Estate Planning – The Financial Puzzle Playbook

Expanding Capacity Through Strategic Financial Partnerships with Mark Green (Ep. 44)

By The Financial Puzzle Playbook | March 9, 2026

Financial planning today is about more than picking investments.

As client needs grow more detailed and interconnected, how do advisors bring together the right people and resources to serve families well?

In this episode, Jim Sumpter, CFP®, introduces Mark Green, President at GFG Wealth Advisors, to share how their strategic partnership expands capacity for clients. They explore the shift from transaction-based investing to comprehensive planning, including tax strategy, retirement income, cash flow, and business owner solutions. Mark explains why partnering with a tax-focused advisor enhances outcomes and how a team approach helps address goals clients may not even recognize at first.

Key insights:

Why today’s clients expect coordinated planning beyond simple investment trades
How outsourcing portfolio management can expand advisor capacity
The difference between tax preparation and proactive tax advisory
Ways business owners can use 401(k) plans to attract and retain talent
How a quarterback model unites investment, tax, insurance, and estate professionals
And more!

Connect with Jim Sumpter:

Connect with Mark Green:

About Our Guest:

Mark Green has been in the financial services industry since 1985. He spent the first nine years in the back office operations department of a major wirehouse. In 1994, Mark became a registered advisor and stepped into the role of assisting clients and their families in the development and execution of strategies that are focused on meeting their specific needs. He remains committed to the tradition of client relationships – “Know your client, stay connected with them, learn what they need and assist them in achieving it”.

Mark has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Brazos Valley Boys and Girls Club, former President of the Brazos Valley Fellowship of Christian Athletes and currently serves on the Brazos Valley Council for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Board. He was also a charter member of Christ Church in College Station where he served on the finance committee and sang in the choir.

Mark is married to his wife of 30+ years, Sheri and they have 2 adult daughters, Brittney and Haley. Mark enjoys playing golf and pickleball, playing the piano and spending time with friends and family.

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Should You Be on Your Parents’ Bank Account? (Ep. 40)

By The Financial Puzzle Playbook | January 7, 2026

Most families think adding a child to a parent’s bank account is a simple act of love, but Jim Sumpter CFP® reveals how easily it can create tax issues, legal exposure, and long-term family conflict.

In this episode, Jim breaks down why ownership matters more than most people realize and why wills often never even come into play. Through real client stories and personal examples, he explains how joint accounts, powers of attorney, TOD designations, and cost basis rules work behind the scenes, especially when parents begin relying on their children for financial support.

What to expect:

When joint ownership creates unintended gifts or tax bills
How beneficiary rules override wills
Hidden legal risks tied to siblings, creditors, and lawsuits
Better tools for caregiving and estate planning
And more!

Connect with Jim Sumpter:

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Solving Your Financial Puzzle: Understanding Insurance and Estate Planning (Ep. 20)

By The Financial Puzzle Playbook | February 19, 2025

What happens when life’s unexpected events test your financial preparations?

In this episode of the Financial Puzzle Playbook, Jim Sumpter explores the often overlooked yet vital components of financial planning: insurance and estate planning. How do these pieces fit into your financial puzzle, especially when life throws the unexpected your way? Discover through real-life stories how proactive planning can prevent major financial pitfalls.

Jim Sumpter, CFP®, discusses:

(01:17) The importance of having all documents in place to mitigate unexpected events
(02:17) Ensuring beneficiary details are current and accurately reflect your intentions
(07:46) Understanding why a will is just one part of your estate planning strategy
(19:57) Real scenarios emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive financial planning
And more

Connect with Jim Sumpter:

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Understanding the Psychology of Money with Brendan Frazier – Part 1 (Ep. 17)

By The Financial Puzzle Playbook | January 8, 2025

Are your financial decisions guided more by emotion than reason? Discover how understanding your financial behaviors can transform your money management skills.

In this episode, Jim Sumpter, CFP®, is joined by Brendan Frazier, Chief Behavioral Officer at RFG Advisory. They explore the often-overlooked psychological and emotional aspects of financial planning. You’ll learn why cash flow is the lifeblood of your financial plan and how small, incremental changes can lead to significant improvements in managing your finances. Brendan shares insights into behavioral barriers that often keep us from making the best financial decisions and offers strategies to help overcome them.

Jim and Brendan discuss:

(02:49) The psychology of money
(08:12) Common resolutions and the challenges in keeping them
(12:58) Why cashflow is the foundation of a financial plan
(22:11) Overcoming procrastination in estate planning
(31:38) How past financial decisions influence future choices
And more

Join us to unravel the mental and emotional puzzles that impact your financial journey.

Connect with Jim Sumpter:

Connect with Brendan Frazier:

About our Guest:

Brendan Frazier is the Chief Behavioral Officer at RFG Advisory.

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Estate Planning for Young Families + The Must-Have Documents (Ep.6)

By The Financial Puzzle Playbook | July 17, 2024

Are you prepared for life’s ultimate certainties? Join us as we demystify estate planning with attorney Alex Priester, helping ensure you and your loved ones are protected.

We’re discussing some of the critical components of estate planning—wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives. Alex Priester, a seasoned estate planning attorney, walks us through the essentials, explaining why these documents are vital at every stage of life.

From young families to retirees, we cover practical advice and real-life examples, helping you navigate the complexities of estate planning.

Episode discussion points include:

Learning the who, what, and why of wills, and why they’re crucial for protecting your assets and loved ones
Discovering the importance of having a power of attorney for both financial and healthcare decisions
Understanding how medical directives go beyond a simple DNR, ensuring your healthcare wishes are respected
Why estate planning isn’t just for retirees & why young adults, parents, and mid-life professionals also need comprehensive estate plans too

Resources:

Dominick Feld Hyde P.C.

Connect with Jim Sumpter:

Connect with Alex Priester:

About our Guest:

Alex, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, graduated from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2020 with her J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation.

During her time in law school, Alex was awarded The University of Alabama Federal Tax Clinic Scholarship and the Justice Janie L. Shores Scholarship. Alex received awards for best paper in each of her tax courses including Personal Income Taxation, Capital Gains Transactions, Corporate Transactions, Civil Tax Procedure, and Business and Accounting Ethics. Alex was inducted into the Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society and served as an ambassador for future and incoming students of The University of Alabama School of Law.

In addition to her academic studies, Alex served as a member of the Public Interest Student Board and was awarded the Dean’s Community Service Award, the Student Pro Bono Award, and the Order of the Samaritan for her pro bono and law-related volunteer work.

Alex lives in Leeds with her husband, Jake Hoogstra, and their 4 “furkids.” Her hobbies include reading, baking, traveling, and golfing with her dad.

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The Story Behind the CMC Financial Brand (Ep. 2)

By The Financial Puzzle Playbook | May 22, 2024

The name ‘CMC’, the different financial puzzle pieces, and our bright color scheme of teal, green, pink, and yellow — they all are an essential part of our brand.

But how did it all come together?

Let’s take a look at the origins of the CMC Financial brand with your host Jim Sumpter, CFP®. In this episode, Jim takes listeners behind the scenes and shares his journey of becoming an independent advisor and how he involved his kids in the branding process.

Jim discusses:

A recap of the six essential financial puzzle pieces
The intertwined nature of financial decisions (with examples)
A little about the lives of his three dearly loved kids: Carson, Madison, and Cassidy
What listeners can expect in future episodes
And more