Five Minute Finance

What if the biggest skeleton in your financial closet is money you forgot about? I tried the government’s retirement-account search tool and found a lead on a $15,000 401k from my very first job. Matt and I get into the financial ghosts that follow you through job changes, family changes, and old account decisions, including one beneficiary mistake that can make life miserable for the people you l...

Your tax deadline is April 15, right? Not exactly. Matt and I walk through three different “doors” that close at three different times, and the first one may be hiding in your Q4 paychecks. We get into what to check now if you want to max out your 401(k), why late-year withholding can be surprisingly useful if a bonus, RSUs, or capital gains knocked your tax payments off course, and which moves re...

AI feels private, but how much of your financial life should you actually put into a chatbot? Matt and I look at the line between useful context and oversharing, including the information I would keep out of an AI prompt, how privacy settings differ across consumer and business tools, and why anonymizing your question can still get you a strong answer. We also get into the bigger financial risk: A...

Free $1,000 for your child sounds like an easy yes. But should you put another $5,000 into a Trump Account, or would that money work harder somewhere else? Matt and I break down who gets the free money, what these new accounts can and can’t do, and where they belong alongside your retirement savings, 529s and Roth IRAs. Plus, I share a tax strategy that could turn a decent benefit today into a muc...

An LLC and an S corp are not the same thing, and confusing the two can leave you paying for complexity you don't need. Join me and Matt this week as we break down what an LLC actually protects, why it doesn't automatically save you money on taxes, how an S corp election works, and the surprisingly complicated math behind those promised tax savings. We also walk through the roughly $100,000 profit...

Everyone told you to keep three to six months of expenses in cash. That number hasn't aged well. This week Matt and I break down why the old rule is broken, the two-pile system that stops you from lying to yourself about what's actually an emergency, and the floor times runway formula I use instead of a flat multiplier. We also get into where that money should actually live once your portfolio gro...

Artificial intelligence is making it easier than ever to do things yourself—but that doesn't always mean you should. Join me and Matt Robison this week as we explore the hidden opportunity cost of AI, why "saving money" can sometimes cost you hours of valuable time, and how to decide which tasks are worth outsourcing versus handling yourself. You'll also learn practical strategies for avoiding AI...

A child's first summer job can become far more valuable than a paycheck when paired with a Roth IRA. Join us this week to learn who qualifies, how custodial Roth IRAs work, contribution limits for 2026, why parents can fund the account even if kids spend their earnings, and how decades of tax-free compounding can turn relatively small contributions into life-changing retirement savings. It also co...

The wealthy don't avoid taxes because they have secret tricks—they operate under a completely different financial framework built around ownership rather than income. Would the "Buy, Borrow, Die" strategy work for you? No, probably not. Learn why most people can't replicate it, and the practical lessons everyday investors can apply to build wealth more tax-efficiently. Shifting from earning to own...

Delaying Social Security is often one of the most valuable retirement decisions you can make. Want to learn why Social Security should be viewed as longevity insurance rather than a savings account? This episode is for you. Matt and I will also discuss how delaying benefits increases guaranteed income, why break-even calculations can be misleading, and the often-overlooked psychological benefits o...

Most people don’t need another side hustle; they need a smarter framework for building financial flexibility. This week, Matt and I explore the difference between true passive income and expensive distractions, including equity compensation, rental real estate, angel investing, and the hidden cost of time and energy. Find out more about Mike at https://www.mortonfinancialadvice.com and connect at...

AI promises efficiency, but what if the real effect is simply raising expectations rather than freeing time? Join Matt and I for this first ever BONUS Five Minute Finance that riffs off our latest episode about AI. Why do productivity gains often disappear? How does convenience change our standards? Where does AI help versus where could it be quietly weakening creativity, judgment, and long-term s...

AI is changing how people approach personal finance, but the smartest use isn’t asking it to make decisions; it’s using it to surface ideas, explain strategies, and help you ask better questions faster. Join Matt and me this week as we discuss where AI genuinely adds value, where it can confidently lead you astray, and why human judgment still matters most when real money is on the line. Find out...

