Shows
Excel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence10. Is your Social Security broken?Is Social Security going to survive? And if it does, what are the implications of claiming early versus waiting until full retirement age and the importance of coordinating benefits with a spouse, and the potential tax implications of social security income? You must have a comprehensive financial plan that includes considerations for Medicare to navigate the complexities of retirement benefits.Get help from David by email at Hello@ClientsExcel.comTakeawaysAge 62 is the first age to claim social security benefits.Ida May Fuller exemplifies the unpredictability of social security.Claiming social security early...
2026-02-0524 minExcel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence9. Five ways to keep more of your moneyToday you’ll learn simple and actionable strategies for keeping more of your money. They include the importance of staying calm during market fluctuations, prioritizing debt repayment, exercising due diligence in financial decisions, adopting a long-term investment philosophy, and engaging in proactive tax planning.To get help with these issues contact David at Hello@ClientsExcel.comhttps://www.clientsexcel.com/
2026-01-2927 min
Excel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence8. Taking the fear out of your Medicare decisionsMedicare can be very confusing, and it also has an immense impact on your retirement. In today's episode, we take the fear out of making Medicare decisions as we discuss timely enrollment, the various parts of Medicare (A, B, D), and the potential costs associated with different plans. David emphasizes the need for informed decision-making and the role of financial advisors in navigating Medicare options to ensure individuals make the best choices for their healthcare needs in retirement.Medicare is essential for those over 65 and requires timely enrollment.Part A covers hospital stays, while Part B covers outpatient...
2026-01-2316 min
Excel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence7. Seven paths to more financial freedomWe can create our own freedom through wise financial decisions, by overcoming fear and worry related to money, and gain control over one's financial future. You’ll learn about different paths to freedom including the significance of being debt-free, the implications of over-taxation, the value of leisure, and the power of generosity in creating a fulfilling life. To take proactive steps towards achieving financial peace and autonomy reach out to David at Hello@ClientsExcel.comChapters03:04 Understanding the Nature of Worry05:54 Freedom from Fear and Mental Weight08:55 The Importance of...
2026-01-1627 min
Excel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence6. What if we are in a market peak?What are the implications of AI on investment strategies, and the importance of financial stewardship and legacy planning in uncertain economic times? We explore the psychology behind market behavior, the necessity of diversification, and strategies for preparing for market volatility as you approach retirement.To contact David email Hello@ClientsExcel.com02:57 The Impact of AI on Market Dynamics05:57 Job Displacement and Economic Concerns08:58 Stewardship and Legacy Planning11:53 The Importance of Diversification14:48 Stability in Retirement Planninghttps://www.clientsexcel.com/
2026-01-0920 minExcel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence5. Maximizing Low Interest Rates & Avoiding Lazy CashWhat should we be doing in light of rising and lowering interest rates? And how can we avoid 'lazy money'—funds that are not actively earning interest or being utilized effectively. Today Davide teaches about the importance of having a strategy for managing cash to avoid complacency and ensure that money is working towards financial goals.Contact him at Hello@ClientsExcel.com TakeawaysIf we get more than a year of bill paying money, we've got lazy money.We want to be cognizant of lazy money to put it to work.
2025-12-2626 minExcel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence4. How to buy good cars and still build your wealthThis conversation explores the increasing trends in car loans and average car payments in America, highlighting significant statistics and insights into the auto industry.TakeawaysThe average new car loan amount has exceeded $41,000.Car payments for new vehicles increased by 2% in 2025.The least car payments went up by 4%.Listeners are prompted to guess the average car payment in 2025.The highest average car payment is $749.The discussion includes comparisons to mortgage costs.LendingTree.com provides verified statistics on car payments.The conversation...
2025-12-1823 minExcel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence3. Why 59 ½ matters and what you need to do about itIn this episode we discuss the critical age of 59 and a half in retirement planning. We explore the implications of this age, including making changes that benefit from a tax perspective. The conversation also covers the importance of proactive financial stewardship, understanding penalties for early withdrawals, and strategies for tax-efficient retirement planning. David emphasizes the need for you to take control of your financial future and make informed decisions as you approach retirement.TakeawaysAge 59 and a half is a pivotal point in retirement planning.In-service transfers allow for more investment options without...
