Podcasts about CFA

We've had nine consecutive up weeks for the S and P 500, Certified Financial Planner Chad Burton from EP Wealth discusses planning for retirement, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

The S and P 500 was relatively unchanged as West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 7 percent to around 93 dollars a barrel and Brent crude climbed 6 percent to around 96 dollars, Nvidia unveiled a new processor for personal computers, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Most people assume that if someone is legally licensed to give investment advice, they have completed a rigorous amount of education and training, have demonstrated advanced knowledge by passing exams that test the real-world application of concepts, and have a minimum level of real-world experience. The answer is much more complicated, and the truth is that there can be significant variation in education, experience, and ability beyond the basic, legal threshold.In this episode, we break down the minimum legal standard to become a licensed investment adviser representative and why there can be meaningful differences in the depth of knowledge and experience among licensed advisors.We cover what it takes to satisfy the basic legal standard which is the Series 65 exam, the over 200 designations that exist in the financial industry, how to tell which designations demonstrate a long-term commitment to developing high-quality planning capabilities, and the three credentials that we believe rise to the top: the CPA, the CFP®, and the CFA®.We walk through the education, experience, examination, and ethics requirements for each, share the questions every person should ask a financial advisor before engaging them, and explain why the right advisor will always welcome those questions.For individuals and families with significant assets and complex financial needs, understanding whether your advisor holds one of these designations is an important step in determining whether your advisor is the best fit for your family.Thanks for listening!For more details, check out our blog post at https://pw-wm.com/learn/financial-planning/what-are-your-financial-advisors-qualifications/

What if "one more year" isn't a failure of courage. What if it's a messy, human, sometimes wise transition between the life you built and the life you're finally ready to choose? In this spontaneous, unusually raw episode, Bill, Jackie, and Patrick crack open the emotional side of financial independence. They go beyond the surface of the hesitation, identity shift, grief, relief, and weird freedom that can show up when the math says you're done but your nervous system is still catching up. Bill shares what it feels like to downshift after unexpectedly reaching FI, why he's enjoying work more now that he doesn't need it, and how a heartbreaking night in the ER sharpened his thinking about what really counts. Jackie reflects on her own two-year "one more year" phase and why she no longer sees it as a mistake so much as a cushion she needed. Patrick adds the planner's lens: if a choice still serves your life, it may not be "one more year" syndrome at all. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that the real work isn't just reaching the number but learning how to let go when the time comes. This episode covers: Why "one more year syndrome" may not actually be a bad thing The emotional transition from being FI on paper to actually changing your life Bill's intentional downshift and how FI gave him leverage at work Jackie's two-year hesitation and why she now sees it with more grace How fear, identity, purpose, and burnout all shape retirement timing  Why working after FI can still make sense if it serves your life The difference between choosing one more year and drifting into it unconsciously How tragedy and loss can change the way you think about time Why the second chapter of life requires more than just good math How late starters can prepare emotionally, not just financially, for freedom . === SUPPORT  THE  SHOW ===

What to know about Micron, how will Artificial General Intelligence affect the markets, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

In this episode of Spotlight, Stephanie Stanton ‪@etfguide‬ chats with with John Love, CFA and CEO of USCF investments. This episode covers the Iran Oil Crisis, and its effects on gasoline and oil markets. It also covers gold income strategies and a unique oil and bitcoin strategy, and key insights and energy markets.John Love of USCF Investments talks about UGA, the United States Gasoline Fund, which offers investors exposure to Gasoline during a time of spiking gas prices nationwide.We also explore the USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income ETF (USG), which combines physical gold exposure with quarterly income via options strategies—a unique approach for investors seeking steady returns alongside precious metals, as well as USCF's recently launched Oil Plus Bitcoin Strategy Fund (WTIB), which allows you to invest in two uncorrelated assets in one find. 

The 12 month inflation rate at 3.8 percent, Certified Financial Planner Chad Burton from EP Wealth discusses planning for retirement, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Many investors see passive investing as the safest, most cost-effective way to build wealth. In this episode of Off The Wall, David B. Armstrong, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CIPM, CFA challenge that assumption by pulling back the curtain on what can happen to passive investors when the market turns. They break down the hidden risks of matching a benchmark exactly, exploring how a 20% market drop means an automatic 20% hit to your personal wealth if you don't have an active strategy behind you. They cover boredom mindsets, as well as answering the question: Should you be an active or passive investor? The goal of finding the cheapest solution is too simplistic and comes with unnecessary risk. The more strategic goal is to build a portfolio that actively protects your financial freedom.     Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:  00:00 - Disclosures And Warm Open 01:58 - Active Vs Passive Defined Clearly 03:58 - The V8 Portfolio And Manager Discipline 15:16 - Passive Investing And The Boredom Trap 19:25 - Taxes, Turnover, And Account Type 21:35 - Actively Managing ETFs For Diversification 27:32 - Emerging Markets Breakdown And What Works 32:59 - Listener Questions, Contact Info, Closing Connect with Monument Wealth Management:    Visit our website: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monumentwealth/#   Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/monument-wealth-management/   Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonumentWealthManagement   Connect on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MonumentWealth#Fit   Subscribe to our Private Wealth Newsletter: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/subscribe/   Check out our Between Sips Podcast: Where Money Meets Meaning Because money without meaning never feels like wealth. https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/between-sips-podcast/   About "Off the Wall":    Markets are noisy. Your time is limited. Off The Wall cuts through the clutter. Hosts David B. Armstrong, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CFA, CIPM bring you straightforward, candid insights about what's really moving markets and why it matters for successful investors. From economic shifts to portfolio positioning, we break down the complexities so you can invest with intention and stay grounded when headlines and life feels chaotic. Learn more about our hosts on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com 

Investment management is often framed around picking stocks, predicting markets, and finding outperforming investments. But many of the decisions that have the biggest long-term impact on investor outcomes come from diversification, tax strategy, portfolio construction, and how investments are implemented over time.   In this episode, Tyler Emrick, CFA®, CFP®, discusses the often-overlooked side of investing and why portfolio management involves much more than simply picking investments.   Topics covered include: Why diversification still matters despite years of U.S. market dominance Emerging markets outperformance and the importance of global exposure How ETFs and asset location can improve after-tax returns Asset location strategies across taxable and retirement accounts Public REIT dislocations and investment vehicle structure considerations Managing concentrated stock positions more tax efficiently Donor-advised funds, QCDs, and gifting appreciated securities Tax-aware long/short strategies and multi-year planning The “architecture before allocation” philosophy at True Wealth Design Tyler also explains how coordinated planning across investments, taxes, retirement income, estate strategy, and charitable giving can help improve long-term outcomes. Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on track? Click to schedule a free 20-minute call with one of True Wealth's CFP® Professionals. http://bit.ly/calltruewealth   Our website:  https://www.truewealthdesign.com/  Phone: 855.TWD.PLAN Contact our team: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/contact-a-financial-advisor/  Schedule your no-cost discovery call: http://bit.ly/calltruewealth    Check out our other no-cost financial resources here: https://www.truewealthdesign.com/financial-resources/    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrueWealthDesign/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/true-wealth-design/  X: https://x.com/truewealthdesgn    Watch the show now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjENBHOti-IEJFqeydZm_Fg?sub_confirmation=1

Patrick O'Hare of Briefing.com on the current markets, A strong earnings season has propelled stocks to a record this month, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Joe Schmitz Jr. and Jeremy Keil explore the 2% Club of retirees and the unique challenges that come with significant retirement savings and a pension. https://youtu.be/G04JKpKyLJ0 Most retirement conversations focus on one question: Will I have enough? But there's another retirement challenge that doesn't get talked about nearly enough: What happens when you've done everything right? Joe Schmitz Jr. has been working with a very specific group of retirees he calls the 2% Club. His definition: People who have both: A pension And $1 million or more saved for retirement That combination creates opportunities. But it also creates a different set of retirement decisions. Success Creates Different Problems For decades, these retirees did what they were told: Saved consistently Avoided lifestyle inflation Built meaningful retirement assets Earned pensions Stayed disciplined Now retirement arrives… …and suddenly the challenge isn't accumulating wealth. It's using it wisely. Joe shared one statistic that stood out: “80% of people out there will pay no federal income taxes in retirement… while this 2% club is part of that 20% that will have to pay taxes and typically much more.” That means retirement planning shifts. Less focus on accumulation. More focus on: Taxes Spending Distribution strategy Legacy Purpose Why High-Income Retirees Can Accidentally Become Under-Spenders One of the most interesting parts of this conversation was Joe's concept of the Midwestern Millionaire. His description: Hard-working.Frugal.Disciplined. Excellent savers. Often reluctant spenders. And that creates an unexpected retirement problem. People who spent 40 years training themselves to save don't automatically become comfortable spending. Even when they can afford it. Joe described clients who had millions saved but still struggled emotionally to use their money because restraint had become part of their identity. That's where retirement planning becomes less about spreadsheets and more about permission. The Four Places Your Money Can Go Joe offered a simple framework. Your money ultimately goes somewhere. You can: Spend it Gift it Give it Pay taxes on it That framework creates an important question: If you're not spending your money intentionally… where is it going? That doesn't mean everyone should spend aggressively. But it does mean retirees should think intentionally about: Lifestyle Family impact Charitable goals Taxes Because choosing not to decide is still a decision. Pension Decisions Deserve More Attention Than Most People Give Them Joe also emphasized something I see frequently: People often make pension elections based on coworkers. Someone retires.Takes a lump sum.Everyone follows. But pension elections are often irreversible. Joe's advice was simple: Run the numbers. Questions like these matter: Lump sum or monthly pension? Survivor benefits? Age differences between spouses? Existing assets? Insurance needs? The right answer isn't universal. It's personal. Don't Let Tax Fear Control Retirement For some retirees, fear of crossing an income threshold and triggering Medicare IRMAA surcharges becomes bigger than the actual cost itself. Joe's point wasn't to ignore taxes. It was to understand them. Tax planning matters. But taxes shouldn't become the only goal. Because avoiding taxes at all costs can sometimes prevent people from living the retirement they actually built. The Real Goal One story Joe shared captured this perfectly. A retired couple promised each other they'd spend intentionally during their early retirement years. Two years later… They had spent nothing. Not because they couldn't. Because they hadn't learned how. Eventually they created a spending plan and began enjoying experiences they had delayed for decades. That's the shift retirement requires. You don't stop being disciplined. You simply redirect that discipline. The Bottom Line Retirement success isn't measured by how much money you leave untouched. It's measured by whether your money helps support the life you actually wanted. Because after decades of saving… Retirement planning becomes deciding what your wealth is for. Don't forget to leave a rating for the “Retire Today” podcast if you've been enjoying these episodes! Subscribe to Retire Today to get new episodes every Wednesday. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retire-today/id1488769337  Spotify Podcasts: https://bit.ly/RetireTodaySpotify About the Author: Jeremy Keil, CFP®, CFA is a retirement financial advisor with Keil Financial Partners, author of Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Income Plan in 5 Simple Steps, and host of the Retirement Today blog and podcast, as well as the Mr. Retirement YouTube channel. Jeremy is a contributor to Kiplinger and is frequently cited in publications like the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Additional Links: Buy Jeremy's book – Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Master Plan in 5 Simple Steps “How Much Taxes Will Retirees Owe on Their Retirement Income?” – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Peak Retirement Planning Joe Schmitz Jr. on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@peakretirementplanninginc.  Articles by Joe Schmitz Jr. on Kiplinger “Joe Knows Retirement” podcast with Joe Schmitz Jr.  Books by Joe Schmitz Jr.  Connect With Jeremy Keil: Keil Financial Partners LinkedIn: Jeremy Keil Facebook: Jeremy Keil LinkedIn: Keil Financial Partners YouTube: Mr. Retirement Book an Intro Call with Jeremy's Team Media Disclosures: Disclosures This media is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not consider the investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any consumer. Nothing in this program should be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice, nor as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or to adopt any investment strategy. The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and any guest, current as of the date of recording, and may change without notice as market, political or economic conditions evolve. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Legal & Tax Disclosure Consumers should consult their own qualified attorney, CPA, or other professional advisor regarding their specific legal and tax situations. Advisor Disclosures Alongside, LLC, doing business as Keil Financial Partners, is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or expertise. Advisory services are delivered through the Alongside, LLC platform. Keil Financial Partners is independent, not owned or operated by Alongside, LLC. Additional information about Alongside, LLC – including its services, fees and any material conflicts of interest – can be found at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/333587 or by requesting Form ADV Part 2A. The content of this media should not be reproduced or redistributed without the firm’s written consent. Any trademarks or service marks mentioned belong to their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Additional Important Disclosures

