growth here on the show. 
Here are some of the highlights from this episode: 0:00 – Intro3:11 – Background on South Carolina Coaches for Charity8:08 – Feeling of being a part of a team again 13:26 – The kids meeting Steve17:01 – The work Steve did with the coaches' event 21:40 – The Community MVP we honored24:45 – An emotional night for Coach DeBerry  
Learn more about Steve: https://sharpdigitalmarketing.com/   Learn more about Coaches for Charity: https://southcarolinacoaches.com/ 
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Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2
 

Be a Coffee Bean: A Story of Resilience & Redemption with Damon West

Imagine being addicted to meth and leading an organized crime ring, only to be arrested and sentenced to life in prison. That was the reality for our guest today, the best-selling author and motivational speaker Damon West.
His story of transformation is unlike any other, filled with tales of resilience, hope, and a unique perspective on life that only prison walls could provide. He went from being a college quarterback with a bright professional future in business to a life sentence in a matter of years. But a prison mentor named Mr. Jackson changed his life with the coffee bean message.
We met Damon during the South Carolina Coaches for Charity event this summer and were blown away by his remarkable story. That’s why we wanted to bring it hear and share it with you. Since leaving prison in 2015, he’s spoken to college football teams like Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and expanded in a way that requires him to travel 24 days out of each month.
His life-altering insights are a testament to the power of change, and the strength of the human spirit to rise above adversity and we’re excited to share that with you today.
 
Here are some of the highlights from this episode:
0:00 – Intro
1:50 – His life of drugs and crime 15 years ago
3:47 – How ‘be a coffee bean’ started
8:09 – Success since being paroled
12:41 – His first encounter with Dabo Swinney
17:42 – Talking to the Clemson football team
19:24 – How the coffee bean message exploded
 
Learn more about Damon: https://damonwest.org/
Check out some of his appearances here: https://damonwest.org/resources/
South Carolina Coaches for Charity: https://bit.ly/3Ro0Dog
 
Resources:
Retire Pilots - https://retirepilots.com
Get your FREE Retirement Toolkit - https://bit.ly/3ZmZsaX
Pilot Tax - https://pilot-tax.com/
The Pilot's Advisor Podcast is also on video. Watch & Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3EIEBW2