Off The Wall

AI is evolving fast, but what does it mean for how we think, work, invest, and lead? In this episode of Off the Wall, David B. Armstrong, CFA, and Nate W. Tonsager, CIPM, sit down with AI & Exec Advisor and Fractional CMO Liza Adams to unpack AI's real impact and how the most successful leaders are using it. From creating your own GPT to navigating the fear of job loss, they explore how AI is transforming everything from creative thinking to strategic decision-making. Bonus: Liza shares her GRACE framework for writing better prompts and explains why embracing AI as a thought partner—not just a tool—could be the key to staying relevant in a rapidly shifting landscape.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 0:00 Introduction & Important Disclosure 4:51 AI Truths 9:05 Digital Twins and AI as Teammates 14:02 Liza's GRACE Framework 16:31 Evolution of Jobs 26:40 Empathy in AI Adoption 39:20 Making AI Work for Business 44:17 Closing Remarks and Resources   About Liza Adams: Liza Adams is an AI and executive advisor, fractional CMO, and founding partner at GrowthPath Partners. With over 20 years of experience leading businesses and go-to-market teams through industry inflection points, she helps organizations accelerate responsible AI adoption through strategic marketing transformation and applied AI initiatives. Her work has driven measurable impact—achieving 35% better campaign performance, 98% lead qualification accuracy, and 75% faster content creation in just six months.  Recognized as a top AI thought leader by SaaStr and Pavilion, she's also been named one of the “50 CMOs to Watch.” Her insights have been featured in Forbes, MarketingProfs, and more. In this conversation, she shares what it takes to scale teams with both human and AI talent, and why responsible innovation is the key to long-term growth.   Connect with Liza on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizaadams/ Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to our Private Wealth Newsletter:    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.

Are tariffs the problem or just a symptom? Recent tariff announcements are stirring up uncertainty. What does that mean for inflation, economic growth, and investor sentiment? In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts Jessica Gibbs, CFP®, and David B. Armstrong, CFA, are joined by Monument Wealth Management's Portfolio Management team Erin M. Hay, CFA, CMT®, and Nate W. Tonsager, CIPM® to address the biggest market headlines in the first quarter of 2025. Dave breaks down where we've seen the biggest market swings, Erin digs into how sector rotation and technical indicators are shaping his outlook, and Nate explains that market volatility works both ways and isn't just to the downside. The conversation then delves deeper into the realities of market volatility, exploring why corrections and sharp sell-offs are less about impending doom and more about natural market cycles. Hear their candid discussion on the challenges of timing the market, the importance of maintaining a cash buffer, and why a long-term strategy remains your best defense amid short-term noise. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 0:00 Introduction & Important Disclosure 1:30 What Happened in the Q1 Market 2:40 Important Headlines from Q1 10:17 Tariffs and What They Mean for Investors 15:30 What Investors May Be Missing  25:30 Getting Lost in the Headlines 28:30 How to Deal with Volatility in the Market 37:30 Concluding Thoughts Connect with Monument Wealth Management:    Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to our Private Wealth Newsletter: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered   About “Off the Wall”:    OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.  

Private Equity seems to be having a moment. After a few decades of being reserved for the most qualified investors, the gates have been opened to the masses. Today, we're looking at just why this shift is happening, what it means for you, and what you should consider before investing in Private Equity including returns, fees, and flexibility compared to the stock market. In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David B. Armstrong, CFA®, and Erin M. Hay, CFA®, CMT®, are joined by George Coyle, Chief Investment Officer of Triangulated Capital Management to answer the most pressing questions around Private Equity investing today. “We had arguably 15 to 20 years of very low interest rates. How much low-hanging fruit or fruit at all on the tree of private equity is left? It seems to me that anything that could be made efficient probably would have been at this point. You just gotta wonder…what's left to make more efficient?” Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 0:00 Introduction & Important Disclosure 1:13 Guest and Topic Introduction: George Coyle and Private Equity 4:15 Why Private Equity Is Going After the Public Masses 8:02 Should Private Equity Be Included in a Portfolio? 15:13 The Diversification 'Benefits' of Private Equity 25:58 Private Credit and Private Equity 28:49 Public vs. Private Markets 32:09 Fiduciaries Vs. Broker-Dealers 42:58 Alternatives to Private Equity 48:46 Concluding Thoughts   About George Coyle: George is the founder of Triangulated Capital Management, an investment advisor that utilizes tactical investment strategies to produce better risk adjusted returns for investors. George is also the founder of Triangulated Research, a publisher that focuses on thematic secular investment trends.   Resources Mentioned: Principles of Great Traders: https://triinv.com/traderprinciples  Leveraged Small Value Equities (Study): https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2639647   Connect with George Coyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-coyle-232b7421/ Connect with George Coyle on Twitter/X; https://twitter.com/gfc4/status/1894490001037050247 Market Meditations on Substack: https://triinv.substack.com/ The Stock Market Strategist on Substack: https://mktstrat.substack.com/  Learn more about Triangulated Capital Management: https://tricapm.com/   Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered   About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.  

The most common question advisors get is, “What should I do with my money?” The most common answer? “It depends.” Today, we explore the “why” behind that question and dive deeper into how it connects to your evolving life goals. In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts Jessica Gibbs, CFP®, and David B. Armstrong, CFA®, are joined by Marla Sofer, founder of the fintech startup, Knomee. We discuss the journey to self-actualization, how understanding your purpose influences financial decisions, and why clarity on your goals makes money management easier. But how do you define your purpose and communicate it effectively to your advisor? Tune in to find out! “You might be an expert, but it doesn't mean you're making the right decisions for yourself.” Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 0:00 Introduction & Important Disclosure 1:33 Knomee and Aligning Wealth With Personal Values 12:00 Self-Actualization or Vocational Independence? 16:25 Financial Goals and Retaining an Advisor 24:00 Work as a Purposeful Choice Within Purposeful Wealth 27:40 Should you “DIY” Your Investing and Wealth Planning? 31:43 What to Look For in an Advisor 33:30 Matchmaking, Relationships, and Your Financial Advisor 37:39 The Knomee Journey 43:05 LinkedIn Influencing 46:26 Concluding Thoughts About Marla Sofer: Marla Sofer, Founder and CEO of Knomee, is reshaping the way individuals—and their financial advisors—approach wealth and financial confidence. With leadership experience at BlackRock, Microsoft, and JP Morgan, she saw firsthand how the financial industry prioritizes products over solutions. Frustrated by the lack of meaningful personalization, she built Knomee to change that. Knomee introduces the concept of Financial Identity™, helping individuals uncover their values, clarify their financial priorities, and align their money with what truly matters. It's a tool for self-discovery, financial empowerment, and stronger connections—whether with existing advisors or finding the right one. For wealth advisors, Knomee serves as a breakthrough discovery platform—helping them engage clients on a deeper level, strengthen relationships, and ensure their advice aligns with evolving life goals. Marla is a recognized thought leader with 13,000+ LinkedIn followers, recently named an executive woman to know by Wednesday Women. Whether you're an individual seeking clarity or an advisor looking to differentiate, Marla's insights and Knomee's approach are transforming the future of financial advice.   Connect with Marla on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlasofer/ Learn more about Knomee: https://www.knomee.com/ and https://www.knomee.com/advisor Connect with Knomee on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KnomeeApp Connect with Knomee on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knomeeapp/ Connect with Knomee Knomee on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KnomeeApp/ Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered   About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.   Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.  

Happy 2025! We're reviewing what happened in the markets and economy in Q4 2024 (and 2024 as a whole), noting what caught our attention and why.  In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts Jessica Gibbs, CFP® and David B. Armstrong, CFA® are joined by Monument Wealth Management's Portfolio Management team, Erin M. Hay, CFA®, CMT® and Nate W. Tonsager, CIPM®. Dave breaks down S&P sector performance, Erin delves into Small Caps, and Nate shares his take on the death of active management. Then tune in to hear how Dave, Erin and Nate fared on their 2024 predictions, and what they predict will happen in 2025, including whether potential tariffs will make any real difference, Cap Weight verses Equal Weight performance of the S&P 500, and if we'll see a recession.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 0:00 Welcome and Podcast Refresh 03:15 Recap of 2024 Market Performance 14:11 Key 2024 Trends including persistent high yields despite rate cuts, record outflows from active investing, and the rise of passive investing 24:37 2024 Predictions Revisited: What we got right and wrong, plus Dave, Erin, & Nate make market predications for 2025 46:10 Our thoughts on investing: What you should know going into 2025   Resources Mentioned: Bloomberg Article: Stock Market 2025 Predictions: Wall Street Braces for Trump, AI, and China    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Follow our Asset Management team on LinkedIn:  Erin Hay   / erinhay    Nate Tonsager   / nate-tonsager-5a019b105    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered   About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.

As the giving season draws near, you may be wondering how to take advantage of charitable giving deductions on your tax return, make a greater impact with your donations, or weave philanthropy into your family's legacy.   In this Off the Wall discussion, Monument's Emily Harper will be hosting and interviewing our regular host, Jessica Gibbs, about all things charitable giving.   Are you wondering how to take advantage of charitable giving deductions on your tax return, make a greater impact with your donations, or weave philanthropy into your family's legacy?    In this Off the Wall discussion, we're changing things up. Monument's Emily Harper, CFP® jumps into the hosting seat to interview Jessica L. Gibbs, CFP about all things charitable giving.    Jessica is Monument's go-to thought leader when it comes to learning about philanthropy, both from the donor's perspective and from the charitable organization's perspective. In this episode, she shares her wisdom, including ways to strategize and maximize your charitable giving this year and beyond.    Jessica breaks down two types of charitable giving vehicles—donor-advised funds and charitable trusts—including when to consider each of them, and the benefits and drawbacks of each strategy.    Whether you're ready to move beyond checkbook giving, hone-in on your philanthropic goals, or figure out a way to keep giving after retirement, this is an interview you don't want to miss. And if you have a philanthropist in your life, you'd like to share the wealth with, consider sending them this episode.  Happy giving!    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [00:52] Introducing the topic of today's episode. [02:28] Reasons why you should establish a dedicated vehicle for charitable giving. [05:33] How donor-advised funds work & Benefits of using a DAF. [11:45] Ways to use donor-advised funds in your legacy strategy. [15:06] Downsides of donor-advised funds. [18:35] What is a charitable trust? What is the difference between charitable trust and donor-advised fund? [20:53] Benefits and disadvantages of using a charitable remainder trust (CRT). [25:57] Benefits and disadvantages of using a charitable lead trust (CLT). [28:22] Summary: When to consider a donor-advised fund, charitable remainder trust, and charitable lead trust. [29:38] Major Takeaways: Name a successor, identify your motivation, and consider different ways to support your favorite organization(s). [32:00] Resources + Tips for choosing charities to donate to & making a larger impact.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.     Resources Mentioned: Charity Navigator: https://www.charitynavigator.org Listen to Becoming a Philanthropist & Non-Profit Board Member with Meera Pillai: https://bit.ly/4eRo0i8 Article- Donor Advised Fund vs. Charitable Trust: Maximizing Your Philanthropic Impact https://bit.ly/4illTGC Article – 3 Charitable Giving Strategies That Deserve a Second Look: https://bit.ly/3G5V873 Connect with Emily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyharpercfp Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicagibbscfp Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered Ch Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered   About “Off the Wall”: OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.   Learn more about our hosts, Emily and Jessica, on our website: Emily Harper, CFP: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/staff/emily-m-harper-cfp Jessica Gibbs, CFP: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/staff/jessica-l-gibbs-cfp

Aging parents present unique challenges, especially for the sandwich generation, who juggle caring for their parents while raising their own children.    In this episode of Off the Wall, Dean Catino, CFP®, CPWA, and Jessica Gibbs, CFP® speak with Catherine F. Schott Murray, a Shareholder and expert in Estate Planning, Tax, Estate and Trust Administration, and Elder Law at Odin, Feldman, & Pittleman. They discuss the critical importance of starting conversations about estate planning, navigating legal considerations for parents with diminished capacity, and the role of trusts in asset protection. The episode also covers healthcare directives and the necessity of a clear plan for end-of-life decisions.    Listeners will learn about protecting loved ones from financial exploitation and the legal complexities that effective estate planning can address. Cathleen Phelps, and Cecelia Gilliam from our Client Experience team join the later-half of the conversation to share stories and discuss the need for proactive planning, open communication among family members, and building support systems during this challenging time.    Having a team in place to help you navigate the overwhelm of trust and estate planning is more powerful than you think. Listen in to learn the benefits of working with a wealth advisor, attorney, and accountant to reduce anxiety and guide you through the process of caring for aging parents.    “Once you begin you are closer to the end than had you not begun at all… There's a hurdle that people have to overcome to start these conversations, but once you start the conversation, it tends to be amazing how much people will be open about it.” – Catherine F. Schott Murray    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  Part 1:  [01:01] Introducing Catherine & the topic of today's episode.  [03:16] How do I start the conversation with my parents about estate planning, assets, end of life wishes, and long-term care?  [09:33] Safeguards to put in place before your aging parents' decision-making ability becomes impaired.  [11:19] Are there tax implications for being a co-trustee with my parent(s) on their trust?  [12:14] How to protect your parents' house as an asset.  [15:19] Avoiding probate & Reasons not to create a trust for your parents.  [19:13] Living Wills & Advanced Medical Directives: What families should know about assigning healthcare proxies or powers of attorney.  [25:15] How long does it take to go through the estate planning process?  [27:29] How to protect your parents from elder fraud.    Part 2:  [33:15] Meet our Client Experience Team: Cathleen Phelps & Cecelia Gilliam.  [33:39] Estate planning steps you don't want to miss.  [38:01] What to do after your parent passes away.  [42:24] Advice for people in the sandwich generation.  [45:15] Collaborating with Siblings in Caregiving    [35:16] Resources + How to connect with Catherine.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Listen to our episode about Caring for Aging Parents: https://bit.ly/agingparentsepisode  Guide to Caring for Aging Parents: https://bit.ly/4hudfVK  Estate Planning | How to Evolve Your Plan When the Rules Keep Changing: https://bit.ly/3KD1dut  National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311)  Catherine's blog: http://www.beginthebegin.com/about-us/  [NPR] How to prepare for the death of a parent - A checklist: https://www.npr.org/2023/09/25/1199885811/how-to-talk-to-your-parents-about-their-money   Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About Catherine F. Schott Murray:  Begin the Begin - Once you begin you are closer to the end than had you not begun at all. With that statement, Catherine F. Schott Murray appreciates that every client's situation is unique and requires solutions that are adapted to their particular needs, goals, and objectives once the planning process has begun. She takes the time to carefully listen to her clients and discuss decisions that are not always straightforward, ultimately reaching an appropriate resolution that is pertinent to each client. Catherine is professional, yet compassionate, while carefully explaining complex matters during potentially trying times.    Catherine's practice focuses on trust and estate planning as well as business planning. She advises clients with respect to the creation and implementation of simple and complex estate plans, including incapacity planning; elder law; guardianships and conservatorships; special needs trusts; health care decision making; estate and trust administration; probate administration; wealth preservation; asset protection; entity formation and maintenance, gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; charitable planning; irrevocable trusts; donor advised funds; private foundations; family limited partnerships; and limited liability companies.    Prior to joining the firm, Catherine assisted individuals with estate planning and Medicaid planning as well as represented lenders and closely held companies in commercial and financial transactions, commercial lease negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, commercial litigation, and collections. Catherine has been an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and served on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Chapter (VAELA) of NAELA for more than a decade, including time spent as the organization's President.     Catherine gives back to the community through her involvement with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) in which she has served on the Board of Directors, including as the Board Chair. Outside of the office, Catherine volunteers her time with her children's school and enjoys road trips with her family.    Connect with Catherine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-f-schott-murray  Visit her website: https://www.ofplaw.com/attorney/schott-murray-catherine-f    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dean and Jessica, and featured team members on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