Our guest on the podcast today is Adam Grossman. Adam's the founder of Mayport, a fixed-fee wealth management firm. He's also a regular contributor to Humble Dollar, the website founded by late financial writer Jonathan Clements. Before founding Mayport, Adam worked as an investment advisor or analyst at several firms, including Middleton & Company, Ballentine Partners, and MFS Investment Management. He also founded About Face Software, a social networking software firm. Adam received his undergraduate degree from Williams College and his MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, and he's also a CFA charterholder. Episode Highlights Writing for Humble Dollar and Jonathan Clements (00:01:16) How Flat‑Fee Advice Beats AUM Pricing (00:05:15) Helping Investors Stay Calm in Market Stress (00:10:29) Simple Stock/Bond Portfolios Still Work (00:17:30) How to Protect Your Portfolio Before Retirement (00:22:58) Social Security Timing: Math Versus Emotions (00:27:20) How AI Is Changing Financial Advice (00:34:19) More From The Long View Bill Bengen: ‘Inflation Is the Greatest Enemy of Retirees' Jim O'Shaughnessy: Investing Lessons From a Lifelong Learner Harry Margolis: How to Confront Aging Challenges Head-On If you have a comment or a guest idea, please email us at TheLongView@Morningstar.com. Follow Christine Benz (@christine_benz) and Ben Johnson (@MstarBenJohnson) on X, and Christine Benz, Amy Arnott, and Ben Johnson on LinkedIn. Visit Morningstar.com for new research and insights from Christine, Ben, and Amy. Subscribe to Christine's weekly newsletter, Improving Your Finances. If you want more Morningstar podcasts, check out The Morning Filter and Investing Insights. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Both indexes reached new all-time intraday highs, Certified Financial Planner Chad Burton from EP Wealth discusses planning for retirement, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

What if the future of longevity is less about living longer and more about living better? In the latest episode of Let's Talk Future, Jane Ross speaks with Jay Olson, CFA, Managing Director and Senior Analyst covering Biotechnology at Oppenheimer, about the biotech innovations shaping healthy aging. The conversation explores GLP-1 obesity drugs, preventive medicine, muscle preservation, inflammation, diagnostics, and personalized therapies — and how these developments could help redefine health span.© 2026 Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Transacts Business on All Principal US Exchanges and is a Member of SIPC. 8942277.1

Bob Sharma, CFA, Global Head of Insurance Client Group at AllianceBernstein, joins host Stewart Foley, CFA, to discuss how insurers are navigating today's evolving private markets landscape. From geopolitical uncertainty and inflation pressures to AI disruption and higher-for-longer interest rates, the conversation explores the macro themes shaping portfolio decisions across the insurance industry.   Bob also breaks down how insurers are thinking about private market allocations beyond the broad "private credit" label. He explains differences across direct lending, asset-based lending, and other private debt categories, while highlighting the importance of portfolio construction, regulatory considerations, and maintaining underwriting discipline in a changing market environment.   The discussion also examines headline risk, board education, structuring considerations, and where investors may be finding opportunities as private market complexity continues to increase.

This episode is a compilation of answers to YOUR questions that were asked directly from my listeners who attend my weekly business education YouTube live webcast. Topics include: Will AI Replace Entry Level Jobs? SpaceX IPO Explained, Bond Yields & The Future of Investing and more.Refer to chapter marks below for a complete list of topics covered and to jump to a specific section. Get mentored by Chris: Book a Zoom call to discuss joining my Business Academy, Finance Bootcamp (to get a job in finance) or MBA Degree Programs or for investing/business/personal development coaching: https://haroun.short.gy/1on1CallYTWDownload my free "Networking eBook": www.harouneducation.comAttend my weekly YouTube Live every Thursday's 8am-11am PT. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to receive notifications. Learn more about my MBA Degree ProgramChapter Marks: 0:25 Intro & Welcome 0:55 How to AI-Proof Your Life 3:38 SpaceX S-1 & IPO Explained 13:21 Do Bond Yields Predict Recessions? 16:22 Will AI Replace Entry Level Jobs? 17:21 How to Make Your First $10K 20:16 Startup Advisors & Equity 23:01 Why SpaceX Is Different 26:41 Goldman & JPMorgan on SpaceX 27:38 How to Pass Multiple Choice Exams 29:04 Debt Levels & Market Risks 30:19 Hedge Fund Trading Firms 32:51 Investing in SpaceX Before IPO 34:46 Global Diversification 35:32 Rupees, Inflation & Currency Risk 35:58 Why Trump Would Want a Weak Dollar 38:08 Poker & Investing Skills 39:26 Zuckerberg, Xi & Global Politics 40:52 Is Nikkei in a Bubble? 41:54 High Frequency Trading 44:17 Trust & Ethics in Business 45:02 Bezos Interview Thoughts 47:34 Will AI Kill Cybersecurity? 48:28 Why Mutual Funds Underperform 53:33 Facebook, AGI & Layoffs 54:26 How to Buy SpaceX IPO 57:16 Is It Bad to Immigrate to the UK? 1:01:16 Mamdani vs The Rich 1:02:58 Staying Current on Financial News 1:04:09 Will Nvidia Eventually Pop? 1:05:04 CFA vs CPA 1:05:57 Ebola, Hantavirus & Lockdowns Connect with me: Schedule a 1:1 call with Chris: https://haroun.short.gy/1on1CallYTWYouTube: ChrisHarounVenturesCompleteBusinessEducationInstagram @chrisharounLinkedIn: Chris HarounTwitter: @chris_harounFacebook: Haroun Education Ventures  TikTok: @chrisharoun

What if the real danger in retirement isn't running out of money, but spending so cautiously that you accidentally work too long, live too small, and die with a portfolio that never got a chance to do its job? In part two with Aubrey Williams, we go deeper into the "fog of FI" (that weird, anxious place where the spreadsheet says you're free, but your nervous system absolutely does not believe it). This episode covers: Why the 4% rule can make FI people overwork and underspend How future income streams like Social Security can move your FI date forward Why flexible spending is more realistic than flat, inflation-adjusted withdrawals How risk-based guardrails help you know when to cut or increase spending Why many FI people need more help increasing spending than reducing it How personal inflation can differ from CPI and affect retirement planning Why historical analysis may be more useful than Monte Carlo for some FI decisions How small amounts of income in retirement can meaningfully reduce portfolio pressure Why engineers and analytical types often need better data to trust they're "done" How Bill is using these ideas to finally get clearer about leaving work sooner . S U P P O R T    T H E    S H O W

What happened this week on Wall Street, What to remember about divorce, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Iran's supreme leader issued a directive to keep enriched uranium within the country, Certified Financial Planner Chad Burton from EP Wealth discusses planning for retirement, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Chris Edson, Partner and Global Head of Origination at Apollo, and Bret Leas, Partner and Head of Asset-Backed Finance, join host Stewart Foley, CFA, for a conversation on how integrated origination platforms are shaping the future of asset-backed finance and private credit. The episode explores Apollo's “One Apollo” approach, the importance of direct origination, and how customized financing solutions are changing the relationship between borrowers and institutional capital providers.   The discussion covers the rapid growth of the asset-backed finance market, structural protections within ABF transactions, and the convergence of public and private markets. Chris and Brett explain why long-duration institutional capital is increasingly aligned with long-duration assets, how insurers are approaching ABF as a core allocation, and why underwriting discipline, diversification, and collateral structure remain critical in today's environment.   The episode also examines global housing finance, corporate asset monetization, insurance balance sheet strategy, asset-liability matching, and the scale of opportunity across private credit markets. Throughout the conversation, the guests share insights into Apollo's origination ecosystem, problem-solving approach, and how integrated platforms can create long-term value for institutional investors.