2025-12-1226 minExcel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence2. The Three Enemies of Financial Stewardship (Part 2)The episode on "Stewardship" is the second part of a series focusing on the challenges that make responsible financial management difficult. We discuss the three worst stewards of our money: the Government, American culture, and ourselves.The first opponent is the Government, which is notoriously fiscally irresponsible. With the national debt approaching $37 trillion, the government is essentially operating on a "high interest credit card". This lack of stewardship mandates that individuals take control of their future tax burden. Specifically, the episode highlights that due to historically low tax rates (a result of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs...
2025-11-2133 minExcel in Retirement: Financial Stewardship for Lasting Confidence1. Generational Stewardship (Part 1) and the three roles of moneyLearn the key ages that you need to be prepared for and maximize in retirement by getting out free guide to retirement ages at http://www.ClientsExcel.com/ages The episode on stewardship introduces our podcast's mission: to help good people make wise financial decisions so they can excel in retirement and achieve peace of mind. Stewardship is not merely as money management, but a proactive approach to managing the time, skills, and money that have been entrusted to us. The episode also provides a key blueprint for good stewardship using the "Three R...
2025-11-2132 min
Studio 809 Community Podcast Network16: The Place Connecting At-risk and Unhoused Youth to Vital Services and Housing - a Place for everyoneThe Place offers housing, a drop-in center, and supportive services for youth up to age 24 years old. CEO Becky Treece shares details about The Place. Their mission is to empower Colorado youth to break the cycle of homelessness and forge supportive relationships and have self-sufficient, successful lives.The Place website - https://theplacecos.org/ Telephone - (719) 338-9257a Place for everyone is produced by Homeward Pikes Peak. We empower individuals and families to access stable housing, increase mental health, increase recovery and achieve economic stability. Learn more at http://homewardpp.org/. You can reac...
2025-02-2842 min
The Magic Book PodcastPhilip David Treece: CollectingMagicBooks.comMagic historian and bookseller Philip David Treece discusses founding CollectingMagicBooks.com, publishing works on iconic London magic shop Ellisdons, and preserving magic's printed heritage. He shares insights from his conservation background, approach to curating rare books, and publishing projects including "The Collected Writings of John Nevill Maskelyne." Philip offers valuable advice for magic book collectors and reveals how his experience as a customer shapes his bookselling philosophy.
2024-12-2146 min
Tales from the EastsideEpisode 213: RobertKoop het Bad Brains-zine van Nico en Robert! En zie hier Chuck Treece met de Bad Brains: https://youtu.be/GZ7xt7zkmyw?si=Y5BXD6uHuN0HJGoY
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2024-10-211h 32
Flex and the City - Great leadership in financial servicesFlex and The City with David Sarfas - Episode 71I'm thrilled to share our latest episode of Flex and the City, where I had the privilege of speaking with David Sarfas, The Managing Director at CSC. 🎙️ ✨ In this episode, David Sarfas, Co-Head of Global Funds and UK Country Head at CSC, shares his thoughts on the future of financial services. He emphasises that if the industry wants to win gold, it must focus on increasing transparency, safety, and security—not just for its clients but for the public as a whole. 💼 🎯 In this episode, David also opens up about:🚀 Navigating a global career in fi...
2024-09-2519 min
Excel in RetirementHow To Prepare For Retirement Ep. 123People come to us for financial planning at different stages of life. Most of our clients are closing in on retirement or they’re in retirement, but that can be a 10- to 15-year window of when people generally become a client of our firm. I’ve gotten a bird’s-eye view into what works well and what doesn’t.We normally recommend that people begin working on their financial plans for retirement when they are five years out from retirement. It makes sense to begin making the transition from an accumulation stage to an income and distribu...