We're reviewing the Q3 2024 market and year-to-date trends, reflecting on our surprises, and highlighting our key insights drawn from the data. In this episode of Off the Wall, host Jessica Gibbs, CFP® is joined by Monument Wealth Management's Portfolio Management team, Erin Hay, CFA, CMT and Nate Tonsager, CIPM.    Tune in to hear our discussion on the strong yet volatile performance of global equities, the impact of the Fed's 0.50% rate cut, and observations of China's capital markets. The team also explores market participation, seasonality, and labor market dynamics.    “A lot of what we can do is be a more efficient economy through the benefits of AI, through technology. And really, AI isn't going to replace, I think, a significant amount of jobs. It's just going to make those jobs more productive.” - Nate Tonsager    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:    [01:27] Q3 Market Recap and YTD   [07:29] Market Participation and Seasonality Insights   [13:19] Takeaways and possible impacts of Fed Rate Cuts  [30:43] China's capital markets  [37:59] Find out what Erin is most pessimistic and optimistic about  [42:36] Find out what Nate is most pessimistic and optimistic about    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Nate on the Fed Rate Cuts: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nate-tonsager_does-it-really-matter-how-much-the-fed-cuts-activity-7242139084876361728-Ro3U?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop   Erin's LinkedIn post before the Fed Meeting: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7241869234748715008-_-9M?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop   Erin's LinkedIn post on the ILA Strike: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7247283097958780930-kCpN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop   Excerpt from John Konrad: https://x.com/johnkonrad/status/1840904466310316459   Listen to recent episodes of Off the Wall: https://apple.co/46uttsg  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    Follow our Asset Management team on LinkedIn:  Erin Hay https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhay  Nate Tonsager https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-tonsager-5a019b105    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

How will the 2024 election affect the economy, the markets, the deficits, and your wallet? Our favorite economist is back on the podcast for a third time with his straightforward opinions!    Bob Stein is the Deputy Chief Economist at First Trust Advisors, where he's responsible for commenting on and forecasting the U.S. economy.    In this Off the Wall discussion, Bob shares his thoughts and predictions for the 2024 electoral races for the House, Senate and White House, and their impacts on the American people.    Bob breaks down the scenarios and possible outcomes for the election, including what would happen in a parallel universe (thanks for the fun prompt, Dave). So, buckle up and get ready for some ponder-worthy possibilities!    “As of today, the one thing I can tell you for sure is that my odds will change between now and Election Day, maybe multiple times, maybe by dinner tonight. But as of right now, I think Donald Trump has about a 60% chance of winning. Harris only 40.” – Bob Stein    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:00] Introducing Bob Stein & the topic of today's episode.  [02:28] What is the likely outcome of the House election and how will it impact the US economy?  [04:06] Will Hakeem Jeffries become speaker of the House and a presidential candidate for 2028?  [06:48] What is the likely outcome of the Senate election? What are the odds the Democrats take the Senate?  [10:25] If Republicans take the Senate, what impact will it have on the economy, markets, deficit, and people's wallets?  [11:31] Bob's predictions on the 2024 Presidential Election results.  [15:06] If Trump or Harris won, how would it affect the economy, markets, deficits, and people's wallets?  [18:33] If Harris won the election, would tax cuts get extended?  [20:48] Potential outcomes of a red sweep, blue sweep, or divided government.  [23:48] What are the realistic policies being supported by Trump and Harris?  [29:06] Are there any policy ideas that the presidential candidates are putting forward that you think, if it's enacted, would be potentially harmful to the economy or the average American?  [30:07] Potential changes to the Supreme Court after the election.  [33:46] Low probability surprises we could see happen in the 2024 Presidential Election.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  First Trust: https://www.ftportfolios.com  Listen to our first episode with Bob (Predictions for the Economic & Political Landscape 2022): https://bit.ly/3fU48CH  Listen to our last episode with Bob (2024 Presidential Election Predictions): https://bit.ly/bobstein2  Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About Bob Stein:  Bob is Deputy Chief Economist at First Trust Advisors, L.P., where he is responsible for forecasting the U.S. economy and writing economic commentaries. With Bob's projections, First Trust has won numerous awards for its economic forecasts, including being ranked #1 in the world by Consensus Economics for accurately predicting GDP growth and Consumer Price Inflation in the United States in 2022. In addition, First Trust is consistently ranked in the top five by Bloomberg for forecasting economic indicators. Bob has also won several Crystal Ball Awards from Zillow for forecasting home prices. Prior to joining First Trust in 2006, Bob was Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department. While there, Bob was responsible for briefing the Secretary of the Treasury on U.S. macroeconomic developments, formulating policy proposals, and helping generate the official economic forecast used by the President for budget proposals. Day to day, he led a team of twenty economists conducting in-depth economic analysis and research.    Between 1996 and 2002, Bob was an economist on Capitol Hill, including the last two years (2001-02) as chief economist for the Senate Budget Committee. While on Capitol Hill, Bob also worked for the Senate Banking Committee and Joint Economic Committee. Prior to his tenure on Capitol Hill, Bob was an economic journalist for Investor's Business Daily. Bob received a BA in both Economics and Government from Georgetown University. He has been a CFA charter holder since 2003.    Connect with Bob Stein on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-stein-4234ba18  Follow him on X: https://x.com/BobStein_FT    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

Did you know that nearly half of employees and managers report experiencing burnout in 2023? As our lives get busier and competition in the workplace grows, it's an unfortunate reality… So, how can high achievers prevent burnout while still working towards their goals?    Here to talk about it is Rachel Boehm, a Behavior Change and Performance Coach and Psychologist who's transforming the way we work.     In this Off the Wall discussion, you'll learn science-based ways to sustain peak performance and be a burnout-proof leader. Rachel shares the sneaky early symptoms of burnout to be aware of and steps you can take to prevent burnout when you're feeling overwhelmed.    She also highlights the organization's role in employee burnout and offers ideas for how companies prevent burnout in their staff.    “Burnout is a shared responsibility between the organization and the individual.”  – Rachel Boehm    Even just by reframing your perspective of productivity and self-care, you can prevent burnout and still achieve your biggest goals! As Rachel explains using an analogy to working out: there's no such thing as over-training, there's only under-recovery.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:00] Introducing Rachel Boehm & the topic of today's episode.  [01:17] Early signs of burnout you should be aware of.  [04:26] External signs of burnout to look for in your team.  [06:55] Steps you can take to prevent burnout & The role organizations play in employee burnout.  [12:46] Tips for avoiding distractions while you work.  [17:50] How to stop feeling guilty for spending time on yourself.  [24:05] How self-care and self-compassion help to fight burnout.  [30:07] What does a burnout coach do? What are the benefits of having a burnout coach?  [35:16] Resources + How to connect with Rachel.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Rachel's blog - Tips to Thrive: https://rachelboehm.com/tipstothrive  How Noise is Hurting Your Health: https://rachelboehm.com/tipstothrive/drowning-in-decibels-how-noise-is-hurting-your-health   Subscribe to our Private Wealth Newsletter, Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered  National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): https://nawbo.org    About Rachel Boehm:  Rachel Boehm is a behavior change and performance coach and psychologist transforming the way we work. Her coaching and consulting programs, and keynotes are building burnout-proof leaders, burnout-free organizations, and sustainable peak performers by creating conditions to thrive℠.    Visit Rachel's website: https://rachelboehm.com  Connect with Rachel Boehm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelboehm    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

It's time for another quarterly market update from the Monument Wealth Management team!  In this episode of Off the Wall, our lovely co-host Jessica Gibbs has returned from maternity leave. Please help us give her a warm welcome back!  For this mid-year review, Jessica and co-host David B. Armstrong are joined by Erin Hay and Nate Tonsager from Monument's Portfolio Management team.   You'll hear what sectors are performing well in 2024, which stocks are driving the market (and how that compares to previous years), and why you should be checking company earnings and share prices when buying and selling stocks.  Plus… Will the 2024 presidential election increase volatility in the stock market? Should you change your investment strategy around the election? Tune in to find out!   “Just remember that earnings drive share prices and when prices get ahead of earnings, the probability of disappointment increases with each new earnings report.” – David Armstrong  Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:00] Welcome back Jessica! & The topic of today's episode.  [00:54] Market recap of Q2 and 2024 overall.  [10:40] An important note about large cap and mega cap stocks in the S&P 500.  [17:45] Notable market stats and insights from Q1 and Q2.  [22:51] Stock Market Volatility: It's role in investing & how to navigate it in 2024.  [24:32] 2024 Market Breadth: Our breakdown and bottom line.  [31:05] The impact of presidential elections on the stock market & Tips for investing during an election year.  [38:08] What are we most optimistic and pessimistic about?  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Listen to recent episodes of Off the Wall: https://apple.co/46uttsg  J.P. Morgan's Guide to the Markets: http://bit.ly/417YgYm  July 2024 BLS Employment Report: https://bit.ly/3VXjY0p  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    Follow our Asset Management team on LinkedIn:  Erin Hay https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhay  Nate Tonsager https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-tonsager-5a019b105    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

Planning for retirement comes with many considerations and challenges, especially for those with a high net worth.    In this episode of Off the Wall, Monument Private Wealth Advisors, Emily Harper, CFP® and Heaven Goodwin, CFP® chat with Michael Conrath, the Chief Retirement Strategist and Head of the Retirement Insights Strategy Team for J.P. Morgan Asset Management.    The trio shares the most common challenges high-net-worth individuals face as they plan for retirement, how to plan for them, and what to consider throughout the retirement planning process.    They discuss the emotional aspects of retirement and how to plan to ensure well-being, the challenges that longevity brings to the equation, and the varied ways taxes may affect your desired retirement. They also dive into the key considerations around Roth conversions, social security, Medicare, long-term care, and more.    Retirement planning is often a detailed and complex process for high-net-worth individuals, but with the insights from these three experts, you'll be better equipped to plan the retirement of your dreams!    “There's this big disconnect because we spend decades planning and working to reach that retirement point, but we sometimes spend very little time planning for how we're actually going to spend the rest of our time, the next chapter, which could be easily 35+ years in retirement… It's important to know what you're retiring to rather than just what you're retiring from.”  – Michael Conrath    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:23] Introducing Michael Conrath & the topic of today's episode.  [01:45] What is The Retirement Equation?  [05:17] 1st retirement challenge for high earners: Not preparing emotionally for the reality of retirement.  [09:55] The Retirement PUSH: Purpose, Use, Socialization, Health  [14:20] 2nd retirement challenge for high earners: The ever-changing tax landscape.  [18:11] Roth Conversions: Is there a sweet spot between current marginal rates and post-2025 marginal rates?  [20:22] How taxable income amounts impact aspects of retirement, like social security benefits and cost of Medicare.  [24:44] What is a “backdoor Roth”, and should I make one?  [29:45] 3rd retirement challenge: With longevity, comes the need for assistance.  [35:44] What to consider when self-insuring/self-funding long-term care in retirement.  [41:31] What Mike is optimistic and excited about in planning for retirement.  [43:15] Mike's #1 recommended resource for gaining inspiration for your retirement.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Subscribe to our Private Wealth Newsletter, Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered  Check out J.P. Morgan's 2024 Guide to Retirement: https://bit.ly/4dMU0F8  Visit www.jpmorganfunds.com/mi for more information on the Retirement Insights program.  Watch “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones”: https://www.netflix.com/title/81214929    About Michael Conrath:  Michael Conrath, CFP, CPRC, is the Chief Retirement Strategist and Head of the Retirement Insights Strategy Team for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. In this role, Michael is responsible for researching and delivering timely retirement-related insights to clients and financial professionals. Michael has over 25 years of investment and wealth management experience and focuses on identifying themes to improve retirement savings and deliver better retirement income outcomes for individuals across the wealth spectrum.    Connect with Michael Conrath on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-conrath-a7205410    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Connect on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  Subscribe to Monument #Unfiltered: https://bit.ly/monumentunfiltered    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our guest co-hosts, Emily and Heaven, on our website at https://bit.ly/4dC98Vw. 

