Smarter Planner Podcast

In this episode host Belle Osvath, CFP® interviews Matt Gelfand, PhD, CFA, CFP®, Managing Director and Global Strategist at Princeton Global. Matt brings deep insight into the age-old debate of active vs. passive investing.   Matt shares how his academic background in economics initially led him to embrace the efficient market hypothesis, but his decades of real-world experience changed his view....

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, connects with Dr. Mary Bell Carlson, financial behavior expert and founder of the Financial Behavior Keynote Group. Dr. Carlson shares how financial advisors can deepen relationships and demonstrate value through thoughtful, engaging client events.   She emphasizes that the "why" behind client events is crucial—offering more than just advice, these experie...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®,  interviews Victor Hagani, founder of Elm Wealth, about his groundbreaking research into the "overnight drift" in stock markets. Victor, a seasoned finance expert, explains how a significant portion of the stock market's returns occurs during off-hours when markets are closed, despite the higher volatility typically seen during the day. This fascinating in...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath CFP® talks with David Peters, CFP®, CPA. They discuss the latest tax updates and what they mean for financial advisors. David covers: IRS Updates: How the recent cut of 6,000 employees may affect processing times, refunds, and overall IRS operations. Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting: What the Corporate Transparency Act requires and the ongoing deb...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, speaks with Erin Botsford, CFP®, who shares valuable insights into how financial advisors can build more sustainable and lucrative practices. Erin discusses: The role of a financial director vs. a planner : How being a concierge for your client's financial needs can set you apart and create lasting, generational relationships. Why charging financial planni...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® , interviews Jeremiah Baker, author of Confessions of a Hacker , about the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats. With 17 years in the field, Jeremiah has worked with major casinos, banks, corporations, hospitals, and software firms worldwide to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities. Jeremiah highlights that many cyber threats remain consiste...

In this episode , host Belle Osvath, CFP® , interviews Stevyn Guinnip, founder, and CEO of Grow Wellthy, a health and wellness consulting firm that works with financial advisors to improve their well-being. As the daughter of a financial advisor, Stevyn witnessed firsthand how the industry's pressures can negatively impact health. Her firm bridges the gap between financial success and personal wel...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® , interviews Scott Sanders, founder of 1908 Advisors, a firm specializing in life insurance settlements. Scott explains how his company simplifies the process of selling cash-value life insurance policies that are no longer needed or wanted. He outlines three primary options for such policies: lapsing, surrendering for cash value, or selling to institutiona...

In this episode of the Smarter Planner podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP® speaks with Kelly McNerney, CFP®, and Kristin Beane, about the upcoming Smarter Planner Symposium, which will be held on January 24th, 2025 at the Archer Hotel in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The event promises a full day of learning, networking, and collaboration designed for financial planning professionals.   Register Here   Sc...

In this episode, host  Belle Osvath, CFP® , interviews Jeannette Kuda, President and COO of TIFIN AG, a fintech company revolutionizing wealth management through supervised AI. Jeannette explains the differences between supervised (predictive) AI and generative AI, emphasizing the former's ability to analyze large datasets to identify growth opportunities for wealth management firms. TIFIN AG's pl...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® , interviews Steven Zeiger, Managing Director at KB Financial, about the complexities of life insurance in the "fiduciary era." Steven discusses the importance of transparent and unbiased evaluation in life insurance, noting the need for more standardization and the potential for misleading information in traditional policy illustrations. He explains how re...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, speaks with Dan Carreno, cofounder of 0-Six Impact Partners and cohost of the Rewilding Wall Street podcast. They explore the critical intersection of climate change and financial planning, discussing how extreme weather events impact insurance costs and property values. Dan shares his personal experiences and emphasizes the importance of financial planner...

In this episode of the Smarter Planner podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, talks with Brooke Juniper, CEO of Sage, about the evolving role of AI in the wealth advisory industry. Brooke shares insights on how AI has been part of portfolio management for over 20 years, starting with quantitative equity strategies and sentiment analysis from company earnings. With the advent of generative AI, Brooke ex...

In this episode of the Smarter Planner podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, interviews Derek Pollard, Ph. D., founder of Constellar Creative, about the importance of personal branding for financial planners. They dive into strategies for crafting a unique, consistent brand that reflects your story and expertise, even if you're part of a larger organization. Derek emphasizes that personal branding is...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® interviews Michael Clarke, co-founder of Protection Point Advisors and the National Referral Network, and author of A Firm Worth Building . The discussion revolves around the concept of "trust compression," which refers to building trust with clients not through long interactions over time, but by creating a series of high-quality, successive engagements th...

In this episode, host  Belle Osvath , CFP®, speaks with Andrea Longton, a CFA and award-winning author who specializes in social justice investing. Andrea has raised over $1 billion for social justice investments in the U.S. and advised on an additional $1.5 billion globally. She authored a book titled The Social Justice Investor: Advance Your Values While Building Wealth . In the discussion, Andr...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, interviews Kevin Keller, CAE, the CEO of CFP Board, about their latest public awareness campaign. Keller shares insights into the campaign's goal of increasing consumer recognition of the CFP® certification with the tagline, "It's Gotta Be a CFP®." Keller discusses the campaign's development and budget and how its effectiveness is being measured through me...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, speaks with Andy Baxley, MS, CFP®, CIMA®, a Certified Financial Transitionist, about the evolving role of financial advisors. Andy, an independent financial planner at the Planning Center, discusses how changes in people's lives, work, and retirement necessitate a shift in financial planning approaches. He emphasizes the importance of understanding clients...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, interviews Rachel Witkowski, an award-winning financial tech and AI reporter, about the integration of AI in financial planning. They discuss current AI applications, upcoming innovations, and the security concerns surrounding these technologies. They also touch upon the Advise AI conference, which is dedicated to exploring AI tools for financial advisors....

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® interviews Christine Dolan, the founder of C. Dolan and Associates Financial Organizing. Christine explains the role of a daily money manager and how they provide essential day-to-day financial management services that complement the work of financial advisors. Christine details how her firm helps clients manage their bills, organize financial paperwork, pr...

In this episode host Belle Osvath interviews Matt Halloran, Co-founder, and Chief Relationship Officer at ProudMouth, on the power of influence in financial planning marketing. Matt discusses how the marketing landscape has fundamentally changed, emphasizing that traditional selling methods are being replaced by content-driven influence that allows potential clients to engage and connect with advi...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® speaks with Mike Alves, MSAFP, CFP®, CEPA, CRPC®, founder of Vida Private Wealth . Mike shares his unique approach to integrating financial education into wealth management by developing a curriculum tailored to young people from childhood through adulthood. He discusses the genesis of this initiative, which began somewhat by accident but evolved into a del...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® welcomes David Marra, Chief Investment Officer at Markin Asset Management, back to discuss the current state of U.S. equity markets and investment strategies in the context of perceived market overvaluation. David shares insights into the cyclically adjusted PE ratio (CAPE) and its implications for future market returns, highlighting expectations of lower-t...

In this episode host, Belle Osvath, CFP ® , chats with Victor Haghani, co-author of "The Missing Billionaires: A Guide to Better Financial Decisions" and founder of Elm Wealth. Victor discusses the intriguing phenomenon of America's wealthiest families losing their fortunes over generations despite favorable investment conditions. He explores these families' critical mistakes, particularly poor ri...

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® interviews Liz Simmie co-founder of Honey Tree Investment Management. They discuss the importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) data in investment analysis. Contrary to being a niche element, Liz argues that ESG data should be considered fundamental to assessing a company's viability for long-term growth and risk. Her firm, Honey Tree, inte...