After 200 episodes, the biggest financial lesson is that success comes from structure—not complexity. Mike Morton and Matt Robison look back on the top ten most popular episodes in the past five years and revisit the things that matter most to you: taxes, optimization, family and legacy, and the emotional side of money. Top Ten Most Listened to Episodes of Five Minute Finance: Masterclass: EFT vs....

Most people think doing their taxes correctly is enough—but the real opportunity lies in planning ahead. Join CFP® Mike Morton and Matt Robison as they break down the critical difference between tax preparation and tax strategy, showing how high earners can reduce surprise tax bills by understanding their marginal tax rate, coordinating multiple income sources, and making smarter year-round decisi...

High earners often feel like they’re living paycheck to paycheck, but the real issue isn’t income—it’s visibility and alignment. As earnings increase, so do expenses and expectations, while savings happen quietly in the background, making progress feel invisible. Join Matt Robison and Mike Morton as they break down why this happens, how to tell if it’s actually a problem, and what to do to ensure...

Company stock: one of the most confusing—and potentially valuable—parts of your compensation. From RSUs to ISOs and NSOs, learn what you actually own, how vesting and exercising work, and where people commonly make costly tax and risk mistakes. The key takeaway: equity compensation is often a great opportunity, but it’s not simple—and without a clear plan around timing, taxes, and concentration ri...

In this episode of Five Minute Finance , Mike Morton and Matt Robison unpack the world of private assets—investments like private equity, private credit, and private real estate that aren’t traded on public markets. They explain how these opportunities differ from traditional index funds, who qualifies to invest in them, and the key trade-offs investors should understand, including limited liquidi...

In this episode of Five Minute Finance, CFP® Mike Morton and Matt Robison walk through 10 smart tax-saving strategies for 2026, from maximizing retirement accounts and using HSAs to capital loss harvesting, 529 planning, small business strategies, and income timing. Rather than overwhelming listeners, they present a practical “buffet” approach — choose one idea, take a five-minute action step, and...

You’ve been told index funds are safe — and they are. But what if your “diversified” portfolio is more concentrated than you realize? In this episode, Certified Financial Planner Mike Morton and Five Minute Finance host Matt Robison unpack how market-cap weighting has quietly increased risk inside popular index funds, why mega-cap stocks dominate your portfolio, and what simple adjustments (not pa...

Want a fast, simple way to feel more in control of your finances without budgeting apps or tracking every purchase? In this episode of Five Minute Finance , Mike Morton explains why tracking your net worth once a year is one of the highest-impact “small effort” money habits you can build. You’ll learn what net worth really means, what to include (and what to skip), why this snapshot creates confid...

In this New Year’s episode of Five Minute Finance , Matt Robison and CFP® Mike Morton ditch the pressure to “optimize everything” and focus on five simple moves that can meaningfully improve your financial year. From setting a clear intention for 2026 to checking emergency funds, excess cash, automation, and portfolio alignment, the conversation emphasizes progress over perfection. The result is a...

In this episode of Five Minute Finance , Mike Morton and Matt Robison preview The Juggling Act: A Financial Guide for High-Achieving Parents , Mike’s new book due out in 2026. They offer a high-level tour of modern financial planning, from values and organization to taxes, investing, college planning, and career flexibility, designed to help busy parents enjoy life now and later without overwhelm....

This week on Five Minute Finance , Mike Morton and host Matt Robison dive into end-of-year charitable giving—how to make it reflect your family’s values, how to simplify it with donor-advised funds, and how to unlock powerful tax benefits by donating appreciated stock or using a “bunching” strategy. If you’re thinking about giving more this season (or just want your giving to work harder), this ep...

Talking to your parents about money may be the most awkward conversation you ever have—right up there with “the talk” from your teenage years—but avoiding it can cost your family serious time, stress, and money. In this episode of Five Minute Finance , Mike Morton and host Matt Robison break the topic into five practical areas: organizing your parents’ finances, navigating taxes and gifting, plann...