Crashes And Taxes Podcast

Hot on the heels of the coronavirus stimulus, the Biden Administration is now trying to pass another $3.5 trillion for infrastructure. If passed, that would add to upwards of $12 trillion of government spending in the last 15 months.  This is an alarming tipping point for this country. Increased government spending is only going to make our National Debt obligations more perilous, and create a gen...

The S&P 500 is a broad benchmark of the economy, and the numbers provide an interesting perspective on what we should be paying attention to. What factors are going to have an impact on the market in the second half of 2021?    Let's be frank - volatility will still be a concern, but it's not all bad news. Towards the end of the year, we're going to see some upside and the onset of the 4th Industr...

Between the recent FOMC statement, the end of weekly M1 and M2 reports, and a more political agenda, it's clear that the Federal Reserve has shifted significantly from its original mandate.    This represents a sea change in the philosophy behind our monetary policy, and we really have to ask ourselves where this is headed. What can we glean from the FOMC statement as investors? Why are the recent...

The 2008 crash and Great Recession were preceded by a dizzying mortgage frenzy that ultimately sent America, and in turn, the global economy, into freefall.    What happened before is now happening again.    Big private equity and investment groups like Blackrock are buying up entire neighborhoods, and this could lead to some market volatility between now and the end of this year. A mortgage boom...

Since the Biden Administration took office, two important industries have suffered crippling cyber attacks. This could be the start of a terrifying trend that will undoubtedly affect the entire economy.    Cyber attacks aren't just egregious hacks on private companies. They are acts of war on the wealth, institutions, and ultimately, the people of America.    What we've seen so far from the govern...

With the economic pressure America is facing, getting your financial house in order is a critical step to preserving your wealth.    Neglecting even the most mundane details about your assets could cause major complications, and that's something your financial advisor should be helping you with.    A stack of statements and reports from financial software is not a financial plan. What should you b...

The current administration is eliminating the step-up at death provision in estate planning. This decision marks a significant departure from the way estate planning has worked for decades, and it is a huge shift that will impact millions of trusts.    This is not a coincidence, it's part of the government's plan to grab more wealth.    Why is this happening now, and how will it change wealth tran...

The Biden administration is planning to install significant tax policy changes in income tax, corporate tax, and capital gains tax.  These changes will definitely have a damaging and detrimental effect, and force investors and corporations to take extreme measures - measures that work against the US economy.  This will put America at a huge disadvantage. What are the consequences of a tax policy t...

Retirement vehicles like the 401k are the perfect example of financial plans that don't serve investors who want to be in control of their wealth.  They are captive in nature, they force us into an unfavorable partnership with the government, and their pre-tax status should make us very nervous. How do we navigate employer retirement tools and use them to our advantage?  In today's episode of Cras...

The Bitcoin phenomenon has gained a massive presence in the mainstream market, and while it's a great investment right now, there's more to the story.    Cryptocurrency is a double-edged sword. The features that make it appealing are also the reasons we need to be worried about it becoming more widely and officially accepted.    What does the mainstream status of Bitcoin mean for our economy? What...

During inflationary periods, investors flock to commodities like silver and gold. Should you be doing the same? In theory, it's a great strategy, but in practice, it's not a simple, cut and dried answer.    Silver and gold don't guarantee 100% safety in a crisis. History has proven that they are extremely volatile and prone to government restrictions. Investing in commodities is not the safe bet s...

There is a huge gap between the current estate tax exemptions and what the Biden administration is planning to put in place in 2022. How is this going to impact the Basic Exclusion Amount, and why do you need to do your estate planning now even if you don't have an estate tax currently! In this episode, you'll learn why we're running out of time on the current estate tax policy and how you could l...

Advisors have different capabilities, and while some can perform very well for you at one stage of your financial life, they can fall short of what you'll need in another.    An accumulation-focused manager who helps you grow in your earning years can only take you so far.   Why are accumulation-focused advisors poorly equipped to help you in retirement? What are the details a financial planner ne...

Without warning, discussion or debate, the American people have been roped into a welfare reform program that promises to set our nation back significantly. The introduction of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) represents a fundamental shift, a significant step back, and a precarious tax situation.    Welfare and government support should be a temporary safety net, not a way of life or a way to incen...

In the last few weeks, the equity market has experienced massive volatility. While we're seeing it play out in the stock market, the root of this volatility is our interest rates and how The Federal Reserve is navigating the current pandemic economy.    The Fed has the difficult job of stimulating the economy to avoid a recession, while also walking the tightrope of reopening without creating more...

Changes are afoot in our country, and the tax burden that is coming down the pipeline is going to be the biggest that we've ever had in our history.    This is the last year of President Trump's tax code changes, and with 65 million Boomers expected to retire by the end of the decade, the clock is running out on some of the key tax strategies we can take advantage of and leverage.  In this episode...

Since the birth of the 401k, the government has been a partner in our retirement funds. When a partnership no longer serves us, it's time to part ways. Because of the coming tax needs of the Baby Boomer generation and a higher federal tax, our future tax rates are going to hit our retirement savings hard. Even though our retirement savings are compounding, let's not forget that it also compounds t...

Work, earn, accumulate, and retire - this is the trajectory of everyone's life. The problem in America is that we're so focused on spending that we don't often plan for the future.  We get used to a certain type of lifestyle without seriously considering our immediate financial options to maintain that lifestyle after we retire. This is a basic but critical piece of information many Americans don'...

What happened last week with the subreddit Wall Street Bets, GameStop, Robinhood and multiple hedge funds is just the latest example that the system is rigged.  When private, retail investors banded together and gave the hedge funds a run for their money, we saw a coordinated effort to censor and silence them. Every free market principle was compromised by shutting down message boards and the trad...

All equity investments come with two types of risk. There's the risk of the stock itself, and the greater market conditions.  Every single stock has a specific risk and economic fundamentals that affect its prospects. This type of risk can be mitigated through stock diversification, employing an investing strategy of accumulating non-correlated stocks and positions.  Systemic market risk isn't the...

2021 is upon us, and after all the volatility and challenges of 2020, many of us are anxious about what the next few months hold, and the financial outlook for our country.   Even though the stock market is trending upward, this is not the time to invest aggressively. In a time of significant uncertainty, we have to be prepared for anything.   We're headed for reckonings in 2021, and not just beca...

The coronavirus has undoubtedly created the most stressful financial challenge since the Great Recession. Above and beyond the pandemic itself, we're now really starting to see the emotional impact of the financial fallout.   As financial stress manifests as physical stress, we're seeing higher levels of anxiety and depression, along with an increase in substance abuse as a coping mechanism.   On...

Ever since their inception, Big Tech companies have held themselves up as pillars of free speech; but recent events have made it clear that their influence is endangering that freedom. We should be concerned by how they are using their significant power to decide what we can say, publish, and link to.   America is a better nation when we have a diversity of opinion and thought, not censorship at t...

2020 has been the year of unforeseen events and unexpected circumstances, many of them affecting our economy, financial stability, and the biggest industries in this country.   What makes the economy work is the free market, and when that market is shuttered, no business can be saved. It's not economically feasible for entire sectors to be shut down and while the government moves to keep stimulati...

Whenever we talk about the worst debt in America, we focus a lot on the obvious suspects; mortgage debt, student loan debt, and credit card debt.   But there's a debt category that's even more dangerous. Although it's widely accepted as sound financial advice, many Americans don't know that they are signing up for something they have absolutely no control over.   In this episode, I share the debt...