Get your customized planning started by scheduling a no-cost discovery call: http://bit.ly/calltruewealth This episode walks through what proactive financial planning actually looks like beyond investment management alone. Tyler Emrick, CFA, CFP® breaks down how ongoing advice should work for retirees and pre-retirees, including the structure of our Progress Meetings, Tax & Investment Review Meetings, and the ongoing planning conversations that happen throughout the year as life changes. We also discuss why coordinated planning matters so much as retirement decisions become more interconnected — from Roth conversions and tax planning to Medicare, Social Security, estate planning, spending goals, and retirement income strategies. In this episode: What proactive financial planning actually means Why preparation matters in advisor meetings The difference between investment management and true financial planning How we help families navigate retirement transitions and major life decisions Roth conversion mistakes and tax planning coordination Why written recommendations and ongoing advice matter How taxes, investments, healthcare, and estate planning all work together As retirement approaches, small financial decisions can have larger long-term consequences. The goal of proactive planning is helping families make informed decisions before those mistakes become expensive later. Have questions? Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on track? Click to schedule a free 20-minute call with one of True Wealth's CFP® Professionals. http://bit.ly/calltruewealth

We speak with David Blanchette about his career, both in research and in investment management for individual investors. We talk about his public tiff with finfluencer Dave Ramsey, common investment mistakes, some surprising results from his research, and, of course, the only dirty word in finance.   David is Head of Retirement Research with Prudential Financial, and a Portfolio Manager for PGIM. He is a CFA charterholder, holds a BBA from the University of Kentucky, MSFS in Financial Services from The American College of Financial Services, an MBA in Analytic Finance from Chicago Booth, and a Ph.D. In Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University.   What David is Reading Right Now: Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today by Hal Hershfield   David's Music Recommendation: "Self Destructor" by Chevelle   ___ Join Us At The Private Wealth Leadership Forum: October 1-2, 2026 | Westin, Las Colinas CFA Institute and CFA Society Dallas/Fort Worth will convene CIOs, portfolio managers, advisors, and family office leaders for a 1.5-day event exploring how investment strategies are evolving. Attendees will gain practical insights into integrating private markets and alternatives into portfolios, managing liquidity and risk, improving tax efficiency, adapting advisory models amid consolidation and technological change, and guiding clients through liquidity events and generational wealth transitions. Click Here To Register  Member exclusive discount: CFA Society Dallas/Fort Worth members, you can use one of your $40 discounts to this event! Email us at info@cfadfw.org for more information.   ___ Get updated when new episodes release by joining our list: https://bit.ly/4dwwTgD Connect with CFA Society Dallas/Fort Worth: LinkedIn | Instagram| www.cfasociety.org/dallasfortworth

What if the biggest difference between someone who starts at 22 and someone who starts at 50 isn't intelligence or income, but simply the moment they finally decide, nobody's coming to save me? In this crossover episode, Bill joins Joel on "How to Money" to tell the brutally honest and surprisingly hopeful truth. He shares his story of becoming financially independent after a 20-year sleepwalk through lifestyle inflation, doctor money mistakes, and zero real financial plan. It's candid, practical, and exactly the kind of episode that makes you stop saying "I'm behind" and start asking "What's my next move?"   This episode covers: Bill's late-starter journey from paycheck-to-paycheck doctor to financially independent at 60 How "rich doctor syndrome" and lifestyle inflation can keep high earners broke Why debt, overspending, and delayed gratification derailed his early money life The wake-up call that came from burnout, a malpractice lawsuit, and turning 50 How downsizing, geo-arbitrage, and a higher savings rate changed everything Why savings rate matters more than most people realize for late starters How to think about debt payoff versus investing when you feel behind Why college funding, generational wealth, and retirement planning are all connected How Bill thinks about using a financial advisor after a long DIY phase Why financial independence is really about buying back time, autonomy, and health . === SUPPORT  THE  SHOW ===

Patrick O'Hare of Briefing.com on the current markets, S and P 500 rises as markets await Nvidia's earnings, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Today's episode of Behind The Advisor is a little different because we're giving you a preview of something brand new from XYPN. Balanced PM is a new podcast hosted by XYPN Portfolio Analyst Joe Dunn, CFA, and XYPN Director of Investments Andrew Almeida, CFA, CFP®, focused on the principles behind portfolio construction and long-term investment thinking. In this special preview episode, Joe and Andrew dive into stagflation: what it is, how it shaped markets in the 1970s, and why advisors are hearing about it again today. They explore how inflation, slowing growth, and market uncertainty can influence investor behavior, portfolio design, and planning conversations in the current environment.

Patrick O'Hare of Briefing.com on the current markets, S and P 500 rises as markets await Nvidia's earnings, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth AdvisorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stocks fell as a jump in bond yields threatened the bull market, Memorial Day Travel Expected to Set Records, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Jesse Cramer and Jeremy Keil detail 7 real world lessons learned from working with hundreds of retirees. There's a big difference between studying retirement… …and actually sitting across the table from retirees for years. This week I sat down with Jesse Cramer and instead of doing a typical “Retire Today” interview, we decided to compare notes from working with hundreds of retirement clients and shared the lessons that rarely show up in textbooks or headlines. Experiences often speak louder than theory, so let's dive into the 7 main lessons. Lesson #1: Most Retirees Don't Have a “Purpose Crisis” If you spend time searching YouTube or Amazon for retirement advice, you'll likely come across the “retirement purpose crisis.” In our real-world experience working with retiree, this doesn't seem to show up the way financial media suggests. Yes, some retirees need time to adjust. But most aren't spiraling into an identity crisis after leaving work. Why? Because many workers weren't necessarily emotionally attached to the structure of their jobs—they were looking forward to having control of their time again. A lot of retirees quickly find purpose in: Family Grandkids Community Travel Hobbies Freedom itself The bigger adjustment often isn't purpose. It's learning how to structure time differently. Lesson #2: Most People Start Planning Too Late One of the clearest themes in the conversation was timing. Many people first show up to retirement planning webinars only months before retirement—or even after they've already retired. That creates problems. Important decisions around: Social Security Investments Pensions Healthcare Spending levels Taxes …all work better when there's time to think through options. Jesse's recommendation was simple: Start seriously planning at least 12 months before retirement—and ideally earlier. Not because every detail must be finalized years in advance, but because retirement works best when decisions are intentional instead of rushed. Lesson #3: Couples Need to Get on the Same Page Retirement isn't an individual decision when you're married. But many couples approach it that way. We find it is common for spouses to have completely different views on: Retirement timing Spending Investment risk Social Security Lifestyle expectations Sometimes one spouse wants maximum security. The other wants maximum freedom. And if those conversations don't happen early, conflict can show up later. I've seen couples who struggle with spending expectations and pension decisions because both people weren't fully involved in the planning process. The takeaway was clear: Retirement planning works better when both spouses understand the plan—even if only one person enjoys the financial details. Lesson #4: Social Security Can Be Flexible One of Jesse's most interesting ideas was describing Social Security as a “pressure release valve.” Instead of viewing Social Security as a rigid decision with one perfect claiming age, retirees can think about it more dynamically. For example: Delay benefits while markets are strong But turn benefits on earlier if market declines create stress on the portfolio That flexibility can help reduce sequence of returns risk—the danger of withdrawing heavily from investments during a market downturn early in retirement. The key insight? Retirement planning isn't static. Good plans adapt. Lesson #5: Too Much Stability Can Become a Risk Many retirees focus heavily on avoiding losses. That's understandable. But Jesse shared a cautionary example of a retiree with roughly 90% of investable assets in annuity products because she wanted maximum stability. The problem? Over-emphasizing one risk can create others. Oftentimes retirees “over-index” against market risk while unintentionally increasing: Inflation risk Liquidity risk Longevity risk Safety itself can become risky if growth disappears entirely. Lesson #6: One Big Mistake Can Change Retirement Forever I once had a client who wanted 10% retirement income and concentrated his entire portfolio into one high-dividend bank stock. Within days: The dividend disappeared The stock collapsed Half the retirement savings vanished It was a reminder that retirement success often comes less from finding perfect strategies… …and more from avoiding catastrophic mistakes. As Jesse referenced through Charlie Munger's thinking:Sometimes the smartest retirement planning question is: “What should I absolutely avoid doing?” Lesson #7: Retirees Often Need Permission to Spend This may have been the most emotional lesson in the episode. Many retirees struggle to switch from saver to spender—even when the math clearly says they can afford it. I once worked with a widow with more than $1 million saved who refused to withdraw money to visit her grandchildren because emotionally she couldn't bring herself to spend her savings. That's where framing matters. As Jesse summarized:You're not changing identities from “saver” to “spender.” You've always been a retirement planner. Earlier in life, prudent planning meant saving. Now, prudent planning may mean spending intentionally on things that matter. The Bottom Line Retirement planning isn't just math. It's behavior.It's psychology.It's communication.It's flexibility. And many of the most important lessons aren't learned from spreadsheets. They're learned from real retirees living real lives. Don't forget to leave a rating for the “Retire Today” podcast if you've been enjoying these episodes! Subscribe to Retire Today to get new episodes every Wednesday. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retire-today/id1488769337  Spotify Podcasts: https://bit.ly/RetireTodaySpotify About the Author: Jeremy Keil, CFP®, CFA is a retirement financial advisor with Keil Financial Partners, author of Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Income Plan in 5 Simple Steps, and host of the Retirement Today blog and podcast, as well as the Mr. Retirement YouTube channel. Jeremy is a contributor to Kiplinger and is frequently cited in publications like the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Additional Links: Buy Jeremy's book – Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Master Plan in 5 Simple Steps BestInterest.blog  Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors – Jesse Cramer's podcast Connect With Jeremy Keil: Keil Financial Partners LinkedIn: Jeremy Keil Facebook: Jeremy Keil LinkedIn: Keil Financial Partners YouTube: Mr. Retirement Book an Intro Call with Jeremy's Team Media Disclosures: Disclosures This media is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not consider the investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any consumer. Nothing in this program should be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice, nor as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or to adopt any investment strategy. The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and any guest, current as of the date of recording, and may change without notice as market, political or economic conditions evolve. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Legal & Tax Disclosure Consumers should consult their own qualified attorney, CPA, or other professional advisor regarding their specific legal and tax situations. Advisor Disclosures Alongside, LLC, doing business as Keil Financial Partners, is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or expertise. Advisory services are delivered through the Alongside, LLC platform. Keil Financial Partners is independent, not owned or operated by Alongside, LLC. Additional information about Alongside, LLC – including its services, fees and any material conflicts of interest – can be found at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/333587 or by requesting Form ADV Part 2A. The content of this media should not be reproduced or redistributed without the firm’s written consent. Any trademarks or service marks mentioned belong to their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Additional Important Disclosures

Running your business is stressful. Probably the biggest stressor is financial. You carry that with you, but how do you keep it at work and out of your relationships at home? My guest today is a financial advisor who works with practice owners on their business and personal finances. He sees this question in a number of his clients, and he'll share the advice he gives to them. Randall Avery, CFP®, CFA helps professionals, practice owners, and pre-retirees turn financial uncertainty into clarity and confidence. Clients often come to him feeling overwhelmed by big decisions around retirement, investing, taxes, and cash flow — unsure if they're making the “right” moves. Randall's role is to simplify the noise, help clients define what financial success means to them, and create a clear plan that supports both their life and their values. In this episode Carl White and Randall Avery discuss: How often he talks with clients about this topic The dangers of bringing financial stress home What he says to clients to help them out Want to be a guest on PracticeCare®? Have an experience with a business issue you think others will benefit from? Come on PracticeCare® and tell the world! Here's the link where you can get the process started. Connect with Randall Avery Facebook Personal - https://deasilwm.com/brunch-amp-budgets/ Facebook Business - https://www.facebook.com/DeasilWM LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/randallavery/ YouTube -ttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEasRohhwof2xaNUr209kUw Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rsadeasil50/ Connect with Carl White Website: http://www.marketvisorygroup.com Email:  whitec@marketvisorygroup.com Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/marketvisorygroup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD9BLCu_i2ezBj1ktUHVmig LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/healthcaremktg

Greg Michaud, Head of Real Estate Finance, and Stefanie Stewart, Head of Real Estate Investments at Voya Investment Management, join Stewart Foley, CFA, to explore why commercial mortgages continue to stand out within fixed income markets despite significant changes across the broader investment landscape. They discuss how relative value opportunities remain attractive, even as spreads in many other asset classes have tightened.   The conversation examines today's commercial real estate lending environment, including property valuations, underwriting discipline, and the impact of interest rates on lending activity. Greg and Stefanie explain how market conditions have shifted from previous cycles and why stable underwriting standards and realistic borrower expectations are contributing to stronger lending vintages.   They also break down differences across core, bridge, and construction lending strategies, discuss where investors are finding compelling opportunities outside of crowded sectors, and share perspectives on portfolio construction, risk selection, and long-term investment partnerships for insurers.

