Grow Money Business with Grant Bledsoe

Sean Barter rejoins the show in this episode of Grow Money Business for another spirited debate on the capital markets. Sean and Grant take turns arguing whether bitcoin will end the year above or below $85,000, whether we'll see a 15% correction in the S&P 500 this year, whether the Fed will cut rates twice this year, and whether the easy money has already been made in the AI trade. We also review an article covering the redemption pause at private credit manager Blue Owl Capital. RESOURCES: Blue Owl halts redemptions at one of its funds, deepening selloff in private equity shares By Isla Binnie reuters.com/business/blue-owl-sells-14-bln-debt-funds-pension-insurance-investors-2026-02-18/

Grant's colleague Sean Barter joins the show this week to discuss the markets. They flip a coin to argue for & against whether the Mag 7 stocks finish higher or lower on the year, whether mortgage rates are going up or down, whether you should hold gold in your portfolio, and whether we're entering a stock picker's market. We also cover the month in the markets and an article from Morningstar about high yield debt. RESOURCES: Why There Is a Lot Less Junk In the High-Yield Bond Market morningstar.com/bonds/why-there-is-lot-less-junk-high-yield-bond-market

In this episode of Grow Money Business we review what happened in the markets in 2025, focusing on gold, U.S. and non-U.S. stocks, and what to expect going forward RESOURCES: Understanding Gold – Hedge, Diversifier, or Overpriced Insurance? quantpedia.com/understanding-gold-hedge-diversifier-or-overpriced-insurance/?a=6080

In this episode of Grow Money Business we take stock of the potential AI bubble, the recent Nvidia earnings call, and the November rout in cryptocurrencies. RESOURCES: Boom, bubble, bust, boom. Why should AI be different? crazystupidtech.com/2025/11/21/boom-bubble-bust-boom-why-should-ai-be-different/

In this episode of Grow Money Business we review the government shutdown and what's holding up an agreement, how that impacts the financial markets, what's happening with gold, and a different perspective on the AI spending race. RESOURCES: The Hilarious World of Estate Planning words.paulollinger.com/p/the-hilarious-world-of-estate-planning

In this episode of Grow Money Business we cover the current state of the market and whether we're in a bubble or not. We also respond to a listener question about whether they should add gold or bitcoin to their portfolio, and review an article on why mortgage rates haven't moved much even though the Federal Reserve recently reduced short term interest rates. RESOURCES: Borrowing costs are falling—why aren't mortgage rates? cnbc.com/2025/09/26/why-borrowing-costs-are-falling-but-mortgage-rates-arent.html Gold Hasn't Rallied This Much Since 1979 wsj.com/finance/commodities-futures/gold-price-rising-61bc0b52?mod=finance_feat5_commodities-futures_pos1

In this episode of Grow Money Business we dive into the independence of the federal reserve, including the recent allegations of mortgage fraud by one of the fed's governors and some of the history of the central bank going back to the early 1900s. We also cover whether active management in bonds makes sense, and everything that's happened in the markets over the last month. Resources: Why the Bond Market Is Fertile Ground for Active Management | Morningstar https://www.morningstar.com/financial-advisors/why-bond-market-is-fertile-ground-active-management

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been passed into law, and we dive into it's details in this episode of Grow Money Business. We cover the changes to tax laws that you should know about, including planning opportunities around charitable giving, solar panels & EVs, Social Security, and the child tax credit. We also cover an article about the most important financial metric that even millionaires get wrong, the recent fed decision on interest rates, and the jobs report. RESOURCES: Even Multi-Millionaires Can't Get This Basic Idea Right bestinterest.blog/even-multi-millionaires-cant-get-this-basic-idea-right/ FAQ: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Tax Changes taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-tax-changes/ Tax Provisions in H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: House-Passed Version congress.gov/crs-product/R48550

This episode of Grow Money Business covers everything you need to know about Social Security: from how to get through to your local office & the expected wait times for their 1-800 number to how long we'll be able to pay retiree benefits. The background here is that the trustees of Social Security are required to publish a report on the funding of the program annually. The 2025 report was published just a few weeks ago, and this episode covers what you need to know about it. Resources: What the Heck Is Happening at Social Security?: https://www.nextavenue.org/what-the-heck-is-happening-at-social-security/ THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FEDERAL OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE AND FEDERAL DISABILITY INSURANCE TRUST FUNDS: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/2025/tr2025.pdf

In this episode of Grow Money Business we review what the markets have done as news of trade negotiations has trickled out over the last few weeks. We review whether tariff policy leads to inflation to consumers, Moody's recent downgrade of US debt, and what to look for in the coming weeks as we approach the 90-day tariff pause deadline. RESOURCES: Moody's Ratings downgrades United States ratings to Aa1 from Aaa; changes outlook to stable moodys.com/web/en/us/about-us/usrating.html The Effects of Tariffs on Inflation and Production Costs frbsf.org/research-and-insights/publications/economic-letter/2025/05/effects-of-tariffs-on-inflation-and-production-costs/ Detecting Tariff Effects on Consumer Prices in Real Time federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/detecting-tariff-effects-on-consumer-prices-in-real-time-20250509.html

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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