2024-07-2410 minExcel in RetirementHow to Make Wise Financial Decisions Ep. 122David starts out with a story about his recent vacation to Hilton Head Island with his family. Then he gets into some practical steps that can help you make good decisions. Today, I have a few practical things that sometime inhibit us from making the best decisions. When it comes to personal finances this is super applicable because we need to get our financial planning right!I just finished reading a book called The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. It’s about King Solomon, who the Bible says is the wisest person to live and he...
2024-07-1014 minExcel in RetirementCan Your Advisor Do This? Ep 121Another unique position we have as a company is to be able to offer solutions larger corporatized offices often do not have the ability to do. We all know the bigger things tend to get, the slower they are to innovate. Maybe it’s the bureaucracy or protocols or hierarchies, but whatever it is, when we have to deal with it it’s normally painful.As an independent financial advisory firm, we don’t have layers and layers of corporate executives dictating the advice we can offer our clients. I believe this allows our clients to have soluti...
2024-07-0312 minExcel in RetirementIs the Stock Market Too Smooth? Ep. 120Connect with David at hello@clientsexcel.com or call 864.641.7955. Marty and Jess Ansen loved going on cruises so much they opted to cruise indefinitely. I came across an article that said, A retired couple have been living on back-to-back cruises for two years, and claim it's 'cheaper' than if they stayed in a nursing home in their retirement years. Hopefully you’re not feeling our inflation problem quite that much. I don’t know about you, but that would be too long a boat for me. Although, I’ve never gone a cruise. Do you think y...
2024-06-2610 minExcel in RetirementDo You Need To Change Financial Advisors? Ep. 118David tells a funny story about having mice. Here is the link to the newsletter he mentioned. Excerpt from the show: The hurdle that some people have is taking the next step. They reached out for help, issues have been identified, a plan of action to better the circumstances has been presented, but we sometimes worry about what comes next.I’ll tell you, it took hours to get the garage in order and the better part of a day. But the results are worthwhile. Moving on from an old advisor who isn’t helping you...
2024-06-1209 minExcel in RetirementIncome Money in Retirement: In the Market or Out? Ep. 103If you’re watching the news this week you may have seen the wild swings in the market. If one thing is certain it’s that we need to know that when we’re in the market, we may lose money. The market has been generous for over a decade due to easy money policies like ultralow interest rates and government bond buying.The market tends to be forward looking and price events before they have happened, but the government has done a lousy job forecasting the impact of inflation. Government officials thought inflation would be “transitory” last year...
2022-06-1509 minExcel in RetirementThe Ideal Time To Retire Ep. 102On The Podcast This WeekDoug, our new support staff member, joins David on the podcast this week. Doug and David talk about the ideal time to retire. Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM). AEWM and Clients Excel, LLC are not affiliated companies. Investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Any references to protection, safety, or lifetime income, generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investments. Insurance guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims paying abilities of the insuring carrier. T...
2022-05-2815 minExcel in RetirementAn Alternative to the S&P 500 Volatility Ep. 98Shortly after the turn of the century a doctor named Gordon Lithgow in the UK coined a new term. Seeking to distinguish between the years we are healthy and functional and our actual lifespan he began using the word “healthspan.”Dr. Peter Attia defines longevity using two things. He says lifespan is how long we live and healthspan is how well we live. Within healthspan he states there are three dimensions. There is the cognitive dimension, the physical dimension or your ability to carry out activities of daily living, and the third is our emotional dimension, which he a...
2022-04-2718 minExcel in RetirementHow To Hedge Your Portfolio Ep 89Over the weekend I read an article from advisor David Nicholas, and in the article, he described the power of hedging. The idea behind this concept is that as your portfolio gains interest, you begin taking some of the gains off the table. You then invest those gains in things that are hedged from losses.Here’s an example of how this works. Forbes states that the S&P 500 gained 26.9% in 2021. Clearly, a great year for the market. If you had a portfolio of one million do...