Stocks fell as a jump in bond yields threatened the bull market, Memorial Day Travel Expected to Set Records, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth AdvisorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

En Centrafrique, la falsification de documents administratifs prend une ampleur inquiétante. Actes de naissance, diplômes, certificats ou encore pièces d'identité : ces faux documents circulent de plus en plus dans certains quartiers de Bangui et dans plusieurs villes de province. Pourtant, la loi centrafricaine qualifie cette pratique de « faux et usage de faux », une infraction passible de poursuites judiciaires et de sanctions pénales. Malgré les risques encourus, de nombreux jeunes sans emploi ou en situation de précarité se tournent vers cette activité devenue, pour certains, un moyen rapide de gagner de l'argent. De notre correspondant à Bangui, Entre les vendeurs ambulants, les étals de légumes et les friperies, un petit kiosque en bois attire discrètement des visiteurs. Au premier regard, rien ne le distingue des autres commerces. Pourtant, derrière une vieille imprimante reliée à un ordinateur portable poussiéreux, une équipe de jeunes falsifie des cachets, des signatures et des documents administratifs. L'un d'eux, qui a requis l'anonymat, explique leur activité. « Nous fabriquons de faux documents pour aider certains compatriotes dans le besoin. Beaucoup n'ont pas le temps de suivre les procédures normales. D'autres ont perdu leurs papiers pendant les crises. Ils cherchent donc à avoir rapidement les documents privés et publics. » Autour de lui, des feuilles plastifiées, des tampons et des formulaires vierges sont rangés dans des chemises usées. Les clients arrivent discrètement, souvent envoyés par une connaissance. Gaël Boris, opérateur économique, témoigne. « Aujourd'hui, on est en train de marcher dans le PÉRIL concernant nos frères et nos sœurs qui sont au quartier, qui ne font rien. Et ils ne veulent pas aller à l'école, mais ils veulent seulement avoir un diplôme parallèle obtenu dans le quartier pour ensuite aller candidater dans les ministères. Et là, vraiment, ce n'est pas bien. » À lire aussiCentrafrique: de faux diplômes de baccalauréat seraient délivrés aux politiciens locaux « Je ne condamne personne, mais je condamne seulement l'État » Derrière ce phénomène se cachent plusieurs réalités : difficultés d'accès aux documents officiels, lourdeurs administratives, perte de papiers pendant les crises successives, mais aussi faiblesse des contrôles dans certains services publics. Alain Ngana, acteur de la société civile. « Ce qui pousse vraiment les gens à faire des faux papiers, c'est le fonctionnement de l'administration, qui est lente. Les gens font de faux passeports et de fausses pièces d'identité nationale. Il y a aussi les actes de naissance, parfois faire les démarches au niveau des mairies, c'est un peu difficile. Les gens préfèrent aller faire un faux acte de naissance pour leurs besoins. » Les prix varient selon le document demandé. Les plus simples coûtent quelques milliers de francs CFA. En revanche, certaines pièces plus sensibles peuvent atteindre 50 000 francs CFA, soit environ 76 euros. Dimitri Lebo, étudiant, s'interroge. « Où allons-nous ? Où va la RCA avec tout ça ? Je ne condamne personne, mais je condamne seulement l'État. Pour mettre fin à cette corruption, il faut aussi que chacun ait un peu de conscience morale. » La police a déjà arrêté plusieurs faussaires dans différents quartiers populaires de la capitale. Beaucoup ont été jugés et condamnés pour faux et usage de faux. Selon une source policière, les opérations se poursuivent afin de démanteler les réseaux encore actifs. À lire aussiCentrafrique: l'augmentation du prix des cartes d'identité fait polémique

It seems one set of tariffs is declared unconstitutional and then another set get installed in the current day, but what's really happening with tariffs? Sara Albrecht, Chairman of the Liberty Justice Center and founder of Swan Capital, talks about their recent Supreme Court win, how refunds might play out, and what to keep an eye on in the year to come. More about Sara Albrecht: Sara Albrecht serves as Chairman of the Liberty Justice Center, helping guide one of the nation's leading constitutional litigation firms in its mission to defend individual liberty and restore the proper limits of government power. With a deep commitment to educational freedom, free speech, workers' rights, and checking government overreach, Sara provides strategic leadership, philanthropic vision, and hands-on support for the Center's high-impact litigation nationwide.  An accomplished investor and entrepreneur, Sara founded Swan Capital following a career in investment management that included leadership roles at Harris Associates and as a founding partner of the equity team at PPM America. She has also taught International Finance and previously owned and operated the retail chain Ultimo.  Sara is an active civic and cultural leader, serving on several nonprofit boards, including the Illinois Policy Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Unify America, and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.  In addition to her CFA certification, she holds degrees from DePaul University and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.   More about Liberty Justice Center: Liberty Justice Center is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan public-interest litigation firm dedicated to protecting constitutional rights and restoring limits on government power. Founded in 2011, the Center litigates cutting-edge, precedent-setting cases across the country in the areas of free speech, educational freedom, workers' rights, and government overreach.   The firm became widely known for representing Mark Janus in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, which restored First Amendment rights to more than five million public employees. The firm is also well known for winning V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump which ruled the IEEPA tariffs unconstitutional   The Liberty Justice Center has litigated more than 145 cases in 36 states and Puerto Rico, with attorneys based in eight states. The Center represents every client at no cost, grounded in the belief that no American should have to choose between their constitutional rights and the ability to afford a lawyer—especially when facing the vast resources of government.   Beyond the courtroom, the Liberty Justice Center works to expose overreach, hold officials accountable, engage communities, and strengthen the court of public opinion. Its vision is a nation where government respects the limits of its power and every American can speak, work, learn, and live freely.  Learn more: https://libertyjusticecenter.org/  Learn more about Project TERRA: https://libertyjusticecenter.org/tariffs/terra/  

Looking back at Alphabet Google over the year so far, Do you sell in this current market, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth Advisors

Looking back at Alphabet Google over the year so far, Do you sell in this current market, More on the next seminar at the Crowne Plaza Foster City on Thursday June 11th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm with Chad Burton, CFP and Ryan Ignacio, CFA, CFP of EP Wealth AdvisorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Tessin, CFA, Managing Partner and Portfolio Manager of Acuitas Investments, discusses the opportunity set in small- and micro-cap investing. He weighs in on active management, manager selection, portfolio construction and the outlook for this market cap range.

What if the thing keeping you from Financial Independence (FI) isn't your income, your portfolio, or your math. It's probably the quiet belief that you still need "one more year" when you actually don't. Our guest on this episode is Aubrey Williams, a former particle physicist, radar-tech leader, debt-slayer, and now advice-only financial planner. In this conversation, he flips some of the FI community's favorite assumptions on their head. This is the first of a 2-part episode with Aubrey so be sure to follow the podcast to be notified of the second part of this fascinating conversation. This episode covers: How Aubrey rebuilt after divorce and $90,000 of debt Why savings rate is nonlinear and more powerful than most people realize How a higher savings rate can erase working years faster than expected Why our brains are wired for survival, not modern investing and retirement decisions How to build evidence that you can safely spend instead of just hoard Why living smaller can sometimes create more freedom and more joy How Aubrey reached FI in high-cost Santa Barbara without leaving California Why the FI community itself often knows more than the average advisor The difference between fee-based, fee-only, flat-fee, and hourly advice Why Aubrey believes many FI people are still working too long . === SUPPORT  THE  SHOW ===

Welcome to Bond Investment Mentor! In this episode, Chris explores callable agency bonds and examines what you're actually trading away when you buy these securities. He walks through how callable bonds work, the three main call structures you'll encounter, and the portfolio-level implications of giving up control to the issuer. You'll also learn which Bloomberg screens to use when analyzing callables and how to think strategically about whether these securities belong in your portfolio.  In this episode: Fed & Market Update (2:23) Proposed FHLB/FRB liquidity stress solution (9:02) Understanding callable agencies (11:40) Callable agency basics Types of call structures The yield/control trade-off Bloomberg screens for callable agency analysis The value of one-on-one mentoring (Learn More) (32:55) If you have questions about anything covered in this episode, please email me at Chris @ BondInvestmentMentor.com. Do you know someone who could benefit from this information? Please share this episode and podcast with them! You will find more articles, tips, and resources about fixed-income investing and portfolio management at BondInvestmentMentor.com. Check it out! Let's Connect via Social Media! LinkedIn: Christopher Nelson, CFA

he age at which you file for Social Security will be one of the most important retirement-related decisions you'll make. Robert Brokamp discusses the pros and cons of delaying with CPA and financial planner Mike Piper, the creator of Opensocialsecurity.com, a free tool that helps retirees choose the optimal age to claim benefits. Also in this episode:-A report from Standard & Poor's finds that only 1 in 10 mutual funds that performed in top 25% from 2016-2020 remained in the top 25% from 2021-2025-Home price growth has begun lagging inflation, and many cities are still below their 2022 highs-The dividend yield on the S&P 500 hits an all-time low, falling below the previous low reached at the height of the dot-come bubble-With the end of the school year near, your kids or grandkids are one year closer to college – now is a good time to evaluate your 529 plan and whether you're saving enough Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: Mike Piper, CFA, PFSEngineer: Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.We're committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a CFA charterholder with nearly a decade in traditional finance walks away from Wall Street and goes all-in on Bitcoin? You get one of the most credible and compelling voices in the personal finance space today. In this episode, Cory sits down with Rajat Soni, CFA, a former finance professional turned full-time Bitcoin and personal finance educator with over 5.5 million YouTube views and nearly 100,000 Instagram followers. Rajat breaks down exactly why he believes Bitcoin is the hardest asset in the world, why the traditional financial system is quietly failing everyday investors, and what the math of retirement actually looks like when you factor in fiat currency debasement. This is not a hype conversation. Rajat brings the institutional credibility of a CFA alongside a perspective most financial advisors will never give you, and it may completely change the way you think about building long-term wealth. From why he left a decade-long finance career to how Bitcoin fits into a real personal finance strategy, this episode covers the retirement math no one in finance talks about and why everyday W-2 earners may be the biggest beneficiaries of the hardest asset ever created. Connect with Rajat: @rajatsonifinance on Instagram and YouTube Book your call with Neo Home Loanshttps://www.neoentrepreneurhomeloans.com/wealthjuice/ Book your mentorship discovery call with Cory RESOURCES

