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How Pre-Retirees Can Jumpstart Their Savings in 2025

Catching up on retirement savings can feel daunting, especially if you've started late. However, with strategic planning and commitment, it's entirely possible to build a comfortable nest egg for your future. Here are five actionable steps to help you enhance your retirement savings in 2025. Leverage Catch-Up Contributions For individuals aged 50 and above, the IRS allows additional "catch-up" contributions [...]

February 17th, 2025|Blog, Retirement Income, Retirement Planning|
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Policy Changes: What Retirees Need to Know

Retirement planning can sometimes feel like trying to hit a moving target. Policies change, rules shift, and retirees often find themselves needing to adapt their strategies to keep pace. Many recent policy changes affecting retirement have many people asking, "What does this mean for my financial future?" Let’s break it down in simple terms, talk about the potential risks, and [...]

February 10th, 2025|Blog, Retirement Income, Retirement Planning|
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Slower Rate Cuts, The Market, and Your Finances

Whether you’re checking your account balances, planning your next adventure, or enjoying a well-earned retirement, markets move... and with it, your account values may as well. Recent market volatility, driven by the Federal Reserve’s announcement to slow rate cuts, has left many retirees wondering what this means for their financial future. Let’s explore the situation and how you can confidently [...]

February 3rd, 2025|Blog, Investing, Stock Market|
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At Wealth Guide Financial , we don’t just manage money.
We empower your retirement.

OUR E-NEWSLETTER



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    Six fundamental financial planning considerations include but are not limited to Longevity, Liquidity, Inflation, Market, Mortality, and Taxes.

    Michael McCracken is an investment advisory representative of and provides advisory services through CoreCap Advisors, LLC. Wealth Guide Financial, LLC and CoreCap Advisors are separate and unaffiliated entities. Please note: The scope of any financial planning and consulting services to be provided depends upon the terms of the engagement, and the specific requests and needs of the client. Also, the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results or satisfaction if Wealth Guide Financial, LLC or CoreCap Advisors, LLC are engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. Any training materials, blogs, videos, articles, or archived media are provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, investment, tax, or financial advice. While the information contained is believed to be accurate and reliable as of the date of publication, its accuracy, completeness, and applicability may change over time due to evolving economic conditions, market developments, or changes in laws and regulations. No representation or warranty is made regarding the ongoing accuracy of this information. You should consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific circumstances and needs before making any financial or investment decisions.

    Tax Planning Guide

    Free Tax Planning Guide

    The brackets, thresholds, and limits all changed. Don’t leave money on the table — grab the free guide

    Mike McCracken

    My own journey into finance started young. In 1979, at age 10, I convinced the Star Tribune route manager to give me my first paper route—even though the minimum age was 12! That early taste of earning money, combined with summer lawn-mowing jobs, taught me the value of hard work. My parents were quick to instill smart habits: tracking spending and saving for the future. My dad made me a deal—he’d match anything I saved for college if I didn’t touch it. That lesson in discipline and delayed gratification has stayed with me ever since.

    Growing up, my dad—a pilot for Northwest Airlines—modeled resilience. During the frequent labor strikes of the 1970s, he always had a “rainy day” reserve and took any job to provide for our family. He taught us that it doesn’t matter what you do—just work hard and live within your means. One spring in high school, after taking us on a memorable family trip to Europe, his captain (who earned far more) admitted he couldn’t afford the same. It drove home a J.P. Morgan quote my dad loved: “Take waste out of your spending, and you’ll drive haste out of your life.”

    Mike with family

    But the lesson that truly shaped my career came from a 1969 poem my dad gave me in high school: The Pleasure of Walking Tall. Its message—that saving builds confidence and freedom, regardless of income—still guides everything I do. I share it with clients today because it captures the peace of mind I want for you: the ability to “walk tall” in retirement, secure in your choices.

    As a former pilot myself, I bring a pilot’s mindset to financial planning: meticulous checklists help ensure nothing is overlooked. That’s how the proprietary Clarity Report™ and RBG Chart were born—tools that simplify complex decisions, categorize risks (Red for market exposure, Blue for alternatives, Green for protection), and give you a roadmap.

    My path in finance hasn’t always been smooth. In the late 1990s, I was thrilled watching client portfolios soar—until the 2000 crash shattered that illusion. It forced me to question everything and pivot toward “safe money” strategies that protect principal. Then came 2008, delaying retirement dreams for so many—except my clients who used protected strategies like Fixed Index Annuities with annual resets. Those experiences solidified my commitment: I dropped traditional brokerage licenses (Series 6 & 63) and earned my Series 65 to become a true fiduciary, legally obligated to put your interests first—always.

