Business Innovators Radio - Interview with Michelle Moore Founder and Retirement Specialist with Moore Family Wealth-Discussing The Retirement Mindset

Episode Date: November 5, 2025

Michelle Moore is a licensed Health and Life Insurance Agent, educator, and former Occupational Therapist with over two decades of experience helping others thrive. After facing personal loss and financial uncertainty, she discovered the power of annuities, life insurance, estate planning, and real estate syndications to create lasting income and generational wealth.Now, as the founder of Moore Family Wealth, Michelle empowers professionals, especially women, teachers, and caregivers, to protect what matters most and build financial security with clarity and confidence. She brings the heart of a teacher to every conversation, explaining complex concepts in simple, honest terms and creating personalized strategies for retirement, protection, and legacy.Michelle’s mission is to help her clients retire not with fear, but with freedom knowing their money, their family, and their future are in capable, caring hands.Learn more: https://www.moorefamilywealth.com/Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Michelle Moore is a licensed life and health insurance agent. Listening to or interacting with this podcast does not create an agent-client relationship. Any opinions shared are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any affiliated organizations or companies. In accordance with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, the host discloses any financial relationships or sponsorships with companies or carriers mentioned during the podcast. Listeners are encouraged to consult a qualified financial or insurance professional for personalized guidance. Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) requires licensed producers to comply with all advertising and disclosure standards. This podcast is intended to comply with those requirements and is for general educational purposes only.Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saundershttps://businessinnovatorsradio.com/influential-entrepreneurs-with-mike-saunders/Source: https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/interview-with-michelle-moore-founder-and-retirement-specialist-with-moore-family-wealth-discussing-the-retirement-mindset

Welcome to influential entrepreneurs, bringing you interviews with elite business leaders and experts, sharing tips and strategies for elevating your business to the next level. Here's your host, Mike Saunders. Hello and welcome to this episode of Influential Entrepreneurs. This is Mike Saunders, the authority positioning coach. Today we have with us, Michelle Moore, who's the founder and retirement specialist with Moore Family Wealth, and we'll be talking about the retirement. mindset. Michelle, welcome to the program. Thanks, Mike. I appreciate being here. Yeah, I'm looking forward to chatting with you because I'm a big believer in personal development and mindset. And boy, if you need to start planning retirement by having a retirement mindset, I want to know all

about that. But before we dive in, give us a little bit of your story and background and how did you get into the financial services industry? Yeah. So I actually started helping people when I was about 18. Worked in a group home with handicapped kids, had a long profession about almost 30 years as an occupational therapist where I helped folks recover from physical illness, mental health illness. And then around COVID time really started reevaluating those life choices and how I could continue to help folks and moved into the financial industry.

So now help folks with their money and retirement and planning beautiful futures. And probably from your back around, you are able to bring your current financial planning clients a full holistic approach to their wealth and retirement. Because as we know, your money impacts your emotional health sometimes positively or negatively. So I'm sure that you are one that doesn't just dive into numbers. You're diving into let's make sure this makes you feel the best and have the best outcome. So I think that's a really powerful approach that you're taking. as well. Oh, yeah, for sure. And something that I've noticed as I've been helping families with retirement planning is there's so much fear around retirement. Have I saved enough? How much is

enough? What's inflation? What's taxes? And it's all of those uncertainties that provide anxiety and worry and keep us up late at night. And so when we can really take those numbers, make a plan, see how they're going to work, turn it into guaranteed lifetime income, a lot of that anxiety goes away. Yeah. And yes, people feel better about retirement and have much better retirement outcomes, if there's such a thing, right? Much happier in retirement years.

Yeah. So what did you find from kind of your experience diving in a little bit deeper in your past work experience? And then you mentioned COVID was a shift, but, you know, you probably experienced things like loss and uncertainty to be able to draw from. And then now in your work with women, and what does that do to help you guide them in planning for their retirement?