Something big is happening in corporate America, and it's barely making headlines. In this episode of Off The Wall, David B. Armstrong, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CIPM, CFA break down one of the most interesting stories in Q1 earnings: companies are pouring money into long-term growth instead of handing it back to shareholders. CapEx is up 38%. Buybacks? Up just 1%. They unpack what that means, who's doing the spending, and why the 35-year playbook of returning cash to shareholders may be getting rewritten. Then the conversation shifts to the Fed. Chairman Powell is out, and Kevin Warsh is in. Dave and Nate walk through who Warsh is, why his background is an important piece of the conversation, and what a more flexible, less predictable Fed chair could mean for interest rates, inflation, and your wealth strategy. Finally, they tackle a listener question about using AI to evaluate a portfolio. It's a genuinely useful data collection tool when applied correctly. But when a study shows AI trading bots losing a third of their capital in two weeks across 32 separate tests, the limits become hard to ignore. Dave and Nate break down exactly where AI earns its place in the investment process, where it falls short, and how Monument is actually applying it when it comes to managing your portfolio.       Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures   Episode Timeline/Key Highlights:   0:00 - Disclosures and Quick Premise  0:26 - AMA Agenda and Market Backdrop  1:46 - Earnings Surprise: CapEx Beats Buybacks  4:06 - Hyperscalers and the AI Spend Cycle  8:12 - Momentum Over Predictions in Portfolios  19:54 - Market Seasonality, Iran, and Staying Invested  23:23 - New Fed Chair and Independence  32:14 - Inflation, Oil, and Rate Decision Uncertainty  36:46 - AI Use Cases and Hallucination Risk  46:22 - Why Trading Bots Often Lose Money  48:06 - Send Questions, Subscribe, and Closing   Connect with Monument Wealth Management:    Visit our website: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/   Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monumentwealth/#   Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/monument-wealth-management/   Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonumentWealthManagement   Connect on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MonumentWealth#Fit   Subscribe to our Private Wealth Newsletter: https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/subscribe/   Check out our Between Sips Podcast: Where Money Meets Meaning Because money without meaning never feels like wealth. https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/between-sips-podcast/   About "Off the Wall":    Markets are noisy. Your time is limited. Off The Wall cuts through the clutter. Hosts David B. Armstrong, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CFA, CIPM bring you straightforward, candid insights about what's really moving markets and why it matters for successful investors. From economic shifts to portfolio positioning, we break down the complexities so you can invest with intention and stay grounded when headlines and life feels chaotic. Learn more about our hosts on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com 

Diversification sounds straightforward in theory, but in practice, portfolios don't behave the way most people expect them to. Exposure is layered, concentration often shows up in places that aren't immediately obvious, and decisions that feel like you're spreading risk can quietly lead to doubling down on the same themes. Once you start looking at portfolios this way, the question shifts. It's no longer just about what to add, but whether that exposure already exists, and what role it's actually playing. In this episode of Money School Elite, I sit down with Jonathan Steele, who manages over $1.3 billion in assets, to unpack how modern portfolios are actually structured and why many of the assumptions investors rely on don't always hold up. Jonathan works closely with high-net-worth clients, helping them think about capital not as a collection of individual positions, but as a system of exposures that interact in ways that aren't always obvious. We get into why Bitcoin and precious metals are often grouped incorrectly, how indirect exposure through index positions can lead to unintended concentration, and why holding cash in the current environment is less about being defensive and more about maintaining flexibility while still earning a return.   About the Guest  Jonathan Steele, CFA®, is Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer at One Wealth Advisors, where he leads investment research and portfolio management for high-net-worth clients. With over 20 years of experience, Jonathan specializes in portfolio construction, tactical and strategic asset allocation, and behavioral finance. As a Chartered Financial Analyst® and member of the CFA Institute, his work focuses on how portfolios are structured and how different exposures interact within a broader system. Outside of investing, Jonathan is deeply involved in the arts, having served on the advisory boards of Bard Music West and Vanguard Music and Performing Arts. He also mentors students across finance, technology, and engineering, and supports local organizations, including Muttville Senior Dog Rescue and the SF SPCA. To learn more, go to https://onewealth.net/.   About Your Host From pro-snowboarder to money mogul, Chris Naugle has dedicated his life to being America's #1 Money Mentor. With a core belief that success is built not by the resources you have, but by how resourceful you can be. Chris has built and owned 19 companies, with his businesses being featured in Forbes, ABC, House Hunters, and his very own HGTV pilot in 2018. He is the founder of The Money School™ and Money Mentor for The Money Multiplier. His success also includes managing tens of millions of dollars in assets in the financial services and advisory industry and in real estate transactions. As an innovator and visionary in wealth-building and real estate, he empowers entrepreneurs, business owners, and real estate investors with the knowledge of how money works. Chris is also a nationally recognized speaker, author, and podcast host. He has spoken to and taught over ten thousand Americans, delivering the financial knowledge that fuels lasting freedom.   Resources Private Money Guide:  https://go.moneyschoolrei.com/book-podcast Wealth Wednesday Webinar: https://go.moneyschoolrei.com/wednesday-webinar-podcast Mapping out the Millionaire Mystery:  https://go.moneyschoolrei.com/newbook-podcast    

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, Anthony Cheung sits down with Ignacio Ramirez Moreno, fixed income advisor, CFA Charterholder, LinkedIn creator, and host of The Blunt Dollar podcast.They discuss how to stand out in finance in the age of AI, Bloomberg Terminal tips and hidden functions, why curiosity matters more than technical skills, and how to build a personal brand on LinkedIn.Ignacio also shares CFA advice for students and professionals, the daily habits and mindset of successful finance professionals, how to turn market news into valuable insights, and career lessons learned from interviewing top finance leaders.Whether you're a student, graduate, analyst, or already working in finance, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.(00:00) Intro(02:00) Turning market news into insights(05:35) Bloomberg Terminal functions every finance student should know(09:50) How to post consistently on LinkedIn(13:18) High-decay vs low-decay content(16:05) The Blunt Dollar podcast & career lessons(20:37) Why curiosity matters in finance(23:36) AI and the future of finance careers(28:35) CFA advice for students & professionals(34:31) What a fixed income advisor actually does(41:30) Career advice nobody teaches at university(45:42) The importance of relationships in finance

Most financial plans get built once, put in a drawer, and rarely used again.   But real financial planning should actively help guide decisions throughout retirement.   In this episode, Tyler Emrick, CFA, CFP® walks through three practical ways your financial plan should actually be helping you right now: investment decisions, spending decisions, and income & distribution planning.   We discuss: How to understand your true household allocation and risk exposure Why many retirees naturally drift into an “all cash, all stocks” portfolio Asset location and using different accounts efficiently Required portfolio return and bear market testing Dynamic spending throughout retirement How strong markets can impact spending and gifting decisions Roth conversions, IRA distributions, capital gains, and tax planning Why retirement income planning is much bigger than simply withdrawing money from accounts As retirement gets closer, every financial decision starts affecting the next one. The goal of a financial plan should not simply be to exist — it should help families make better decisions over time.   Have questions? Need help making sure your investments and retirement plan are on track? Click to schedule a free 20-minute call with one of True Wealth's CFP® Professionals. http://bit.ly/calltruewealth

Listen Now: Listen and subscribe to Morningstar's The Long View from your mobile device: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Today on the podcast, we welcome back Ben Carlson, who's the author of a new book called Risk and Reward. Ben is the director of institutional asset management for Ritholtz Wealth Management. In addition, Ben's a prolific creator of content. His blog is called A Wealth of Common Sense. He also co-hosts the podcast Animal Spirits with Michael Batnick. Ben is the author of four books about investing and money, and he's a CFA charterholder. Episode Highlights 00:00:00 Understanding Market History Is About Preparation, Not Prediction 00:02:00 Lessons From Japan's Asset Bubble and Mean Reversion 00:06:54 The Different Ways Investors Respond to Crashes 00:08:36 The Automatic Investing Revolution Has Changed Behavior 00:15:22 Why Patience Is Harder to Come By in an On‑Demand World 00:19:32 The Importance of Education in Private Asset Investing 00:21:35 Inflation Psychology and How to Respond 00:28:15 Two Different Kinds of Bear Markets 00:35:40 Using Alpha to Deliver Better Aftertax Outcomes for Clients More From Ben Carlson Everything You Need To Know About Saving For Retirement Don't Fall For It: A Short History of Financial Scams Invest Your Way to Financial Freedom Risk and Reward More From Morningstar Ben Carlson: How Not to Get Scammed What We've Learned From 150 Years of Stock Market Crashes The 60/40 Portfolio: A 150-Year Markets Stress Test If you have a comment or a guest idea, please email us at TheLongView@Morningstar.com. Follow Christine Benz (@christine_benz) and Ben Johnson (@MstarBenJohnson) on X, and Christine Benz, Amy Arnott, and Ben Johnson on LinkedIn. Visit Morningstar.com for new research and insights from Christine, Ben, and Amy. Subscribe to Christine's weekly newsletter, Improving Your Finances. If you want more Morningstar podcasts, check out The Morning Filter and Investing Insights. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Luke Gromen to the show. Luke Gromen is President and Founder of Forest For The Trees. Luke explores unprecedented global economic and geopolitical shifts, focusing on massive commodity supply disruptions and transforming monetary systems. He highlights several critical trends: the largest commodity supply flow disruption in history, unprecedented levels of globalization, sovereign debt, and market valuations. He argues that current global tensions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, could trigger significant economic challenges. The potential closure of strategic maritime routes could lead to dramatic supply chain breakdowns, potentially causing localized famines and massive economic disruptions. Gromen suggests that while the US dollar will remain widely used, it will no longer be the primary wealth storage mechanism. China is strategically positioning itself by establishing yuan-gold settlement systems and offshore clearing banks, effectively creating a multi-currency framework with gold as the pivotal settlement asset. Geographically, Gromen sees varied outcomes for different regions. He believes the United States has geographical advantages but warns against urban living during this transition. Europe appears most vulnerable, while Asian countries like China, Japan, and South Korea are potentially well-positioned to benefit from these shifts, particularly given their engineering capabilities and demographic dynamics. Regarding commodities, Gromen anticipates a generational trend favoring strategic metals like copper, silver, nickel, rare earths, and uranium. He predicts that future commodity trades will increasingly require value-for-value exchanges, moving away from paper-based transactions. The underlying theme is a fundamental restructuring of global economic systems, driven by supply chain fragilities, geopolitical tensions, and the need for more resilient, productivity-focused economic models. Gromen suggests this transition will likely involve significant inflation and economic recalibration, with gold playing a central role in the emerging monetary landscape. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:44 – Unprecedented Energy Disruption 00:02:48 – Globalization and Debt Levels 00:05:00 – Equity Valuations Warning 00:07:20 – Market Pricing Liquidity 00:09:01 – Supply Chain Breakdowns 00:10:28 – Disruption Lag Effects 00:12:15 – Oil Policy Miscalculations 00:15:27 – Geopolitical Trade-offs 00:21:50 – Hubris vs Strategy 00:28:33 – China’s Strategic Benefits 00:33:56 – Monetary Order Shift 00:39:52 – Gold’s Reserve Role 00:45:06 – Future Debasement & Gold 00:49:46 – Regional Economic Outlooks 00:56:10 – Commodity Generational Trends 01:00:12 – New section Guest Links: X: https://x.com/lukegromen Website: https://fftt-llc.com/ Luke Gromen began his career in the mid-1990s in Research at Midwest Research before moving over to institutional equity sales and becoming a partner. While in sales, Luke was a founding editor of Midwest’s widely-read weekly summary (“Heard in the Midwest”) for the firm’s clients. He aggregated and combined proprietary research from Midwest with inputs from other sources. In 2006, Luke left FTN Midwest to become a founding partner of Cleveland Research Company. At CRC, Luke continued to work in sales and edit CRC’s flagship weekly research summary piece (“Straight from the Source”) for the firm’s customers. In 2014, Luke left Cleveland Research to found FFTT, LLC (“Forest for the Trees”), a macro/thematic research firm catering to institutions and individuals that aggregates a wide variety of macroeconomic, thematic, and sector trends in an unconventional manner to identify investable developing economic bottlenecks. Luke also provides strategic consulting services for corporate executives. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and received his MBA from Case Western Reserve University and earned the CFA designation in 2003.