Think you have great instincts? Think again.     Judgments and decision-making are common threads that run through not only your investing, wealth management, and business decisions, but also your quality of life. What impacts these decisions and judgments? Your instincts… (and your counter instincts). Today's episode is all about how your instincts might be hurting your real-time decisions, your team, your wealth, and even your quality of life—and what you can do about it.     In this Off the Wall chat, host David Armstrong and guest co-host Dean Catino speak with Krishna Pendyala, Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer at The Choice Ladder Institute, as well as Co-Founder and President of The Mindful Nation Foundation. Krishna is an award-winning speaker, author, entrepreneur, and advisor who helps executives and entrepreneurs exercise better judgment and make wiser choices in business and leadership.    Listen in as Krishna breaks down examples of how our instincts and counter-instincts affect our decisions. He also highlights the easiest way to pause before making decisions and why it's so critical for executives, leaders, and business owners to pause before every decision. He also shares some great tips for managing impulsive decisions and reactions to fear-based narratives around wealth and finance.    “If you do want to behave differently and not be impulsive, not make hasty decisions, which really end up creating new problems that you end up cleaning up, or in your industry, losing money… that's where I think counter instincts come in.” – Krishna Pendyala    Tune in to find out how your instincts are impacting your judgment and financial decisions.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:00] Intro  [00:27] Learn about Krishna Pendyala & the topic of today's episode.  [03:23] How our instincts work and how they impact our decisions.  [06:48] Examples of instincts and counter instincts.  [12:22] Fear and greed are driving the markets.  [16:32] The Power of Pause & The meaning of “Beyond the PIG and the APE”.  [20:35] How do we help clients see how their finances are impacted by their instincts?  [27:10] How to manage impulsive financial decisions.  [36:02] The Power of Loss Aversion: Navigating the emotional impact of loss.  [40:28] The 1 in 60 Rule.  [41:39] Judgment: A common thread in your investing, wealth management, and quality of life.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: https://amzn.to/3W7kUky  Give us your feedback! Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h  Subscribe to our newsletter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog    About Krishna Pendyala:  Krishna Pendyala is the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer at The Choice Ladder Institute. The Choice Ladder Institute helps entrepreneurs, executives, and financial advisors exercise better judgment and make wise choices to achieve a higher quality of life and not just a better standard of living. Good goal setting and leadership skills enable driven individuals to accomplish their goals. However, we often notice that these same people aren't as fulfilled as one would think. Too much emphasis seems to be placed on success and leadership development and too little if any on developing basic choice-making or judgment skills. Leadership skills alone aren't enough to move the needle. It takes both raising judgment and leadership skills to improve the quality of our life and of those around us.    Krishna is an award-winning speaker, Instinctive Behavior Evangelist, and the author of “Beyond the PIG and the APE”. He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, The New York Times, TEDx, Vistage, Inc. & Thrive Global.    Connect with Krishna Pendyala on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krishnapendyala     Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Dean on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

How is it that we are already heading into Q2 of 2024? In this episode, we deep dive into the first quarter of 2024 with special guest Jordan Jackson, Executive Director and Global Market Strategist with JP Morgan Asset Management's Global Market Insight Strategy team.  Tune in for our breakdown of the Q1 2024 market and our optimistic (and pessimistic) views as we head into Q2. We explore the best and worst performing sectors, unpack the Federal Reserve's recent actions and their impact on interest rates, and delve into the ongoing S&P 500 bull market with a focus on future growth potential.   Additionally, the episode tackles the record concentration within the top holdings of the S&P 500, analysing potential future trends as well as considerations for investing in small cap stocks, particularly in a rising interest rate environment. Finally, the team goes round-robin to share their optimistic and pessimistic views on the markets going forward.  “75% of the time, going back to 1980, the equity market has been positive by calendar year. I think that's really important. Yes, volatility is a price we pay as investors, but as long-term investors investing in equities...that [staying invested] is how you grow your wealth.” Jordan Jackson    Episode Timeline  [00:00] Intro  [02:00] A Historical Look at The Fed's Interest Rate Moves During Election Years  [03:50] Erin's Take on Where we Are with the Current Bull Market and How long it Might Last  [05:26] Nate Talks about the Spike in Commodity Prices and its Impact on Volatility and Inflation  [06:50] Jordan Jackson's Bullish Take on the Equity Markets and Fed's Monetary Policy  [9:10] Do We Need Interest Rate Cuts to See Successful Equity Markets and Economic Growth?  [14:00] S&P 500 Market Concentration – How Durable is the Equity Market Considering the Top 10 Names Hold over 34% of the Value?  [20:00] Stats and Advice for People Investing in Small Cap Stocks  [25:00] Why Should Investors be Optimistic About Investing Now?  [30:00] Momentum Investing and Long-Term Gains  [32:00] Speed Round: A Round-Robin Take on the Markets – Both Optimistic and Pessimistic Views  [44:00] Jordan Jackson's Optimistic Wrap-Up and Kind Words About Monument

As a philanthropist, how can you do more than just “give back” to a charitable cause? How do you make a real impact with your time, skills, passion, and money? Should you become a board member for a non-profit? Let's dive into it.    In this Off the Wall chat, hosts David B. Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Meera Pillai, a retired IT professional turned philanthropist, to talk about the ways you can make an impact through philanthropy and board membership. Jessica also picks Dave's brain about his own philanthropic endeavors, as he has many of them!    Meera shares her thoughts on what it takes to serve as a member on a non-profit board, the benefits and challenges of board membership, and how to make the most of your philanthropic efforts.    Plus, they discuss other (lower commitment) ways to volunteer your time, skills, and money to make an impact in local non-profits and community foundations.    “All you need is passion. If you have passion and you have an interest in a mission area, that's all you need to serve on a non-profit board, in my opinion.” – Meera Pillai    So, which type of philanthropy is right for you? Tune in for ideas from an experienced philanthropist.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:53] Introducing Meera Pillai & the topic of today's episode.  [02:37] Dave's philanthropic background.  [03:11] Meera's & Dave's transitions from philanthropist to board member: Why, when, and how they made the leap.  [08:34] How to choose which charity to support.  [09:41] What are the expectations/roles of a non-profit board member?  [14:08] Signs you should not be a non-profit board member.  [16:58] Surprising benefits and challenges of serving on a board.  [22:01] Important things to understand about your non-profit's culture.  [28:22] Other ways to work with non-profits and get involved in local philanthropy.  [31:35] The key difference between restricted giving and unrestricted giving.  [38:53] What is a community foundation? + Why you should consider supporting one.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Giving USA 2023: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the year 2022: https://givingusa.org/  Give us your feedback! Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h  Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog    About Meera Pillai:  Meera is a retired IT professional turned philanthropist. After an 11-year career at Booz Allen Hamilton, she left industry to focus on raising her children and shift her life purpose towards philanthropy and impact. Now with grown children, she is fully focused on local philanthropy supporting the Northern Virginia area through Board membership and outreach.     She currently serves as Board Chair of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of DC whose mission is to ease the hardship of childhood illness on families. She has also served as Chair of their annual fundraising 5K event. During her tenure, she has raised on average $15k annually for the organization.     Meera also serves on the Board of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia, whose mission is to advance equity through support of local philanthropy and community leadership and outreach. She currently serves on the Nominating Committee and Gala Committee. Meera served as Emcee of the 2022 “Raise the Region” Gala, which raised nearly $650,000 for the organization. She recently helped launch the Scholarship Fund for Northern Virginia, dedicated to supporting local students pursue higher education at a Virginia public college.     Most recently, Meera joined the Board of Educate Fairfax, the charitable foundation supporting Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), whose mission is to engage the community to invest in educational excellence and prepare FCPS students for the future. Meera currently serves as the Lead of the Community Engagement Committee.     Meera was with Booz Allen Hamilton in Mclean, VA for 11 years, serving in roles of IT Project Manager and Business Analyst to develop web-based applications for internal company operations. For 2 years prior to that she worked at OneSoft Corporation in Mclean in the roles of IT Project Manager and Business Analyst to develop e-commerce websites for clients such as WeightWatchers.com.     Meera earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia and her MBA at George Mason University. She lives in Fairfax, VA with her husband, two sons, and one dog.    Connect with Meera Pillai on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meerapillai  Contact directly: meeravpillai@yahoo.com    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

With the rising prevalence of cyber-attacks on both individuals and small businesses, it's more important than ever to learn how to boost your cybersecurity and protect the wealth you've worked so hard to grow.    In this episode of Off the Wall, you'll meet Cathleen Phelps, a Client Experience Manager at Monument, and Bill Phelps, a Cybersecurity Expert and Strategist with over 26 years of experience. Tune in to learn easy ways to identify and prevent fraud, phishing, and identity theft, including AI-generated fraud, so you can protect your personal and business assets from cyber-attacks.    Over the years, Cathleen has successfully coached clients on how to protect themselves online as well as what to do if their personal information has been compromised. As an expert in the field, Bill has delivered cybersecurity consulting and incident response services to some of the most sophisticated clients in the world.     Together, Bill and Cat offer a treasure trove of knowledge about protecting yourself and your wealth against bad actors.    “The amount of money paid to cyber criminals and ransomware in 2023 passed a billion dollars for the first time… and that is disproportionately hitting small businesses, and for that matter, schools, hospitals, other organizations that have only more recently started to invest in appropriate cyber defense measures.” – Bill Phelps    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:51] Introducing today's topic & guests.  [02:40] Are hackers/scammers getting more intelligent with their tactics? + The most prevalent and emerging cyber threats people should look out for.  [05:54] Anyone is Vulnerable: How cyber scams and phishing emails are affecting teens, adults, and the elderly.  [09:00] AI and Identity Theft: How to protect yourself from AI fraud.  [12:26] How people's personal information gets compromised.  [13:54] Phishing red flags to look for in your emails.  [16:20] What to do if your personal information has been compromised or if your identity was stolen.  [19:17] How secure are online password managers? Should I be using one?  [22:32] Cybersecurity for small businesses.  [25:30] Easy ways to protect yourself and your business from cyber-attacks.  [32:46] When should I be using a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Report Identity Theft: https://www.identitytheft.gov  Article: 9 Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Fraud: bit.ly/3uuURYC  Have feedback on our podcast? Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h  Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog    About Cathleen Phelps:  Cathleen has two big drivers – a challenge and a love of learning. Cathleen has a degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia with concentrations in MIS and Marketing. She started her career as a process and change management consultant at Accenture. Now, she loves working at Monument because it's a small and smart group where she is still using technology to help a business run better. And as before, she feels the best part is working with clients to help them achieve the life they want and ensuring their Monument Client Experience is something they enjoy and want to share with others.    Connect with Cathleen: https://bit.ly/3ux6gaV    About Bill Phelps:  Bill Phelps currently serves on the Board at two cyber security companies, Deepwatch and Nisos. He is an Operating Partner and active investor with Blu Venture Investors and is a frequent advisor and mentor to other cyber and technology companies, their founders and investors.     Bill retired in 2023 from Booz Allen Hamilton where he was Executive Vice President and Senior Partner. Under his leadership, Booz Allen's Global Commercial business, became a recognized market leader, delivering cyber security consulting and incident response services to some of the most sophisticated clients in the world.     Prior to joining Booz Allen, Bill spent 26 years at Accenture, finishing his Accenture career as the Global Managing Director of Accenture Security. Bill also co-founded Virginia-based startup, SevenSpace, a pioneer in the nascent market for remotely delivered IT managed services. SevenSpace was acquired by Sun Microsystems in 2005.    Connect with Bill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billphelps    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

The annual episode we've all been waiting for… What happened in the US market in 2023? How can we expect the market to perform in 2024? Tune in to find out!    In this Off the Wall Market Update, hosts David Armstrong, CFA and Jessica Gibbs, CFP® are joined by Monument's portfolio management team Erin Hay, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CIPM®.    Listen in to hear their market recap for 2023 and outlook for 2024 – reviewing the US market's best and worst performing sectors of last year, the stock rally of Q4 2023, and how experts' 2023 market outlooks compared to actual market performance.    Then, the team shares their thoughts on what might be ahead for the markets and the economy in 2024, including inflation, Fed rate cuts, affordability of housing, equity markets, the presidential election, and more.    Plus, the essential things you need to be a great investor in 2024 and beyond. Finally, you'll get to hear who won the great Jimmy John's sandwich bet of 2023.    “Investors shouldn't be adjusting their portfolios based on what the market outlook says. You should only focus on your needs for long-term growth and short-term liquidity.” – David B. Armstrong, CFA®    Stay tuned for more amazing content coming your way in 2024!    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [01:42] 2023 Market Summary – What happened in 2023?  [12:16] What experts' 2023 market outlooks said vs. how the market actually performed in 2023.  [21:46] Is the economy out of the woods?  [23:32] What we're most pessimistic about for the 2024 market and economy.  [29:26] What we're most optimistic about for the 2024 market and economy.  [36:50] Predictions on inflation in 2024: Will inflation go up or down or stay the same this year?  [40:08] Predictions on Interest rates in 2024: Will interest rates go up or down this year?  [42:05] Our most important advice to investors as we enter 2024.   [48:32] Were our 2023 predictions correct? + Our predictions for 2024.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Give us your feedback! Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h  Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog  Matt Levine on Bloomberg: https://bloom.bg/3TUGEii  Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefèvre: https://amzn.to/3vwG8gm    Follow our Asset Management team on LinkedIn:  Erin Hay https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhay  Nate Tonsager https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-tonsager    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on X: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