Absolutely. So when I was younger than I am now, I thought everything was going pretty swimmingly, right? I had a career that I liked. I had a marriage. I had a couple of children. And then my husband was diagnosed with brain cancer and ended up passing away fairly quickly. And so during that time, there was a lot of emotion. emotional trauma. And then the financial piece was tremendous. And once he passed away, I ended up with

a mortgage, lots of bills, two children, and 48 cents in my bank account. Wow. And it was really rough, right? And so I never want another woman or family to be in that position of wondering, where is that next meal or putting on go fund me to try to figure out a burial or, or, mortgage, that's not something that I want anyone to face. So that really moved me as I started looking at my options and how am I going to support my family to make that move. So yes, it was COVID and it was the loss of my husband. And as I learned more and more, I went, wow, why do more people not know about this? Right. Like how can we not know all these tools and tricks and tips that all the wealthy seem to know that regular folks don't.

And so that's really motivated me to sort of open possibilities to what else is out there for retirement. Yeah, huge. And so many times when you experienced something like that and you're working with a current client, they can just tell that empathy coming through. So that's huge. So in your book, you talk about like a mountain climbing metaphor, Talk a little bit about how you relate retirement to mountain climbing, you know, getting up and down the mountain. Yeah.

So something that someone told me once, and I didn't believe it was true, so I had to go Google it. And it turned out to be a true statement is that more people die descending Mount Everest than they do going to the summit. And that really hit me. It's like, wow, how can that be, right? And then I use that analogy as retirement. We spend most of our lives, right, the first 60, 65 years planning, how do I get to this retirement pinnacle? But no one talks about how do you safely descend, right? How do you get from the top back down?

And are you going to have tremendous valleys or big, beautiful green fields or what is that retirement going to look like? And so, yes, I do use that analogy and tie it into those climbers of Mount Everest. so that we can plan and be prepared and have those safety nets and safety rope so that no matter what our terrain is in retirement, we are covered and going to make it down safely. You know, it's really interesting. I'm confident that you Googled that because I've heard the same thing. It's on the way down. That's the most treacherous. How does that relate then to the retirement side of things? So is gaining money and planning for retirement? retirement, the climb up and then what is the climb down that you have to be so careful about?

Yeah. So I think in our first half of our lives, right, it is that accrual. How do we increase our wealth and generate more and more and more? But once we hit retirement, it's no longer about what are those gains. It's how do we ensure our money lasts the rest of our life so that we're not outliving our money, so that we're not a burden to our children. or those that we care about so that we don't end up in a nursing home, that we're not making mistakes. And so that's what I really see is those fears that hold us back and not really sure how do I go forward with my retirement planning.

Yeah. Yeah, that's huge. And, you know, it seems like using that analogy, you know, that one slip of the foot, you know, can just wipe out all the work you did. Well, one slip of the foot financially can do a lot of wiping out as well. And so that also ties back into, you know, mindset, right? I mean, it really is a perspective change in people needed to think in that direction. Yeah, it's mindset.

So most of us growing up are told invest in your 401k or your 403B, right, whatever your pension plan is, social security. and we're told that should be enough. Just keep investing in those and you'll be covered. That's really not the case, right? And we all know. We've all been around long enough that we see stocks go up and down and up and down and up and down. And that uncertainty is what causes so much anxiety and fear. And so then if we can take that instability and make it stable and predictable,

that gets rid of all those worries, right? And so now we know we have a retirement vehicle that is going to generate so much money on a guaranteed basis every month or every year. It's easier to plan. And so we don't have that level of worry. Yeah. Yeah. And it kind of maps out our step sometimes, you know, knowing what some of those fears are and identifying them kind of makes the fear a little bit less, you know, like a little bit less of an obstacle. So talk about a little bit more of the fears.

I know you mentioned a couple like, we'll have enough money to retire, but what are some of the other common fears that women have when it comes to planning for retirement? And then what do you do to help them move through those? So many of the women with is that they love their family. Mm-hmm. They're moms, their caregivers.