2022-02-1612 minExcel in RetirementThousand Stocks Underperforming Episode 81Bloomberg ran an article this week that stated, “One of the interesting aspects of the brief selloff in stocks in late November was that breadth deteriorated markedly. The broad indexes were only down a few percentage points, but there were more than a thousand stocks making 52-week lows on a daily basis.” So, large indexes were only down a little, but over thousand stocks were the lowest they’ve been in a year. Big companies like Apple and Facebook and Microsoft help lessen the impact of the smaller companies losing.The article continues to explain that ne...
2021-12-2214 minExcel in RetirementUninvested In Cash? Here's What It Cost. Show 73 But over the last year, something new has started to develop, and I want to share with you how it may be costing some people thousands.We are told financial sentiment is driven by two main factors: greed or fear. It’s our basic instincts.People tend to lean toward fear or greed, but an appropriate tone is a combination of knowing when to take risks and when to be more cautious and then developing rules for how you are invested. If you don’t have rules established beforehand, you’re just going by feelings, which i...
2021-10-2713 minExcel in RetirementTech Stocks Weigh Heavy On The S&P 500 Show 72When referring to the stock market, many people equate the S&P 500 as the market. The S&P 500 is an index of 500 large companies, but did you know the largest companies make up a larger percentage of the index? Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft account for 22% of the entire index. What do they all have in common? They are technology companies. The bottom 250 or smallest companies comprise just 10% of the index. The point being is the technology companies are critical to how the index performs. The S&P 500 has more than doubled in the la...
2021-10-2009 minExcel in RetirementPandemic Created Investing Gamblers? Show 71Recently, I was approached by the mission’s pastor at our church about a vision for a mural in downtown Spartanburg. Jason sent over a picture of what it would look like, and he explained that the purpose was to give the community a visually appealing piece of art that would could remind people of the hope we have in Jesus.Jason envisioned it to be a place where people could come to pray and be reminded that no matter how bad it gets; we have an eternal hope if we have trusted Jesus as our Savior. Ou...
2021-10-1317 minExcel in RetirementThe Steps To Determine If You Can Retire Show 70Here’s a quick guide on how to determine if you can retire. Some of our clients come to us when they are approaching retirement, and they're trying to figure out things like:How should I elect to take Social Security?Do I have enough money to retire?How should I draw my money down or use it?What will my health insurance cost be in retirement?What options do I have for long-term care? I’ll briefly break down each of those concerns and tell you how we go about answering these important questions. The fi...
2021-10-0616 minExcel in Retirement20% Drop In the Stock Market Show 69Michael Wilson (pictured below) is a strategist for Morgan Stanley. His firm is calling for a twenty percent drop in the near term for the market. “He sees earnings revisions from American corporations ‘and higher frequency macro data pointing to a decelerating economy, amid demand pull forward, supply chain issues and margin pressure; which he forecasts could lead to a 20% drop, a near-term outcome, in a research note dated Sept. 20th.”Speculation may conclude that the bear market could turn out to be worse. We never hope for this, because most all investors are negatively impacted by a down...
2021-09-2912 minExcel in RetirementWill The Stock Market Bounce Back? Show 68While September is great for apples, it is turning out to be a rough month for the stock market, and the culprit is multi-faceted. It’s easier on the mind when we can point to one thing that’s causing a disruption, but this time we’re not that fortunate. Over in China, a large property development company called Evergrande is on the verge of default, and from my research, their overuse of leverage is a major contributor. The company agreed to the use of highly speculative development projects and in recent years ventured into business sectors outside...
2021-09-2213 minExcel in RetirementIs The Stock Market In Trouble? Show 67In news that’ll make you do a double take, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that Robert Kaplan, a guy who sits on the board of the Federal Reserve, made multiple million-dollar-plus stock trades in 2020.The Federal Reserve is a group of non-elected regulators who help determine what our interest rates will be, and whether the government should create currency to buy government bonds to stimulate the economy.The officials like Kaplan are required to file public disclosures, and his fillings indicate that his trading represented at least $27 million. This is nothing out of...