Adding onto our last episode for executives on navigating career growth and transitions, this time we're talking about peak performance and finding purpose in your executive role, wealth, and beyond.    Today on Off the Wall, hosts Jessica Gibbs and David Armstrong welcome Dr. Julie Gurner, a nationally recognized executive performance coach and psychologist who's helping executives achieve world-class performance in fast-paced, high-pressure, and highly competitive environments. Julie is here to share her insights and advice on making the most of your executive role and the wealth that comes with it.    Throughout our conversation, you'll learn how to overcome the overwhelm, fear, and stagnation you may feel as an executive, without losing your momentum. Julie offers tips on how to master the art of delegation, prioritization, and accountability as an executive leader. Then, she guides you through the process of figuring out your purpose (in work and in wealth), giving advice to those of you who have exited or will exit a business but may not know what to do with your newfound wealth.    This is an incredibly rich episode packed full of wisdom and advice that you can only get from a renowned executive coach, so tune in and get ready to take notes! Julie's insights are sure to lead you to the answers you've been looking for.    “Humans are notably bad at knowing their own blockers, and so, it really does help us to get outside of ourselves to begin to develop that potential a little bit more.”   – Dr. Julie Gurner    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:19] Introducing Dr. Julie Gurner & the topic of today's episode.  [01:49] How to know if you're a peak performer or a typical performer.  [04:01] Why peak performers can't push themselves to the next level.  [06:46] Why do I still feel overwhelmed and scared of risk after years of executive experience?  [09:46] How to push through overwhelm without losing your momentum.  [12:03] Mastering delegation and prioritization in an executive role.  [18:05] How to identify and order your priorities in life and work.  [20:17] Finding your answer to “What is your purpose?”  [29:25] Defining “wealth” and the options your wealth gives you.  [31:40] Advice for people who've exited a business and don't know what to do with their newfound wealth.  [35:15] How Julie finds purpose in her work.  [36:20] How to connect with Julie & get her weekly newsletter for peak-performing executives.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.          About Dr. Julie Gurner:  There's a reason she has a 2-year waiting list for new clients. Dr. Julie Gurner is one of today's most prolific executive performance coaches, Doctor of Psychology, and nationally recognized executive performance coach for individual and corporate clients primarily in finance and technology. She is trusted by top percentile talent and their teams to help them achieve world-class performance in fast-paced, high-pressure, extremely competitive environments.     Julie's international client reach includes such cities as NYC, Singapore, Sydney, Oslo, Dubai, London, and San Francisco. She's been compared to Wendy Rhoades of "Billions" in The Wall Street Journal (2019) and Named a “Game Changer” by IBM. She has also been featured in Fast Company, Time Magazine, NBC News, Forbes, BravoTV, Greatist, US News, Martha Stewart Living, Vox, and more.    Connect with Dr. Julie Gurner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-julie-gurner  Follow her on Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/drgurner  Subscribe to Dr. Gurner's newsletter on Substack: https://drgurner.substack.com  Contact directly: julie@drgurner.com    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on X: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for founders, executives, and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

Are you an executive getting ready for your next career move? Need advice on how to step away from your current role and figure out what's next? Thinking of taking a sabbatical or transitioning to retirement? Tune in to the expert advice you need to make your next move successful!    In this episode of Off the Wall, host Jessica Gibbs welcomes Deborah Brecher, President and Managing Director of Tandem Group, to give you advice on navigating change, growth, and transitions in your career. Today, she highlights the three most common transitions executives experience in their careers and how to move through them with ease.    Throughout the discussion, you'll learn how to get ready for your next executive role, how to make a career move, and how to step away. Deborah gives fantastic advice on branding yourself as a trustworthy executive, strategically identifying what the next chapter of your career looks like, and how to ensure your next executive role is fulfilling. She also details how you can leverage your network to propel your career to the next level.    If you're ready to take on more leadership responsibilities, shift into a new industry or company, or step away from your career altogether, Deborah's advice will certainly guide you in the right direction.    “The first place to work is with yourself because when you go look for your next opportunity, you've got to come at it from a place of positivity and belief in yourself.”   – Deborah Brecher    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.        Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:19] Introducing Deborah Brecher & the topic of today's episode.  [01:56] How to prepare for your next role as an executive.  [10:41] Personal branding tips for executives.  [15:55] How to make your next career move (and make sure it's fulfilling).  [27:57] Approaching your next role when it's an unexpected change vs. your own choice.  [31:46] Taking a career sabbatical: Is it worth it for executives?  [34:02] Act III: Navigating the last chapter of your career.  [37:04] How to step away from your career and plan a fulfilling retirement.  [41:56] When it's time to grit and when it's time to quit.   [47:00] About Tandem Group.      Resources Mentioned:  Follow Tandem Group on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tandem-group-inc-  Tandem Group's website: https://www.tandemgroupinc.com  Tandem Group's blog “To The Point”: https://www.tandemgroupinc.com/blog  Center for Creative Leadership: https://www.ccl.org  Spencer Stuart: https://www.spencerstuart.com  Russell Reynolds: https://www.russellreynolds.com  Heidrick & Struggles: https://www.heidrick.com  Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: https://bit.ly/45W9Urx    About Deborah Brecher:  Deborah Brecher works with CEOs, senior leadership teams, and Boards of Directors at global companies to diagnose organizational performance issues, design and implement large scale transformational journeys, CEO and senior leadership succession planning, BOD effectiveness, and talent pipeline management. She's had the opportunity to speak and author articles on a range of topics from CEO succession to how leaders must adapt post-COVID-19 to attract and retain good people. Most recently, she led a panel discussion for an NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) Master Class on CEO succession planning.    Connect with Deborah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brecher-94ab1914a    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

As we enter the last fiscal quarter of 2023, we always love to reflect on the Q3 market (and YTD) to see what we're surprised by and the major takeaways from the data.    In this quarterly recap episode of Off the Wall, hosts David B. Armstrong, CFA and Jessica Gibbs, CFP® are joined by our Portfolio Management team, Erin Hay, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CIPM.     Tune in to hear our Q3 2023 recap, where we review the market's best and worst performing sectors, taking a realistic look at inflation and deflation in 2023 and offering advice on cash flow management. The team breaks down the benefits of using a bond ladder strategy in cash flow planning and the possibility and probability of deflation and lower interest rates in Q4 and into 2024.     Stay tuned for a full market recap of 2023 coming in January 2024! We can't wait to see who will win a Jimmy John's sandwich for most accurate market predictions!    “Consumer spending is sustainable, the job market is remaining strong, and inflation is coming down naturally, and the Fed is now signaling they're done. I'm gonna be a little hyperbolic and say I don't see the hole in their argument right now. [The Fed] just deserve[s] a little bit of praise.” – Nate Tonsager    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:58] Q3 Market Summary – What happened last quarter?  [02:23] Highest and lowest performing market sectors of Q3 of 2023.  [09:43] Building out a bond portfolio – Duration, returns, and cash flow planning.  [18:43] What surprised us about interest rates, stocks, and inflation in Q3 and YTD.  [29:39] Final Advice/Major Takeaways from Q3 of 2023.  [34:03] Were our 2023 market predictions right?    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  J.P. Morgan Guide to the Markets: https://bit.ly/48I0YbY    Follow our Portfolio Management team on LinkedIn:  Erin Hay https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhay  Nate Tonsager https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-tonsager-5a019b105  David B. Armstrong https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbarmstrong/    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

The specifics of executive compensation packages have major implications for personal wealth building over the long term. In this episode of Off the Wall, guest co-host Emily Harper, CFP® and co-host David B. Armstrong, CFA are joined by Laura Balser, Senior Client Partner, Executive Pay and Compensation at Korn Ferry.  Laura has over 20 years of experience consulting with publicly traded, privately held and not-for-profit organizations on executive reward and benefit programs across industries, including health care, distribution, manufacturing, biotechnology, and professional services.  During the conversation, Laura unpacks the current trends in executive compensation based on Korn Ferry's analysis of CEO pay at the top 300 publicly traded companies (by revenue), looking at how the pandemic drove changes in compensation across different industries. She underscores the continued emphasis on variable pay as shareholders demand performance-driven compensation, and how this creates challenges for retaining talent and satisfying shareholders.   Tune in for tips around negotiating executive compensation like seeking advice, anticipating counteroffers, and understanding the tax impact when exercising stock options. Laura also sheds light on emerging, innovative pay structures such as equity signing bonuses and mega grants and discusses the differences between Restricted Stock Units and Performance Stock Units.  "For the first time in probably 12 years, we're seeing more material declines than we've seen in the past. If stock options have been awarded, then they're likely underwater. And if the options don't appreciate enough to warrant exercising them...the individual has lost the ability for wealth creation. This is why having RSUs or time-based units as part of the equity mix is important because at least there's a floor." – Laura Balser, Senior Client Partner, Executive Pay & Governance    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [01:10] Introducing our guests & the topic of today's episode.  [03:10] The current state of compensation packages and impacts driven by the Covid-19 pandemic.  [05:10] Industry-specific considerations: Which industries are more conservative vs. more aggressive in terms of pay increases?  [7:18] Innovative executive compensation programs to attract top talent in today's competitive market, including mega grants, outperformance grants, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Performance Stock Units (PSUs).  [16:50] What drives pay increases at the top of the house. Plus, a deeper look at generational trends in pay transparency at lower levels of the organization.  [19:00] Considerations around wealth creation opportunities and the tax liabilities that come along with stock-based compensation.   [28:10] What levers to pull (or not to pull) when negotiating your executive compensation package.  [35:00] Final thoughts around the future of compensation and shareholder expectations.     Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Stock Option Compensation Cheat Sheet:   https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/resource/stock-option-compensation-your-cheat-sheet-to-planning/  Connect with Laura Balser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabalser/  Learn about Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry | Organizational Consulting    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

Caring for aging parents involves so many details, from medical and financial decisions to legal, long-term care, and end-of-life wishes. Statistics show there's a clear disconnect between parents and children around these decisions, so it's important to start talking about this with your parents early. We hope this episode makes it easier and less stressful for you to navigate the process.  In this episode of Off the Wall, co-host Jessica Gibbs is joined by our client experience team, Cathleen Phelps and Cecelia Gillian, along with Dean Catino, Co-Founder and Partner at Monument Wealth.  Throughout the conversation, we provide tips for how you can support your aging parents, let them take the lead where they can, and make sure they're feeling heard and loved through every decision. We walk through a well-thought-out checklist of how to financially protect and help prepare yourself and your aging parents. Then, the team offers advice and some general information about legal and estate planning, downsizing/moving, long-term healthcare needs, and even protecting your parents from scammers.  “The most important step is really to begin. You have to start. And knowing that it can be very difficult and sometimes awkward, knowing that this will most likely be a process, it's an investment in your folks and that's what everyone wants… Everyone's relationship with their families are very unique and the pathway traveled forward will also be very unique.”   – Dean Catino, co-Founder and Partner  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:33] Introducing our guests & the topic of today's episode.  [02:03] Why it's important to start the aging conversation with your parents early.  [04:23] Where to start (checklist): Financially protecting yourself and your parents.   [15:05] Legal/Estate Planning: Essential documents your parents need and what you need to be aware of.  [29:28] Long-Term Healthcare Considerations: What care needs will my aging parents have?  [36:54] Senior Move Management: Tips for downsizing, moving, and organizing your parents' estate.  [41:25] Final Advice/Takeaways: Everyone's path is unique. The goal is to focus on keeping your parents safe, healthy, and happy! Patience, kindness, and support is vital.  Resources Mentioned:    Planning Ahead:    Thinking Ahead Roadmap and Financial Advocate Task List: https://thinkingaheadroadmap.org/downloads  From researchers at the University of Minnesota and Stanford Center for Longevity, and funded by AARP; a comprehensive toolkit that guides people to select someone they trust to help manage their money if financial decisions become too difficult in the future.  “Start the Elder Care Conversation” from Kiplinger: https://bit.ly/3DOotBT  Protecting Against Scams:  EverSafe – Scans accounts for unusual spending, POA can be notified: https://www.eversafe.com  Carefull – Online company that monitors for fraud and financial errors & provides identify theft insurance: https://getcarefull.com  2022 FBI Elder Fraud Report: https://bit.ly/47wrVPd  Financial Help:  SilverBills – Concierge service that makes sure bills are paid on time and inspects invoices for fraud and error: https://silverbills.com  Find a Financial Therapist: https://financialtherapyassociation.org/find-a-financial-therapist  Legal/Estate Planning:  Off the Wall Podcast – Estate Planning: https://bit.ly/3KD1dut  Aging Care, Retirement Communities, Downsizing:  Monument Wealth Management Article – LTC Insurance: https://bit.ly/47w1mte  National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers: https://www.nasmm.org  Senior Move Management Service: Great Falls Organizers | Professional & Estate Cleanout Northern Virginia: https://greatfallsorganizers.com  Genworth Long Term Care Costs by State: https://bit.ly/3s8HNHm  Unmet Healthcare Needs and Healthcare Access Gaps Among Uninsured U.S. Adults Aged 50–64: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7215278  Caregiver Resources:  Geriatric Care Managers: https://bit.ly/3qtGaUa  Lighthouse Senior Care: https://lighthouseseniorcare.com  Caring Considerations: https://caringconsiderations.com    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs are joined by Erin Hay and Nate Tonsager from Monument Wealth Management's portfolio management team. They dive into a lively and comprehensive discussion on market performance and key highlights of the second quarter of 2023.    Tune in to discover their insights on the robust job market, characterized by strong hiring figures and wage growth, the resilience of the market despite negative headlines and the anticipation of higher interest rates, and surprises from the first half of the year, including the absence of a recession and the disconnect between people's perception of their portfolios and market realities.   They also explain why historical data suggests we could possibly have a promising second half of the year and discuss the importance of managing expectations.  “People are still getting wage growth. People have jobs and feel comfortable leaving their jobs because they see their prospects in other markets really kind of in a positive light, which is kind of crazy to think about when, as we said at the start of this, the great recession was coming this year… Really you haven't seen that.” - Nate Tonsager, CIPM If you have an idea for an episode or a guest you'd like us to bring on in Q3, email us at info@monumentwm.com.  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [02:30] Q2 market performance summary   [04:19] Top 5 contributors to the S&P 500 in Q2.  [05:35] Worst performer in the S&P 500 during Q2.  [06:15] Surprising trends from the first half of the year.  [09:31] What performed well in Q2?  [18:24] The resilience of the market despite negative news.  [20:45] The discrepancy between individuals' perceptions of their portfolios and market realities.  [23:40] Interpreting the data and actions for investors.  [25:15] Analyzing historical data to project forward returns for the S&P 500.  [27:25] Review your portfolio and adjust based on market conditions.  [30:30] Forecasting the market's trajectory for the remainder of 2023.    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.     

