News, media activity, and press releases featuring Kevin Estes, CFP®, CCFC, MBA or Scaled Finance, LLC.
"Gen X is saddled with heavier student loans than their parents. This debt has severely restricted cash flow and delayed life decisions like buying a home and having children," said Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner at Scaled Finance…
“How much someone needs to retire primarily depends on their spending and non-investment income,” says Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner at [Scaled Finance, LLC] in Bellevue, Washington…
“Clarifying the desired retirement lifestyle is the most important aspect of preparing for retirement,” says Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner at [Scaled Finance, LLC] in Bellevue, Washington…
Kevin Estes, an hourly financial planner and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], suggests that you exceed the minimum credit, income and cash requirements when possible. Estes also recommends getting quotes from at least two lenders…
“Social Security retirement benefits are determined based on various factors,” said Kevin Estes, financial planner and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC]. “To verify your eligibility, please visit ssa.gov/myaccount and log in.”
According to Kevin Estes, [CFP®], founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], it may be helpful to think in terms of hours. “Consider your hourly income after taxes and job expenses. How long would your loved ones want you to work to show them you care?”
Kevin Estes, [CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®)] and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], noted employees should consider the power of compound interest and employer matching. They can greatly impact the amount of money when it’s time to retire.
Even if you’re not willing to spend a great deal of time looking at insurance options, it still makes sense to do at least a little shopping around. “You may be able to both raise your limits and lower your premiums,” said Kevin Estes, [CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional] and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC].
“My wife and I do a full review of our expenses about once a year,” said Kevin Estes, founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC]. “We find something every time. It could be a subscription we no longer use, a service we thought we’d cancelled or outright fraud.” “Grocery pickup and delivery have cut our bills,” Estes said. “We purchase fewer impulse items by avoiding the store.”
“Retailers generally pass cost increases on to consumers with price increases. Price increases only cause inflation if the goods are available for sale. The CEOs of Walmart and Target privately warned President Trump in April that tariffs could lead to empty shelves,” said Kevin Estes, [CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®)] and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC).
“Supporting a loved one can either force an employee out of or back into the workforce. Consider who else might depend on your income,” according to Kevin Estes, financial planner and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC].
“A delay in wage garnishment may help someone build up their cash reserve,” said Kevin Estes, [CFP®], founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC]. “I generally recommend keeping at least three to six months of living expenses handy.”
“Investing in a small business or local startup could be a good investment,” Estes said. “While there’s certainly risk, a retiree may improve the odds by sharing their connections, experience and other resources.”
“Americans build wealth by spending less than they earn and investing the rest. It’s a virtuous cycle. More investments lead to higher income, which increases saving and restarts the cycle,” said Kevin Estes, a financial planner and the founder of Scaled Finance…
Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner at [Scaled Finance, LLC], believes there is hope for older savers. “Someone who’s established in their career may be closer to their financial goals than they think,” said Estes.
Financial planner and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], Kevin Estes, referenced Edgar Bronfman’s quote when he emphasized compounding as a driver of wealth: “To turn $100 into $110 is work. To turn $100 million into $110 million is inevitable.”
Kevin Estes, [CFP® professional] and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], said it may be a mistake to put too much of your savings into retirement accounts. “While the company match and tax savings are nice, liquidity is an issue. A checking, savings or taxable brokerage account could work well if funds are needed soon.”
According to Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner at [Scaled Finance], one travel hack is to choose a hotel near but not at a prime location. “Years ago, my wife and I stayed at a hotel near Whistler at a fraction of the cost,” Estes said. “I like to stay near conference hotels, which gives me an excuse to explore new cities!”
Vacation surcharges are often tied to service costs, according to Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner at [Scaled Finance, LLC]. “Planning ahead can lower both the base cost and fees on hotels, car rentals and parking. Avoid holiday and peak season travel where possible,” Estes said.
If you don’t already, it may be helpful to schedule regular times to review your expenses — perhaps a monthly or bi-monthly review will work for you. “You may have unused items, zombie subscriptions, billing errors or outright fraud,” said Kevin Estes, [Certified Financial Planner® professional] and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC].
Kevin Estes, [Certified Financial Planner® professional] and founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], advises retirees to simplify their lifestyle, paying only for what truly matters to them and cutting expenses where they can. That might mean moving to a smaller home, doing your own yard work, and cooking at home instead of dining out.
“My wife and I do a full review of our expenses about once a year,” said Kevin Estes, the founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC]. “We find something every time. It could be a subscription we no longer use, a service we thought we’d cancelled or outright fraud.”
Kevin Estes, a financial planner and the founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC], has seen similar cases in his practice. “The ‘richest’ people I know don’t have the most,” he said. “They have enough. Proactively reviewing expenses helps them cut what isn’t worth it to them and double down on what is…”
Kevin Estes, founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC near Seattle], said AI might seem like a convenient shortcut, but it has a clear limitation. “AI is very good at answering the questions that you ask; the challenge is that people may not know the right questions to ask,” Estes said.
"There are other expenses: pre-paid insurance, closing costs, appraisal fees, title documentation fees, and other fees associated with the home," Estes told Homes.com. "And then it needs to be livable. You need to buy furniture, [and] might need to do quick remodels before you move in."
“I usually recommend people keep three to six months’ worth of living expenses in cash and cash equivalents. However, it depends…” - Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner, [Scaled Finance, LLC]
“Having worked at T-Mobile for nine years, I knew the quality and character of the employees. I kept getting basic financial questions from co-workers…” - Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner, [Scaled Finance, LLC]
“Complicated portfolios are overwhelming! Streamlining can help someone manage their assets well. Simplifying also eases the burden on loved ones…” - Kevin Estes, founder, financial planner, [Scaled Finance, LLC]
“You cannot be behind on your path! Whatever’s happened made you who you are today. Shame and blame have no place in finance. Ignoring spending only makes things worse…” - Kevin Estes, founder, financial planner, [Scaled Finance, LLC]
“I’ve learned that it often doesn’t make sense to quickly pay off debt. There are tax benefits for home mortgages, student loans and business debt. Student loans may even be forgiven…” - Kevin Estes, founder and financial planner, [Scaled Finance, LLC]
“An ideal allocation doesn’t depend on the state of the economy,” says Kevin Estes, a [CFP® professional] who’s founder of [Scaled Finance, LLC] in Bellevue, Washington. “How much to hold in U.S. stocks, international stocks, bonds and cash depends more on an investor’s risk capacity and when they’ll need the money.”
“The resulting spiral is most associated with the cross section of a nautilus shell. The pure simplicity of this shape derived from such a divine formula of nature allows it to fairly represent depth with simple beauty.”