Jeremy Keil walks through three critical questions future retirees can answer before their paycheck stops Most people spend decades preparing for retirement by focusing on one number: How much have I saved? But retirement isn't really about the size of your portfolio. It's about whether you can turn that portfolio into reliable income that supports the life you want. That transition—from saving money to living on it—is where retirement planning becomes real. And if you're retiring within the next 12 months, there are three questions you can answer before your paycheck stops. Question #1: How Much Monthly Income Do I Actually Need? Unfortunately, this is where many people start with the wrong approach. Most retirees try building a budget from scratch. They estimate utilities, groceries, gas, dining out, subscriptions, and dozens of other categories. The problem? Those budgets are almost always wrong. They tend to assume: Nothing unexpected happens You never spend impulsively You never travel more than expected You never have major one-time expenses Instead of trying to build a perfect budget from zero, Jeremy recommends a simpler and often more accurate approach: Look at what already happened. Specifically:What actually went into your checking account over the last 12–24 months? Because in most households, what goes into checking eventually gets spent. That “take-home pay” becomes a much better starting point for estimating retirement income needs. But there are a few important adjustments. Don't Forget These Costs Your paycheck today already has several things removed before it hits your checking account: Taxes Health insurance Retirement savings contributions Once you retire: You may stop saving for retirement Your health insurance costs may change Your tax situation will likely change That means your gross salary is not the same as your retirement income need. Many find it valuable to separate out: Mortgage costs Annual expenses (property taxes, insurance, vacations) Large one-time expenses Pre-65 vs. post-65 healthcare costs Retirement spending isn't just monthly bills. It's the full picture. Question #2: When Should I Take Social Security? Most people already have an answer to this question before they ever run the numbers. And often, that decision is emotional. Maybe a parent died young. Maybe a friend claimed at 62. Maybe someone simply wants to “get their money.” But what if you about Social Security differently? Not as an investment. As insurance. The official name of the program is Old-age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance. That framing matters. Social Security exists to help: If you live longer than expected If one spouse dies earlier than expected If inflation remains high If markets struggle during retirement In other words, Social Security is there to protect against things not going according to plan. That's why filing decisions shouldn't be based only on “break-even” calculators. The better question is:What role does Social Security play in protecting your retirement? Question #3: How Should I Adjust My Investments Before Retirement? One of the biggest mistakes retirees make is treating retirement like a light switch. They assume:Growth before retirement.Income after retirement. But markets don't work on your timeline. Jeremy shared a powerful example from 2020:People planning to retire within a year stayed fully invested in stocks because markets had been performing well. Then COVID hit. Markets dropped sharply, and many panicked—selling near the bottom because they suddenly realized they needed that money soon. The issue wasn't just the market drop. It was that their investments weren't aligned with their time horizon. Your Investments Should Be Ready Early Get your investments ready to retire three years before retirement. Why? Because roughly half of retirees stop working earlier than expected. If your investments are prepared ahead of time: Market volatility becomes less stressful You have short-term money available if needed You're less likely to panic during downturns You gain flexibility if retirement comes sooner than planned But there's balance here too. Retirement doesn't mean abandoning long-term growth entirely. If retirement could last 25–30 years, some money still needs long-term growth potential. The key is having: Short-term money for near-term needs Long-term money for future growth Not all one or all the other. The Bottom Line Retirement isn't just about stopping work. It's about replacing a paycheck with a plan. And before your paycheck disappears, you should know: What your lifestyle actually costs What role Social Security plays in your plan Whether your investments are prepared for retirement realities Because when those three pieces work together, retirement becomes much more than a date on the calendar. It becomes sustainable. Don't forget to leave a rating for the “Retire Today” podcast if you've been enjoying these episodes! Subscribe to Retire Today to get new episodes every Wednesday. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retire-today/id1488769337  Spotify Podcasts: https://bit.ly/RetireTodaySpotify About the Author: Jeremy Keil, CFP®, CFA is a retirement financial advisor with Keil Financial Partners, author of Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Income Plan in 5 Simple Steps, and host of the Retirement Today blog and podcast, as well as the Mr. Retirement YouTube channel. Jeremy is a contributor to Kiplinger and is frequently cited in publications like the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Additional Links: Buy Jeremy's book – Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Master Plan in 5 Simple Steps “Retiring in the Next 12 Months? Answer These 3 Questions Before Your Paycheck Stops” – by Jeremy Keil, Kiplinger Magazine 5StepRetirementplan.com  Connect With Jeremy Keil: Keil Financial Partners LinkedIn: Jeremy Keil Facebook: Jeremy Keil LinkedIn: Keil Financial Partners YouTube: Mr. Retirement Book an Intro Call with Jeremy's Team Media Disclosures: Disclosures This media is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not consider the investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any consumer. Nothing in this program should be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice, nor as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or to adopt any investment strategy. The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and any guest, current as of the date of recording, and may change without notice as market, political or economic conditions evolve. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Legal & Tax Disclosure Consumers should consult their own qualified attorney, CPA, or other professional advisor regarding their specific legal and tax situations. Advisor Disclosures Alongside, LLC, doing business as Keil Financial Partners, is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or expertise. Advisory services are delivered through the Alongside, LLC platform. Keil Financial Partners is independent, not owned or operated by Alongside, LLC. Additional information about Alongside, LLC – including its services, fees and any material conflicts of interest – can be found at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/333587 or by requesting Form ADV Part 2A. The content of this media should not be reproduced or redistributed without the firm’s written consent. Any trademarks or service marks mentioned belong to their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Additional Important Disclosures