Looking to grow your business' value, maximize your exit results, and ensure financial freedom, even during a recession? To learn how, tune in to this episode! This is Part 3 of our series, Business Exit Planning is a Team Sport. In this episode, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs wrap up their three-part discussion with Greg Maddox of Cultivate Advisors by discussing how to maximize your business value and your exit results, all while prioritizing business freedom, financial freedom, and personal freedom. Doubling down on the importance of hiring a wealth manager during exit planning, Greg talks about how to grow your business as an asset and diversify your income and wealth as a business owner. He then highlights what you should consider if you're looking to maximize your exit options and sell your business during a recession. Finally, Greg addresses the 3 main problems business owners face in planning an exit and how to discern if an all-cash offer is right for you. Greg is also offering a free resource to help evaluate the health and value of a business: Get Cultivate's Business Health and Value Assessment here: https://bit.ly/3COxTMW “Instead of chasing profit, if we focus on value first, revenue and profit come along for the ride. If you focus just on revenue and profit, you could probably make a lot of money, but whether or not you built an asset somebody else would pay you for, that's less likely. So, I think it's just a mental shift there.”  – Greg Maddox   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [00:22] Introducing Greg Maddox & the topic of today's episode. [01:51] Growing Your Business: The difference between multiplying value and adding revenue. [03:44] How to multiply the value of your business. [10:44] Separating Your Business from Your Personal Wealth: Ways to diversify income and wealth as a business owner. [24:11] Maximizing your exit options during a recession: Evaluating buyers, deal structures, and future roles after exit. [35:26] Is an all-cash offer worth it? How do you know if it's enough? [37:02] Greg's final advice: Begin with the end in mind & Build a good exit team. [42:12] How to connect with Greg. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   Resources Mentioned: Listen to Part 1: https://bit.ly/gregmaddoxpart1 Listen to Part 2: https://bit.ly/gregmaddoxpt2 Learn more about Cultivate Advisors: https://cultivateadvisors.com Business Health and Value Assessment (Free): https://bit.ly/3COxTMW Listen to Best Practices for a Successful Business Exit with Kevin DeSanto: https://bit.ly/3prdBGo   About Greg Maddox: Greg is a Senior Business & Exit Advisor at Cultivate Advisors in Chicago, IL. As a serial entrepreneur, Greg Maddox provides his clients with the same long-term planning he used to make his own businesses successful. From owning a mortgage company that went through the housing bubble crisis to a financial services company during the '08 financial crash, Greg steered his businesses with clear foresight no matter the turbulent environment. Now, as an advisor, Greg brings exit planning into the present and helps his clients live their Ultimate ExitLifestyle—even if they never sell! And for those ready to move on to the next chapter in their lives, he ensures they are mentally and financially prepared to fund their next step and live an amazing life.   Connect with Greg: Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorymaddox Visit his website: https://www.myexitlifestyle.com Email Greg: greg@cultivateadvisors.com   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit   About “Off the Wall”: OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.  

If you want to keep yourself, your family, and your assets safe throughout your business exit, tune in to this episode. This is Part 2 of our series, Business Exit Planning is a Team Sport.   Tune in as hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs continue their discussion with Greg Maddox of Cultivate Advisors. In this episode, they're talking about the importance of prioritizing your personal wealth throughout a business exit (separate from business wealth) and why you need an experienced wealth advisor on your advisory team while planning your exit. Greg also teaches you how to identify, address, and manage risks in your business so you can have a smoother exit and post-exit experience. He also breaks down the tax strategies and tips you can use to save money now and set yourself up for success in the future.  “That's what the freedom point is about, it's about how do I sustain my life without my business, or make working in the business optional? That's the freedom that we would eventually have.”   – Greg Maddox  Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:44] Introducing Greg Maddox & the topic of today's episode.  [01:35] Why you should consult a wealth advisor during business exit planning.   [07:18] What's your freedom point?  [13:03] Why do entrepreneurs need a wealth advisor that has experience with business ownership?  [17:01] Separating your personal wealth from your business wealth.  [24:36] How to identify the risks in your business.  [28:46] How to address/manage risks in your organization.  [36:23] The importance of business continuity planning.  [41:05] Tax strategies and tips for business owners who want to exit.  [47:18] Stay tuned for Part 3!    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Listen to Part 1: https://bit.ly/gregmaddoxpart1  Learn more about Cultivate Advisors: https://cultivateadvisors.com     About Greg Maddox:  Greg is a Senior Business & Exit Advisor at Cultivate Advisors in Chicago, IL. As a serial entrepreneur, Greg Maddox provides his clients with the same long-term planning he used to make his own businesses successful. From owning a mortgage company that went through the housing bubble crisis to a financial services company during the '08 financial crash, Greg steered his businesses with clear foresight no matter the turbulent environment. Now, as an advisor, Greg brings exit planning into the present and helps his clients live their Ultimate ExitLifestyle—even if they never sell! And for those ready to move on to the next chapter in their lives, he ensures they are mentally and financially prepared to fund their next step and live an amazing life.    Connect with Greg:  Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorymaddox   Visit his website: https://www.myexitlifestyle.com   Email Greg: greg@cultivateadvisors.com    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit    About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

Are you a founder/business owner looking to exit your business? Do you want to better understand the exit process and the types of advisors you need on your exit team? You're in the right place. This is Part 1 of our series, Business Exit Planning is a Team Sport.  In this discussion, our guest reframes exit planning in a whole new light, to illustrate how exit planning is just great business strategy. Listen in as hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Greg Maddox, a Senior Business & Exit Advisor at Cultivate Advisors, to talk about why you need to run your business with an exit in mind and the three key advisors you need by your side.  You'll also learn three common challenges business owners face and how exit planning can solve them. You'll gain insights on how to figure out your “freedom point” in business, the exit plan action steps you should take while actively running your business, and how to build an exit team that will actually increase your ROI and make your exit process smoother and easier.  “We're all going to exit at some point. Hopefully, it's on our terms and timeline.”   – Greg Maddox  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:41] Introducing Greg Maddox & the topic of today's episode.  [02:19] The difference between exit planning and leaving your business.  [07:10] Why 75% of business owners regret selling their business.  [11:36] The mindset shift you go through after exiting your business.  [12:27] Why you need a business exit team & Types of advisors you need.  [20:47] Why do you need a wealth manager for an exit, not just a financial advisor?  [29:00] Why you need to run your business with an exit in mind.  [36:09] Stay tuned for Part 2!  Resources Mentioned:  Learn more about Cultivate Advisors: https://cultivateadvisors.com  About Greg Maddox:  Greg is a Senior Business & Exit Advisor at Cultivate Advisors in Chicago, IL. As a serial entrepreneur, Greg Maddox provides his clients with the same long-term planning he used to make his own businesses successful. From owning a mortgage company that went through the housing bubble crisis to a financial services company during the '08 financial crash, Greg steered his businesses with clear foresight no matter the turbulent environment. Now, as an advisor, Greg brings exit planning into the present and helps his clients live their Ultimate ExitLifestyle—even if they never sell! And for those ready to move on to the next chapter in their lives, he ensures they are mentally and financially prepared to fund their next step and live an amazing life.  Connect with Greg:  Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorymaddox   Visit his website: https://www.myexitlifestyle.com   Email Greg: greg@cultivateadvisors.com  Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit  About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

Are you a founder or business owner who's looking to scale your vision, develop high-level leadership skills, or transition from startup to corporate? Then you'll want to tune in to this lively discussion with our special guest, Seneca Smith, Senior Manager in the Human Capital Practice at Deloitte Consulting.  In her work at Deloitte, Seneca advises businesses on how to approach global transformation, specifically focusing on defining the future of work, designing adaptable organizations, and preparing leadership and the workforce for change.  In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs talk to Seneca about her experience working with leaders to scale their businesses, vision, and leadership skills. She provides key insights such as why all founders should hire a leadership coach, how to align your business and workforce strategies, and what to do if you're stuck in the ‘Norming' stage of business growth. Plus, Seneca shares tips and advice on how you can better delegate responsibilities, so you're not stuck wearing all the hats as a founder.  "One of the challenges of getting stuck at ‘norming' is you are now in a place that is comfortable: You are hitting your targets and doing work in a way that feels operationally efficient—but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're achieving innovative goals. You're not getting to that next stage of performing and really stretching. One of the reasons might be for that fear that you would fall back into ‘storming' phase because performing includes an element of risk.” - Seneca Smith  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:52] Introducing Seneca Smith & the topic of today's episode.  [01:57] Forming, Storming, Norming, & Performing.  [02:52] What should founders be thinking about and doing when going from startup to formal business (from Forming to Storming)?  [04:36] Scaling your vision for your business.  [11:06] What to do if you're stuck in the Norming stage & How to break into the Performing stage.  [14:01] Wearing all the hats isn't sustainable for founders. How can founders better delegate tasks? How do their leadership skills evolve?  [17:17] Signs you need to hire a leadership coach.  [20:05] Dave's experience as a founder working with a leadership coach.  [23:35] Aligning your business strategy with your workforce strategy + tips for outsourcing.    Resources Mentioned:  Learn more about Deloitte Consulting: https://www2.deloitte.com    About Seneca Smith:  Seneca is a Senior Manager in Human Capital Practice of Deloitte Consulting. She focuses on strategic organizational / workforce transformation and readiness. She advises Financial Services clients engaged in redesigning their core business operations, workforce strategy, and technical landscape. She uses human-centered design thinking to tackle transformation, with a focus on leadership alignment, change management, culture, and employee engagement.  Seneca focuses primarily in the insurance sector and has served a broad cross-section of the industry. Her clients include AIG, New York Life, Prudential, Travelers, CNO, Securian, State Farm, Lockton, Auto Club Group, FIS, Bank of America, and Guardian Life.    Connect with Seneca:  Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senecamsmith    Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB  Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit       About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs are joined by Erin Hay and Nate Tonsager from Monument Wealth Management's portfolio management team to break down what happened in the markets in Q1 2023, along with some takeaways and advice as we head into Q2.  Tune in to hear the team reflect on the US large cap tech dominance, the importance of having a cash strategy, the difference between risk and volatility, and the biggest surprises of the first quarter. They address the significance of the great bank "crisis” of 2023 and share their top advice for investing, saving, and selling your assets in Q2. Plus, Erin and Nate share their opposing predictions (and bet a Jimmy John's sandwich!) on whether the Fed will increase interest rates in 2023.   “My surprise of Q1 2023 is this: If you would have told me that we would in 2023 have experienced the second and third largest bank failures in U.S. history and then told me that we would end the quarter positive with only a 7% drawdown in between, I would have said, you're crazy.” - Erin Hay, CFA Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:33] Introducing the topic of today's episode  [01:29] Q1 Market Summary – What happened in Q1?  [04:10] Highest and lowest performing market sectors of Q1 of 2023  [06:40] What equity markets performed well in Q1? & How tech layoffs impact the tech sector  [09:39] There's an issue with leadership and breadth in the market…  [11:56] What surprised us about international (non-US) stocks  [13:57] Don't make these assumptions when investing in Q2  [14:54] Let's talk about investing & saving your cash in Q2  [16:04] Other market surprises from Q1 (hint: we're talking about banks!)  [23:56] Major takeaways from Q1 of 2023  [28:17] Market predictions for Q2 and the rest of 2023    Resources Mentioned:  Blog - Investing Risk and Volatility Aren't the Same: http://bit.ly/3MnG499   Blog – Why Risk Makes You Wealthy: https://bit.ly/3ZESBrW  Susquehanna research about US large-cap tech leadership:  https://bit.ly/3KvJkge  Blog – What Happened to Silicon Valley Bank (In Plain English): https://bit.ly/svbcollapse  JP Morgan's Guide to the Markets: http://bit.ly/417YgYm     Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.         

SECURE Act 2.0 created new retirement and savings opportunities that were not part of the original SECURE Act. Notably, it gives business owners the ability to be more strategic when choosing what kind of tax-deferred plan is best for them based on their personal and business circumstances. And it also gave them more options for employees. So why should business owners be thinking about meaningful and inspired ways to retain employees and focus on overall employee well-being?  In this episode of Off the Wall, host Jessica Gibbs, CFP® speaks with Emily Harper, CFP®, Vice President and Partner at Monument Wealth Management. Emily breaks down what business owners need to know about the SECURE Act 2.0, the types of retirement plans that are not available, and the deadlines that have changed. She also explains the factors to consider when choosing between a Solo 401K and a SEP IRA, and highlights opportunities employers now have to support employees, including through matching contributions to Roth retirement plans and matching amounts an employee paid toward student loan debt.  Then Caroline Clark, a Human Resources Business Partner at Capital One, joins the episode to discuss the significance of creating a meaningful benefits package that meets employees' needs and is easy to access and use. Caroline shares trends in company benefits, and tips for business owners who want to create a benefits package but aren't sure where to start.  Caroline and Emily also delve into the philosophy of “Stakeholder Theory”—which stresses the interconnected relationships between a business and its customers, employees, communities, and others who have a stake in an organization, including the business owner—and its value in creating positive, far-reaching effects.  “If you take care of the associate, the associate will take care of the customer, and the customer will keep coming back.” – Caroline Clark  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [02:08] Retirement savings enhancements for business owners under SECURE Act 2.0 [04:34] Factors to consider when choosing between a Solo 401K and a SEP IRA[08:45] Expanded Roth savings opportunities  [12:39] The importance of considering employee well-being and how SECURE Act 2.0 can help [15:55] Current trends in employee benefit offerings [20:32] The importance of collecting feedback from employees to create successful benefits packages [22:30] How to create meaningful benefits packages [23:29] Ensuring ease of access to benefits for maximum employee value [26:50] How employers can reconcile which benefits they can realistically provide with their desired offerings [28:25] An explanation of Stakeholder Theory and how it generates values for the business, the employee and the customer [32:26] Final advice for business owners on balancing personal priorities with business needs   About Caroline Clark:  Caroline Clark is a Senior Manager, Human Resources Business Partner at Capital One where she works with leaders in US Card. Caroline has spent her career working across a variety of industries solving business problems through human solutions. Previously, Caroline led talent strategy and acquisition at the American Bankers Association and Marriott International. Caroline received her MBA from The University of Virginia, Darden School of Business where she served as the President of the Network of Executive Women and was recognized with the C. Stewart Sheppard Distinguished Service award. You can find her taking walks or catching the latest Formula 1 race on the weekends with her husband, Matt, son, Luke, and Spanish Water Dog, Cooper. Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinekclark/  Resources Mentioned:  Gallup Employee Wellbeing: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/215924/well-being.aspx  Education Data Initiative: https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics  Stakeholder Theory & R. Edward Freeman: https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory/r-edward-freeman  Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite  Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG  Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW  Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI  Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB  About “Off the Wall”: OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.     

