Grow Money Business with Grant Bledsoe

This episode of Grow Money Business covers tariffs, Trump's recent economic policy, the market's reaction, and how we should interpret all this as investors.  We cover an article commenting on a recent wonky U.S. government bond auction and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's comments, and put the rapid pace of the news cycle in perspective. RESOURCES: US Treasury secretary: no risk of China weaponizing Treasuries despite bond market volatility reuters.com/markets/rates-bonds/us-treasury-secretary-no-risk-china-weaponizing-treasuries-despite-bond-market-2025-04-15/

While college savings accounts like 529s provide some nice tax benefits, there are strings attached (including the dreaded 10% penalty for non-education related withdrawals).  In this episode of Grow Money Business we dive into how much parents should really be saving for their kids' college education amid a changing landscape for education and student loans.  We also cover an interesting month in the markets and an article reviewing recent performance of single stock ETFs. RESOURCES: Billions Flowed Into New Leveraged ETFs Last Year. Now They're in Free Fall. wsj.com/finance/investing/billions-flowed-into-new-leveraged-etfs-last-year-now-theyre-in-free-fall-0c413245 

We've seen a massive amount of change in the federal government in the last month since Trump was inaugurated for his second term.  The threat of tariffs and inflation, DOGE's dismantling of legacy government programs, and discussion of annexing Canada and Greenland has many people concerned.  This episode we cover the gamut from a financial perspective, including how investors should interpret what's happening, whether we should be concerned about inflation in the near term, and how the markets have responded so far.  RESOURCES Inflation. How worried should we be? stayathomemacro.substack.com/p/inflation-how-worried-should-we-be 

It's been an interesting few weeks in the markets since President Trump's inauguration.  A Chinese company produced an AI chatbot that performs as well as U.S. competitors at a fraction of the cost.  Nvidia's stock lost 17% the following day after the company published its work, confirming the threat to Nvidia's business model.  We cover an article highlighting what this all means, review the outperformance of non-U.S. equities, and answer a listener question about whether they can retire early without having to touch their Roth accounts in this episode of Grow Money Business.    RESOURCES: Best Part of the DeepSeek Story substack.com/@herbgreenberg/p-155921309 

Should you be concerned that the market's just made several all time highs?  This question comes up in various forms any time stock markets set new records.  As tempting as it is to assume that what goes up must come down, the market doesn't think that way.  We cover this concept in detail in today's episode, along with Vanguard's recent 2025 market forecast and an update on how markets have done since the election. RESOURCES: Market perspectives advisors.vanguard.com/insights/article/series/market-perspectives 

A lot has happened in the markets over the last few weeks. In this episode we cover what's new in the stock, bond, and crypto markets since the election, and to should expect from the Trump administration with regard to economic and tax policy. Resources: Small-cap stocks on verge of ending 3 years of futility with record run — if it holds marketwatch.com/story/small-cap-stocks-on-verge-of-ending-3-years-of-futility-with-record-run-if-it-holds-c829d75b?mod=hp_minor_pos27   What's Flying Higher Than Bitcoin? The Software Company Buying Up Bitcoin wsj.com/finance/currencies/whats-flying-higher-than-bitcoin-the-software-company-buying-up-bitcoin-748fdbd2?mod=hp_lead_pos5

This week on the show we field a listener question about whether their concern about government spending should be reflected in their investment portfolio.  We also review an article about market efficiency / inefficiency, and provide an update on mortgage and long term bond rates. RESOURCES: Mob Rule humbledollar.com/2024/10/mob-rule/   Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail Hardcover by Ray Dalio amazon.com/Changing-World-Order-Nations-Succeed/dp/1982160276

Most Americans have at least some of their retirement savings sitting in workplace retirement plans like 401ks, 403bs, SEP-IRAs and the like.  And when you leave a job, due to a retirement transition or not, many people wonder what they should do with the savings they've accumulated in the plans.  We've noticed that the more people tend to have in their retirement plans, the more reluctant they are to take action out of fear of making a mistake.  In this episode of the podcast we'll answer several questions about 401k rollovers: ·       Should I keep my savings in the 401k or roll the funds into an IRA? ·       Can I roll my 401k directly into a Roth IRA? ·       My savings is in the Federal TSP.  I've heard the plan is really good.  Should I roll the funds into an IRA when I retire or stick with the TSP? We'll also review the logistics of 401k rollovers and how you can avoid major mistakes.   Resources: https://www.morningstar.com/funds/are-low-volatility-etfs-dead

Downsizing from your large, long-held family home is a popular concept for retirees, but may not always be the best choice.  Even though smaller homes are less costly & easier to maintain, giving up your family's major meeting venue may not be the best choice.  This week we respond to a listener question on whether downsizing might be right for them, and cover Nvidia's recent earnings call and an article about the prevalence of gift card scams.   Highlights [05.30] Market Update – News on Nvidia earnings. [11.24] Article of the Week – This week's article on gift card fraud. [15.40] Downsizing – Grant explains the reasons why people choose to downsize. [20.00] Not for everybody – Grant explains why downsizing doesn't suit everybody. [23.36] Advice - What to consider before downsizing.   Resources Why gift card fraud slips through the cracks of America's banking regulation system https://theconversation.com/why-gift-cards-fall-into-a-gap-in-the-2-tier-banking-regulation-system-and-a-brief-history-of-why-that-gap-exists-236478   Dow Jones Futures Rise; Nvidia Pares Earnings Losses, Salesforce Jumps investors.com/market-trend/stock-market-today/dow-jones-futures-nvidia-earnings-guidance-salesforce-crowdstrike/   Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity By Peter Attia amazon.com/Outlive-Longevity-Peter-Attia-MD/dp/0593236599  

