Thoughts On Money [TOM]

Joined by TBG Advisor Sean Latimer, your host Trevor Cummings answers some questions of how markets really work. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com

The human condition finds most of us being short-sighted. What I mean by that is that we tend to get caught up in current events and what’s happening in the here and now, leaving us more often lacking as long-term planners. But beyond solving the short-term (short-sighted) of say, needing a paycheck to keep the lights on, we (investors) also have other aspirations for our money and what it will fi...

Today’s article is about that day we hang up our occupation and step into retirement. The question is, will you love it? Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com

The key to making good decisions is creating an environment that is conducive to success. When it comes to investing, much of this battle is fought in your mind and it revolves around expectations. Most bad financial decisions will be a result of an investor reacting to disappointment – an investment did not meet their expectations, and this triggered a feeling of disappointment which then lead to...

I love playing basketball, watching basketball, thinking about basketball. I love basketball. Maybe it’s because it not only requires skill, agility, and endurance but also because the best teams win because they have a good game plan, one that is able to adjust to their opponent, one that is disciplined and practiced to perfection. If you would be so kind as to indulge my obsession for a minute,...

This past week I had the pleasure of getting lunch with a recent high school grad to discuss the wonderful world of finance. He’s a bright young man and is exploring what he wants to study in school and the career path that most interests him. He’s got a knack for numbers and thinks investing and/or advising might be a good fit. These exploratory conversations about finance often tend to spark som...

I typically devote some part of my weekend to researching on what I plan to discuss each week on Thoughts on Money [TOM]. I had no idea that my decision to write on topics of risk, drawdowns, and recovery periods, as I believe these are important topics for investors to understand, would also be so timely based on how the markets kicked off this week! Links mentioned in this episode: http://though...

Will the income from your portfolio satisfy all of your living expenses in retirement? This week's TOM looks at important factors to consider. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com

In the past few weeks, I’ve found myself in multiple conversations explaining the need and purpose of life insurance. We’ve covered this topic in previous issues of TOM, but based on the recent inquiries, I thought it appropriate to provide a succinct refresher. Links mentioned in this episode: http://thoughtsonmoney.com http://thebahnsengroup.com

Topics discussed: In the old fable The Tortoise and The Hare we find this classic tale of the slow and steady vs. the erratic and volatile. This fable lends itself well to many financial analogies, and rightfully so. Looking back at my personal investments over the years, I am pleased with the prudent, tortoise-like decisions I’ve made yet I still experience some level of disappointment as I refle...

Topics discussed: I had two conversations last week that came to opposing conclusions about 2020. One friend told me they had a gut feeling about 2020 and they felt strongly that the momentum from 2019 would carry over and their stock investments would do even better in 2020. Another friend told me that they felt like 2019 led to an overheated market and they were fearful whether they should own a...

Topics discussed: As we closed out 2019, I fielded a lot of questions about Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). For some, this inquiry was sparked by an interest in the tax benefits for 2019 planning and for others, it came from a place of curiosity whether a DAF would be suitable for their situation. I know we’ve touched on Donor Advised Funds before here at TOM but based on all the inquiries, it would a...

Topics discussed: As we enter into 2020, we know one thing to be true – politics are going to be a hot topic. Each week the news is going to headline different candidates, we will get a break down of each of their platforms, and there is going to be much uncertainty around who will win the election. One of these topics that are going to get a lot of air time is student debt. Currently, the U.S. De...

Topics discussed: As we approach the end of the year, I brace myself for the many retrospective look-backs on 2019 from my favorite media sources. And being that this year also marks the end of a decade, it will naturally invite even more reflection of how the past may inform our future. In the world of investing, the former decade (2000-2009) has now been appropriately deemed, “The Lost Decade.”...

Topics discussed: The end of the year is a season when I conduct a lot of review meetings with clients. Along with discussing holiday plans, sharing updates on our families, and so on, it’s the perfect opportunity to do some year-end tax planning, review how investments have fared over the year, and to catch up on any other planning items we are working on. It’s also a great opportunity to itemize...

Topics discussed: As we approach the New Year many of us will begin to think about the resolutions that we want to make for 2020. We know from experience that these resolutions are often short-lived, and we realize that making a commitment to something like a new diet may not be realistic or sustainable. Amongst these common resolutions are often financial goals like saving more or sticking to a b...

I absolutely cannot believe that we are already preparing for Thanksgiving. It feels like 2019 flew by, right? Well, I know from experience, that these last 6-weeks of the year seem to fly by at hyper-speed as well. This is indeed a great time of the year to spend time with family, rest, and reflect on the year. It’s also a great time to do some end of year tax planning. I know, I know, tax planni...

Thoughts on Money Podcast is hosted by Partner, Private Wealth Advisor Trevor Cummings from The Bahnsen Group in Newport Beach, California.

Here is a very common question I get as an advisor, “Should I pay off my mortgage?” This is a difficult question to answer for two reasons: Most of the people asking have already come to their own conclusion, and they’d be hard-pressed to be convinced otherwise. They are looking for confirmation rather than insight. The answer to this question depends on the particulars of one’s situation, this is...

Trevor Cummings talks about how "risk" can work as a benefit for the savvy investor.

For a retiree, there is plenty of media out there to help instill this fear that you may outlive your savings. Talks about rising healthcare costs, fearmongering about the next financial crisis, rumors of disappearing social security, etc. etc. etc. The financial “things-to-be-afraid-of” list seems to be never-ending. It is no wonder that many surveys find a majority of retirees worried about pote...

As a financial advisor, you get used to the fact that if you show up to a family function or a gathering with friends you are bound to get asked a handful of questions on personal finance, the markets, the economy, etc. The funny thing about these questions is that they are almost always seasonal, meaning they will revolve around the hot topic of the day.

It's not only essential to save but to look at where one saves. In this episode of the Thoughts On Money Podcast, Trevor looks at the importance of tax diversification in your retirement portfolio.

TOM is a podcast by Trevor Cummings, Partner and Wealth Advisor at The Bahnsen Group in Newport Beach, California.

The Thoughts On Money Blog posts for the Month of August 2019