That's their biggest concern is not only do I have enough, but I don't want to burden my children. And so that's looking at the financial piece, of course, but it's also looking at the estate planning. Do I need a will or a trust or advanced directives? What is my life insurance maybe look like? Is that going to be covered so that I don't have that burden? As I mentioned, my husband passed away. And I didn't have any idea how much a funeral cost until that point in time.

And it was pretty staggering to realize not only do. I have 48 cents, but I need to come up with this sum of money in order to go forward. And so all of that is fear that being a burden to my loved ones. And so again, if we can shift that mindset, have that stability, that clarity, and understand it's not just a stock market. And there's so many better vehicles that maybe your financial advisor isn't able to provide you, because they can only offer what their company allows. And not that they don't do a fabulous job and not that folks shouldn't have them,

but there are additional resources that you can use for retirement to curb the required minimum distributions, have stability, have safety, and not be a burden. You know, I think the burden is a huge thing because it's like, I just don't want, you know, my family to worry about me or do this or have to spend money on. I think that's really huge. And I think also it seems to me like a common fear would be, do I, did I save enough for retirement? Like just to get to retirement at age, whatever, that's fine.

But what if I live to be age 80, 90, 95? Will I have enough money? So those are the kind of things that I think are, you know, big, big fears also when you start layering in additional nuances of fears that women may face. One would be the fact I would think, and correct if I'm wrong, but statistically, women live longer than men. They do. Yeah. And there are statistics that I do look at in my book that not only do women live longer, but frequently they are going to be spending their last few years in poverty because any money that they had saved went to the care of the spouse who passed, which is generally the man first.

And so any of those financial reserves are tapped out. And so then the woman is left in a position that's very vulnerable. And so living longer with fewer resources, emotional, financial, much less stability. And so, again, putting a plan in place where we can anticipate, prepare, and then curb that is a tremendous relief for so many of the families that I work with. Yeah, that's a really, really big piece there too. And so many times it's been said, you know, you don't know what you don't know. And many times you will be working with a client talking about some of these concerns and fears and it's like, I've never thought about that. What are some other commonly maybe myths or misconceptions that, you know, women might think is the case, but might not be the case. Or on the other hand, what are some of the common things that women believe about retirement that they don't really know? about until you bring it to their attention. Yeah. So I think some of those pieces that women just aren't aware of is that there are other options

outside of the stock market. And myself was absolutely included, right? It's like I had no idea that I could look at what is a fixed indexed annuity that gives me that lifetime income. Or how can I use an indexed universal life policy either for my children or myself or a whole life policy to have those guaranteed incomes. It's not language that has talked about, right? We don't know it. It's not commonly discussed among most circles. So just having that knowledge that it can be predictable, it can be lifelong, they can provide that stability. Because, yes,

no one grows up saying, gosh, I really hope I end up in a nursing home when I'm in my 80s, right? No, No one says that. Of course not. And so, yeah, that fear and not being prepared and not even knowing what my options are and thinking that I'm doing a fantastic job, right? So I went to my financial advisor. I have X number in the bank. I'm doing great. Or conversely, I see a lot of women who step out of the workforce. And because of that, maybe they're not where they need or want to be in retirement. Right. I have a lot of women who come to me feeling embarrassed or shame. It's like, Oh, all I have is 20,000 in the bank for retirement, and I'm 56, and what am I going to do? Right? And so not only those who've been fortunate enough to save, but those who haven't because of various life situations. But again, what's the plan moving forward to put you in the best position that you don't have to worry? Yeah. You know, it also reminds me of something, you know, someone says something to make you think of something else,

kind of like you don't know what you don't know. But what you just said there reminded me of something like, oh, well, we just always do things that way. You know, you go to a company and it's like, why are we doing this? Well, we just always have. Does that make it right? Probably not, you know, and what you said about the market, the stock market, I think that when people get out of college and get their job and they sign HR paperwork and fill out this, that, and the other. And here comes this 401K and they go, okay, and they don't have a clue. And then to your point about people, women, thinking, oh, retirement, stock market, is that the best case? In some cases, no.