Mailbag Question: “I'd like to give more money to a couple different charities this year, but my tax person said it wouldn't help my taxes.  Is there a way I can make a gift that reduces my taxes?”   Intro: “There are a ton of different ways to give to charity, but not all of them will help you on your taxes.  This week we cover a listener question about tax efficient charitable giving, and when it will or will not help you.”   Resources: Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): What They Are and How They Work nerdwallet.com/article/taxes/donor-advised-funds   Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) fidelity.com/building-savings/learn-about-iras/required-minimum-distributions/qcds   The New Etiquette of Negotiating With Your Real-Estate Agent wsj.com/personal-finance/the-new-etiquette-of-negotiating-with-your-real-estate-agent-1ff585c7

Mailbag Question: “Everything I hear about Social Security is bad, and it sounds like the program will run out of money in a few years.  Is there a good reason I shouldn't file for benefits now before the money runs out?”   Intro: “Many retirees are concerned about the state of Social Security, and some of them even expect the program to crumble in the next few years.  Does that mean you should get your money out now before it does?  This week we respond to a listener question about by explaining what's going on with Social Security, how long it'll be before the Social Security trust runs out of money, and what will happen when it does.  We also cover an article from Consumer Affairs about why car insurance premiums are rising so much, and review a very strong rebound in the markets”   Resources The 2024 OASDI Trustees Report ssa.gov/OACT/TR/2024/ A Summary of the 2024 Annual Reports   ssa.gov/OACT/TRSUM/index.html  Auto insurance is outpacing inflation and getting worse consumeraffairs.com/news/auto-insurance-is-outpacing-inflation-and-getting-worse-081524.html

It's no secret that the IRS is underfunded right now.  It takes most taxpayers months to receive refund checks, and most would rather go to the dentist than wait on hold to talk with the IRS.  Our guest this week is Tom Nally, who's recently launched Tax Now to help taxpayers and their professionals navigate this landscape.  The platform syncs up with the IRS database and simply notifies you when there are updates to your account.  It's a sorely needed tool, and Tom walks us through what he's built and how the launch has gone. We also cover an article about Trump's interest in allowing the sitting president more control over monetary policy, and summarize a volatile week in the markets. Resources Trump's Plans Stir Fears for Fed Independence, Inflation wsj.com/politics/elections/trumps-plans-stir-fears-for-fed-independence-inflation-689bc113   Connect with Tomas Nally LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/tomasnally/ Website - taxnow.com/  

Mailbag question: “My husband and I are assembling our retirement plan and planning to relocate once I quit working.  We're trying to decide between Tennessee, Florida and Texas, since they're all states with lower tax and retirement lifestyle costs.  Which do you think is best?  The lists are all different.”   Intro: Financial media love to create lists of the “best” and “lowest cost” states to retire in.  This week we answer a question about the differences between Tennessee, Texas, and Florida as retirement destinations, and what you should consider when relocating in retirement.   Resources The best states to retire in 2024 – Ranked moneywise.com/retirement/best-states-to-retire-in   The Most Affordable U.S. States to Retire in 2024 fool.com/retirement/relocation/cheapest-states-to-retire/   A Strong Year for 401(k) Balances Masks the Truth About Long-Term Performance crr.bc.edu/a-strong-year-for-401k-balances-masks-the-truth-about-long-term-performance/

  Mailbag Question: “I recently met with an attorney to get my estate plan done.  They recommended that I create a living trust to hold some investments and my house.  Is that legitimate?  It sounds like an upsell better suited for very rich people.”   Intro: This week on Grow Money Business we answer a listener questions about trusts and estate planning.  Our faithful listener spoke with an attorney about estate planning recently, who recommended a living trust as part of his plan.  We cover the pros and cons of living trusts and whether the recommendation is an upsell from the attorney.     Links: https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/a-stock-market-rotation-of-historic-proportions-is-taking-shape-da9b6546?mod=finance_feat2_stocks_pos2 https://www.weareatticus.com/learn/what-is-the-uniform-probate-code

Early retirement is a popular goal for many, but actually making it happen can be challenging.  One major obstacle is the early withdrawal penalty imposed to distributions from IRAs & 401ks before 59 ½ years of age. This week on the show we answer a listener question about how to navigate this landscape and a few possible workarounds.  We also cover whether index investing has impacted the markets, and an article about how inflows to hot investment funds can falsely influence performance numbers   Resources: GMO: Passive Investing's Impact Has Been Overblown, But It's Not Negligible institutionalinvestor.com/article/2dgy5jctx2rb7g3wv2juo/portfolio/gmo-passive-investings-impact-has-been-overblown-but-its-not-negligible   Hot Funds and the Curse of ‘Self-Inflated Returns' wsj.com/finance/investing/etf-self-inflated-returns-258e875e   Strategies For Maximizing (Or Minimizing!) Rule 72(t) Early Distribution Payments Using IRS Notice 2022-6 kitces.com/blog/rule-72t-sepp-calculate-payments-rmd-avoid-penalty-tax-early-ira-withdrawals-notice-2022-6/

One question we get a lot is why we'd ever want to invest in countries other than the U.S.  The U.S. stock market has done far better than other countries recently.  It's the biggest national market in the world.  The U.S. has the strongest, most resilient economy.  And the U.S. dollar is the world's reserve currency.  Why would we ever want to invest anywhere else?  This week on the show we cover this question in detail, June's inflation data, and an article on the impact that inflation has on bond markets.   Links: https://www.dimensional.com/us-en/insights/global-diversification-still-requires-international-securities https://www.morningstar.com/portfolios/is-international-diversification-necessary https://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/markets/mbs-morning-07112024

Mailbag Questions: 1)         “I'm a small business owner, and have a SEP-IRA that I'd contributed to annually until a few years ago.  Then things got tight during COVID and I took a break from making contributions.  Now business is turning around again.  I've been watching the bitcoin ETFs and am wondering if this is a good investment once I start putting money into my plan again.”  