Keith breaks down why real wealth is built through concentration, not diversification and explains how focusing on one main vehicle—like a specific real estate strategy, business, or career niche—creates the expertise and asymmetric returns diversification can't.  He also clarifies that diversification isn't useless; it's most powerful later in life as a wealth preservation tool, not a wealth builder. Contrasting building wealth with simply earning a living, showing why specialization is the key to higher income.  Finally, he highlights the one area where diversification truly shines: your relationships and network, which provide resilience, perspective, and long-term support. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/605 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  FAMILY to 66866  Unlock truly passive real estate income—visit flockhomes.com/GRE today to see if your properties qualify for a 721 exchange with Flock Homes. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, is wealth built through diversification or concentration? There is one clear answer. Then, in five year age increments, how should you think about wealth building and real estate at age 2025, 3035, and so on, all lay out each one today on get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  0:26   Flock homes helps multi family owners exit the operator grind, whether it's your six Plex or a 50 unit apartment through a 721 exchange, this defers your capital gains tax. It's a strategy long used by institutions. Now you can swap tenants and toilets for passive income and zero management request your initial valuation, see if your property qualifies at flock homes.com/gre, that's F, l, O, C, K, homes.com/gre,   Speaker 1  0:59   you're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:15   Welcome to GRE from Buffalo New York to Buffalo Wyoming and across 108 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education. I am back here with easy to understand language to help you learn why and how real estate has made more ordinary people wealthy than anything else, and in your personal path to wealth building, how do you think that wealth is achieved is it through diversification or concentration? Because there is a clear cut answer. There is no squishy wishy washy, a little of this and a little of that, or no major exceptions. No gray area here. And it's interesting because I have a CFA friend, that means chartered financial analyst who's really smart and really well trained, and yet he seems confused by this. We disagree on this one straight away. Do you think that you're going to build wealth if you diversify or if you concentrate? And if you're still undecided here, I'll give you a hint. I'm going to ask this integral question one last time and stress a word in this sentence for you. This could really help you out. Is wealth built through diversification or concentration? With that emphasis on built accumulated? The answer is that overwhelmingly, wealth is built through concentration, not diversification. Most people who actually create any really meaningful wealth, they didn't go sprinkle a little money everywhere. Instead, they really focused hard on one thing, whether that thing was a business or a career niche or a narrow set of high conviction investments or a specific real estate strategy, for example, single family rentals or self storage facilities or assisted living homes. And why? Well, because concentration amplifies your upside. It lets you develop expertise which gives you an edge over everybody else, and it's what turns average returns into asymmetric ones. Think about how Warren Buffett made massive gains early with concentrated bets. Or how Jeff Bezos went all in on just a few ventures, or Sarah Blakely on just a few ventures. Those that say don't put all your eggs in one basket, well, all right. I mean, you can look at the world that way, that is a diversification path. Though you're going to end up working full time until you're age 68 and you'll probably be safe and you might just have a sound retirement, but you have done so much trading away of your time in your best years for dollars. I mean, that's it. That's not a wealthy path. Your employer wants you to invest any of your extra income in a diversified way so that you're not going to build enough wealth to leave that employer early. And yes, we're back to the old Andrew Carnegie. Put all your eggs in one basket and then really watch that basket. Carnegie's concentration was in the steel industry, wealth. That's what we're talking about here, like something outstanding, extraordinary, not just a good enough retirement nest egg. Maybe real wealth is built through concentration. This is why we concentrate on one thing here on this show. Largely real estate investing, because you don't build wealth from diversification. All right now, yes, there could be a little diversification even inside residential real estate investing, say, maybe you want to get into three markets. Call it Atlanta, Indy and Kansas City. But overall, that is still concentration in residential real estate investing. And if you want to be outstanding, you have got to embrace the heterodox, meaning a departure from the Orthodox. Orthodoxy is spreading all your money around in, say, the s and p5 100 index, we're almost guaranteed then to get a pedestrian like outcome. And now look, once you've built something and you've got something to protect, which is however you've decided to build your wealth through concentration, oh, now that's when the game changes. You'll probably best protect your wealth, not build it protect what you've built through diversification that being done when you're older. And what diversification does for you is that it reduces your downside risk, it smooths volatility, and it prevents a single mistake from wiping you out. So at this stage, you're no longer trying to win big. You're just trying not to lose big. The mistake most people make is that they diversify too early, and that usually ends up leading to mediocre returns, no real expertise, and these sort of portfolios that are busy but not wealthy, it's sort of like planting 20 seeds and then not watering any of them enough.   Keith Weinhold  6:47   All right. So here's a smarter progression across your investing life. In your early stage, which is your wealth building phase, you want to concentrate your time, your energy, your capital, you want to build skill and conviction, and then you want to take calculated asymmetric bets after, say, 10 or even 20 years of that, you enter the mid stage. That's where you'll start spreading across related areas, for example, multiple property types, but still in markets that you understand. And then finally, after 10 or 20 years of this mid stage, it is later stage, which is wealth preservation only. Then is where you diversify broadly across asset classes and all sorts of geographies. And then you protect yourself against tail risks. So the bottom line is that concentration creates wealth, diversification preserves it. If you try to flip that order, you are going to stay stuck. And if you're young and you're still diversified, and you might think you're okay, and you even project that you're going to have something built up, like, say, $8 million in retirement. If you just keep this up, what you've just done is that you're making my point for me, because 8 million, that is not going to be an outstanding amount at all by the time you reach conventional retirement age, you had better flip to concentrating in something, whether it's residential real estate or data center construction or pressure washing. All right, so that was wealth building. Now, how about instead of wealth? Say that you're trying to make a living, all right, this is a different subject. Now, if you're trying to earn a living, should you diversify, or should you concentrate? How do you make a good living? Which is working at your day job? That's what we're talking about here. Now, once again, the answer is, through concentration, not diversification. We became a society of specialists by the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago, if not sooner, making a good living that comes from being valuable at something specific, not average at a whole bunch of things. One strong income engine beats five weak ones. Depth pays more than breadth. People are willing to pay you for expertise, not for dabbling around. This is whether it's a niche in real estate or a specific profession or a focused business model, you need one thing that reliably throws off good income and a little story here. I don't want this to be disparaging to Uber drivers, because I appreciate what they do and where they drive me. But I recently had an Uber driver. It happened to be in Hollywood, and this uber driver is also a stand up comedian there in West Hollywood. Well, those are two very diverse activities, driving and being a comedian, and that tells me something he's not a very successful. Stand up comedian. If you try to diversify too much, your attention gets split, your skill development slows, and your income plateaus at just okay. Now I'm fortunate enough to have had some good success at what I do, real estate investing, and then talking about real estate investing with you here, that is my specialty, my concentration. I don't mow my own lawn. A specialist does that. I don't shovel my own snow. A specialist with all the right equipment and all the expertise does that. I don't do my own accounting. Now in what feels like a previous life to me, when I used to work a day job for the Department of Transportation, and there were problems with paving a specific type of asphalt on the roads in cold weather, a specific specialist would fly out to help us troubleshoot that. He was a high paid consultant, because he is in a niche that's very tiny. So when it comes to the matter of making a living, where diversification fits is once your primary income stream is stable and predictable, well then maybe you could add a second complementary stream, and not something that's random, build redundancy so that you're not fragile. But just think of that as a backup engine. You don't want to think in terms of 10 side hustles. For an example, a real estate investor adds another market or a strategy, a w2 professional well, they had maybe one serious side income, and that's just a matey. Surely not six apps and gigs if you're out there chasing everything, then you are going to earn less. And now that I've discussed how you want to concentrate, not diversify if you want to build wealth, and you also want to concentrate not diversify if you want to make a good living, well then you might wonder, gosh, does diversification have any place in my life? Is there any life facet at all where diversification gives you an advantage? Yes, there definitely is. Do you have any idea where diversification helps you as you look at all areas of your life, because there is one clear cut place, and that is relationships. Yeah, whether it's romantic relationships, like dating a potential spouse or in the broader sense, I mean, when you met your eventual husband or wife, it's not very likely that you impress them by going deep on some nuance that has to do with asphalt paving, or how you or how you increase your cash on cash return with management efficiencies on your single family rental portfolio in Little Rock Arkansas,   Keith Weinhold  12:57   In relationships, you become attractive to people because you can say, show a soft side, or be a good listener or know how to dance a little all while you can make a good living a diversified relationship portfolio. Now for you, that might mean having close friends for fun and honesty and a professional network for opportunities and perspective, and you might have a mentor or two in your life for guidance, and then you've got family relationships for roots and support. So every one of them plays a different role, and that way, no single relationship has to carry everything and what this protects you from is having just one friendship. You don't want that, otherwise, your whole social life can collapse. It protects you from a career setback, because you'll still have emotional support. Having diverse relationships prevents you from falling into echo chambers. Instead, you're going to get better, broader thinking. So having diversification in relationships that is basically risk management for your life and in this life, facet smart diversification makes you resilient. It makes you grounded. It makes you harder to knock off course. So let's review here in relationships, diversify to build wealth, concentrate and to make a good living, concentrate. And with that said, you know, if you want to get mega, mega wealthy, like stupid rich, let's just call that a billionaire with the letter B, if you want to reach that level, then I don't think that investing in rental property is the fastest or the best way to get there, although it can give you a good start. And then what's the point of this show? The point is that real estate investing is the most proven way to build wealth when you concentrate on it. If you want enough net worth and income so that you never have to work again all while you're still young enough to enjoy it, direct investment in real estate. Hey, that's great. If you want to get up to the $10 million net worth level, or even to say, $50 million that is totally doable. And the good news is that it's almost inevitable if you apply yourself and yes, concentrate, because that's all most people want, options and freedom. Those words are often a proxy for wealth. But if you're trying to get on the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest 100 people or whatever, which is where you need to concentrate on a novel business idea. All right, you can go for that, and then your risk of failure goes up substantially. You might even reach the billionaire level. As a real estate investor, more likely the DECA or the Centa millionaire level. But there are other ways of doing that outside of real estate. Real estate investing is great if you want to get sort of regular wealthy. Maybe even say that can be as little as 15 million or 25 million plus when you're young enough to enjoy it. And you know even half or 1/3 of those levels are enough as a freedom number for most people. With all that said, when you concentrate to build wealth, you do have to pick a proven vehicle. You can't say you're going to concentrate on sports gambling or prediction markets like call sheep or polymarket. They are not proven wealth building vehicles. Most people lose money on Poly market if you've wagered your mortgage that Mr. Beast is going to be the next President of the United States, perhaps reconsider that approach. In fact, according to an analysis that Bloomberg just performed, nearly every poly market trader either loses money or they make little or no profit. More than 100,000 accounts lost $1,000 since the start of last year, and that is twice the number of accounts that made at least $1,000 in aggregate, traders lost $131 million on this prediction market over that time, the tiny number of accounts that make lots of money appear to be mostly bots. That's what Bloomberg found. And there was a separate study that found that since 2022 69% of traders lost money, while three quarters of total profits were won only by the top 1% of users. So gambling, wagering, this speculation, it is not a proven vehicle, and it's not the same as investing. The cleanest way to think about the difference is that investing means putting money into something that produces value over time. Instead, gambling means putting money at risk on an outcome that you cannot influence, usually with a negative edge. And gosh, one reason that this is on my mind is, you know how I recently shared with you that I stayed at the Bellagio in Vegas. I didn't gamble at all. And in fact, I don't even know if I'm going to stay there again. That's just not congruent with who I am. But I marveled with my mouth agape when I watched a few games at the roulette wheel. Yeah, you're allowed to watch if you're not gambling. A typical scene is that perhaps five players were wagering their chips at the roulette wheel. Now the way it works is that the casino, they often have two and sometimes three of their own staff, like uniformed employees, that are there facilitating and monitoring the roulette wheel. I mean, look right there, if the casino is paying two or three staff members to facilitate the roulette wheel, well, the player should know that the odds are tilted against them. I mean, those casino dealers make, you know, they usually just make 50 to 70k a year with tips, all right, well, so the house needs to have enough of an advantage to pay their employees that are at that table and still profit. And they sure do profit. If you don't understand the game, when you play roulette, you can basically either wager that the ball is going to land on either red or black, but two of the 38 spaces on the wheel are green. They benefit the house directly. So with every bet that a player makes, they've got 18 winning spots and 20 losing spots. This is why roulette, like most gambling schemes, is for losers. And this roulette metaphor, I mean, this is a easily intuitive example for How the house has the advantage, whether it's the DraftKings app on your phone or it's a physical in person Casino. And look, I had another Uber driver recently. Yeah, lots of Uber drivers in my life lately, as I've been traveling in Pennsylvania, New York, California and Nevada, all right, interestingly, this uber driver is a dealer at the Horseshoe Casino, which is near the center of the Las Vegas Strip. While he drove me around, he opened up and told me that he doesn't understand why anyone is a serious gambler in his life history, he divulged to me that he has never known one long term winner. That's a gambler. It's amazing that he would admit that himself as an employee there. So suffice to say, wealth is built through concentration, not diversification, and certainly not through gambling.    Keith Weinhold  20:56   How should you think of building wealth for yourself at different age profiles, 20,25,30,35, and so on. I'll discuss each age profile that's next. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to get rich education.    Keith Weinhold  21:13   What if you got your mortgage loans the same place I get mine. You sure can at Ridge lending group NMLS, 42056,they provided GRE listeners with more loans than anyone. Because Ridge specializes in investment property, they'll help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your pre qual and even chat directly with President chailey Ridge while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com that's Ridge lendinggroup.com   Keith Weinhold  21:44   Let me ask you something, if you've worked hard to build wealth, is your money positioned to actually support your goals? A lot of accredited investors leave capital sitting in cash because it feels safe, but inflation and missed income opportunities can quietly erode its value. Freedom family investments offers freedom notes for investors seeking structured income backed by real estate. It's a straightforward approach built on real assets, not speculation. In full disclosure, I'm an investor myself. What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works, so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals, every investment carries risk and nothing is guaranteed, but with a track record of consistent on time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Go to freedomfamilyinvestments.com to book a clarity call or text. Family 266, 866, that's family 268,66   Ted Sutton  22:48   Hey, it's corporate, directs Ted Sutton. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold  23:02   welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to Episode 605 let's talk about some age profiles, because your life isn't random, it's staged. And if you understand the stages, I'll take it from age 20 up to age 40 or perhaps 50, because I don't have experience yet with being older than them. And then you can stop guessing and start engineering your future. Let's discuss mindset and then some tactics on how to build wealth in five year increments, largely through real estate, starting with age 20, at this stage, you're not behind you are early, though. I do know some people that have owned rental property at age 18 and 19. For the most part, your job isn't to invest yet. Your job is to build awareness and identity. Listen to shows like this one that you're listening to right now, even though you might be in college or trade school or have some employment, yes, as an employee, start thinking like an owner at this time you're installing your financial Operating System. Most people are 20 are consuming entertainment. You you're consuming direction. You're thinking, how can I set up a life where I'm not living below my means, which will always limit you? You're thinking, how can I grow my means at age 25 let's say you're out of school, you have a job and you're only making 65k per year if you're living with your parents, that means you can accumulate more liquidity. I don't like to say that you're becoming a saver, because that does not wire your mind for wealth, but that's effectively what you're doing. You're trying to amass some Liquidity, some capital formation is taking place. If you only have, say, $30,000 of cash amassed, well, then you're not ready for real estate, unless perhaps you're doing an owner occupied FHA loan in a duplex or a fourplex with a three and a half percent down payment. If you've got credit card debt. That's at 21% APR. You do want to retire that first age 25 is when you're likely to have student loan debt. The average student loan debt balance at age 25 is about 35k and the interest rate is 7% as long as your income is stable. You know, I didn't focus on paying down my student loans at age 25 I mean, why would I? Why should you I invested first? Because you might feel like having student loans slows you down, and it does, but not accumulating assets is what will keep you stuck so you're 25 when do you buy your first income producing asset? Say you've just got 20 to 30k accumulated liquid. That is still a little early to buy your first rental property, because that first property that would take all of what you had accumulated, that down payment would take it all like for an out of state turnkey property, and you've always got to stay a little liquid, but sooner than later, you have got to increase your income and own some real assets. If you accumulate instead 60k cash and the cheapest decent investment property would probably take something like a 30k down payment in closing costs right now, all right. Well, that tilts toward pulling the trigger and doing it because you've got some buffer. Now, you're still learning along the way, but you're learning really begins when you own your first property. Now, if you happen to live in an investor advantage place, oftentimes in the Midwest or south, perhaps the inland northeast, well then maybe you buy locally. But if you live in a pricey Metro at age 25 then you are probably rent vesting instead. What rent vesting means is that you're paying rent in, say, New York City, and you own property that you rent to others in, say, Chattanooga, Tennessee, that's called rent vesting. And you might pick up more than one property in your late 20s by age 30. Okay, look, this is when your cumulative better decision making really starts to show your trajectory has diverged from the herd, and it's really becoming noticeable to your peers, because your past decisions start compounding here by age 30. This is where you can benefit from modeling if you see someone like you that's doing what you want to do now, you can see yourself doing it. That's called modeling, and this is where your confidence grows. We'll say that now you're married at age 30, and you have a young child. You and your spouse make 175k together. You still have student loans, but you definitely own some real estate by now, we'll even say that you own your own home, your primary residence. By 30 you have a pretty good understanding of financing, property management and markets. By age 35 now you're investing in multiple real estate markets, and this is fueled because you've now done cash out refinances of your earlier properties into some more properties, and that means that you don't even have to use all of your own money in order to buy other properties and make down payments on them. So by age 35 your mindset has shifted from how do I buy a property over to how do I build a machine that buys properties, and this is where scale happens for you, you want to be sure to stay in your lane of competence and avoid chasing shiny objects again. Concentration over diversification by 35 it's become so apparent that you're glad that you did what you did. Other people are still doing things like working a lot of overtime and missing dinners. Maybe you do a little of that, but you don't have to do that. You're happy that you were strategic and you took the actions necessary so that your life doesn't feel like spinning on a hamster wheel like it does for everybody else, and it might still feel that way for you, too, but you are able to see a way out of that. And some people retire with real estate investing by age 35 but in this case, let's just say that you're not. Most aren't, but by now, you are getting so far ahead Of your old peers that you are definitely saying something to yourself, like, wow, indeed, capital compounds and labor doesn't this is the time in your life for this type of epiphany. Let's see where you are by age 40, and by the way, let's acknowledge that the average age of the first time homebuyer is now fully 40 in America. But by listening to this show and following the path that we help you with and engaging with our coaching and reading our newsletter, you are well ahead of this now I have a traditional financial advisor friend who says that he recently shared with me that he thinks a couple is in good shape if they have a net worth of $2 million by age 40. I don't know about that, though, if it's $2 million and a soldier in a 401 K that's locked away and it's not producing any income, that's a poor trajectory for the 40 year old couple. Sheesh, it's still a minimum of 20 more years from there until you can access 401K money, penalty, free. And, yes, there are some workarounds, but that's generally the picture. Well, instead, if you're a 40 year old couple with $2 million dollars in real assets. Oh, now you're in a substantially better position than if it were in some illiquid, conventional retirement plan. If it's in real assets. Oh, now you've got all these options. It could be producing income. You've got tax advantages that are greater than a 401, K, you might be able to access some of the equity, tax free, with a refi and plus say that your $2 million in equity is leveraging $5 million in real assets. Well, then, with 5% appreciation that alone is growing your net worth by $250,000 every single year, in addition to everything else that it's doing for you, yeah, talk about diverging from the herd. $2 million of equity in real assets crushes. Having that amount in a 401 K for you as part of a 40 year old couple, by age 45 you could very well be job optional. You could have teenage kids now, so you've got some expenses, you've been cash out, refinancing in a refi for life plan. Now your properties regularly are able to buy more properties for you, so that you aren't spending your own money on them. Instead, you're spending your own money on travel and living a better life than those others that are soullessly grinding at age 45 and yes, by the way, let's acknowledge that there would be ways for you to borrow out of a 401, k as well, but they're less forgiving than borrowing against your real assets after this period of time for you, you're getting into your late 40s, it is less about accumulation and it's more about optimization and freedom. I mean, you're soon asking, What do I want my life to look like? And you're not asking, How do I make more money? And at age 50 plus, since I really don't have much life experience here, you've probably done a number of 1031, exchanges, or you're even doing 721, exchanges, if you're substantially older than this saying that you want to retire from landlording. Now, one big lesson learned here is that early on, that focus, that concentration, is what allowed you to diverge from the herd that played small with diversification. One thing to be aware of when you're asking yourself that question, how much is enough? You're asking, how much is enough? Well, today, a five to $6 million dollar net worth that can usually generate enough income so that you don't have to work anymore. But people have a propensity to move the goalposts. It's most natural to think that you need to have twice as much as what you have now. Almost everybody inevitably thinks his way. If you've got 100k to your name, you think you've got it made. If you have 200k and if you've got 5 billion, you think you will need 10 billion. Be aware of that propensity to move the goalpost the amount that you think you need is almost always double what you have right now. And of course, in the words of the late George Foreman, the question isn't at what age I want to retire, it's at what income. Even conventional retirement planners will tell you that they just need to know two things in order. A plan for you, how much monthly income are you going to need, and how long you're going to live. And I think they've got that part right now. As you listen to those age profiles, you might have felt yourself ahead of that pace, on that pace, or behind that pace. There's a good chance that you were behind that pace, because by age 20, most people just don't adopt the abundance mentality that early. Most people drift through these decades, but if you understand the sequence, it's really this, learn, then earn, then buy, then scale and then optimize and be sure that you're living the entire time. The really good news for you is that you don't need luck. You need alignment with the stage that you're in. And if you get that right, you don't just build wealth, you build a life where money works harder than you do. Most people that try to do that get their money to work harder for them, well, that approach does not work until it's too late, but it works out for us because we ethically crowdsource other people's money to work harder than we do. To review what you've learned today. Wealth is built through concentration, not diversification. And from a young age, set up your life not to live below your means, but to grow your means. I'll talk to you again next week. Until then, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Unknown Speaker  36:42   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively,   Keith Weinhold  37:10   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, get rich education.com  

