What happens when your paycheck suddenly stops? In this conversation, guest host Matt Seitz, Chief Marketing Officer at C2P and JL Smith Holistic Wealth Management, sits down with Joe Voellm, CFF, ChFC®, CLU®, Senior Wealth Manager at JL Smith and former U.S. Marine, to discuss building financial resilience when income gets disrupted.

Whether you’re a federal employee facing potential shutdowns or anyone concerned about income stability, Joe offers practical strategies for strengthening your safety net. He explains how The Bucket Plan® protects you when uncertainty strikes and reveals why financial disruptions often become catalysts for smarter, more intentional planning.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Cash Flow as the Foundation: Why access to liquid cash matters more than account balances when income stops, and how to avoid penalties when you need money before age 59½.

• Emergency Funds vs. Comfort Funds: The difference between academic emergency fund recommendations and determining your personal “sleep at night” number based on your guaranteed income sources.

• The Bucket Plan® in Action: How the Now, Soon, and Later bucket strategy protects you during shutdowns while positioning you to capitalize on market opportunities when they arise.

• Federal Employee Benefits Optimization: Navigating pensions, TSP decisions, survivor benefits, and the current uncertainty around contribution rates and Social Security supplements.

• Emotional Discipline in Uncertain Times: Why the best investors stick to their financial plans during chaos, and how proactive planning prevents reactionary decisions that cost you in the long run.