This week we cover a listener question about how to handle an inheritance of $850,000.  Jason recently dropped the question in our mailbag after receiving the inheritance unexpectedly.  He and his wife are in a stable financial situation and aren't sure what to do next.  Grant shares his thoughts on what the couple should do. We also review an article in The Atlantic covering whether monetary policy actually works in practice, and the presidential debate after a relatively quiet week in the markets.   Resources: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/06/interest-rates-inflation/678802/  

Our guest on the show this week is Jeremy Harbour.  Jeremy has been involved in the M&A market across the globe for decades.  He's the founder and CEO of the Unity Group, a boutique international mergers & acquisitions firm.  He also runs the Harbour Club, a professional network focused on teaching M&A best practices to entrepreneurs.  Jeremy shares with us the do's and don'ts and buying and selling businesses after dozens of successes and failures he's had over the years.  We also cover an article by Global Financial Data that reviews concentration in the US stock market today compared other periods dating back to the late 1700s.     Links: https://www.jeremyharbour.com/ https://www.unity-group.com/ https://harbourclubusa.com/ https://globalfinancialdata.com/200-years-of-market-concentration

We dedicated this week's episode to another mailbag question from our listeners related to tax withholdings.  Here in the U.S., most people set some money aside throughout the year from their income and/or estimated tax payments, to be put toward their income tax bill for the year.  Then they cross their fingers when it comes time to file their return, hoping that they don't owe any more than what they've set aside. In this week's episode Grant covers the ins and outs of tax withholdings, and answers a listener's question on whether they should adjust their withholdings for 2024. 

Michelle Seiler Tucker is back on the show this week to discuss how higher interest rates have impacted the market climate for business sales.  Michelle is the best selling author of Exit Rich and has been in the M&A business for over 20 years (selling over 1,000 business over that time frame).  She shares a few basics of what business owners can do now to set themselves up for future success, as well as how the buyer's perspective has changed. We also cover some market news.  Gamestop has been in the news recently after Keith Gill, aka “Roaring Kitty” posted screenshots of his holdings and announced a YouTube livestream last week.  Gamestop proceeded to make a surprise earnings announcement, in addition to a secondary share offering after seeing it's price jump over the last two weeks.   Links: https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/degen-stock-crypto-trading-market-trend-69d12a56

This week was relatively slow in market news…..until the Trump verdict came out.  Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts brought against him in the hush money trial, which throws more uncertainty into upcoming election cycle.  The financial world changed on Tuesday as well, as the stock settlement cycle was shortened from T+2 to T+1.  We cover what all this means for you, how the markets reacted to the Trump verdict, and whether the investment vehicle Trump used to take Truth Social public is something you should consider for your portfolio. Resources: https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/securities-services/regulatory-solutions/t-plus-1

We've covered a lot of technical investment concepts on the show over the last couple years.  Since it's sometimes helpful to take a step back and focus on the core foundational concepts, this week's episode covers the three golden rules of investing we should all be trying to use.  We also cover Nvidia's stock split and the new world of financial scammers. Resources sherwood.news/tech/investigating-instagram-investing-scams/

A few weeks ago I had someone ask whether it was possible to live off of dividend income alone in retirement.  This gentleman had saved up a nice chunk of money and was currently invested 100% in stocks.  He was eligible for Social Security benefits, and was intent on never selling any of his shares in retirement. Instead, he wanted to live off the dividends his portfolio produced to pay his expenses.  He thought that between his Social Security benefits and dividend income he'd have plenty to pay his bills.  I thought this was an interesting question, and dive into the details in today's podcast episode.

We're trying a new format on the show!  Starting this week each episode of Grow Money Business will include a few consistent sections.  We'll answer mailbag questions.  We'll interview guests.  We'll spend a couple minutes reviewing the markets.  And we'll review news articles you should be paying attention to.  Enjoy! Resources: etf.com/sections/news/fidelity-adds-surcharge-etf-platform wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/inherited-retirement-account-ira-irs-c3c95273?mod=personal-finance_lead_story  

The general goal of investing is to buy low and sell high sometime in the future.  So how should we handle it when the markets make new all time highs?  Should we wait for the market to fall before investing new money?  Should we invest it all now to catch upward momentum?  The reality is that markets make new all time highs pretty frequently.  Since our economy continues to grow, the size of the pie that drives corporate profits and stock returns simply tends to get bigger and bigger.  And even if you invest at a new all time high today, you're still likely positioned for positive long term returns. In today's episode we dive into the details.  We cover the history of returns over 1, 3, and 5 year periods after investing at an all time high, and how you might think about this in the context of your overall strategy.   Resources: 3 Golden Rules On How To Invest At All-Time Highs seekingalpha.com/article/4453541-3-golden-rules-on-how-to-invest-at-all-time-highs