2021-09-1515 minExcel in RetirementWhat NOT To Do When Things Aren't Going Our Way Show 66On Labor Day I ran the Reedy River 10k with my buddy Greg. I’m glad I committed to run it because I was dreading it! It’s hard to back out when you’ve told somebody you’ll be there. When we registered, the form asked what we anticipated our completion time to be, and I must have been thinking I could fly.We were placed in the first heat to take off, and after about a thousand yards, I was thinking there was no way I would be able to maintain this pace. So, for the next...
2021-09-0811 minExcel in RetirementHere's What To Do When You Fail Show 65At our church, we sing a song called The Father’s House. It’s a moving song about failure. It starts, “Sometimes on this journey, I get lost in my mistakes. What looks to me like weakness is a canvas for your strength. And my story isn’t over, my story’s just begun. Failure won’t define me ‘cause that’s what my Father does. Yeah, failure won’t define me ‘cause that’s what my Father does.” Cory Asbury, the song writer is pictured below. Sometimes we get stuck in the past. But as Zig Ziglar used to say, “Reme...
2021-09-0108 minExcel in RetirementStock Market Crash - How To Make It Through It Show 64This concept relates to our finances, in that risk isn’t inherently bad. Taking that risk in a breakaway isn’t inherently bad, but it wasn’t for me. Assuming too much risk may not allow us to stay in the fight to see another day. Incorporating a plan that has the capacity for adjustments is essential. Morgan Housel writes in The Psychology of Money, “… Room for error is underappreciated and misunderstood. It’s often viewed as a conservative hedge, used by those who don’t want to take much risk or aren’t confident in their views. But when u...
2021-08-2511 minExcel in RetirementWhat Will the Delta Variant or Afghanistan Debacle Do To Your Retirement? Show 63Last week, the stock market continued its wild streak and continued setting records. While Investing.com had a headline that Consumer Sentiment in U.S. Plunges to Lowest Since 2011. The data was based on a Bloomberg survey.From the article, “Consumers have correctly reasoned that the economy’s performance will be diminished over the next several months, but the extraordinary surge in negative economic assessments also reflects an emotional response, mainly from dashed hopes that the pandemic would soon end,” Richard Curtin, director of the survey, said in the report.”The government, in an attempt to keep...
2021-08-1811 minExcel in RetirementAre You Fishing For Financial Advice? Show 62Sometimes I feel like I’m a researcher more than anything else. People come to me with big problems and I want to be the best possible resource I can be. I’m always listening to podcasts or buying another book to learn. And over the last few years, I’ve begun buying courses about specific topicsIn a recent course, they made a distinction between “riches and wealth.” We tend to think about them as synonymous, or at least I did until I heard the differenceRiches can be income that’s only generated once, or isn...
2021-08-1109 minExcel in RetirementWho Are You Getting Financial Advice From? Show 61Following along can be a trap and cause us heartache if we’re not wise about who we’re taking our cues from. The Bible states that Solomon is the most wealthy person to have ever lived.In today’s dollars some estimate Solomon would have a net worth of $1.2 trillion. For comparison, Jeff Bezos, who was the wealthiest person in the world up until last week when Amazon’s share price fell, is worth $192 billion. Solomon had over six times as much money has Bezos. God appears to King Solomon and tells him to ask for a...
2021-08-0411 minExcel in RetirementDow Hits Another Record Show 60A Market Watch article describing the chart said, “If you have a 401(k) and you’re of a nervous disposition, you probably don’t want to look at the chart.Even by the standards of GMO, the super-cautious money management firm in Boston best known for its famous co-founder Jeremy Grantham, say 'it’s terrifying.'”You’d never know such dire forecast exists if you only check your portfolio balance. For perspective; around last year this time the Dow was trading around 26,000 points. Ten years ago, the Dow was trading around 14,000 points. That’s about a 60% gr...
