Winning at Life with Gregory Ricks

Learn why indexing usually beats the stock pickers. Gregory explains how to use indexing to minimize the risk of losses, and still be able to score on market upswings. Ellis in New Orleans has nothing saved for retirement at age 61, but his business has become successful, and he would like to make up for lost time. There's some updates to the GregoryRicks.com/Coronavirus page for those looking for...

Michael in Metairie qualifies for a Hazardous Essential Worker bonus from the State of Louisiana, and asks Gregory about the filing process. Some of the most prominant Twitter accounts were hijacked for a Bitcoin scam. It was likely an inside job, but also demonstrates how powerful social media can be. Netflix stock takes a swan dive. Here's why. Bob on Facebook Live asks for Gregory's opinion on...

It's the day before Tax Day, and we review some tax greivances in the Beatles song: Tax Man. We review a recent caller asking how his Social Security will be taxed. Now is the last chance to make an IRA contribution for 2019. Gregory explains why this would be of interest to you. Louis in Marrero calls in for his occasional Bitcoin update. Louis explains some of the nuances of the mining payments,...

Can I Write My Own Living Will? Debbie in Metairie asks Wes Blanchard if it's feasible for someone to write their own DNR and POA documents without an attorney. Which companies' stock has gotten sick in 2020? Gregory has a list of high dividend stocks who have gotten crush this year. Gregory reviews some stock buying philosophies of Warren Buffet, and Gregory stresses the part about having a signi...

Tesla stock is on a rocketship, and the world's most valuable car company is not the only stock making headlines this week. Theaters, sports, entertainment: these industries are being gutting and reformed in 2020. How will they look a year from now? Wes Blanchard explains how the documents for your Living Will should keep you covered for various situations whether you're married or not. Walter in...

Amazon announces a new facility in Southhaven, MS. This comes right after the City of Seattle passes a new tax on salaries over $150K at big companies. John in Mississippi asks Gregory if he has to sign up for Medicare coverage even though he is still working and has coverage through his employer. If you like wine, and are getting close to Social Security age: check out the Wine Down with Social S...

Charles in Gulfport asks about his Social Security retirement benefit being taxed. Isn't there some old age exemption or something like that? Employee Stock Plans: are they a good investment? Can you roll over a Roth 401k into a Roth IRA. Dave on the Northshore would like to have more options than the company plan, but unless he has an unusually flexible company plan, you usually have to wait unti...

Gregory helps Leo in Harahan how to qualify for Social Security, and how his benefit amount is calculated. Gregory explains the AIME system, and goes into greater detail on how your Social Security retirement benefit is calculated. Sonny in Mandeville has questions on how to use Social Security retroactive benefits. Gary in Marrero asks Gregory about how to get more out of Social Security's spousa...

Patrick Mahomes signs the biggest contract in sports history. Gregory breaks down how this may be a big win for the Chiefs. James runs through some other financial headlines. Tesla is now the most valuable car company in the world. As Tesla stock soars, Ford is carrying billions in debt and pension obligations. Dan in Metairie asks about the PPP extension details. 10 steps to achieving your financ...

Gregory relays a recent situation of a couple who was trying to draw an income from their retirement assets without tripping into the next tax bracket. Gregory has 12 ideas to get your investments back on track. Bob in Destrehan has a stain on his credit report that he can't figure out. http://www. WinningAtLife.com

We review Steve in Bogalusa who has a questions about his status with Social Security's retirement benefit, spousal rules, and disability help. Are retroactive Social Security benefits on hold? Gregory has the report of some applications for Social Security retroactive benefits being denied. The IRS confirms there's no Required Minimum Distribution for any IRA in 2020, including inherited IRAs. Jo...

Are you an Investor, Day Trader, or Gambler? A new electric car manufacturer is entering the ring.