Tony Matheson joins us on the show this week.  Tony worked as a wholesaler in the investment industry for 20 years before departing to launch a financial advisory firm, Slalom Wealth.  Wholesaling is a sector of the industry we haven't discussed much on the podcast to date, and Tony joins us to share the inside scoop.  We cover how wholesalers work with and influence financial advisory offices, what his path to starting a financial advisory office has been like, and what it's really like to study and sit for the CFA exams.   Resources Connect with Tony: Website - slalomwealth.com/ LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/tony-matheson/ cfainstitute.org/en/ XY Planning Network - xyplanningnetwork.com/

I'm asked pretty frequently what I think of the market, and what themes I'm paying attention to.  While I don't think there's any one theme, event, or headline that should impact your investment allocation, there are certainly some themes I'm tracking more than others.  In this episode I cover the top four I'm paying attention to right now: the “Magnificent 7” and the impact on market returns, commercial real estate, the Fed's dot plot, and the Chinese economy.   Resources  Links: https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/how-to-read-fed-dot-plot-explained/ https://www.npr.org/2024/01/30/1227554424/evergrande-china-real-estate-economy-property-collapse https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/25/china-youth-unemployment-will-stay-elevated-in-2024-but-eiu-warns-economic-impact-will-linger.html https://www.mba.org/news-and-research/newsroom/news/2024/01/16/delinquency-rates-for-commercial-properties-increased-in-fourth-quarter-2023 https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/magnificent-7-stocks-explainer

Vince Shorb joins us this week to discuss the state of financial literacy.  Vince is the founder and CEO of the National Financial Educators Council, which provides financial literacy resources to educators and organizations nationwide.  He shares why basic financial concepts are not being taught in public schools across America, as well as what parents need to teach their kids about money to set them up for long term success.   Resources: https://www.financialeducatorscouncil.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinceshorb/

When politicians draft tax reform bills I usually try not to pay attention until they become law, since so few actually do.  This tax reform bill is a little different.  The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 is a bipartisan bill that got through the Ways & Means Committee with a vote of 40-3.  And since some of the tax changes would be retroactive to 2023, I figured it warranted some coverage.  You might want not want to file your tax return quite yet if any of these changes apply to you.   Links: https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/tax-relief-for-american-families-and-workers-act-of-2024 https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/7024 https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/blog/understanding-the-tax-relief-for-american-families-and-workers-act-of-2024/ https://taxfoundation.org/blog/bipartisan-tax-deal-2024-tax-relief-american-families-workers-act/

This week's guest on the show is Eric Mason. Eric is a CFO, an economist, and a TEDx speaker. He is the current Chief Financial Officer for Quincy, Massachusetts. where he provides direct analysis of all economic and financial forecasting to the Chief Elected Official. He has an academic background in economics and has worked extensively in the field, with a focus on analytics and public policy. He teaches Principles of Microeconomics as an adjunct instructor at WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics. Eric joined us today to talk about the current state of the economy in the US. Join us as we dive into Eric's take on the current economic state, where it's headed, what he expects to happen in the economy over the next 12 to 24 months, his take on federal debt, and more.  [07.00] National economy – Grant and Eric start off the conversation by discussing Eric's career journey and his perspective on the present state of the national economy. [16.04] Economic forecasts – Grant and Eric talk about how people make irrational economic decisions based on forecasts. [21.50] Austrian School of Economics – Eric explains the Austrian School of Economics and how it is different from others. [28.05] Capitalism – Grant and Eric discuss capitalism and its beauty. [35.40] National debt – Eric shares his perspective on the US national debt and the US dollar as the dominant currency in the world. [42.25] Threat – Grant and Eric discuss the threat of high interest-rates due to the US national debt of $33 trillion. [49.36] FOMC – Eric explains his perspective on the ability of the Federal Open Market Committee to use balance sheet positions from the Federal Reserve to generate debt.   Resources theinformaleconomist.com/

Annuities have earned a bad reputation within the financial community over the years, but why is that? When might an annuity actually make sense in retirement? And how can you tell whether they're a good fit for you? We've covered annuities a bit on the show over the years but haven't described the fact pattern where an annuity might actually make some sense. In this episode we cover the fundamentals of retirement income planning, why mortality credits yield more income than bond interest, and when an annuity might be a good fit for your retirement.   [07.00] Annuities – Grant starts off the conversation by explaining annuities and why they are popular around the country. [12.04] The 4% rule – Grant describes the popular retirement withdrawal method, “the 4% rule,” which implies retirees can securely withdraw 4% of their money in their first year. [17.20] Mortality credits – Grant reviews longevity and annuity policies. [23.30] Profitability – Grant explains how insurance companies design their products with their own profitability in mind. [30.07] Candidacy – Grant explains who might be a good fit for annuities according to their background.   Resources How Mortality Credits Make Annuities Work safemoney.com/blog/annuity/how-mortality-credits-make-annuities-work/   Annuity Surrender Periods: Understand (and Avoid) Surrender Charges thebalancemoney.com/annuity-surrender-period-charges-and-tips-to-pay-less-315092

