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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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