2021-07-2815 minExcel in RetirementInflation Is Here. Are You Ready? Show 59Inflation simply defined is when our money buys less than it used to buy. Conventional wisdom says we need equity exposure to keep up with inflation, and I don’t disagree in principle. But where it gets tricky is when we have an over exposure to stock market investments and a correction happens. A down stock market portfolio plus biting inflation is like a one-two punch to knock you out. Some people will have a hard time getting back in the fight after that.This is why we recommend having a safety net of investments that cannot lo...
2021-07-2116 minExcel in RetirementAn Alternative to Buy and Hold Investing Show 58In the 1950s, economist Harry Markowitz developed a "Modern Portfolio Theory." His theory aims to maximize returns for a given level of risks. Out of this theory was birthed the idea of buying equities or stocks and holding them. Markowitz won a Nobel Peace Prize for his research.Warren Buffett came along and popularized this style of investing, but then a hedge fund manager named Ray Dalio thought we could track data and do better than buying and holding investments. Many people are stuck investing the way people did seventy years ago, but things have changed. Dalio...
2021-07-1414 minExcel in RetirementWhat One Economist Predicts Show 57In this show David goes over how to adjust our goals and aspiration halfway through the year. He tells an engaging story about kayaking down the James River. Then he discusses a recent interview with economist Gary Shilling. Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM). AEWM and Clients Excel, LLC are not affiliated companies. Investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Any references to protection, safety, or lifetime income, generally refer to fixed insurance products, never securities or investments. Insurance guarantees are backed by the financial strength and c...
2021-07-0715 minExcel in RetirementInterest Rates UP What Happens Show 56It’s so predictable. It’s so hard to start again. Everything inside me doesn’t want to start the process again. I told you a while back I got busy and quit running. I needed to start back. I feel better, my mood is better, and my clothes fit better!After a few days of running, something magical happens. It happens with most forms of exercising. The pain and agony shift to enjoyment and with running it typically means I start running faster and my body feels more comfortable.If you are ever in need i...
2021-06-3014 minExcel in RetirementIs a Financial Storm Coming? What to do. Show 55Even when the weatherman tells us a bad storm is coming there always seems to be an element of surprise when the storm arrives. It’s almost like we didn’t believe the meteorologist would get it right this time. Sometimes we poke fun of people who weren’t prepared and got drenched in a downpour or sometimes we truly emphasize with people when a tornado uproots a hundred-year-old tree in their front yard like we’ve seen recently in Spartanburg.The last thing you want to happen is for you to get a caught in a fina...
2021-06-2312 minExcel in RetirementYou Don't Have To Fear a Market Crash Show 54I’ve interacted with countless people who are always looking over their back, waiting for something bad to happen to their 401k. They fear a stock market downturn, Congress increasing taxes, or future healthcare expenses. What people are searching to know is, “Am I going to be, okay?” Unfortunately, some people live with these nagging thoughts, but they don’t have to. There are strategies to mitigate the risk of market downturns, our rising tax rate environment, and even long-term care expenses. We address each of these with our clients. Our goals is not to provide a financial...
2021-06-1610 minExcel in RetirementWhen To Retire, A Logical Approach Show 53A logical way to determine if we can afford to retire, or if now is the right time, is to figure what your expenses are per month.Conventional wisdom is you want to be able to replace 70% to 80% of your current income in retirement or as close to 70% as possible. So, how do we go about projecting how much income we can draw from our savings? With stock market investments, we can look at reports that indicate what has happened in the past.However, what the future holds may not be similar to w...
2021-06-0912 minExcel in RetirementHow To Create Investing Efficiency Show 52Many people have experienced amazing stock market returns over the last decade. It becomes addictive. A lot like always becoming more competitive on the bicycle, but life changes. Our circumstances change and we need to change our mentality. Ten years ago, you were younger and may have still been working. You could afford to have more risky allocations, but when you are retired, you’re typically no longer categorized as a long-term investor. You may need your money sooner rather than later. It makes sense to begin taking some risk out of your equation if you can’t wait for...
