One of the most important factors in a financial plan is the amount of risk you have in your portfolio. This factor varies from person to person, so it's vital to get your risk tolerance and capacity customized to your wants and needs and not just thrown into a one-size-fits all plan. Brent., Matthew, and Joshua talk about the considerations they go through when determining someone's risk tolerance and how this may change as you get closer to retirement.

It's the 50th episode of the podcast! In honor of this milestone, Brent, Matthew, and Joshua reflect on some of the financial knowledge and lessons they have gained along the way.

If you were to receive a lump sum of money right now, how would you invest it? This question can feel overwhelming to many people because of how many options there are. We hope to provide some clarity to this situation on today's show. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua discuss some proactive ways to invest a lump sum of money, and why age is such a big factor in this decision.

The topic of inflation has been getting a lot of attention from the mainstream media lately. People are worried that inflation is going to continue to rise and skyrocket. As with any piece of news media, it's important that we take a step back and look at what's actually going on. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua will discuss the current inflation environment and if this issue should be a top concern right now.

Renowned personal finance author, Ramit Sethi, had recently tweeted about the 4 signs when you might want a financial advisor. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua offer their opinions on this tweet and discuss how an advisor can add value to your situation.

Building personal wealth can take a long time to do and making smart, financial choices can be difficult to carry out. On top of that, there are many products in the financial industry that can do more harm than good and can affect your personal wealth long term. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua discuss some potential wealth destroyers they have seen in their practice and offer a few strategies that might help you get out of these situations.

Many people are preparing their taxes right now, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to talk about some tax saving strategies you can possibly implement. On today's show, Brent, Matthew, and Joshua discuss the different ways you can be proactive in your tax planning and some of the lesser known strategies.

One point that we reiterate on the podcast is the importance of being an informed investor and not a day-trader. One way to eliminate some of the guess work is by investing in an index fund. This investment tool is meant to mimic a financial market index such as the S&P 500. In other words, you will have a better idea on your expected rate of return and the amount of risk you are subjected to. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua talk about where you can get an index fund and why this investment is a great fit for many financial plans out there.

If you tune into any financial news, you have probably heard about cryptocurrencies, the most popular one being Bitcoin. Many people are interested in this novel investment because of how well it has been doing lately and they don't want to miss out. However, as with any popular topic, it can be difficult to filter through noisy opinions and find factual information. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua discuss what Bitcoin is, how it's being used, and why it's difficult to be regulated.

If we take a look at the financial landscape right now, we see a thriving real estate market, a low interest rate environment, and a stock market that is continuing to rise. Though the pandemic caused major disruption in March of last year, the economy seems to be recovering well, which is an important thought to keep in mind if you plan on retiring soon. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua talk about the factors that have contributed to the economy's recovery, and some strategies you may be able to utilize under the current financial conditions.

You probably heard all about GameStop stock and buzzwords like short squeeze, Reddit’s WallStreetBets, and hedge funds the last week of January. But what really happened that had all of the financial media world stirred up and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ted Cruz actually agreeing about something? Brent, Matthew, and Joshua break down this multifaceted story and cover some key lessons that we can take away from these recent events.

For many business owners, their business is the largest asset that they own and it's common that they sell their company to fund retirement. But many entrepreneurs don't even know what their business is actually worth and are unable to put a solid plan together without that information. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua discuss how a business valuation creates a clear picture to see where you are now and what steps you may need to take to reach a successful retirement.

As we kick off 2021, Brent, Matthew, and Joshua take a look back on the previous year and discuss some key investment lessons that 2020 brought to their attention. The guys will discuss the importance of sticking to an investment philosophy, risk tolerance, being flexible with your investments, and much more.

Planning for retirement can feel like a daunting task to complete. The financial landscape is constantly changing and learning how to navigate the problems that come up can be challenging. But starting the retirement plan might be easier than you think. Today Brent, Matthew, and Joshua discuss some initial questions you should be asking yourself if you plan to retire in the near future

On Saturday it was announced that Joe Biden won the election and will be the 46th president of the United States. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua reflect on the market's reaction to this news, what might be down the road, and why their philosophy on retirement planning will not change even with a new president. 

The presidential election is right around the corner and many clients have wondered if this event will have a significant impact on their portfolio. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua talk about why there is no need to emotionally react to the result of this election and the importance of long-term financial planning.

When you start looking for someone to help you handle your finances, you'll often see that many financial professionals refer to themself as a "financial advisor." Over the years, it has become a common title to see and it can be difficult to recognize the differences between each professional that uses this umbrella term. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua will run down a list of the different financial professionals you may come across and talk about what their primary focus is when they work with you.

Many people don't realize how crucial it is to have a thoughtful and intentional estate plan in place. This plan addresses how you want your assets passed down, who is able to make decisions for you if you become incapacitated, and much more. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua talk about the basic components of an estate plan and some tips for maintaining the plan once it's established.

The Federal Reserve announced that they are going to continue to keep interest rates low for the foreseeable future. This will affect many areas of the financial world, but today we focus on how it will impact the housing market. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua will talk about the factors that have contributed to place us in a highly competitive seller's market. As well as some considerations for pre-retirees and retirees that want to move to a new location.

This year's election is only a few months away and many people have strong emotions and opinions going into it. It's common that we hear one candidate will make the stock market crash, while the other one will be beneficial for the market. Brent, Matthew, and Joshua will dive into some data and take a look at how the stock market has performed under different presidents.