This week our guest on the show is Michael Koeppel. Michael is the managing director and founder of Lakelet Advisory Group. In his roles as a board director, C-level leader, and business transformation strategist, he has helped companies in the manufacturing, technology, healthcare device, and financial industries achieve sustainable growth and turnarounds. Michael joins us to share his knowledge on the ins and outs of the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), who may and may not be a good candidate for it, the costs, the benefits, and more.   Resources ESOP lakeletag.com/business-valuations/esop Recent Podcast: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjdFhVD2O10​ LinkedIn: ​https://www.linkedin.com/company/lakelet-advisory-group-llc/mycompany/

Welcome to another mailbag episode. It's not a surprise that the value of bond funds has gone down with the high interest rates in the past couple of years. But is it a good enough reason to dump your bond funds over it? In this mailbag questions episode, we discuss PIMCO Total Return Instl.., the risks of dumping your bond funds, debt payments, and more. [03.34] Total return fund – Starting the conversation, Grant talks about the PIMCO Total Return Instl. and its status in recent years. [07.21] Bond funds – Things to consider about bond funds. [14.00] Risks – Grant explains why it's not a good idea to dump your bond funds just because they had a bad couple of years. [20.00] Paying off debts– Grant explains why it's not a good idea to take out all your bond funds and pay off your debts. [30.40] Great Depression – Grant tells a story about one of his clients and explains why taking out money and paying off debts can work for some people.   Resources SEC 30-Day Yield Definition, Formula, Calculation, Example investopedia.com/terms/s/secyield.asp   morningstar.com/funds/xnas/pttrx/quote

This week's episode features Ray Drew. Ray is a top-producing SBA 7a Lender, podcast host, and SMB investor. He is currently working as the Managing SBA Business Development Officer at Fund-Ex Solutions Group. Throughout his career, Drew has focused on assisting small business owners with the complexities of small business administration loans. It is his responsibility to assist the entrepreneur in developing a tailored loan solution that addresses the specific requirements of the business. He joined us today to talk about the primary business loan program of SBA, change of ownership, non-bank lenders, the role of a business development officer, and more. [05.00] 7(a) loans - The primary business loan program offered by the SBA to small businesses in need of funding. [12.53] Past and present – Ray explains the big changes in SBA in 2023. [16.14] Change of ownership – Ray explains the partial change of ownership in SBA. [27.09] Business development – The role of a business development officer. [32.17] Nonbank lender - A loan provider who isn't a conventional bank. [36.13] Real-estate – Ray's thoughts on commercial real estate for small business owners. [39.53] Terms on loans – Ray explains what you can do to improve your terms on loans.   Resources sbaray.com/ fundexsolutions.com/

This week on Grow Money Business we are talking about stock concentration and the Magnificent Seven. Last year, there was a group of seven companies that produced a huge portion of the S&P 500's approximately 20% annual return. Join us as we dive into why these seven companies out-performed, arguments for why they may or may not continue to out-perform, comparisons for this type of stock concentration to other periods historically, and more.   [03.38] The magnificent seven – Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Tesla are the seven companies recognized for their market dominance in 2023. [08.05] The P/E ratio – Grant dives into the P/E ratio, one of the most popular stock valuation indicators for investors and analysts. [12.48] NIFTY 50 - Nifty 50 is the 50 most popular large-cap stocks that traded at high valuations in the 1960s and 1970s. [17.00] Future – Grant explains what the next 10-15 years look like for the companies with an over 30 P/E ratio. [26.00] Artificial Intelligence – Grant shares his thoughts on why AI is overhyped and what the future will look like.   Resources It's the AI Revolution and you're focused on PE ratios. downtownjoshbrown.com/p/ai-revolution-youre-focused-pe-ratios   What Are the Magnificent 7 Stocks? kiplinger.com/investing/stocks/what-are-the-magnificent-7-stocks   Nifty Fifty en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nifty_Fifty      

In this episode of Grow Money Business, we are joined by Rocky Lalvani. Rocky is a chief profitability advisor and currently works in his business consulting practice following the principles written in the book ‘Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine' by Mike Michalowicz. Rocky has access to profit specialists worldwide, is certified in the Profit First method, and has firsthand experience boosting revenue for multiple companies. In this conversation, we talk about small business cash management, managing cash flow and profitability, understanding your business finances, common mistakes business owners make, and more. [05:00] Profit comes first – Rocky starts the conversation by sharing the birth story of Profit First. [12:00] Helping people – Rocky explains the process of helping people with Profit First. [20:00] Rocky's story – Rocky shares how he got into the industry. [30:00] Mistakes – Grant and Rocky discuss some common mistakes business owners make. [37:18] Guidance – Grant and Rocky discuss the importance of professional guidance.   Resources Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine By Mike Michalowicz amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making/dp/073521414X   Connect with Rocky LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/rocky-lalvani/ Website - profitcomesfirst.com/                 richersoul.com/

This week's episode is all about predictions. At the end of the year 2022, Grant made some market predictions for the year 2023. In today's episode, he is going to discuss what he got right and wrong from those predictions. Furthermore, he shares his market predictions for the year 2024. [05.35] Stock market – Starting the conversation, Grant explains how unpredictable the stock market is and why he hesitates to make predictions. [13.25] Inflation – Grant's prediction about inflation by the end of the year 2023. [20.10] FTX – The collapse of FTX and how it affected the other major operators in the crypto space. [28.23] Interest rates – Grant's prediction on US government bonds at the end of 2024. [34.26] Emerging markets – Grant predicts that the emerging markets are going to do better than the US and internationally developed markets in 2024. [42.00] Bitcoin – Grant's prediction on Bitcoin for the year 2024 and the reasons behind them.   Resources Mea Culpa 2022 & Predictions for 2023 threeoakswealth.com/mea-culpa-2022-predictions-for-2023/

