Today, John’s answering a question from a viewer about hiring a spouse, or children, in a family business. When structured properly, this strategy can create significant tax advantages and strengthen retirement savings. However, it also carries risks if not handled correctly. We’ll break down the real pros, cons, and IRS guidelines around bringing your family onto the payroll.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

0:00 – Intro

1:06 – Are there tax benefits to hiring your family?

2:43 – What qualifies as “real work”?

6:55 – Roth IRAs and earned income

10:06 – Insurance and education reimbursement plans

11:43 – Avoid these common mistakes

14:27 – Relationship risks

Get in touch:

Phone: 661-775-3704

Book an appointment with us: http://bookachatwithjohn.net

Get in touch with us: https://mearsmoney.com/

Watch the Podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3PmcOPM

Check out John’s FREE Books: https://je9gekmc.pages.infusionsoft.net/

Retirement can feel a lot like facing a defensive blitz. Just like in football, when six defenders line up and the offense doesn’t know who’s coming after the quarterback, retirees can feel surrounded. With market volatility, tax changes, media noise, and conflicting advice, it’s hard to know where to focus.

If you can’t identify what’s real and what’s just smoke, John breaks down how to approach these decisions with strategy, to make sure your choices don’t cost you the game. You’ll learn how to recognize financial distractions, avoid costly misreads, and stick to a disciplined playbook that protects your long-term goals. John also covers what belongs in your financial “six-man box” and explains why limiting your financial to-do list might be the best way to stay focused.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

🧠 Simulated pressure: What it means in football and your finances

🧱 Building a disciplined “six-man box” for your financial defense

🚩 Misdiagnosing financial threats—how to avoid interceptions

🎯 Focus, filter, and execute: Lessons from the QB’s perspective

🔁 Why your financial plan needs constant film-room review

Get in touch:

Phone: 661-775-3704

Book an appointment with us: http://bookachatwithjohn.net

Get in touch with us: https://mearsmoney.com/

Watch the Podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3PmcOPM

Check out John’s FREE Books: https://je9gekmc.pages.infusionsoft.net/

Retirement planning isn’t that different from calling plays on game day. When the market’s throwing curveballs and the scoreboard doesn’t look great, you don’t panic…but you should adjust. In this mailbag edition, John answers listener questions about navigating market volatility with a level head. Whether it’s rebalancing in a down market, knowing when to “buy the dip,” or understanding what diversification actually looks like when everything feels like it’s dropping, we will break down how you can call the right plays in volatile markets.

You’ll also hear why knowing your portfolio’s standard deviation helps you stay cool under pressure, how dollar-cost averaging can ease anxiety when reinvesting cash, and why diversification isn’t dead. If you’ve found yourself checking your accounts too often lately, let’s take a step back, zoom out, and re-center your strategy.

Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:

📉 Rebalancing during downturns

📊 Standard deviation: know your number

🔁 Dollar-cost averaging into a volatile market

🧠 Why fundamentals still win the game

Get in touch:

Phone: 661-775-3704

Book an appointment with us: http://bookachatwithjohn.net

Get in touch with us: https://mearsmoney.com/

Watch the Podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3PmcOPM

Check out John’s FREE Books: https://je9gekmc.pages.infusionsoft.net/