ECS Capital Investments

08/31/2026

When retirement decisions start to feel real, where do people turn for guidance? This month’s chart shows an interesting difference: workers are more likely to rely on family, friends, and online research, while retirees are more likely to call a financial professional. Where would you turn first?

08/27/2026

“Hope is not a retirement plan.”

Eric recently added several free retirement planning tools to the ECS Capital Investments website to help people explore some of the questions that come up when planning for retirement.

You can now find tools for:

• IRA/investment growth
• Retirement income gaps
• Social Security timing
• Potential tax impact
• Required minimum distributions (RMDs)

The calculators are available at https://ecscapitalinvestments.com/ and are free to use.

But what do those numbers actually mean for your retirement plan? In the full episode of Insurance, Investments, and All About Town, Eric walks through each resource, explains what information you can plug in, and shows how the tools can help you start thinking through different retirement scenarios.

Watch the full episode to hear Eric break them down and learn more about the resources available on the ECS Capital Investments website: https://youtu.be/bnXADrhfXag

08/24/2026

Stock prices are largely driven by two things: company earnings and what investors are willing to pay for those earnings.

Following Q2 revisions, S&P 500 earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have reached new highs, supported by continued economic growth. While that creates reason for optimism, September and October have historically brought increased market volatility.

The takeaway? Stay focused on your long-term strategy. If markets get bumpy, ask whether the latest news has truly changed the long-term outlook or is simply creating short-term noise.

08/20/2026

🎙️ Episode 23 of Insurance, Investments & All About Town is now live!

This month, Eric Sporing and Tara Lavelle are covering retirement planning, insurance education, and one of Blue Springs’ biggest community traditions.

📈 Retirement Planning Tools: Eric highlights the free retirement planning tools available at ECSCapitalInvestments.com and how they can help you better understand retirement income needs, potential gaps, Social Security, tax considerations, Required Minimum Distributions, and more.

💡 Medicare & Insurance Education: Tara discusses the importance of helping employee groups better understand Medicare, health insurance, and their coverage options so they can feel more prepared and make informed decisions.

🍂 Special Guest: Mikayla Lavelle | Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce: Mikayla joins the podcast to preview the 57th Annual Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival, happening September 18–20 in Historic Downtown Blue Springs. She shares what visitors can expect this year, what makes the festival such a special local tradition, and how the Chamber continues to support businesses throughout the community.

🎧 Watch Episode 23 here:
https://youtu.be/bnXADrhfXag

Also streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 23 of the Insurance, Investments, and All About ...

08/18/2026

There are so many reasons to create a will this month, but here are three big ones to consider:

Direct Your Property: Creating a will tells the courts how you want your property distributed. Without a will, state laws will determine how your estate is divided, which may not align with your intentions.

Provide instructions to the probate court: A will can help manage the probate process, providing instructions to the court.

Designate Guardianship for Minor Children: If you have minor children, a will allows you to appoint a guardian to care for them. This crucial step directs that your children are raised by someone you trust, rather than leaving the decision to the courts.

08/14/2026

🎙️ Episode 23 is coming August 20th!

This month, Eric and Tara are joined by Mikayla Lavelle from the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce to talk about one of Blue Springs’ biggest community traditions, the Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival!

Mikayla gives us a preview of this year’s 57th annual festival, happening September 18–20th in Historic Downtown Blue Springs, including what’s new, what families can look forward to, and why this event continues to be such a special part of the community.

With more than 70,000 people attending throughout the weekend, 200+ vendor booths, live entertainment, a community parade, classic car show, carnival rides, family activities and more, there’s a lot to look forward to this year.

We’ll also talk about how the Chamber continues to support local businesses and strengthen the Blue Springs community.

Stay tuned for the full episode of Insurance, Investments & All About Town, dropping August 20th!

🎧 Catch up on the latest episode: https://youtu.be/kcV7YmKWa1o
Available wherever you get your podcasts!

08/11/2026

📈 529 plans aren’t just for college anymore.

In this clip from Episode 22 of Insurance, Investments & All About Town, Eric Sporing explains how 529 plans have become more flexible over the years and shares some of the ways they may be used beyond traditional college expenses, including private K-12 education, trade schools, apprenticeship programs, student loans, and even certain Roth IRA rollovers.

He also touches on a common concern many families have: what happens if your child doesn’t end up going to college?

🎧 For a more detailed discussion on 529 plans and how these options work, watch the full Episode 22 of the podcast.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/kcV7YmKWa1o
Now streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

08/07/2026

💡 Did you know a good health insurance plan can still leave you with significant out-of-pocket costs?

In this clip, Tara Lavelle explains how supplemental insurance can help provide an extra layer of financial protection when unexpected medical expenses arise.

🎧 For a more detailed discussion on supplemental insurance and how these plans work, watch the full Episode 22 of Insurance, Investments, and All About Town.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/kcV7YmKWa1o

Now streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

08/05/2026

Fear & Greed & Investors