Asha Paulose is an elder law and estate planning attorney in New York who operates a virtual law firm for clients living in Long Island, NYC, and the Hudson Valley. Her firm prepares trusts, wills, and other planning documents to help families through death or protect assets as individuals begin to age. She joined us today to talk about the common estate planning mistakes people make, why you should not add your kids' names to your bank account, why you shouldn't have your siblings inherit your assets that meant for your children, and more. [04.05] Asset protection – Asha starts the conversation by explaining the importance of asset protection. [11.33] Minor beneficiary – Grant and Asha discuss why a trust is a good idea if you have a minor beneficiary. [18.34] Funds – Asha explains why commingling funds is not a good idea. [26.27] Revocable living trust - A revocable trust is a trust that allows the grantor or creator to modify or revoke its terms according to their wishes. [35.28] Succession planning – Grant and Asha talk about the importance of succession planning when you start your own business. [40.11] Virtual firm – Asha discusses the benefits of having a virtual firm.   Resources Connect with Asha LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/asha-paulose-17a50565/ Website - ashapaulose.com/ Instagram - @PauloseLaw

A Happy New Year to all our listeners! This week's episode is all about your investment portfolio. Going into 2024, you can take this as an opportunity to rebalance your portfolio and think about whether your asset allocation is right for you. Join us as we dive into rebalancing your portfolio, target bonds, exchange-traded funds vs. mutual funds, and more. [03.40] Rebalancing – Starting the conversation, Grant explains why we need to care about rebalancing our investment portfolios. [10.28] Personal priorities - Reassessing personal priorities and the importance of having a professional to guide you through them. [15.00] Target bands – Grant explains the target band rebalancing. [24.00] ETF - exchange-traded funds vs. mutual funds.   Resources What's the Optimal Rebalancing Strategy? nasdaq.com/articles/white-paper%3A-whats-the-optimal-rebalancing-strategy-2021-08-02   See how tax-smart asset location can potentially help improve after-tax returns https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/investing-ideas/asset-location-lower-taxes

Scott Christianson is an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Missouri whose proficiency involves technology, information systems, project management, and education, enabling him to guide students in developing critical thinking skills about upcoming technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. He joined this week's episode of Grow Money Business to update us with his knowledge of generative AI, cryptocurrencies, Central Bank digital currency, and more. [07.45] AI –Scott explains how AI can be inaccurate in specifying details and how we can use it as a tool in our arsenal. [12.50] Copyright issues – Grant and Scott talk about the large-scale copyright issues artists are facing because of AI. [22.09] Impact – We dive into how generative AI impacts professions such as content creation. [31.26] Bitcoin – Grant and Scott discuss the long-term potential of cryptocurrency. [43.00] CBDC – Scott shares his thoughts on Central Bank Digital Currency and its current standing. [50.38] Usage of CBDC – Scott shares some examples of countries that are both successfully and unsuccessfully using CBDC. [56.03] Wealth inequality – Grant and Scott discuss the rising wealth inequality in the USA.     Resources frtech.substack.com/ linktr.ee/profc   Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall by Zeke Faux amazon.com/Number-Go-Up-Cryptos-Staggering/dp/0593443810

On this week's episode of Grow Money Business we revisit a mailbag question from a few months back: should you be investing in precious metals? Join us as we talk about whether we should include precious metals in our investment portfolios, the pros and cons of doing so, the different ways you can invest in precious metals, and more.  [05:34] Investing in gold – Grant starts off the conversation by explaining the history of investing in gold. [14:12] Gold standard – Grant describes how the U.S. decided to abandon silver and move to the gold standard. [20:17] The Great Depression – Grant shares how the Great Depression impacted the gold standard.   [26:00] Sensibility – Grant explains why it doesn't make a lot of sense to invest in precious metals as part of your portfolio.   [32:00] Investing – Grant shares how you can invest in precious metals, should you choose to.   Resources Gold standard en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_standard   The Gold Standard Throughout U.S. History learn.apmex.com/learning-guide/history/the-gold-standard-throughout-u-s-history/

Historically, business growth was heavily dependent on the ability to obtain a bank loan. Over the last few decades, there have been a lot of advancements in the ways that companies can raise capital for growth. On this week's episode of Grow Money Business we are joined by Karl Dakin, who is a long-time expert in capital raising for small companies. Join us as we dive into the common errors entrepreneurs make when raising capital, deal structures, bank loans for capital raising, market competition & innovation, and more.  [07.39] Raising money – Karl explains the process of raising money from investors. [12.34] Deal structures – Karl explains the deal structures he typically recommends for entrepreneurs. [23.08] Bank loans – Grant and Karl discuss why bank loans are not always the best option. [31.44] Accredited Investor – Karl explains why raising money from an accredited investor is the easiest thing you can do. [33.25] Mistakes – Karl shares some common mistakes entrepreneurs make when they raise capital. [38.41] Innovators – Karl explains how innovation is one of the primary ways to make the world a better place. [44.45] Market competition –Karl and Grant discuss how market competition brings the best products to the world.   Resources dakincapital.com/ linkedin.com/in/karldakin/