And you should have a little here and a little there. But I think it's, again, gets down to that mindset. And that's what we've been really talking about this whole time is the retirement mindset. So once, let's put it this way. Once you start working with some women and explaining some of these things, they might feel maybe ashamed that they didn't know some of these things or embarrassed. Why is it, why is that the case? But, you know, in reality, it's not their fault because they just didn't know.

No one had really told them. Exactly. And I was guilty as well, right? So when I was younger and contributing to my 401K, that was the messaging, right? That was the marketing. Just invest more. The company matches 6%. And I thought, I'm going to be exceptional.

I'm going to invest 10% of my income because I want a fantastic retirement. And so I see lots and lots and lots of people. like myself, who do that same thing, not realizing that, again, that extra 4% might be better in perhaps a Roth IRA where you don't have to pay those, where there's different tax buckets and that money still grows and is protected, or perhaps, like I said, an IUL fund that has that life benefit, critical illness, chronic illness, but also the value, the cash value continues to grow and multiply. And so it really depends on the age, the health, the goals. If there's a spouse, what the spouse is doing, the children make up, it really depends.

But there are so many more options than just the 401k. And just contributing, particularly above the match, may not be the best long-term strategy when you're looking towards retirement. And as with anything, I think this is nice to have this statement made too. Every single person cannot implement the same plan and this plan is not best for every single person. So in other words, it's like, hey, let's just take a look and what are your needs and what about having something fixed and this? So let's structure something that would be good to meet your needs. But then the next person that comes along, you may structure something totally different in that. fits for them better.

Absolutely. Absolutely. And that's where you really need that individualized conversation and discussion and plan. And absolutely, everyone's very different and try to plan and predict and anticipate and build in that margin of life happens, right? Didn't see that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But to be prepared. Yeah, because who knows? I had no idea, right?

on that on that Christmas morning when my husband woke up having a seizure I had no idea that was not it was not on my radar that Christmas morning that wouldn't know the to-do list it was yeah was not on the do-do list no so let's wrap up with this thought Michelle we've been talking about the retirement mindset and turning fear into confidence what are some simple steps that someone can take now to start working to replace that fear with more clarity and confidence yeah I think one of the first things you can do is get to know your numbers. So many women and people that I speak with, I say, how much is in your retirement? And they blush and say, I don't know, right? Yeah. Well, step one is you got to know, how much are you contributing? How much do you have?

And how is it doing for you, right? Is it doing what you want it to do? And so some folks have a financial advisor who can help walk you through that. it should be getting reviewed at least once a year because life changes. Some people don't have a financial advisor, and that's okay as well. But to seek someone who has some experience, who can help guide you and teach you some of these things that maybe you don't know. I think reading, educating yourself, looking at podcasts, looking at videos, finding out other options is tremendously helpful. asking yourself, you know, what really matters?

What am I concerned about? What's my family history? What are my goals? And then asking for help, right? So working with that trusted advisor so that you can turn the things that seem really complex into clarity. Yeah. And so that's what I like to do. I think that makes a whole lot of sense.

And I think that, you know, you cannot just go, oh, let me check this out and Google it and I'm good to go. Nope. You need to do some research, educate yourself. and then get with that trusted advisor that can listen to what you're looking for, what your needs are. And I think that is spectacular. So, Michelle, if someone is interested in learning a little more on turning their fear into confidence, what's the best way that they can learn more and reach out and connect with you? Well, yes, I would love to speak with folks.

And every time I speak with families, my services are the best price ever. It's always free. And so, right, that's the best price. And so it costs nothing literally to have a conversation with me. me and to help plan and strategize and give opinions and thoughts. And so my website is, of course, WWWR, it's my last name, M-O-O-R-E, so morefamilywealth. Well, Michelle, thank you so much for coming on. It's been a real pleasure chatting with you today.

Mike, thanks for having me. I appreciate it. You've been listening to Influential Entrepreneurs with Mike Saunders to learn more about the resources. mentioned on today's show or listen to past episodes, visit www. www. influential entrepreneurs radio.com.