What is the Flexible Asset Allocation strategy and how do we use it to manage your wealth? Great question! Tune in to this episode to learn everything you need to know about it.  In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs invite Monument's Erin Hay, CFA, and Nate Tonsager, CIPM, to talk about the Flexible Asset Allocation (FAA) Model –what it is, where we use it and don't use it, and how it impacts you and your wealth portfolio.  “The FAA strategy can be the bulk of your portfolio. Sometimes, it might even be your full portfolio because what it does is it navigates risk, and that's what we're doing here is we're trying to identify the trends in the market and take a different standpoint than just a ‘set it and forget it' kind of model.” – Erin Hay   Stay tuned for more episodes just like this one where the team breaks down the other various investment strategies we use at Monument Wealth Management!  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:33] Introducing the topic of today's episode.  [01:38] What is Flexible Asset Allocation?  [03:38] What is a “trend” in asset management?  [09:59] Why we don't deviate from the rules: The systematic part of FAA.  [12:01] Risk and return of the flexible asset allocation strategy.  [17:22] What types of assets do you invest in with flexible asset allocation?  [20:35] Our process for deciding your asset allocation.  [24:06] Why don't we do weekly flexible asset allocation?  [25:20] Can I be 100% allocated to stocks?  [26:06] When the flexible asset allocation model works and doesn't work.    Resources Mentioned:  OECD: https://www.oecd.org      Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.     

Want to support your child's education, but don't know where to start? Worried that contributing to your child's college fund may impact building your retirement account? Saving for college can be nerve-wracking, but we promise this episode will make it less scary and more empowering.    In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Ann Garcia, aka The College Financial Lady. Ann is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Managing Partner of Independent Progressive Advisors, and a mother of twin college students. As The College Financial Lady, Ann has helped thousands of students save money on college education while protecting their parents' financial futures.    Tune in to learn Ann's top tips and advice on saving money for college, the different ways you can use your 529 savings plan, and how to take advantage of scholarships and financial aid. Plus, she offers helpful advice on talking to your kids about money and college.    “The sooner you set up a 529 and start an automatic monthly contribution, even if it's $10 a month, the better off you're going to be in the long run.” – Ann Garcia  *Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.     Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:50] Introducing Ann Garcia & the topic of today's episode.  [01:56] Is going to college a good investment?  [07:56] The dangers of pushing your child to be a high achiever.  [11:23] Explaining weighted vs. unweighted GPA & Which GPA do colleges look at?  [14:14] Two ways to answer: How much should I save for my kid's college fund?  [19:44] How to set aside money for a college fund without compromising your retirement.  [22:02] Why you should use a college's net price calculator.  [23:00] How to roll over surplus 529 money using the new provision in the SECURE 2.0 Act.  [26:52] Talking to your kids about money and college.  [29:40] What you need to know about college scholarships and financial aid.    Resources Mentioned:  Take Ann's Masterclass - How to Pay for College: http://bit.ly/3YjwvLu   How to Pay for College by Ann Garcia, CFP®: http://bit.ly/3DZkTFs     About Ann Garcia:  Ann Garcia, CFP®, is the Owner of Independent Progressive Advisors, a fee-only Registered Investment Advisor in Portland OR, and author of The College Financial Lady blog (thecollegefinanciallady.com), which has over 15,000 subscribers. In addition, Ann is regularly cited in national media (New York Times, US News & World Report) on the subject of college planning. She earned a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and of NAPFA, the leading association of fee-only financial advisors. Ann is also a parent of twins who are attending their top-choice colleges.    Connect with Ann:  Visit her website: https://thecollegefinanciallady.com  Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/collegefinanciallady     Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's the go-to podcast for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.     

Have you heard the terms “direct indexing”, “custom indexing” or “factor-based investing”? This approach to investing is gaining popularity due to its ability to build allocations that are customized to an investor's unique preferences and constraints, and its ability to harvest tax losses. Interested in learning how it works and if it could be a good fit in your portfolio? Let us break it down for you!    In this episode of Off the Wall, host David Armstrong and guest-host Erin Hay welcome Patrick McStay, Relationship Management Specialist and Associate Director in Client Sales/Service at O'Shaughnessy Asset Management (OSAM). OSAM is the creator of Canvas™, a portfolio management software solution that allows advisors and allocators to create customized investment portfolios at scale.    You'll also learn about the Monument Wealth Management TRIO™ (Tax Rebalanced Index Optimized) Portfolio, which is powered by Canvas™.     “People are more and more accustomed to having customized solutions for more and more aspects of their lives… I think their investment portfolio is no different and as technology continues to grow and enable different aspects, I think that more and more clients will demand some sort of customization to be engrained into their investment portfolio.” – Pat McStay     Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:50] Introducing Patrick McStay & the topic of today's episode.  [02:13] What is Canvas? & How our TRIO Portfolio uses Canvas.  [07:56] What is direct indexing and how is it used in portfolio management?   [12:19] What are stock factors?   [14:24] How factor-based investing works.  [17:04] Benefits, opportunities, and limitations of these portfolio management strategies and using the Canvas™ platform.  [26:02] Why the future of investing is customized & The history and inspiration behind Canvas.  [31:28] TRIO strategies we use to manage wealth & Our thoughts on ESG stocks.  [35:50] Advice on how to be more responsible with your investing without relying on ESG investing.  [41:20] New and exciting developments are coming for Canvas!    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures      Resources Mentioned:  Learn more about OSAM: http://bit.ly/3lghnjo  Learn more about Canvas: https://canvas.osam.com   Listen to the Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy Podcast: http://bit.ly/3DObdgG     About Patrick McStay:  Patrick McStay is a Relationship Management Specialist and Associate Director in Client Sales/Service at O'Shaughnessy Asset Management (OSAM). Prior to joining OSAM, Patrick worked at Morgan Stanley in their Wealth Management practice. He previously held positions at Beck Mack and Oliver, LLC and Royal Bank of Scotland. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Providence College.     Connect with Patrick:  Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmcstay      Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB      About “Off the Wall”:  Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.       Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

This is the final episode in our 3-part political series on how politics impacts the economy, markets, and your wealth.     Recently, we had Reince Priebus and Bob Stine on the show. Each guest gave their perspective on politics and the economy, offering a Republican and an economist's view – now it's time for the Democratic take.    In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Steve Elmendorf to the podcast. Elmendorf is a political strategist and Co-Founder and Partner of Subject Matter, a strategic communications and government relations consulting firm.    Steve offers his Democratic viewpoints on the potential showdown over the debt ceiling, his predictions on crypto regulation, and how the Democrats might (if at all) impact federal taxes in 2023 and beyond.    Who would be better candidates for the 2024 presidential election than Joe Biden and Donald Trump? What politicians might lead the 2024 primaries? Tune in to hear Steve's candid answers!    “The Republican side, in the House, has a position that is not sustainable. What they're advocating for, in terms of spending cuts in return for raising the deficit, it couldn't pass in their own group, let alone in the broader Congress and get signed by the president.”   – Steve Elmendorf    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:50] Introducing Steve Elmendorf & the topic of today's episode.  [02:28] A Democratic view of the 2022 midterms.  [04:58] Should investors be concerned about the debt ceiling?  [08:19] Steve's worries about the debt ceiling timing and a potential government shutdown.  [10:35] Where is the Democratic party going in 2023?  [15:20] Tax planning for 2023 and beyond.  [15:53] Up-and-coming “next generation” politicians we should be paying attention to (in both parties).  [19:11] Potential frontrunners in the 2024 Republican and Democratic primaries.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      Resources Mentioned:  Listen to the episode with Reince Priebus: https://bit.ly/priebus   Listen to the episode with Bob Stine: https://bit.ly/bobstein2   Learn more about Subject Matter: http://bit.ly/3ZT1mzC    About Steve Elmendorf:  Steve is widely recognized as one of Washington, D.C.'s., preeminent political strategists. With a career on Capitol Hill and in politics spanning more than 30 years, Steve's tenure in Washington has been grounded in daily interaction with the White House, administration officials, senators, members of Congress and leading interest groups on the front lines of the economic, social, domestic, national security and foreign policy debates of the last decades. Steve rose to the highest-level Democratic staffer in the House of Representatives as chief of staff to House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt.     Upon leaving the Hill, he served as a senior advisor to the Gephardt, Kerry and Clinton presidential campaigns. Since 2006, Steve has represented some of the nation's most important corporations, trade associations and organizations on critical legislative and regulatory issues, helping to drive their businesses, build their brands and expand their market shares. He has been a frequent guest on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, and is consistently listed among the most influential leaders in Washington by Politico, The Hill, GQ and other national publications.    Connect with Steve:  Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveElmendorf   Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-elmendorf-83a4164     Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.      Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.     

2023 is finally here…and we have some important things to reflect on.   2022 was a year full of negative performance in many markets, but it just goes to show that you must keep your eye on relative performance in a year as volatile as 2022.   In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs are joined by Erin Hay and Nate Tonsager from Monument's Portfolio Management team to discuss some key takeaways from 2022 that you can carry with you into the New Year.  Listen in to hear their annual market recap for 2022 – highlighting some broad market indicators, surprises we encountered, and the biggest lessons we can carry into 2023. They talk about why it's important to know what stocks you own, how to decide whether to keep your cash or invest it, and what they're specifically watching in 2023. They also share their opinion on why you might want to rethink ESG investing strategies.  Thank you to everyone who tuned into Off the Wall in 2022! We can't wait to continue in 2023. If you have an idea for an episode or a guest you'd like us to bring on, email us at info@monumentwm.com. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:50] Introducing the topic of today's episode.  [01:38] Broad Market Indicators for 2022  [04:28] What performed well in 2022?  [05:45] What equity markets did and didn't perform well in 2022?  [10:34] Why public non-traded REITS are a bright spot of 2022.  [11:51] The biggest economic surprises of 2022.  [18:32] Positive takeaways from 2022 you can take into the New Year.  [28:29] What we're watching in 2023: Growth stocks, commodities, non-US stocks, and more!  [30:00] Here's another way to “file this away” for another time…  [32:09] 2023 Predictions + Will inflation surge higher in 2023 or have we hit peak inflation?  Resources Mentioned:  Here's (Almost) Everything Wall Street Expects in 2022: https://bloom.bg/3Xj69IM   Here's (Almost) Everything Wall Street Expects in 2023: https://bit.ly/3VYppdv   Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   

Bob is back! Robert Stein, Deputy Chief Economist at First Trust Advisors, joins us again for our final episode of the year. With the midterms in the rear view and 2023 just around the corner, many people are wondering: What is the 2023 economy going to look like? What can we expect for the 2024 presidential election? Why are gas prices coming down? What can we expect with inflation and the housing market over the next two years? In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs get Bob's take on the 2022 midterm results and his predictions for a looming 2023 recession and the 2024 presidential election. Bob shares his perspective on who will and will not run for president in 2024, how inflation and home prices will change in 2023, and what changes we can expect in government over the next two years. “I think there's going to be a lot of paralysis on Capitol Hill and spending time on investigations. I'm not pro or con, it's just how they're going to spend their time, looking into various things. There's not going to be a lot of legislation on new territory, whether it's green energy, whether it's tech, whether it's taxes, those bills will not get to the President's desk.”  – Bob Stein Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [01:15] Introducing Bob Stein & The topics of today's episode. [03:08] Addressing the 2022 Midterms Results: Why did the Republican party lose a seat in the Senate and barely capture the House? [08:49] Were the 2022 Midterm elections a rebuke of President Trump? [09:35] The Democrats' strategy during the primaries to throw money and advertising behind Trump-endorsed candidates [10:36] Bob's thoughts on the Republican presidential run: What chance does Trump have to get nominated? What chance does Ron DeSantis have to get nominated? Are any candidates being overlooked? [14:27] Will Biden run for president again? Will Kamala Harris run again? [15:56] Why is Gavin Newsom so popular? [18:53] Would Biden run with Newsom? [19:54] Taxes, infrastructure, tech, green energy, fuel prices, inflation - Bob's predictions for the future. [22:39] Why are gas prices coming down? [25:25] Changes in the government, inflation, and housing we can expect in the next two years. [37:33] Are mortgage interest rates going to increase in 2023? Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.     Resources Mentioned: Listen to Bob's episode from June 2022: https://bit.ly/3fU48CH   About Robert Stein, CFA: Bob is Deputy Chief Economist at First Trust Advisors. He is responsible for managing forecasting and analyzing economic indicators as well as writing economic commentaries. Prior to joining First Trust, Bob was Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department. While there, Bob was responsible for briefing the Secretary of the Treasury on U.S. macroeconomic developments and formulating policy proposals. Day to day, he was responsible for leading a team of twenty economists conducting in-depth economic analysis and research. Between 1996 and 2002, Bob was chief economist for the Senate Budget Committee on Capitol Hill and an economist for the Senate Banking Committee and Joint Economic Committee. Prior to his tenure on Capitol Hill and the Treasury Department, Bob was a journalist for Investor's Business Daily where he covered the economy and authored many front-page stories. Bob received a BA in both Economics and Government from Georgetown University. He is also a CFA Charterholder.   Connect with Bob: Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-stein-4234ba18 Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobStein_FT   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.  