You've worked twice as hard to catch up on your path to financial independence, so why leave your legacy to chance? To help keep your FI plan from going up in smoke we sit down with estate planning and small business attorney, Allison Harrison. It's a fast, funny and slightly alarming deep dive into estate planning for normal people who assume they're "not rich enough" to need one. This episode covers: Why your FI plan is incomplete without basic estate planning  The real cost, delay, and public exposure that can come with probate Why many people think they need a trust when they actually don't  When a trust does make sense, especially for control and complex family situations  The simplest ways to avoid probate using beneficiaries and transfer-on-death designations  Why healthcare and financial powers of attorney matter just as much as a will Estate-planning blind spots for small-business owners and side hustlers The role of umbrella insurance, LLCs, and business agreements in protecting your assets Why digital accounts, passwords, and two-factor authentication are now part of estate planning What parents of newly minted 18-year-olds need to handle before college or adulthood begins . === SUPPORT  THE  SHOW ===

According to the Investment Company Institute, more than 120 million individuals in the U.S. own some type of fund. After all, they may not have a choice; the most common way Americans save for retirement is through an employer plan such as a 401(k), and in most of those plans, the only investment choices are a menu of funds. Robert Brokamp and Amanda Kish discuss the factors to consider when evaluating mutual funds and ETFs. Also in this episode:-Interest rates are rising, bond prices are falling, and the Fed is staying put… as is Jerome Powell.-Approximately a third of car buyers who traded in a vehicle had negative equity, and auto loan default rates are at their highest level since 2010.-Almost half of retirees stop working sooner than expected, mostly not by choice, so factor a shorter career into your retirement calculations.-We're already a third through 2026, so revisit those New Year's resolutions from January by getting caught up with our “Year Well Planned” challenge. Host: Robert Brokamp, CFP®, EAGuest: Amanda Kish, CFA, CFP®Engineer: Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.We're committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices