In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, welcomes Ed Dressel, president and owner of Retire Ready Solutions, a company empowering advisors to simplify retirement education — especially for middle-income workers and pension-eligible employees.

With nearly 40 years in the industry, Ed has identified a critical disconnect: advisors love complexity, but clients crave simplicity. When presentations are too technical, clients feel lost and miss the most essential questions about their retirement readiness. Ed explains how shifting from over-analysis to interactive simplicity helps clients:

-Truly understand their retirement path

-Express their values and priorities

-Make informed decisions with confidence

-Stay engaged long after the meeting ends

He also shares how Retire Ready Solutions' tools help advisors show on one page whether a client is on track and how minor improvements (like 1–2% contribution increases) can dramatically boost outcomes without overwhelming them.

Website: retireready.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwarddressel/

👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7

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The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services mentioned.

In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, sits down with Mike Padawer, CLTC, founder and president of Inertia Advisor Services Group and Carefidence, to discuss why financial planners must shift their approach from simply paying for care to truly planning for care.

Mike—author of What's the Deal with Long-Term Care and co-author of What You Don't Know About Retirement Will Hurt You—shares how advisors can guide clients through the emotional, legal, and financial realities of aging with intention.

He explains how most advisors stop at the funding question ("Can the client afford it?"), missing the more profound planning questions that matter most:

• Who will provide care?
• Where will it happen?
• And how can families avoid conflict and crisis when the time comes?

Mike outlines his four-step framework—Awareness, Assessment, Alignment, and Action—that helps advisors integrate long-term care into every financial plan with empathy and clarity.

Guest Links:

Website: https://www.inertia-asg.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-padawer/

Recommend a podcast guest:

👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7

____________________________________________________________________________

The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services mentioned.

In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, sits down with Ari Galper, founder and CEO of Ari AI — the world's only trust-based proprietary AI sales growth advisor — to explore how financial planners can build deeper trust and stronger client relationships in today's commoditized advisory landscape.

Ari, author of seven bestselling books including Trust in a Split Second and Unlock the Sales Game, explains why we're in what he calls a "trust recession." He challenges the traditional focus on relationship-building and free consulting, showing instead how advisors can earn trust faster by adopting a doctor–patient approach — diagnosing problems before offering solutions.

Together, Belle and Ari unpack:

• Why "value" and "education" are no longer effective trust builders

• How to shift from being "shopped" to becoming the trusted choice

• Practical ways to change your first meeting language to build instant credibility

• How emotional connection—not intellect—is what drives client commitment

• The role of AI in transforming trust-based communication and client engagement

Learn how to stop chasing prospects and start creating trust in a split second.

Guest Links:
Website: AriGalper.com
Book: TheTrustBook.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arigalper

Recommend a podcast guest:
👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7

The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services mentioned.