    Mike, Betsy and Boomer

    Today, in an uncertain world of inflation, market volatility, and economic challenges, I’m more dedicated than ever to helping you navigate retirement with confidence. Whether it’s minimizing taxes, securing lifelong income, or shielding your wealth from downturns, my greatest reward is seeing clients breathe easier—knowing they’re on track to never run out of money and live the retirement they’ve dreamed of.

    Outside the office, I’m a proud husband and father. My wife and I raised three incredible sons in Maple Grove: our youngest is studying HVAC in Duluth, our middle son runs a painting business in Portland, Oregon, and our oldest is a pilot for SkyWest Airlines (recently married in September 2025!). I’ve volunteered for years with the Boy Scouts and my church, and I still enjoy sharing market insights from my former “Safe Money and Retirement” radio show.

    VaR

    Value at Risk Analysis

    Risk tolerance is an investor’s ability to remain invested during downward market cycles in exchange for a potential return.

    Within the initial review, we help you understand your risk threshold. We do this by deploying a Value at Risk (VaR) Analysis that helps us quantify attitudes toward financial uncertainty, specifically one’s emotional tolerance with respect to the magnitude and speed of potential investment loss.

    This analysis produces a VaR Score that is indexed on a scale from conservative to aggressive. The VaR Score can help us determine if the current portfolio aligns with your risk tolerance and provides insight as to whether changes to that portfolio are needed.

    Value at Risk Analysis

    03

    Communicate Progress

    Ongoing Service & Monitoring

    Retirement is a long journey with evolving rules, markets, and life changes. The Retirement Fortress System™ includes twice-yearly formal reviews (Spring & Fall), proactive updates, and action on emerging threats—like new IRMAA rules or tax law shifts—so your plan stays strong.Lastly and continually, we work to help ensure transparency of your income plan by providing visibility, proactive outreach, and accessibility to our team throughout our working relationship.

    Schedule Your Complimentary Review







      02

      Apply Discipline

      A Retirement Strategy Designed for You

      Next, we design a retirement strategy that actively works to help optimize your wealth and protect your finances, keeping your goals and objectives at the forefront of our planning process. This process is called the Retirement Fortress System™ and incorporates Tax, Income, Legacy, and Investment efficiencies to leak-proof your retirement plan from the Stealthy Wealth Drainers™ that can take thousands of dollars out of your retirement.

      Our Services, Your Future

      We take the time to thoroughly explore your needs no matter the stage of life you are in to help provide a custom tailored solution that we continue to monitor and adjust until the end of time.

      Maximize the growth potential of your investable assets in accordance with your risk tolerance and financial goals.

      Increase you or your loved one’s future retirement income with a tax-efficient, capital leveraging strategy.

      Ease the financial and emotional toll of long-term care with early planning so you can retire with peace of mind and dignity.

      Establish tax planning strategies today for greater tax efficiency and financial flexibility later in retirement.

      Support your retirement income plan with accumulation and tax-free distribution strategies in retirement.

      Understand the benefits you are entitled to and how to maximize Social Security income in retirement.

      Design an income plan that delivers dependable income and financial security throughout your retirement.

      Make the investment in your child or grandchild’s future with the gift of a college education through life insurance.

      Develop strategies to protect assets against the effects of inflation.

      Help ensure access to assets to meet life’s unexpected needs.

      01

      Start Smart

      Get a Full Understanding of Your Financial Life
      Retirement Strategy Session (45-minutes)

      First, we gain a thorough understanding of your current financial situation, goals, objectives, risk tolerance, and the key considerations that should be addressed in your retirement strategy. This is a complimentary session, to discover what matters most to you, answer your key questions (including any Stealthy Wealth Drainers™ concerns), and confirm we’re the right guide for your journey. We’ll share an overview of the Retirement Fortress System™ and how it protects your retirement from hidden leaks.

      Six Fundamental Financial Planning Considerations

      Six key financial planning considerations can impact your financial goals now and in the future. The question is not if these will affect your finances, but to what degree. We evaluate your sentiment toward each consideration and quantify the potential effects on your assets over time. This allows us to build customized strategies to help you achieve your financial objectives for retirement.

      Liquidity

      Longevity

      Outliving financial assets as the result of a longer life.

      Liquidity

      Liquidity

      Limited access to assets to meet life’s unexpected financial needs.

      Inflation

      Inflation

      Reduction in real purchasing power as the result of increasing cost of living.

      Market

      Market

      Unexpected reduction in the value of financial assets at the time of withdrawal.

      Mortality

      Mortality

      Loss of financial assets as the result of a partner’s or spouse’s death.

      Taxes

      Taxes

      Decreasing income and assets and/or the impairment of legacy assets from increasing taxes.

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