According to a report from the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023.

That's why episodes like this one are among my least favorite to record and also among the most important.

We’ve all heard about so many folks losing large sums of money because they answered the wrong phone call or clicked on the wrong email link. The greed, cruelty, and, yes, ingenuity of today's fraudsters is only growing along with the technology available to them. Keeping our audience updated on the latest scams is an important part of Keen Wealth's educational mission.

On today's show, we discuss warning signs that you may be dealing with a scammer, as well as best practices for safeguarding your personal information and your nest egg.

Well ... we were wrong.

During our previous discussion about The One Big Beautiful Bill, we predicted that the final law would probably pass with a different name.

But, instead of the acronyms we're used to seeing lately, like the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement), President Trump and Congress stuck with the original title. For the most part, the final bill also maintains the big picture tax policy objectives that President Trump has been discussing since the start of his second term.

On today's show, we focus on the portions of the One Big Beautiful Bill that could have the biggest impact on retirement planning.

I believe that The Keen Wealth Advantage helps folks feel more confident about comprehensive financial planning and their road to retirement. I also believe wholeheartedly in the consumer being as educated as possible on their various options before entrusting their planning and investing to any financial advisor. This is one of the key reasons we are now in our 10th year of producing this podcast and blog, answering listener questions and giving listeners a candid “look behind the curtain” on all things personal financial planning.

When you're meeting with professionals who could be managing your life savings for the rest of your life, there has to be more than just a personality fit. While personality is important, you also need to know what questions to ask and what warning signs to look for. Do they have a disciplined process and the depth and breadth of experience and resources to undertake this most serious responsibility? Are you able to confidently discern what your overall client experience will look like and know that they take the appropriate steps to ensure your confidential information is protected and that rules and regulations are being complied with?

On today's show, we answer two discerning listener questions that will help you have more productive meetings with potential advisors.