ECS Capital Investments

10/22/2026

Medicare Open Enrollment is officially underway!

Now through December 7, Medicare beneficiaries have the opportunity to review their current coverage and make changes for 2027.

Whether you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, have prescription drug coverage, or are considering changes to your current plan, now is a good time to review your options.

Coverage, costs, and benefits can change from year to year, so taking the time to evaluate your healthcare needs and budget can help you make informed decisions.

Your healthcare coverage is an important part of your overall financial picture. If you have questions about how Medicare fits into your retirement or financial planning strategy, our team at ECS Capital Investments is here to help!

10/20/2026

🎙️ Episode 25 of Insurance, Investments & All About Town is now live!

As we head toward the end of 2026, there are a few important things worth reviewing, from your financial plan to your insurance coverage. Plus, we're celebrating a local organization that has been bringing live theatre to Blue Springs for 40 years! This month, Eric Sporing and Tara Lavelle are covering year-end financial planning, open enrollment, and the impact of community theatre.

📈 Year-End Financial Planning: Eric walks through a year-end financial checklist, including retirement contributions, tax-planning considerations, required minimum distributions (RMDs), Social Security, Medicare, insurance coverage, and reviewing beneficiaries and estate documents. He shares why now is a good time to take a closer look at your financial plan before December 31.

💡 Open Enrollment: Tara discusses what to consider when reviewing your coverage for the upcoming year, which questions to ask, and why simply renewing the same plan from last year might not always be the best approach.

🎭 Special Guest: Vickie Miller | Blue Springs City Theatre: Vickie, president of Blue Springs City Theatre, joins the podcast as the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary! She shares more about the theatre's history, what goes into bringing a production to life, opportunities to get involved both onstage and behind the scenes, and The Penguin Project, an inclusive theatre program. Plus, hear what's coming up next and how you can support local theatre in our community!

Whether you're preparing for the year ahead or looking for new ways to get involved in the Blue Springs community, there's something for everyone in this month's episode!

🎧 Watch Episode 25 here: https://youtu.be/E86Orng84Ss?is=-GMP2_VOvCOVBKZG

Also streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

10/19/2026

Your HSA could play a bigger role in retirement than you realize.

In this clip, Eric Sporing explains why a health savings account can be useful beyond covering this year’s medical bills. Depending on your HSA provider, you may be able to invest a portion of your balance and build savings for future healthcare expenses. HSAs also offer federal tax advantages: eligible contributions can be deductible, earnings grow tax-free within the account, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free.

The takeaway? If you’re eligible, it’s worth considering how your HSA fits into your overall retirement plan. For more information and Eric’s full HSA discussion, watch the latest episode of Insurance, Investments & All About Town.

🎧 Watch Episode 24: https://youtu.be/ZBMTJ8kX5pw
Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

10/16/2026

🎙️ Episode 25 is coming this Tuesday, October 20th!

This month on Insurance, Investments & All About Town, Eric Sporing and Tara Lavelle are talking about three things worth having on your radar as we head toward the end of the year: open enrollment, year-end financial planning, and a little local theatre!

Tara will break down open enrollment season, including what to review, what questions to ask, and why automatically choosing “same as last year” might deserve a little more thought.

Eric will walk through a year-end financial checklist and some of the things to review before December 31, including retirement contributions, tax planning, required minimum distributions, Social Security and Medicare, insurance, beneficiaries, estate documents, and your overall financial plan.

They’re also joined by Vickie Miller, president of Blue Springs City Theatre, as the organization celebrates 40 years of bringing live theatre to our community! Vickie shares more about what happens behind the scenes, ways to get involved onstage or off, The Penguin Project, what’s coming up next, and more.

🎧 Catch up on Episode 24: https://youtu.be/ZBMTJ8kX5pw
Available wherever you get your podcasts!

10/14/2026

🗓️Medicare Open Enrollment Begins October 15 🗓️

Whether it’s for yourself, a parent, or someone you care about, Medicare Open Enrollment is the window to review coverage and explore options for the upcoming year.

💡Remember, you can change your Medicare elections every year. If your needs have changed, it's worth reviewing to see if another option would be better. If you’re unsure where to start, now’s the time to ask questions and get the facts.

🗓️ Deadline: December 7 🗓️

🔍 Mark your calendar and double-check your current coverage before time runs out.

10/13/2026

Great networking and even better company today at the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce's Meet Me for Lunch event at Smalls Sliders! Always enjoy connecting with fellow local business professionals and supporting businesses in our community.

If you haven’t checked out Smalls Sliders yet, stop by and give them a try—great sliders! 🍔🍔

10/13/2026

“Don’t just renew, review.” 🎙️

Medicare’s annual enrollment period runs October 15 through December 7. Even if you’re happy with your current plan, it’s worth checking what’s changing for the year ahead.

In this clip, Tara Lavelle shares a few things to review, including your Annual Notice of Change, prescription coverage, and, for Medicare Advantage members, whether your doctors and preferred hospital are still in network. You may not need to change plans, but you’ll want to make sure your coverage still fits your needs. And as Tara reminds us, don’t wait until December 7th to get started!

For more information and Tara’s full Medicare enrollment checklist, watch her complete segment in the latest episode of Insurance, Investments & All About Town.

Watch Episode 24: https://youtu.be/ZBMTJ8kX5pw
Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

10/07/2026

ICYMI: We’ve added a new office number! 📞

You can now reach the ECS Capital Investments office at 816-393-0031 for scheduling appointments and general office assistance. Our new Office Assistant, Maddy, will be helping answer calls and looks forward to getting to know you!

Our existing phone number is still available for calls and texts. This office line is simply an additional way to reach us.

Save the new number to your contacts so it’s handy when you need us!

09/30/2026

What does it mean when investors are feeling “bearish”? 🐻

It means they expect stock prices to fall. In the AAII investor sentiment survey shown here, 48.1% of respondents were bearish, compared with 32.7% who were bullish, or expecting prices to rise. Another 19.2% were neutral.

That’s nearly half of those surveyed feeling pessimistic about the market. But investor sentiment measures how people feel, not what the market will actually do next.

With election headlines and interest rate discussions competing for attention, it’s helpful to keep that distinction in mind. A shift in confidence doesn’t automatically mean your own financial goals or circumstances have changed.

Questions about what the headlines mean for your financial plan? Let’s talk.

09/21/2026

🎙️ Episode 24 of Insurance, Investments & All About Town is now live, and we’re celebrating TWO YEARS of the podcast!

24 episodes, one each month, filled with conversations about planning ahead, understanding your insurance, and getting to know the people making a difference in our community.

This month, Eric Sporing and Tara Lavelle are covering retirement planning, upcoming annual enrollment, and planning for the pets we consider family.

📈 Health Savings Accounts & Retirement: Eric discusses health savings accounts (HSAs) and how they can fit into your retirement plan.

💡 Annual Enrollment: Tara talks about the upcoming annual enrollment period and preparing to review your insurance coverage for the year ahead.

🐾 Special Guest: Tiffany Obermeyer | Misty Jo Dogwatch: Tiffany joins the podcast to share how her organization helps families plan for their dogs’ futures when life changes unexpectedly. Through education, advocacy, foster support, and resources, especially for vulnerable senior dogs, her work centers on the belief that every dog deserves love, protection, and a plan.

Thank you to everyone who has watched, listened, shared an episode, or joined us as a guest over the past two years. We’ve loved sharing these conversations with you and look forward to many more!

🎧 Watch Episode 24 here:
https://youtu.be/ZBMTJ8kX5pw

Also streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 24 of the Insurance, Investments, and All About ...