What is debt, really? It’s borrowing money from someone – someone who has extra money – and then paying them for the use of their money. It allows people to have homes for their family; and when used wisely, debt creates liquidity where liquidity is needed. As long as the exchange is fair, it can be a helpful tool … yet society sometimes turns it around. Find out what Dan Danford has to say about letting go of the emotional baggage surrounding debt, and how to use it in positive ways on your journey to your picture of freedom.

Who is actually happy out there? Can an advisor be part of that process for an investor? These are some great questions. Because advisors have seen a lot of life situations and a lot of different outcomes. As Dan Danford shares in this episode of Money is Freedom, having money doesn’t actually make you happy. But, you may find a greater level of unhappiness at the lack of money. Money allows you to take care of yourself and those you love, but it’s often not the big issue hanging over you (or a top priority) once you achieve it. Actually, as Danford explains, money is more of a byproduct. If you focus instead on the way you treat people and the choices you’re making, the success can come from loving what you’re doing and being engaged in that endeavor. Setting out to live your purpose, first, can bring money and happiness as things that “come along” because of your engagement in the process. Can a financial advisor help you on this path? Yes, if you work with one who knows the “nuts and bolts.” Danford answers key questions about happiness in this episode, and gives you a few new questions to ponder, too.

You may be 65. Or nearing it. Or plan to be one day. If so, know this: Your next few years of working past age 65 could open the doors to a new purpose and new success you never saw coming. As Dan Danford shares on this insightful podcast, when you’re 65, you may be at your peak career earning years. And you don’t have to walk away. In fact, these years could be the very years that allow you to fulfill your purpose and mission in a season down the road in ways you never imagined. You can use what you’ve learned to move you closer to your purpose while you keep working for an additional few years. This time could be what allows you to do what you really love to do. The old idea of stopping work at age 65 just doesn’t apply today. People live much longer, and many love their work and are fulfilled by it well into their 60s, 70s and beyond. Find out Dan’s insights here about a 30-year retirement and finding the purpose and meaning in it, including one story with a surprising and inspiring twist.

Dan Danford’s grandfather used to say “Rocking chairs have killed more people than any disease ever could.” His wisdom rings true today. Most people will have a 30-year retirement, which is a longer time span than many people realize or predict. Money is just a tool in retirement to help you accomplish what you want to accomplish. The more important question is what do you plan to do? The answer to this question (how you’ll get up each day, get out and interact with people) is a key piece of a successful retirement formula. Listen today for more insights from Family Investment Center Founder/CEO Dan Danford on this exciting season called retirement.

You need a clear plan for your retirement future that has purpose and meaning. As Dan Danford, CEO/Founder of Family Investment Center, tells people often “Retirement success is built around self-discovery. It’s knowing what this time of life should look like for you, and tying that to some purpose. A lot of successful people retire and then get restless and bored pretty quickly with sleeping late and playing golf.” Is your picture of retirement a little too vague? Are you sacrificing things now in your daily spending, believing you can’t “smell the roses” and still accomplish what you want in retirement? Listen in this episode of Money is Freedom as Dan Danford explains how the right kind of advisor can solve these challenges – and yes, you can have your latte and enjoy it, too, as you prepare for retirement. There are ways to enjoy life today and still achieve the retirement you want, with a purpose.

Retirement is really your own personal freedom tour. It’s your journey to plan, pack and prepare for – and you’re in the driver’s seat. In this episode of Money is Freedom, Dan Danford, Founder/CEO of Family Investment Center, shares five surprising roadblocks to your financial success. (Such as living in a 24-hour news environment. “All or nothing” thinking. Fear of a career change. Not seeing the big picture of retirement as a 25-year opportunity span). He also shares inspiring ways to move through these roadblocks to get to the purpose and joy that’s waiting for you.

Are you an entrepreneur? Do you have a family business? You’re likely thorough. Research-oriented. Goal-driven. And contemplative about how you make your decisions and get your information. There’s a difference in working with a business owner over an individual – and this difference, says Dan Danford, may warrant a closer look at professionalism and expertise, especially when it comes to areas like insurance and estate planning. In this episode, Dan Danford addresses entrepreneurial success with Rob Barnes, Founder and President of Integrated Insurance Consulting. Rob specializes in the use of life insurance for business and estate planning needs. He shares a common goal across the Family Investment Center team: helping entrepreneurs succeed. Today, take a moment to listen and see what you can contemplate, mull over and learn … because that’s how entrepreneurs think.

What you’re doing today, you’ll probably do tomorrow. If you want tomorrow to be better, make the rituals of today compatible with how you want tomorrow to look. The concept of positive energy rituals (rather than time management) has changed the way Dan Danford and Richard Salmen live their lives and help their clients succeed. It’s a concept from the book “The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal.” Listen to Dan and Richard’s personal insights about this book and others that drive their lives. Then use their thoughts – and yours – as fuel to keep learning, to laugh a little, and to establish your own universal principles of optimism. This may be the episode to nudge you out of what Dan calls “the pinball machine principle” and into the freedom, creativity, focus and energy you want.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Family Investment Center. What a journey it’s been! When I left the trust company I’d help start with a few colleagues in 1998, I envisioned an independent advisory firm that remained focused on its clients and embraced technology. We’ve never looked back … today, we offer a team of six salaried investment advisors and offices in both Missouri and Kansas. We offer more services than ever before, and we’re smarter than ever. We know how blessed we are to have our clients, friends and the community alongside us on this journey. Today, take a moment to reflect and celebrate with us. This journey has been a blast -- and the best is yet to come!

Are you planning for some serious freedom? You could be. And it could be simpler and more rewarding than ever. In 2018, Family Investment Center is planning for some serious freedom – like never before. On Jan. 1, Family Investment Center welcomed Richard C. Salmen to the team. He is a nationally-known industry professional, and spearheads expanded financial planning services as President of Family Investment Center. As a retired FAA air traffic controller, Army Captain and Chair of the 2018 CFP Board’s Board of Directors, Salmen and the team want to help you make money make sense this year. Listen as Dan Danford and Richard C. Salmen talk about why this is a great day for you – and for the team at Family Investment Center.

Like a roller coaster ride … a night at the casino … a fantastic vacation week … Investing can be serious fun. It can be exciting. It can be scorable. Sometimes. But in this case, the results and consequences are much, much more significant than these thrills. One decision can swing your portfolio in a $100,000 direction – either up or down. Listen as Dan explains in this second podcast in the Millionaire’s Month series about how tying investing to specific goals that you have, then measuring performance against those goals, means your decisions can flow more easily. You won’t want to miss these practical insights. Song: "Millionaire(That You Used To Be)" by Derek Clegg