Who makes the laws that impact Americans? Politicians! We all know that every story has multiple sides. So, in this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Reince Priebus, former White House Chief of Staff for President Donald Trump and chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), to give a Republican viewpoint on what is happening in American politics.   Reince shares his take on the recent midterm elections, the future of the Republican party, and how these will impact the average American.  You'll hear Reince speak about the role of media in the intense political division in America, why it's so hard to fix the immigration problem, what's on the Republican legislative agenda for the next two years, and much more.    Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:09] Introducing Reince Priebus & The topics of today's episode.  [05:41] What happened in the 2022 midterms?  [10:26] Why wasn't there the “red wave” that people talked about coming into the midterms?  [12:16] How can the Republican Party change their messaging to capture the attention of the 9% of Americans who are Independent?  [16:00] Could a non-partisan, middle-centrist presidential candidate get elected?  [18:55] Where is the Republican Party headed, especially with Donald Trump announcing his candidacy to rerun for president? Is the Republican Party moving away from Trump?  [22:30] In Reince's view, what kept Joe Biden from supporting a strong border? What drives us to vote against people who stand up for movements we believe in?   [24:40] Why you shouldn't let your personal opinions about politics drive your investing decisions. + What is on the Republican legislative agenda for the next two years?  [27:35] Realistically, what issues could President Joe Biden tackle in the next two years?  [29:30] Why is it so hard to fix immigration?  [34:38] Why are Democrats getting elected in border states if illegal immigration is such a problem in those states?  Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.      About Reince Priebus:  Reince Priebus currently serves as the President of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, a nationwide law firm with more than 260 attorneys. Prior to joining Michael Best, Reince was named White House Chief of Staff shortly after the 2016 Presidential campaign.  Prior to managing the White House staff, Reince served as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Before serving as RNC Chairman, Reince served as chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.   He was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in both 2016 and 2017.  Reince previously served as a visiting Fellow at Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School and is currently an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Additionally, he is also an exclusive speaker with the world-wide speaking company, The Washington Speakers Bureau.  Reince received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law. He practiced as a corporate litigator at Michael Best's Milwaukee office for many years before moving to the D.C. area. He was raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin and is a die-hard Packers fan.     Connect with Reince:  Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Reince  Read his full bio at https://michaelbest.com    Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.

If you're an entrepreneur who's considering selling your business, tune in to gain valuable advice and insight into preparing for and going through the process. In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Kevin DeSanto, the Co-Founder, Managing Director, and Investment Banker at KippsDeSanto & Co. Kevin has broad experience providing advisory services to companies going through mergers and acquisitions and working with business owners looking to sell their business. By the end of this discussion, you'll learn some of the biggest mistakes people make when selling a business and how to avoid them during your own business exit. Kevin breaks down the required planning and preparation along with the step-by-step process from attracting investors to completing a transaction. He also highlights the factors that influence the valuation of your business, your options for receiving the proceeds of the sale, and much more. “When you're thinking about going through a process of potentially selling your business or bringing an outside investor in, you have to think about your business as an actual full-scope lifecycle business, not just a capability or a solution. It's a very different way of thinking. It's a very different way of articulating your story.”  – Kevin DeSanto Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [01:00] Introducing Kevin DeSanto & The topics of today's episode. [02:40] Breaking down the process and timeline of a business sale transaction. [11:09] The benefits of getting a business valuation and managing expectations before selling. [14:54] Preparing for the emotional side of selling your business. [17:03] Major mistakes entrepreneurs make when exiting their business. [23:08] Options for receiving proceeds from a sale: Cash, earnouts, retained ownership, etc. [35:21] The role of the M&A attorney and investment banker in a business sale transaction. [39:04] Tips for maximizing the efficiency and reducing the cost of a business sale. [40:58] Why the last few days of a transaction are the most intense. [43:09] About KippsDeSanto & Co. [46:27] Is the business sale process for large companies different for small businesses?   Resources Mentioned: KippsDeSanto & Co.: http://bit.ly/3Ef78Tv   About Kevin DeSanto: Kevin DeSanto is the Co-Founder, Managing Director, and Investment Banker at KippsDeSanto & Co., where he focuses on executing and providing advice on M&A and financing transactions for companies in Government Contracting, Aerospace & Defense, and Technology. Kevin leverages his unique combination of investment banking and entrepreneurial experience to help clients make informed decisions around selling a business. He leads teams that advise senior management, boards of directors, and shareholders. He helps companies assess value and make strategic decisions while quarterbacking them through the exciting yet cumbersome M&A process.   Connect with Kevin: Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-desanto   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.  Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.  

Are you or someone you know approaching age 65 soon? This is the episode for you! Tune in to this episode to learn how to sign up for Medicare health insurance and choose the right Medicare plan for you.  In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts Jessica Gibbs and Emily Harper welcome John Norce, the President and Founder of Medicare Portal, an independent organization that offers education and guidance in navigating Medicare so you can make informed decisions regarding your healthcare benefits. Throughout the conversation, John provides valuable information and advice you need for enrolling in Medicare in 2022 and beyond.     You'll learn about the cost of Medicare and Medigap coverage, when you'll be eligible for Medicare, the potential benefits of changing your Medicare Part D plan each year, how to appeal your Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) bracket, which is connected to your Medicare Premium and income and much more.      Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  [00:50] Introducing John Norce & The topics of today's episode.  [02:14] Explaining the different “parts” of Medicare (Parts A-D, G, and F).  [06:17] Which Medicare plan is right for me? Which Medicare plan is the most popular in 2022?  [07:42] The flexibility of Medicare & Important things to consider when enrolling in Medicare.  [10:06] About the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP).  [10:49] How to choose the right Medicare plan for your retirement, especially if you'll be traveling.  [17:57] Tips for managing your Medicare Part D plan.  [22:03] Who is eligible for Medicare health insurance?  [28:52] Medicare Costs & How the Income-Related Monthly Adjusted Amount (IRMAA) impacts your Medicare premium.  [37:57] How Medicare expenses are projected to change over the next 10 years.  [44:54] How to avoid the biggest mistakes people make when enrolling in Medicare (Tune in if you have COBRA!).    Relevant Resources Mentioned:  Medicare Portal: https://bit.ly/3MRGz9F  Medicare Enrollment Checklist: https://bit.ly/3MHxU9T     About John Norce:  John Norce is the President and Founder of Medicare Portal, an organization that offers guidance in navigating Medicare so you can make informed decisions regarding your healthcare benefits. Today, with a collection of foremost industry thought leaders and entrepreneurs, Medicare Portal has become an authority in Medicare education and enrollment.    Currently, John serves as the Northern Virginia Chapter President of the National Association of Financial Advisors, where he also contributes monthly to their Advisor Today publication. Additionally, he is an active member of the National Association of Health Underwriters and the Financial Planning Association.     John is passionate about finding ways where he can impact the Medicare Portal family and his community. For over a decade, he was blessed with the opportunity to grant wishes through the Make-A-Wish foundation, and for the past 30 plus years, he was privileged to coach youth baseball and basketball across Northern Virginia. Finally, he enjoys his role as a certified continuing education instructor as it provides him the opportunity to educate his professional associates on Medicare.     Connect with John:  Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-norce     Connect with Monument Wealth Management:  Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite   Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG   Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW   Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI   Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB     About “Off the Wall”:  Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.      Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.    Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   

We're talking about bonds—yes, you read that right! Bond yields are going up. If you haven't wanted to invest in bonds in recent years because yields were low, is now the time to reconsider adding bonds to your portfolio? Monument's Asset Management Team of Dave Armstrong, Erin Hay and Nate Tonsager is back to recap what went on in the markets in Q3 2022 and to give their thoughts on bond yields, owning bond ETFs vs individual bonds, and bond ladders. Off the Wall co-host Jessica Gibbs also asks them for a look ahead to the final quarter of the year and predictions for where markets may be going.     Relevant Resources & Episodes Mentioned: Listen to the Off the Wall episode on recent market volatility: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/resource/quick-update-on-the-recent-market-pullback/ Dave's blog post "You Don't Remember the Pullbacks Where You Didn't Make Mistakes": https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/weekly-market-commentary/you-dont-remember-the-pullbacks-where-you-didnt-make-mistakes/ Dave's blog post on investor sentiment: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/weekly-market-commentary/feeling-like-crap-what-investor-sentiment-is-saying-right-now-and-what-its-suggesting-about-the-future/ Dave's blog post and chart showing the odds are in investors' favor: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/weekly-market-commentary/2022-outlooks/     Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monumentwealth Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonumentWealth Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1137603 Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonumentWealthManagement   About “Off the Wall” Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.

Last week's market volatility flirted with a bear market as sell-offs deepened. Analysts are much less confident where stocks and the economy are going. A lot of investors thought the Fed was getting inflation under control, but the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August told a different story. A lot of companies are revising their outlooks downward because the landscape has changed.   Is all this making you feel anxious? Nervous about the future? Question if you're going to be ok? All of the above?   Erin Hay, Monument's portfolio manager, joins Off the Wall hosts Dave Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs to talk about the market sell-off and why it happened. They also breakdown what's going on in the bond market, inflation, and consumer sentiment.   Relevant Resources Mentioned: American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) Sentiment Survey: https://www.aaii.com/   About “Off the Wall” Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions. Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB      

Are you going through a divorce or thinking of filing for divorce? Wondering how divorce will impact your finances? Tune in to learn from a divorce financial planning expert.   In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Stacy Francis, the President and CEO of Francis Financial and a nationally recognized financial expert who specializes in divorce financial planning. Stacy is here to talk about how to prepare financially for a divorce with tips and advice on managing your money before, during, and after a divorce.   Listen in to learn the power of understanding what your financial assets are, everything you should do before you negotiate your divorce agreement, and how to create a financial checklist for divorce. You'll gain insight into how you can ensure your business assets, inheritance, and children are protected throughout the divorce process. Plus, you'll learn the most overlooked type of asset Stacy sees in divorce cases.   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [00:50] Introducing Stacy Francis & The topics of today's episode. [02:20] 3 things you should know going into a divorce. [08:50] Ways financial assets and income can be hidden. [11:21] Thinking of getting a divorce? Here are the top 3 things you should and should not do. [15:19] How to find and choose a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) & How they charge. [19:08] Getting a divorce? This is what should be on your financial checklist for divorce. [27:53] Rapid Fire Questions: Should we sell our house or keep it? If a spouse came into the marriage with assets from starting their own business, what part of the business is the ex-spouse entitled to? Is my ex-spouse entitled to part of my inheritance in the divorce? Can stock options or RSUs be divided in a divorce agreement? Who pays the taxes? When is the best time to start working with a financial advisor during divorce? [38:40] Stacy's recommendations on picking the right divorce professionals for you.   Francis Financial conducted a study on women who are going through or have gone through a divorce. The results shed light on the emotional, legal, and financial difficulties that women face during and after divorce. You can access their white paper online and share it with others here: https://francisfinancial.com/divorce   Relevant Resources Mentioned: Francis Financial: https://bit.ly/3KIcrg3 Learn about Savvy Ladies: https://bit.ly/3AIOPmJ Listen to the Financially Ever After Podcast: https://bit.ly/3B4AVwB Mint: https://mint.intuit.com Personal Capital: https://www.personalcapital.com Unveiling the Unspoken Truth: The Financial Challenges Women Face During and After Divorce: https://bit.ly/3RASf1T Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA): https://institutedfa.com Questions to Ask a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®): https://bit.ly/3q3Lud0   About Stacy Francis: Stacy Francis is the President and CEO of Francis Financial. Francis Financial is a fee-only boutique wealth management, financial planning, and divorce financial planning firm dedicated to providing ongoing comprehensive advice for successful individuals, couples, and women in transition such as divorce or widowhood.   She is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®), Certified Grief Recovery Specialist® and Certified Estate and Trust Specialist (CES™) with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Stacy is also the host of the Financially Ever After podcast and the author of “Financial Help for Widows: A Complete Resource Guide” as well as “Unveiling the Unspoken Truth: The Financial Challenges Women Face During and After Divorce”.   Stacy is a nationally recognized financial expert, being one of 20 of the nation's leading wealth managers on CNBC's Digital Financial Advisor Council, a member of the Forbes Finance Council, as well as an expert contributor for The Wall Street Journal. She has appeared in hundreds of media outlets and has received numerous industry awards.   As much as 10% of all Francis Financial proceeds are donated to charities, including Savvy Ladies™, a nonprofit organization founded by Francis to educate and empower women to take control of their finances. Savvy Ladies has helped over 20,000 women through free one-on-one financial counseling, workshops, and retreats.   Connect with Stacy: Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyfrancis   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB   About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.  

