Casual Friday: Financial Insights

In this episode, Brian and Ryan break down the LPL Research 2026 Outlook and translate Wall Street research into plain-English takeaways for investors. The big theme for 2026: markets are being driven less by traditional fundamentals and more by policy decisions, momentum, and investor behavior. Brian and Ryan discuss what that means for the economy, stock market expectations, and fixed income—and...

Most retirees worry about outliving their money — but the data shows they often do the opposite: they underspend. In fact, many leave retirement with more assets than they started with, despite having saved for decades to fund their lifestyle. Why is this happening, and what can financial advisors and plan sponsors do about it? In this episode, Brian Ullmann and Ryan Louie sit down with Ronnie Cox...

**Connect with Us:** - Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup - Subscribe to the Casual Friday - Financial Insights podcast: Apple and Spotify - Share your stories or questions:  info@FordFG.com - Find us on the Web: FordFG.com The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any...

**Connect with Us:** - Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup - Subscribe to the Casual Friday - Financial Insights podcast: Apple and Spotify - Share your stories or questions:  info@FordFG.com - Find us on the Web: FordFG.com The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any...

**Connect with Us:** - Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup - Subscribe to the Casual Friday - Financial Insights podcast: Apple and Spotify - Share your stories or questions:  info@FordFG.com - Find us on the Web: FordFG.com The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any...

**Connect with Us:** - Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup - Subscribe to the Casual Friday - Financial Insights podcast: Apple and Spotify - Share your stories or questions:  info@FordFG.com - Find us on the Web: FordFG.com The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any...

This week Brian and Ryan sit down with Marc Fowler, 401(k) expert and representative of Human Interest, to discuss why 2025 is a pivotal year for small businesses to start offering a 401(k) plan. If you’re a business owner who hasn’t yet taken the plunge, this episode is packed with actionable insights on why now is the time. Key Takeaways Tax Incentives Are Better Than Ever Marc explains how rece...

In this episode, Ryan and Brian explore the U.S. national debt as it approaches a staggering $36 trillion—a figure that has nearly quadrupled since before the 2008 global financial crisis. With the federal debt growing every year since 2001, it’s a topic that continues to spark heated debates over budget deficits, the debt ceiling, government shutdowns, and stimulus spending. Now that the election...

In this episode, we delve into the latest insights on retirement planning amidst rising living costs and inflation. Here’s what we cover: 1. Current Inflation and Social Security Adjustments:    - 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): A 2.5% increase for Social Security reflects slowing inflation, down from higher increases in recent years.    - Impact on Retirees: While the COLA helps, it's...

In this episode, we explore the effects of rising and falling interest rates on bonds and money market funds. We discuss: Bonds as a Hedge : Are government bonds have become a less reliable hedge in volatile markets Money Market Funds : The behavior of money market fund assets following the first Fed rate cut and historical trends. Equities Outlook : Are U.S. equities and sectors poised for growth...

Today Ryan, Brian, and Eric all jumped on the podcast to discuss today's news that the Federal Reserve is cutting the Fed Fund rates by 0.50%, the first cut by the Fed in 4 years and the first of what is likely many to come. **Connect with Us:** - Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup - Subscribe to the Casual Friday - Financial Insights podcast: Apple and Spotify...

In this episode, we dive into the complexities of 401(k) plans and the audits conducted by the Department of Labor (DOL). The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is the group responsible for investigating and auditing 401(k) plans, which can be a significant challenge for plan sponsors. Key insights discussed: EBSA’s investigations recovered an average of $573.5 million annually from...

To paraphrase Ernest Hemingway, changes in the stock market often happen "gradually, then suddenly." This week Brian and Ryan discuss how, over the past month, there has been a rotation from large-cap technology stocks to small caps and other sectors. However, following the latest jobs report, global stocks experienced a sharp pullback due to concerns about the timing of Fed rate cuts, a...

This week Brian and Ryan took to the second half of 2024 by reviewing some of the key highlights from LPL Research's recently unveiled Midyear Outlook 2024: Still Waiting for the Turn , the semi-annual report that recaps where markets and the economy have been over the first half of 2024.  As we reach the halfway point of 2024, a sense of persistence defines the economic and market landscape....

Over the past few years, the path of interest rates has been highly unpredictable due to factors like inflation, economic growth, and the Federal Reserve's policies. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield exemplifies this volatility, having surged from 3.8% at the end of last year to a peak of 4.7% in April, before recently settling around 4.2%. These higher rates have confounded the expectations of...

In this eye-opening episode of the Casual Friday: Financial Insights podcast, hosts Brian and Ryan delve into the ever-evolving world of online scams, fraud, and identity theft. As the digital landscape expands, so do the tactics of cybercriminals. Brian and Ryan shed light on some of the most common and insidious scams circulating today, from phishing emails and fake tech support calls to social...

This week Brian is joined by our special guest Brian Domingos, owner of Premier Valley Realty, a full-service real estate brokerage firm based in Fresno, California.  Brian and his brokerage assists clients with buying and selling residential properties in the Central Valley, Central Coast, and Sierra Nevada areas. In addition to real estate sales, they offer property management services through t...

This week Brian and Ryan talk about how the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached 40,000 for the first time recently as markets continue to rebound from a 5% decline earlier this year. While this has felt like a difficult year for many investors due to inflation, high interest rates, and growth concerns, the reality is that the broad market has achieved 23 new all-time highs. Other asset classes, i...

In uncertain market conditions, cash holdings can offer a sense of security for investors. The past few years have seen significant market volatility due to various factors such as the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, monetary policy changes, inflation concerns, and technological disruptions. Amidst this turmoil, the allure of cash has grown, especially as interest rates on cash instruments have r...

In this episode of Casual Friday: Financial Insights, Brian and Ryan delve into the recent pullback in the markets, which have dipped at the onset of the second quarter. After kicking off the year with strong gains, the landscape has shifted due to a combination of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, rising inflation concerns, and uncertainties around corporate earnings. Join us as we discus...

This week Ryan and Brian come up for air from a busy tax season to examine how current tax brackets, both personal and corporate, compare to where brackets have been historically. They also touch on the possibility of brackets changing in the future, especially in light of the Federal debt to GDP ratio (spoiler: it's high). Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup Subscri...

As we delve into the intensifying presidential election season, every day brings us closer to November 5, Election Day. We're witnessing what appears to be an impending rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Given the months ahead until November, it's understandable for investors to feel uneasy about the potential effects of political events on the stock market and the broader econo...

This week Eric and Brian review how much "dry powder" is in money market funds and how these cash equivalent investments have swollen to record levels as rates have risen. However, event the Federal Reserve has said rates are coming down, so what are investors options if those sweet interest rates on money market funds really start to fall? Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ford...

This week Ryan and Brian discuss how all of the jobs lost during the pandemic have been recovered (and then some), and how business are still having trouble hiring, despite the large number of unemployed workers. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup Subscribe on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen to podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Questions? Email u...

This week Ryan and Brian review what could be ahead this year as the Fed begins to cut interest rates, and discuss how that impacts both equities and bonds in portfolios. Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fordfinancialgroup Subscribe on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen to podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Questions? Email us at info@FordFG.com Web: FordFG.com The o...