Keep it Simple

AssetBuilder's own Kennon Grose and Michael French discuss how to financially prepare your loved ones in the event of your sudden passing. Both Michael and Kennon provide key points, while offering their own personal antidotes.    Show notes https://assetbuilder.com/podcast   Email us with any suggestions or questions at: podcast@assetbuilder.com  

From ssa.gov , “the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 1.3% in 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced last week.”   Michael and Adam discuss how that is assessed, what it means for retirees, and how to maximize social security for the future.   Here’s the announcement .   A Step-by-Step of How Socia...

Michael and Adam deconstruct the political standpoints between an an advisor and their client. How do your politics play into your investment?    Partisan Impact on Economic Expectations http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/files/partisanimpact201709.pdf   Why Advisors Should Keep Politics Out of Portfolios https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2018/04/05/keeping-politics-out-of-the-portfolio/   How To Shield Your...

In light of the current US presidential election, many investors wonder how the stock market will react to whoever wins the presidency. Michael and Adam look back in time to see how the market has reacted to past elections and they breakdown who and what also affects the market.    Interactive Graph depicting the market during each presidency, starting with Hoover.  https://www.dimensional.com/us-...

The NASDAQ toppled down earlier in September worrying some investors that we may be headed for a tech crash. Michael and Adam discuss whether or not we are facing an imminent correction due to a tech bubble.   Aggregation Theory     https://stratechery.com/aggregation-theory/   AssetBuilder Knowledge Center  https://assetbuilder.com/knowledge-center   Keep it Simple Podcast Page https://assetbuild...

Michael and Adam go head-to-head to see who knows more about the intricacies of trust funds. We sure learned a lot in this one and we know you will, too.    Do you have questions or suggestions for Keep it Simple? Just email us at podcast@assetbuilder.com   Taken from a How Stuff Works article https://play.howstuffworks.com/quiz/trust-funds-quiz   Supplemental Information https://www.quicken.com/b...

10 Frequently asked 401k Questions—Answered Can I use my 401K before I retire? Can I contribute to both a 401K and IRA? Michael and Adam diligently answer 10 common questions about our 401Ks.   Have questions or suggestions for a new episode? Email us at podcast@assetbuilder.com.   10 Frequently Asked 401K Questions by Motley Fool https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/01/14/10-frequently-asked-401k...

Michael and Adam react to 4 unique investing horror stories that have happened to real people. Learn about some of the darker corners of the investment world. 

For the Kids! If you're a young teen looking to get a leg up on life—listen in! Michael and Adam breakdown how to get started in investing, because the name of the game is getting in early!    AssetBuilder Knowledge Center https://assetbuilder.com/knowledge-center   Show Notes  https://assetbuilder.com/podcast    

Michael and Adam discuss the importance of talking to our children about investing and finance at an early age—even offering personal antidotes about how they do so with their own children.    Money habits are set by age 7. Teach your kids the value of a dollar now. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/making-sense/money-habits-are-set-by-age-7-teach-your-kids-the-value-of-a-dollar-now   Research...

Michael and Adam discuss the pros and cons of investing with an advisor in contrast to investing on your own.  Vanguard—Assessing the value of advice.  https://www.vanguard.com/pdf/assessing-value-advice.pdf   AssetBuilder Knowledge Center  https://assetbuilder.com/knowledge-center    

Michael and Adam discuss why the market continues to rise amid global disrupt and media sensationalism.  Why Stocks Go Up— Even During Crisis https://mailchi.mp/734bf65a11b2/what-you-missed-on-assetbuildercom How the S&P is not correlated to GDP (including chart):  https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-06-09/stock-market-has-almost-always-ignored-the-economy Chart showing largest 50 day...

Michael and Adam discuss and define inflation, how it should be understood, and what that means for your investment. US inflation Calculator:   https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/   Are we seeing signs of deflation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2F2Qg6m3Ic&t=649s   Inflation or Deflation—what happens next?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFiJw6QoTL4&t=697s...

Michael and Adam discuss the key indicators of a recovering economy and what that means for your investment.   NY Times Article https://messaging-custom-newsletters.nytimes.com/template/oakv2?campaign_id=116&emc=edit_pk_20200512&instance_id=18415&nl=paul-krugman&productCode=PK&regi_id=94146631&segment_id=27424&te=1&uri=nyt%3A%2F%2Fnewsletter%2F6b27f312-af62-4ac3-b058-87e81a8135a4&user_id=5feb0eea2...

Our regular host correspondent, Michael French, chats with world-renowned author, Andrew Hallam to discuss a whole array of investment topics, including how to retire abroad.   The Millionaire Teacher https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Teacher-Wealth-Should-Learned/dp/1119356296/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=millionaire+teacher&qid=1565905064&s=books&sr=1-1   Millionaire Expat: How To Build Wealth Living Ov...

World renowned author, Andrew Hallam, and I discuss his fascinating life, how to invest for a bright future and why we should stay away form market media headlines.   The Millionaire Teacher https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Teacher-Wealth-Should-Learned/dp/1119356296/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=millionaire+teacher&qid=1565905064&s=books&sr=1-1   Millionaire Expat: How To Build Wealth Living Overseas htt...

The CARES act has provided an unprecedented stimulus to the US economy.  In this episode, Adam and Michael discuss the benefits in the CARES act and how those benefits may provide relief not only to individual Americans but also the impact on the overall economy. They also discuss the size of the stimulus in relation to other historic stimulus packages and explore what the potential impact may be...

Michael and Adam compare our current market/economic climate with past downturns and contextualize the possible repercussions. 

Michael and Adam discuss the impact of COVID-19 thus far and what that means for you as an investor. 

In this short episode, Michael and Adam definitionally distinguish ETFs and Mutual Funds and discuss which one may be more appropriate for your investment.  

Some investors say they can predict the market. Others say they can't. Is there individual merit to each approach? Or is one objectively better than the other? Adam and Michael explain. 

The US stock market has been on a huge upswing—but an inverted yield curve back in mid-2019 has left investors wondering: is a recession on the horizon? Michael and Adam discuss. 

Whether you've contemplated annuities or maybe you're enrolled in one today, learn something new about these insurance products and what they could mean for your post-career life.

Should you continue to work in retirement? How do you make sure you rebalance correctly? How do you understand the impact of medical costs? And, when is the best time to take social security? Michael and Adam tackle 4 common missteps in retirement.  Based on this article:  https://www.investopedia.com/retirement/how-sabotage-your-retirement/

Millennials are saddled with more student debt than any previous generation. Will they be able to overcome that and retire at 65? RIA, Adam Morse, and CIO, Michael French dive in.