Index funds are popular investments and come highly recommended by many people. While they are generally a solid investment option, it is still important to have a prudent portfolio and process when making investment decisions for yourself. This week's episode of Grow Money Business is all about how to select index funds. Join as we discuss decision-making when investing, what we should look for in index funds, mutual funds & ETFs, and more.  [05.38] Decision making – Grant shares some tips for making the best investment decisions for your portfolio. [13.22] Active management – Grant describes how the active management process works. [20.09] What to look for – Grant explains what we should be looking for in an index fund. [22.30] Mutual fund vs. ETF – Grant describes the difference between a Mutual Fund and an Exchange-Traded Fund. [30.25] Asset location – Grant shares some important notes about asset location, which is the fourth step of the portfolio in choosing an index fund.    Resources What Are Index Funds? investopedia.com/terms/i/indexfund.asp   Bid–ask spread en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bid%E2%80%93ask_spread   Asset Allocation vs. Security Selection: Their Relative Importance rpc.cfainstitute.org/en/research/cfa-digest/2013/05/asset-allocation-vs-security-selection-their-relative-importance-digest-summary

Social Security retirement benefits are crucial for millions of Americans, but the system and the formula for calculating benefits are complicated. After applying for Social Security payments, some individuals get a clawback letter stating that they owe the government money. On this week's episode of Grow Money Business, Dr. Laurence Kotlikoff returns to the show to discuss his new book ‘Social Security Horror Stories,' which reveals the dark side of social security. Throughout the episode we discuss social security as a whole, the steps you need to take once you receive a clawback letter, and more.  [07.06] Social Security Horror Stories – Laurence starts off the conversation by explaining how he came to write the book ‘Social Security Horror Stories' with Terry Savage. [13.00] Stories – Laurence walks us through some of the horrific stories of people who were victims of social security nightmares. [24.51] Appealing – Grant and Laurence talk about the social security appeal process and what you need to look out for. [36.47] Taking action – Laurence shares his idea on why people are not taking action against the injustice of the Social Security Administration. [48.34] Advice – Grant and Laurence talk about why you should be hesitant take advice from anyone who works in Social Security. [57.08] Writing – Laurence talks about his writing career with Forbes Business magazine. [01.10.53] Personal security account system – Laurence explains how a personal security account system works. [01.21.26] Global market portfolio – Laurence expresses his thoughts on why he thinks the world's financial system is going to yield a good return over a long period.   Resources maximizemysocialsecurity.com/ maxifiplanner.com/ Social Security recipients struggle to pay back agency after unexpected overpayments youtube.com/watch?v=sIYsZw0PtlI   Social Security Horror Stories: Protect Yourself from the System -- and Avoid Clawbacks by Laurence Kotlikoff amazon.com/Social-Security-Horror-Stories-Clawbacks/dp/B0CMN3H4N7   Connect with Laurence Kotlikoff LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/laurencekotlikoff/ Twitter - twitter.com/Kotlikoff Website - kotlikoff.net/

Since 2023 is coming to an end, we've dedicated this week's episode of Grow Money Business to discussing five year-end financial moves you should consider making. Join us as we talk about gifting both to charity and beneficiaries, cash distributions from businesses, Roth conversions, and harvesting tax losses and gains. [05.00] Charity – Grant starts off the conversation by discussing charitable gifts. [06.37] Donor-advised fund – Grant explains the details of a donor-advised fund. [12.00] Handling cash – Grant shares the importance of collaborating with your tax professional at the end of the year. [17.00] Roth conversions – Grant explains why it might be a good idea to convert your assets into a Roth IRA account. [26.04] The wash sale rule – Grant review the details of the wash sale rule. [29.18] Tax gains – Grant shares some important year-end information on tax gains.   Resources How To Use the 0% Tax Rate on Capital Gains thebalancemoney.com/how-to-use-the-zero-percent-tax-rate-on-capital-gains-2388995   Donor-advised Funds irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/donor-advised-funds   fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/gift-and-estate-tax-changes

This week's guest on Grow Money Business is Alex Perny. Alex is a business development specialist at Advanta IRA, a leader in self-directed account administration. He is also the host of Advanta IRA's podcast, The Alternative Investment Advantage. For more than ten years, he has provided assistance to a large number of clients in their investment endeavors, specifically in the areas of precious metals, real estate syndications, private stock offerings, promissory notes, and various other alternative assets. Having extensive expertise in the domain of self-directed investing, he has delivered presentations to thousands of investors nationwide, elucidating the utilization of retirement plans for investment purposes beyond the realm of the stock market. Join us as we dive into Alex's career journey, Advanta IRA, alternative investments, prohibited transactions, and more. [06.01] Alex's story – Alex starts the conversation by walking us through his career journey and his role at Advanta IRA as a business development specialist. [12.10] Advanta IRA – Alex explains the history of an IRA & 401(k) and what Advanta IRA does. [18.12] Alternative investment – Alex discusses the process of starting an alternative investment in Advanta IRA. [29.45] Financing IRA properties – Alex shares some recommendations for financing IRA properties. [35.00] Prohibited transactions – Alex and Grant discuss things that you are not allowed to buy and the transactions that are prohibited when it comes to an IRA. [46.08] Penalties – Alex shares the penalties for violating prohibited transaction rules.   Resources How a Self-Directed 401(k) or IRA Works investopedia.com/retirement/doing-it-yourself-selfdirected-401k-and-ira/   THE POWER OF A SELF-DIRECTED IRA advantaira.com/   Connect with Alex LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/alex-perny-cisp-628b8a104/