New info on the Coronavirus recovery blurs the picture on how soon we will be done with all of this economic turmoil. Is the dollar crashing soon? Steve in Mississippi asks Gregory his thoughts on dumping stocks for gold. The movie industry is skipping theaters and going to straight to streaming services. Tom Hanks new movie was bought by AppleTV+ for $70 million. The rules on Required Minimum Dis...

How does the stock market perform when opposite political parties are in power? Gregory runs through the stock market performance over the last 50 years. Happy Father's Day! Experiences are the gifts that mean the most. Weird tech names are the norm: Yahoo, Google, Twitch, etc... but that won't stop us from being on as many platforms as possible! Jude Heath catches you up on what's different this...

John on the Northshore had his credit report checked when buying a cell phone. Is that the kind of thing that can sink your credit score? Ryan in Golden Meadow got an unexpected medical bill he can't pay. What should he do to get a payment plan in action? Gregory warns of the fatal flaws of health insurance, and some of the troubles he's navigated in his own experience with the medical world. How...

Gregory is not impressed about the inflows into Gold ETFs. Exchange Traded Funds can be useful for various jobs in your portfolio, but there's still no place for gold in the Guided Planning System. Over the last three months, it looks like retail investors scored better average returns on their individual stock picks than hedge funds. Financial stats show how far we've come since the first episode...

We celebrate 10 years of Winning at Life by revisiting some highlights from the first decade!

The latest shoe to drop in the retail apocalypse: Ulta announces it will be reviewing over a thousand stores for closure. They are expected to close at least a third of its outlets. In other makeup news: Kylie Jenner's billionaire status is called into question as allegations of cooking the books come to light. Since the big changes in behavior with the virus lockdowns, prices have fallen for brea...

The Paycheck Protection Program has been updated. Hear the new rules on how to get your loan forgiven. Allen Iverson's endorsement deal with Reebok includes a deferred trust after 10 years worth $32 million. Gregory thinks this is a smart way to structure contracts for a variety of reasons, and it works well at lower income levels. The Wine and Wisdom Webinar is next week, and a nice relaxing way...

Mark in Laplace asked about if he should be selling the airline stock he picked up during the crash. Gregory ultimately asks if Mark is investing, day trading, or gambling. Gregory explains why Day Trading is mathmatically destined to fail. Where does Gregory stand on gold? It's not worthless, but it has no role to play in his money management playbook: the Guided Planning System. Brenda in Baton...

The ADP jobs number comes in way better than estimates, and has the financial world looking at tomorrow's unemployment report with great enthusiasm. Gregory responds to some talking heads, and shares the optimism. How do you know when to get out of a stock? James bought some Ford stock a while back, made some gains, and is thinking about getting out. Is there a place for Gold in today's investment...

Where is the economy heading next? People taking advantage of mortgage forbearance programs have peaked and started to fall. What parts of Medicare do you turn on if you're still working when you turn 65? How do I choose the right fund in my TSP? George in Covington asks Gregory when he should jump out of the riskier funds in his Thrift Savings Plan, and diversify into some safer options. Gregory...

00:23 - We review the story of one of our Producers: Bailey. She's had some issues getting her status with the IRS straightened out so she can be sure to get a stimulus check. James shares his experience receiving one of the few Economic Impact Payments on a prepaid debit card. 15:05 - Terry on the Mississippi Coast asks if his private disability insurance will cover him for life or is it limited?...

The economic recovery from the shutdowns is well under way. Gregory reviews some optimistic stats. Which parts of Medicaid do you need to turn on at age 65 if you still have healthcare coverage through your employer? Trump brags on drug prices going down for the first time in 50 years. Because drugs are cheaper, Medicare Part D premiums will be going DOWN for the first time ever. On the GregoryRic...

The Treasury Department announces they will be sending out Economic Impact Payments in the form of pre-paid debit cards this week. The SBA says big corporations over a certain size should return their PPP loans. The Social Security COLA increase is just 1.6% this year, which is well below what retirees used to get, but seems to be the norm over the last decade. Dan in Metairie asks about the new r...