Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast 

Ameritas
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Business

Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Ameritas® is a marketing name for Ameritas Mutual Holding Company and its affiliated subsidiary companies, including Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York. Securities and investment advisory services offered through affiliate Ameritas Investment Corp., member FINRA/SIPC.

  1. 4d ago

    Employer Life Insurance Explained: Is Coverage Through Work Enough?

    Is life insurance through work enough? Learn how employer-provided life insurance works, where protection gaps may exist and when it's time to review your coverage. Learn more about employer-provided life insurance in our blog: https://www.ameritas.com/insights/is-employer-life-insurance-enough-what-you-should-know/ In this episode of Future Focus, Troy Branch, Keali Jo French and Jacob Messick discuss what employer-provided life insurance does well and how it may be a good starting point. Then they review why supplemental coverage may help cover more expenses, such as housing, debt, childcare, education or ongoing support for a spouse or partner. You'll also learn which life events should prompt a coverage review, including a job change, marriage or divorce, a new child, a home purchase, business ownership and retirement. The conversation also explores what may happen to group life insurance when employment ends, including portability, conversion, changing costs and important deadlines. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to like, subscribe and share your questions in the comments for future episodes. Prefer listening on the go? You can find Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow, rate and review the show, and send your questions to futurefocus@ameritas.com. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast  Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight.   Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more.  Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/about/ Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.  This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  2. Sep 1

    What Business Stage Are You In? Established, Maturity and Transition Part 2

    The questions that helped build a business are not always the same questions that help preserve it. In part two of this episode, What Business Stage Are You In, we explore how established, maturity and transition stages bring new planning considerations. In these business stages, you may need to think about protecting value, creating liquidity, preparing for succession and life after ownership. Watch part one here: https://youtu.be/HYGxmh8LeVY?si=d9_A4SGqtq0uBw_p In this episode, we'll discuss ownership concentration, buy-sell planning, estate liquidity, family transition considerations and the challenges that can arise when a company becomes one of an owner's most significant assets. We also examine the questions many owners avoid, including who should take over, how a transfer of ownership should occur and whether current plans still align with future goals. Whether you're planning to pass your company to family, management or a future buyer, the decisions made today can shape the options available tomorrow. This episode offers practical insights to help business owners think beyond day-to-day operations and prepare for the next chapter. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to like, subscribe and share your questions in the comments for future episodes. Prefer listening on the go? You can find Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow, rate and review the show, and send your questions to futurefocus@ameritas.com. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/ Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/about/ Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  3. Aug 18

    What Business Stage Are You In? Startup and Growth Part 1

    If your business changed tomorrow, would your current plan still hold up? This episode of Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast explores why your business stage, particularly during the startup and growth phases, should shape the questions you ask, and how your answers to those same questions may change as your business grows. In part one of this two-part conversation, the Future Focus team focuses on the startup and growth stages of the business journey. They discuss founder dependence, personal and business financial overlap, key employee risk, retention planning and business continuity. In part two, the conversation moves to established, maturity and transition stages of a business, with a focus on value, liquidity, succession, legacy and what comes next. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to like, subscribe and share your questions in the comments for future episodes. Prefer listening on the go? You can find Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow, rate and review the show, and send your questions to futurefocus@ameritas.com. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: ameritas.com Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  4. Aug 4

    Financial Reflection and Mean Tweets: Listener Q&A #4

    Reflection can be uncomfortable, but it’s often where the clearest insights come from. In this listener-driven episode of Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast, the team turns the lens inward, exploring how reflection can improve financial decision-making while sharing a few honest assessments of themselves along the way. The discussion examines how to tell whether you're truly on track financially, which financial decisions people most often wish they had slowed down on and whether it's ever too late to change course. This episode also features humorous "mean tweets" for Keali Jo French, Jacob Messick, and Troy Branch as they reflect on their performance on Future Focus. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to like, subscribe and share your questions in the comments for future episodes. Prefer listening on the go? You can find Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow, rate and review the show, and send your questions to futurefocus@ameritas.com. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: ameritas.com Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  5. Jul 21