Is now a good time to buy a house? Do kitchens and bathrooms really sell houses? What will mortgage interest rates do going forward? Should you consider an adjustable-rate mortgage? Tune in to find out! In this episode of Off The Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Joan Stansfield of Stansfield Signature Real Estate and David Turner of Prosperity Home Mortgage to talk about residential real estate in the current market. Joan shares her top tips for buyers and sellers in this highly competitive market. For people who are planning to be in their home for the foreseeable future, she gives her perspective on a reasonable long-term rate you can assume your home value will grow.  Dave talks through the notable change in mortgage interest rates since 2021 and where rates could be going in the future. He also gives his take on using adjustable-rate mortgages right now in case rates come back down in the future, and more.  Episode Timeline/Key Highlights Part 1: Buying and Selling a Home [00:50] Introducing Joan Stansfield.  [03:26] Is now a good time to buy a home? Are home prices going to keep going up? [07:32] Tips for buyers on how to compete in a competitive market. [09:51] Waiving contingencies: Good or bad idea? [11:56] Why people are panic selling real estate & Is it still a seller's market? [14:18] Why is the housing market so expensive? [16:37] Using real estate as a long-term investment. [21:02] Home improvements and renovations that increase and decrease the resale value of a property. Part 2: Interest Rates & Lending [26:12] Introducing David Turner. [26:45] The current state of mortgage interest rates & Will interest rates keep going up? [27:40] How federal interest rates affect mortgage interest rates & Should I wait to buy a home until interest rates to go down? [29:28] Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM) vs. Fixed-rate mortgages [36:45] What you need to know about Jumbo Loans. [39:39] Rules for VA Loans have changed… Here's how you might benefit! Relevant Resources Mentioned Stansfield Signature Real Estate: https://www.stansfieldsignature.com Prosperity Home Mortgage: https://www.phmloans.com  About Joan Stansfield Joan Stansfield is the President and Owner of Stansfield Signature Real Estate LLC. Her team, licensed in DC, MD & VA, specializes in residential real estate consultative services, serving both sellers & buyers -- from first-time home buyers, to luxury listings, relocations, military families, move-up buyers, renters & investors!  Joan is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, Global Property Specialist, e-PRO, GREEN, Short Sale & Foreclosures and Relocation Specialist.  Her team promises to "spoil" you in the process of buying, investing or selling! Connect with Joan Visit Joan's website: https://bit.ly/3caRE7N  Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3TjM4AW  Listen to the Listed4Love® Podcast: https://apple.co/3zXO9cR  About David Turner David Turner is a Senior Mortgage Consultant at Prosperity Home Mortgage LLC. He started his career in mortgage banking after graduating from Virginia Tech in 1982. David has lived and worked in Alexandria for over 45 years, giving him the ability to build and maintain lifelong relationships with clients and referral partners. David's vast industry knowledge and years of experience have given him the privilege of assisting many customers on the road to homeownership. He specializes in VA and low down payment conventional conforming and non-conforming loan products. David sees his role as a mortgage advisor with the goal of guiding clients through the mortgage process delivering a solution that meets or exceeds expectations. Connect with David Visit Prosperity Home Mortgage's website: https://bit.ly/3A9Fbcy   Connect with him on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3Kb62cO  Connect with Monument Wealth Management Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite  Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG  Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW  Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI  Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB  About “Off the Wall” Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.   Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.  

Is inflation slowing down? Can I expect future fed rate hikes? Does it even matter if we're in a recession or not? Get the answers in this episode of Off The Wall with hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs, featuring Monument's portfolio managers Erin Hay, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CIPM. Listen in to this quarterly market update (Q3 of 2022) as they address the booming inflation debate, take an insightful look ahead to earnings season, and dive deep into the future of federal rate hikes. Plus, you'll hear about what's on their minds right now as we approach the middle of Q3. “Just because you're getting a lower inflation number, it doesn't mean that prices are coming down, necessarily, it just means that they're going up at a slower rate. Disinflation is not deflation.” – David Armstrong   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [00:50] Introducing Nate Tonsager & The topic of today's episode [02:40] The State of Nate: Inflation & Federal rate hikes [05:29] Does it matter if inflation goes down or not? [09:23] Will the market rebound in Q3 (July/August) continue in the short-term? [12:48] When should I re-enter the market after a “storm”? Should I wait to invest my cash until I feel better? [13:55] Will the market rebound in Q3 continue in the long-term? What is the probability of a recession happening in the future? [17:45] What is MONCON? & The MONCON level we're at right now. [25:00] Why we don't pay attention to individual earnings reports and expectations. [32:37] The future of fed rate hikes & How to use the CME FedWatch Tool [40:17] What's on our minds right now: Outperformance of small cap stocks & The breakout between services and goods inflation.   Relevant Resources & Episodes Mentioned: Article about MONCON: https://bit.ly/3Aqpv6c CME FedWatch Tool: https://bit.ly/3JXW0vv   Learn about and connect with Nate Tonsager, CIPM: https://bit.ly/3C99piu Learn about and connect with Erin Hay, CFA: https://bit.ly/3QOiMrN   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog   About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    

You want to be as financially unbreakable as possible, even after your career ends, right? No matter what age you “retire”, or stop working, you still need to have an income to thrive. So, how do you plan to have an income after you stop working?   In this episode of Off the Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Christine Benz, Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar, to talk about how to plan to have an income when you aren't working anymore, regardless of your age.   Listen in to learn the recommended withdrawal rate for spending, the role of asset allocation and inflation in retirement planning, and how to navigate a down market near the end of your career. Plus, you'll learn tips and tactics for making your savings last longer, refilling your cash reserve after spending it, and improving the sustainability of your post-career wealth plan.   “Most people, if they have a more vanilla asset class exposure in their portfolios, will not find easy pickings for rebalancing, which is why I think we come back to this idea of having 12 months', 18 months', 2 years' worth of portfolio withdrawals in cash to protect you in an environment like this one.” – Christine Benz   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [00:55] Introducing Christine Benz & The topic of today's episode [02:59] The 4% withdrawal rate explained & Is it still the right rule of thumb for retirement? [08:21] Variables, like bequest motives, that influence your personal withdrawal strategy. [11:38] When is the updated Morningstar report on withdrawal rates coming out? [12:36] Sequence of return risk & How should investors navigate a down market around the end of their full-time job? [21:14] How to refill and rebalance your cash bucket, bond bucket, growth bucket, etc. [29:03] Practical ways to make your savings last longer without compromising your quality of life. [33:55] Do I need a financial planner? [35:36] How to approach rising inflation in retirement. [42:03] Unique challenges and decisions that come with a $5 million+ portfolio.   Relevant Resources & Episodes Mentioned: Listen to The Long View podcast: https://bit.ly/3SaKsJ6 Read “The State of Retirement Income: Safe Withdrawal Rates”: https://bit.ly/3PMxwrl Your Money or Your Brain by Jason Zweig: https://amzn.to/2M96AFx The Little Book of Safe Money by Jason Zweig: https://amzn.to/3bea9Ib   About Christine Benz: Christine Benz is Morningstar's director of personal finance and retirement planning and author of 30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances and the Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success. She's also the host of Morningstar's podcast, The Long View, where she talks to influential leaders in investing, advice, and personal finance about a wide range of topics like asset allocation and balancing risk and return.   In 2020, Christine was named to the Investment Advisor 25 (IA25), ThinkAdvisor's List of the 25 Most Influential Financial Leaders, and Barron's Inaugural List of 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance.   Connect with Christine Follow her on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3PW0IvQ Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ORRBeA Buy Christine's books: https://amzn.to/3QcH8v5 Read articles written by Christine: https://bit.ly/3cZ4tSK Listen to The Long View podcast: https://bit.ly/3bmwdjZ   Connect with Monument Wealth Management Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog   About “Off the Wall” Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    

Whether you realize it or not, your views on money are rooted in your early life experiences. Those views impact your financial decisions and your emotional and financial well-being. So, it's important to become aware of the money lessons that shaped you, define what financial well-being means to you, and prioritize funding contentment. Tune in to learn how!   In this episode of Off The Wall, hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Dr. Joy Lere, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Behavioral Finance Consultant, and Co-Founder at Shaping Wealth, to talk about boosting your emotional and financial well-being.   Listen in to learn the power of self-awareness in making informed, empowered financial decisions, how your survival instincts can impact your financial decisions, tips and advice on choosing a trustworthy financial advisor, and more.   “If there's something you're avoiding, [question] why that is… For some people, when it comes to managing their money, this is a very emotionally fraught thing. So, it can be anxiety-provoking.” – Joy Lere   Let us help you decrease your anxiety around money and stick to a realistic wealth plan.   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [00:50] Introducing Joy Lere & The topic of today's episode. [02:22] How our understanding of money early in life impacts our adulthood. [06:38] At what age do kids start understanding conversations about money? [08:40] Families develop unspoken rules about finances. How do these shape your financial behaviors? [10:39] Why is creating and sticking to a wealth plan so hard for me? & How to overcome the lack of motivation and drive to start a wealth plan. [14:19] A skilled financial advisor understands the psychology of money. [15:25] The importance of sticking to your values and defining financial well-being for yourself. [20:09] How to focus on your present financial well-being AND your future wealth, even after financial trauma or feelings of scarcity. [24:20] How to choose a trustworthy financial advisor. [31:50] When to listen to (or ignore) your survival instincts when making financial decisions. [34:01] How to test whether or not your financial advisor has good intentions.   Relevant Resources & Episodes Mentioned: Learn about Shaping Wealth: https://bit.ly/shapingwealth-pod   About Joy Lere: Joy Lere, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and behavioral finance consultant with a practice in Napa, California. She previously served as an Associate Clinical Professor of Clinical Psychology at George Washington University and held clinical and research positions at Children's National Medical Center, the Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and the Department of Defense. Joy is the Founder of Shaping Wealth, a learning platform that's transforming the human experience of money through original content on money, minds, and markets.   Connect with Joy: Visit Joy's website: https://bit.ly/JoyLerePE Follow her on Instagram: https://bit.ly/JoyLereIG-PE Follow her on Twitter: https://bit.ly/JoyLereTW-PE Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/JoyLereLI-PE Subscribe to her blog, Finding Joy: https://bit.ly/JoyLereBlog-PE   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB    Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog   About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    

Are you wondering: Are we in a recession right now? How is the current market affecting my long-term wealth management plan?   We're going to answer those questions and more in this episode of Off The Wall with hosts David Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs, and Portfolio Manager Erin Hay.   Listen in to this quarterly and year-to date market update for 2022, as they break down how a well-constructed wealth management plan can give you confidence (even during a recession), whether or not we're in a recession and what to do (and not do) about it, and the wealth management strategies we're using that WORK in the current environment.   “This is your moment… to stop winging it, to get out of your own way, and basically become a more skillful steward of your wealth.” – Jessica Gibbs   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: [01:59] Introducing the topic of today's episode [03:03] A mid-year review: What should be in everybody's wealth management plan in 2022? [05:20] How we use Monte Carlo Analysis to stress test our clients' wealth planning scenarios [10:34] Newly retired or close to retirement? Here's how you need to plan for it and why you need an Investment Policy Statement regardless of the stage of life you're in. [13:06] What to do if you don't have a wealth management plan. [14:37] US Market Update for the second quarter of 2022 and year-to-date [18:06] Are we in a recession? [26:48] Should I invest in stocks (for the long-term) right now or save in cash? [30:49] 4 things that can help us determine the market bottom [32:42] Wealth management strategies Monument used this year that WORK [37:10] Parting thoughts & Words of wisdom: Cryptocurrency & Possibilities vs probabilities of markets going up/down   Relevant Resources & Episodes Mentioned: Listen to the Off the Wall episode with Dr. Daniel Crosby: https://bit.ly/3Ru9zpJ   Connect with Monument Wealth Management: Visit our website: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monumentwealth Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonumentWealth Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/1137603 Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonumentWealthManagement   About “Off the Wall”: Off the Wall is a podcast aimed at helping you answer the questions: What is the point of my wealth, and what actions can I take to accomplish that purpose? Your answers to those questions will be different from everyone else's. As Wealth Managers, we're skilled at helping our clients think through these challenging, but important, questions.    Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com.   Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.    

What's on the economic and political horizon? Bob Stein, Deputy Chief Economist at First Trust Advisors, joins the podcast to share what he thinks the future of the tech sector, trade wars, energy, banks and taxes will be. Bob also gives his predictions on what will happen in the upcoming congressional elections in 2022 and the presidential election in 2024.   Follow Bob Stein on Twitter @BobStein_FT     Learn more about Monument Wealth Management at: www.monumentwealthmanagement.com   Please see important podcast Disclosure Information: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures

Markets are volatile right now. How you react will determine your success.   Monument's Portfolio Manager Erin Hay joins Dave Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs for a timely rundown on what's been going on the markets and what it all means for investors.   Dave and Erin discuss whether we are or are not in a recession, cryptocurrency drawdowns and their impact on general investor sentiment, and why losses hurt so much.   Learn more about Monument Wealth Management at: www.monumentwealthmanagement.com   Important Disclosures: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures

"Rich" is a number, "wealth" is a mindset.   Dr. Brian Portnoy, one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of money, joins the podcast to discuss his book The Geometry of Wealth: How To Shape a Life of Money and Meaning. Brian explains how money fits into your happiness and the life you want to lead (not the other way around)—it's what he calls "funded contentment." Brian also answers the big questions: Does money buy happiness? And how do you strike the balance between more and enough?   Learn more about Brian and his company Shaping Wealth, which creates behavioral content and courses for financial advisors and employers looking to help clients achieve financial wellbeing, at www.shapingwealth.com. And follow him on Twitter @BrianPortnoy.   Learn more about Monument Wealth Management at: www.monumentwealthmanagement.com   Important Disclosures: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures    

Dr. Richard Orlando of Legacy Capitals is back for Part 2 of our conversation about successfully transferring wealth to the next generation. Rich does a deeper dive on gifting to kids, including sharing ideas on timing gifts around core life stages. He explains what is a family meeting and why it is important, and suggests possible items to have on your family meeting agenda. Rich also addresses the increased importance of family wealth conversations in the age of social media and influencers. Listen to the end for his observations on why doing legacy planning in conjunction with a wealth manager has been successful for families he's worked with.   About Legacy Capitals: www.legacycapitals.com   Rich's book is Legacy: The Hidden Keys to Optimizing Your Family Wealth Decisions   Learn more about Monument Wealth Management at: www.monumentwealthmanagement.com   Important Disclosures: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures  

There are lot of questions, worry and anxiety surrounding leaving an inheritance. How do I prepare my kids to be good stewards of this wealth? How can I make sure the money doesn't create entitled kids? Do I tell my kids how much I'm worth?   Dr. Richard Orlando, Founder of Legacy Capitals, joins the podcast to share his expertise on how to successfully pass on wealth to the next generation. In this Part 1 of our discussion, Rich focuses on five things you can do to jumpstart the conversation with your family about wealth, including defining the purpose of your family wealth, how to start and evolve the conversation about wealth with your kids, gifting, and how to raise happy children.   About Legacy Capitals: www.legacycapitals.com   Rich's book is Legacy: The Hidden Keys to Optimizing Your Family Wealth Decisions   Learn more about Monument Wealth Management at: www.monumentwealthmanagement.com   Important Disclosures: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures