Can't Take It With You

Entrepreneurship can be a powerful path to wealth, but it comes with unique challenges. In this episode, Pioneer Capital Advisory founder Matthias Smith joins Derek Ripp and Carlos Cardenas of Austin Wealth Management to walk through the full journey of buying a business and building long-term wealth. Listen for business ownership insights including: Getting SBA loans without going to banks yourse...

Money can cause lots of stress in marriage. Couples don't have to fight, though - there are healthy ways to talk about financial decisions and get on the same page! Licensed professional counselor Amy Spears provides a helpful framework for how couples can communicate about money.  Listen in for Amy's insights about: The importance of relationships for overall health How each spouse's unique backg...

Medicare planning is complex, and people often receive a confusing flurry of insurance marketing material when they turn 65. In today's episode, we talk to Medicare expert Dana Lasman. Dana explains the basics of Medicare in an understandable way so you can make sense of your options. Dana reviews: •⁠  ⁠Medicare eligibility and how to enroll •⁠  ⁠⁠Unbiased resources for evaluating the different Me...

It's great to earn a big bonus, receive a vesting of company stock, or achieve a profitable business year. Unfortunately, without good tax planning, extra income and insufficient withholdings can result in a big tax bill and/or penalties. In this episode, Joe Pachuca, CPA, discusses how proactive tax strategy can avoid unpleasant surprises from the IRS. Joe shares his insights about: Common reason...

There are many ways to increase business value. Owners often focus on the tangibles, but the intangibles are equally important. In this episode, business coach Dan Dowdy highlights the importance of cultivating a team and its core values. Dan shares his insights about: Finding and retaining top-performing team members Building a positive company culture Creating career paths for growth Practical w...

College consultant Marina Glava discusses key strategies for the increasingly competitive world of college admissions. Marina also shares how students can make the most of their high school years to identify their academic interests. Marina offers details on these topics: Strategies for navigating the new "test optional" landscape. The level of importance that admissions officials give to extracur...

Matt is joined by Andrew Beer of Dynamic Beta Investments (DBi) to explore the world of managed futures. In this episode we cover: Managed Futures 101 What is a futures contract? What are managed futures strategies? The role managed futures can serve in a broader portfolio including the case for a long-term allocation The challenges of investing in such a diverse space DBi's innovative product sol...

Estate planning attorney, Kyle Robbins, helps us understand how the probate process actually works (in Texas, but the big concepts apply elsewhere), and what the Executor of an estate should expect to experience. Most people don't learn about this until they have been assigned the Executor of a loved one's estate. Learn about it now so you can make the right decision for your family. What happens...

Matt is joined by Phil McInnis, Chief Investment Strategist for Avantis Investors, to explore the story and strategy behind the newest investment manager to our client portfolio lineup. In this episode we cover: Avantis' founding and why Phil personally embarked on a new career journey Defining Systematic Investing Avantis' valuation-centric philosophy to portfolio construction How do we attempt t...

Kevin goes deep into the topic of credit cards with colleague, John Toungate, a self-taught expert with plenty of real life examples to share. How credit cards impact credit scores Strategies to improve credit scores using credit cards Using the 'soft benefits' of credit cards Strategies to maximize cash rewards When does it make sense to pay annual fees? When is it worth it to get the unlimited '...

Derek Ripp meets with Gary Zimmerman of MaxMyInterest to discuss the fragility of banks, risks to cash depositors, and strategies to reduce risk and optimize yield on cash in bank accounts. ·       Cash is King or Cash is Trash? ·       What should investors learn from the Silicon Valley Bank fiasco? ·       What is the risk to cash beyond FDIC limits? ·       How MaxMyInterest provides FDIC cover...

Veteran mortgage professional,   Russ Laing   of Vista Lending, joins us with insight about the dramatic changes in mortgage lending since rates more than doubled in the past year, and what borrowers can do to improve their terms on new mortgages. Has the market really cooled off? How do lenders make money? Why are jumbo rates often so different from conventional rates? How ominous are current mor...

Matt interviews George Milling-Stanley, Chief Gold Strategist for State Street Global Advisors. Spanning the historical to the practical, George gives a breakdown of gold's role over the years, the investment case for gold, and surveys the present state of the market.  George's personal 50 year history with gold What happened in 1971 and what gold was prior to that date Gold's investment role and...

Today Matt interviews Michael Green, CFA from one of our newest fund partners, Simplify Asset Management where he serves as Portfolio Manager and Chief Strategist. In a wide ranging conversation, Michael shares the unique lens through which he analyzes markets and articulates his concerns around changes in the underlying market structure.  When did he begin to question the underlying tenets of his...

Real estate entrepreneur, Mark Strub, visits the podcast to give us an update on the rapidly changing residential real estate market. We cover so many topics! The market transitioning from blazing hot to warm Supply and demand forces in Austin The impact of higher mortgage rates on buyers and sellers The 'missing middle' housing problem The negotiating table: buyers vs sellers Real estate as an in...

Matt and Kevin analyze the worst year for bonds since the industry began recording data in 1926. They talk about what caused this and where the market might go from here. They review the main categories of bonds, the recent outcomes for each, and what investors should be prepared for when investing in bonds going forward.

Jeff Socha shares insights about how to achieve lower tax liability while adhering to IRS tax laws. We talk about: Levels of tax strategies Understanding your relationship with the IRS Business deductions often overlooked How to get the most out of your CPA Perspectives on audit risk

Matt and Kevin crack open the 'other' category of investments, sometimes called 'alternative' investments. The broadest definition is any investment other than traditional stocks and bonds. With both stocks and bonds facing difficult economic conditions, many investors are asking the question 'what else is there?'. This Part 2 episode focuses on 'trading strategies' as a category of alternative in...

Matt and Kevin crack open the 'other' category of investments, sometimes called 'alternative' investments. The broadest definition is any investment other than traditional stocks and bonds. With both stocks and bonds facing difficult economic conditions, many investors are asking the question 'what else is there?'. This became Part 1 of an expected two part series on the topic, focused on the cate...

Meg Bartelt, founder of Flow Financial Planning, joins us to discuss a method for weaving employer stock into personal financial planning. Trends in employer stock plans What are you actually getting from your employer? The simplest way to get your head around buy/sell decisions What type of analysis is most useful?  Using employer stock to fulfill your personal goals

Matt and Kevin delve into the wild west of cryptocurrency: NFTs. What the heck is an NFT? How does this relate to Bitcoin and Ethereum? What are the current uses of NFTs? What is the hope of NFTs in the future? How do you actually buy an NFT? How to deal with risks and scams Investment characteristics of NFTs

When we enroll for health insurance through an employer, through the individual plan marketplace, or Medicare, the options are vast and complicated - anything but consumer friendly. When we need to use our insurance the financial impact can be massive. We are joined by Christine Simone, co-founder of Caribou , a firm that matches health care advisors to people in need of guidance.   Health care co...

Matt Pierce makes his inaugural debut on the podcast to discuss the different ways markets might play out over the next decade and how investors can prepare accordingly. We talk about the following scenarios: More of the same - market outcomes look a lot like the last 10 years Mean reversion - prices come back to something more normal Lost decade - below average returns on both stocks and bonds Br...

Kevin was inspired to take action upgrading his online security and shares the most practical and effective measures he has taken: Long and random passwords Password managers 2-factor authorization: basic and advanced Wireless network security

Cash is how we participate in the economy every day. But it pays almost no interest while it sits in the bank, and inflation is constantly eating away its purchasing power. My partner, Derek Ripp, joins us to talk about how much cash to hold, where to keep it, and strategies to get the most out of it.