    Financial Concepts Explained: The No-Jargon Game

    Looking for financial concepts explained without the industry jargon? In this special episode, members of the Ameritas advanced planning team, Troy Branch, Jacob Messick and Keali Jo French, play “Pardon My Jargon. Can You Define That?” They turn financial planning, investing, retirement and tax terms into a fast-paced competition with one goal: making complex concepts simple. Each participant is given common industry terms—like fiduciary, diversification, tax brackets and Roth conversions—and must explain them in plain language with zero jargon. A panel of judges scores each definition, and the highest score wins. It’s a fun test to show just how challenging, and important, it is to communicate financial concepts and strategies in a way people can truly understand. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to like, subscribe and share your questions in the comments for future episodes. Prefer listening on the go? You can find Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow, rate and review the show, and send your questions to futurefocus@ameritas.com. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/about/ Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  6. Jul 7

    Life Insurance Ownership: Myth or Reality - Part 2

    Who will actually receive your life insurance benefit—and what happens if something goes wrong? In this episode, we break down common life insurance ownership mistakes for beneficiaries that can derail even the best plan and leave outcomes to chance. A life insurance beneficiary is the person or entity you name to receive your policy’s death benefit. This myth or reality episode covers common beneficiary mistakes or misunderstandings. Learn why naming a contingent beneficiary matters, what happens when minors are listed as beneficiaries and how failing to review your policy after major life events can lead to probate delays or benefits going to the wrong person. Avoiding these beneficiary mistakes can help ensure your intentions are carried out as planned. Don’t forget to like, subscribe and drop your questions in the comments for future episodes. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/ Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/about/ Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  7. Jun 23

    Life Insurance Ownership: Myth or Reality - Part 1

    Think your life insurance ownership is set up correctly? It might not be, and small mistakes can lead to big tax and estate consequences. In this episode of Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast, we break down “myth or reality” scenarios, including the risks of having different owners, insureds and beneficiaries, why you might want to consider naming a successor, and how poor structuring can lead to unintended outcomes. You’ll also learn how ownership impacts estate taxes and what “incidents of ownership” really mean for your policy. Watch this episode to help ensure your life insurance coverage works the way you intend. Don’t forget to like, subscribe and drop your questions in the comments for future episodes. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/about/ Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures This podcast is for information purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

  8. Jun 2

    Retirement Readiness: Breaking Down Financial Planning

    Are you truly retirement-ready — or just guessing? In this episode of Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast, we’re breaking down financial planning and what retirement readiness really means, along with the steps that matter most. We cover what financial planning looks like in practice, when it makes sense to work with a financial professional and where insurance and annuities can fit into a retirement strategy. This episode will help you understand your current position, define your goals and build a strategy that adapts over time. Don’t forget to like, subscribe and drop your questions in the comments for future episodes. Future Focus: A Financial Strategies Podcast Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Learn more about Ameritas: https://www.ameritas.com/ Find a financial professional who can help: https://www.ameritas.com/contact/find-a-financial-professional/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=future-focus Disclosures Withdrawals and loans will reduce available death benefit and policy value. Withdrawals beyond basis may be taxable income. Excessive and unpaid loans will reduce death benefits and policy value and may cause the policy to lapse. If a policy lapses, unpaid loans are treated as distributions for tax purposes. This podcast is for informational purposes only and will cover a variety of topics examining the role insurance and other financial products may play in financial decisions. The information presented here is not intended as tax, accounting, or other legal advice. If tax or other legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. This information is provided by Ameritas, which is a marketing name for subsidiaries of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company. Subsidiaries include Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In Lincoln, Nebraska and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York (licensed in New York) in White Plains, New York. Each company is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. For more information about Ameritas, visit ameritas.com. Ameritas and the bison design are registered service marks of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Fulfilling life is a registered service mark of affiliate Ameritas Holding Company. 2026 Ameritas Mutual Holding Company Careers: https://www.ameritas.com/careers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameritas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameritaslife LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ameritas

See All (33)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to Future Focus, a podcast designed to make sense of complex financial topics. Hosted by Troy Branch, a professional with over 25 years in the financial services industry, this Ameritas advanced planning podcast offers engaging panel discussions that simplifies the jargon into straightforward insight. Whether you’re a business owner aiming to enhance your financial knowledge or someone interested in financial literacy, Future Focus is your go-to resource. Each episode provides practical tips covering topics like estate planning, managing risk, retirement strategies for business owners and much more. Ameritas® is a marketing name for Ameritas Mutual Holding Company and its affiliated subsidiary companies, including Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York. Securities and investment advisory services offered through affiliate Ameritas Investment Corp., member FINRA/SIPC.

Information