Are you concerned about getting your non-public information compromised? If you are, we dedicated this week's episode of the Grow Money Business podcast to discussing all about the misplaced personal information that you don't want the public to know. Join us as we dive into how people can take advantage of your personal information, both yours and banks' responsibilities to mitigate events like this from happening, the credit reporting agencies, how a credit freeze can be of help in a situation like this, how to improve your credit, and more.  [05.31] Misplacing personal information – Starting the conversation, Grant explains what other people can do with your missing personal information to their advantage. [10.31] Responsibility – We talk about what the banks do to stop these kinds of frauds from happening and what you can do to help them. [12.24] Reporting agencies - TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian are the three credit reporting agencies in the USA. [18.00] Credit freeze – Grant explains how credit freeze works along with its advantages. [24.26] Equifax – We talk about the Equifax data breach in 2017, which exposed the personal information of more than 140 million US citizens.  [32.27] Improve credit – Steps you need to take to improve your credit.   Resources Credit Freeze experian.com/freeze/center.html equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/ transunion.com/credit-freeze   Identity thieves crack major Experian security flaw, access customer credit reports techradar.com/news/identity-thieves-crack-major-experian-security-flaw-access-customer-credit-reports   annualcreditreport.com/index.action   What Is a Credit Score? Definition, Factors, and Ways to Raise It investopedia.com/terms/c/credit_score.asp

Chris Younger is the CEO and co-founder of Class VI Partners, an investment bank in Denver, Colorado, specializing in assisting business owners in reaching their full potential during what is arguably the most difficult period of their lives. Chris is a graduate of Miami University and Harvard Law School and has also studied at the London School of Economics. He is the author of the book ‘Harvest: The Definitive Guide to Selling Your Company'. He joined us today to talk about the things you have to look out for when you are planning on stepping out of your business, what the first steps are, growing value, mistakes you make, the impact of inflation and interest rates, and more. [05.00] Chris's story – Starting the conversation, Chris shares his career journey with us and why he thinks he's got the best job in the world. [12.14] General wisdom – General wisdom for business owners about getting out of their business. [19.20] Less dependent – The importance of your business being less dependent on you as a business owner. [25.26] Landscape – Chris explains what you have to look out for if you are going to hire a business broker. [34.21] Private equity – Chris talks about how the current higher rate of inflation and interest impact private equity behavior. [39.16] Timing – The three incentives for timing in selling a business are personal timing, business timing, and market timing. [43.23] Stories – The importance of in-depth planning for getting out of your business.   Resources NAVIGATE FROM SCALABLE TO SALEABLE classvipartners.com/   Harvest: The Definitive Guide to Selling Your Company amazon.com/Harvest-Definitive-Guide-Selling-Company/dp/1432712306 ITR Economics itreconomics.com/

Do you struggle with interpreting financial disclosures and statements? Then this week's episode of the Grow Money Business podcast is going to address your concerns. We dedicated this episode to discussing a specific mailbag question, which is a guide to understanding financial disclosures and statements. Throughout the conversation, we dive into the framework for financial disclosures, the purpose of annual reports, how to interpret those as an employee, investor, owner, potential buyer, and more.  [06.05] Money and capital – Starting the conversation, Grant explains how the process of growing a company works and the role of a 10K report. [11.12] 10-K & 10-Q – Grant walks us through what is contained in the 10-K and 10-Q reports. [16.27] Stories - We talk about the gamesmanship to influence the stock price that aligns with the personal interests of a company. [22.54] Vista Outdoor Inc. – We dive into the details of Vista Outdoor Reports Second Quarter FY24 Financial Results. [30.37] Valuing a business – Grant explains what to look out for in an income statement if you are interested in valuing a business. [33.37] Balance sheet – The many roles of a healthy balance sheet.   Resources Vista Outdoor Reports Second Quarter FY24 Financial Results thefishingwire.com/vista-outdoor-reports-second-quarter-fy24-financial-results/?mc_cid=98e55f781d   THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO READING & UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-read-financial-statements   Beginners' Guide to Financial Statement sec.gov/reportspubs/investor-publications/investorpubsbegfinstmtguide

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is federal legislation in the United States that seeks to enhance transparency related to business ownership. The legislation was passed in January 2021 and gave rise to a new reporting obligation called the beneficial ownership information report, which is expected to be delivered in 2024. On this week's episode of Grow Money Business, Kenny Dettman returns to the show to talk about a wide range of details about the new legislation. Join us as we dive into what CTA is, who is eligible, who is exempt from it, reporting requirements, the penalties for not having the report, and more.  [04.45] CTA – Kenny starts the conversation by defining the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). [10.31] The reason – Kenny explains the reason behind the CPA legislation and how it's going to affect some types of businesses. [20.47] The impact – Kenny shares FinCEN's estimates of businesses that will be affected by the new legislation. [28.22] Deadline – Grant and Kenny discuss deadlines for filling out the BOI report. [40.15] Creating awareness – Kenny shares some ways people can learn about new and changed legislation. [48.00] Who should talk to you – Kenny explains who employers that run businesses under a revenue of $5 million should talk to about the new legislation.   Resources Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting fincen.gov/boi Corporate Transparency Act: What Companies Need to Know corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/02/18/corporate-transparency-act-what-companies-need-to-know/     Connect with The FileForms Team PHONE: +1 (888) 515-FILE (3453) EMAIL: charles@fileforms.com WEB: https://fileforms.com/