2021-06-0213 minExcel in RetirementWill Inflationary Pressure Go Away Show 51The government has also been providing liquidity to the economy by buying billions of dollars of government bonds per month. I believe this is adding to the inflationary pressure. The Federal Reserve is faced with a challenging dilemma.Does the Federal Reserve attempt to raise interest rates? Or does it continue to allow inflationary pressure to mount? If rates go up that may cause major gyrations in the stock market, and lending may decrease. If people aren’t buying homes or cars or boats as much that’s means manufactures may lay people off. And one of the...
2021-05-2612 minExcel in RetirementHow a 96-year-old found purpose Show 50The Washington Post recently ran an article titled 95-year-old might have found the key to longevity: A purposeful life.The article described how Olga Murray, who is 96, has flourished despite the COVID lockdowns and how she has found meaning in her life. She lives a life of gratitude for the vitality she has. The article states she will commonly tell people “I feel so fortunate. You can’t imagine.” It’s amazing that thankfulness attracts blessings in our lives.While her mother lived to be 98, Olga has done her part by eating healthy and working out thre...
2021-05-1911 minExcel in RetirementDefined Outcome Buffered ETFs Show 49In 2018, Innovator Capital Management, a financial product creator, developed an investing strategy called “defined outcome” exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Today there are several billion dollars invested in their strategies.Historically, when we’ve put money in market, we’ve not been able to determine what our outcome will be, but often commentators or advisors will discuss past performance of investments.What defined outcome ETFs do is allow the investor a level of certainty that’s not normally found in stock market investments. The investor has exposure to broad market indexes like the S&P, Russell, or emerging m...
2021-05-0512 minExcel in RetirementWhen Money Doesn't Matter Show 48Sometimes saving money doesn’t matter...Most of us for a period of time dutifully arose out of our comfortable beds each morning to go to work to earn money. While work should be meaningful and purposeful, we realize that if we weren’t getting paid, we’d have issues.We are engineered from a young age to understand that money is essential. In fact, I’m trying to teach my three year-old daughter this lesson now. We’ve raised chickens for the last four years. Since she was able to walk, she’s enjoyed hel...
2021-04-2810 minExcel in RetirementBuffett Indicator At An Alarming Ratio Show 47Warren Buffett, the famous stock market investor and billionaire, developed a stock market indicator that came to be known as the “Buffett Indicator.”From Carmen Ang a writer at the website Visual Capitalist said, “This ratio, now commonly known as the Buffett Indicator, compares the size of the stock market to that of the economy. A high ratio indicates an overvalued market—and as of February 11, 2021, the ratio has reached all-time highs, indicating that the U.S. stock market is currently strongly overvalued.” How this ratio is calculated is by dividing the value of the stock marke...
2021-04-2111 minExcel in RetirementBitcoin Up Over 107% YTD Show 46Bitcoin is up 107.27% this year according the Morning Brew newsletter on Monday. I’m frequently asked about cryptocurrency and what I think about it. I’ll briefly share what it is and what I think about in this show.If you’ve thought about bitcoin or considered buying it was probably because somebody you knew bought bitcoin. Cryptocurrency holders tend to be raving evangelist for it. It inspires enthusiasm. Recently, I read a Kiplinger article titled What to Make of Bitcoin. The article states that major companies have been announcing that they are buying...
2021-04-1413 minExcel in RetirementAn Investor Pitfall Show 45This show begins with a confession. You may have heard before that “Confession is good for the soul.” Well, I have a confession. Historically, I’ve been a curmudgeon when it comes to holidays. It started sometime in adolescence. I continue this story before jumping into a recent study. Dalbar is a large financial services market research firm and creates reports on investor behavior. For the last 27 years they have released a yearly study titled “Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior (QAIB).”From the report, “QAIB has measured the effects of investor decisions to buy, sell, and switch in...
2021-04-0712 minExcel in Retirement"Get Your Life Back" Book Review Show 44I make it a point to read every day. Someone once said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.” Reading is important for a myriad of reasons.Sometimes something really cool happens: I run across a book and it teaches me ideas that are life changing. I want to share a book like that with you and offer to send you complimentary copy. A friend and I were having coffee in January and he recommended that I read a rec...
2021-03-3113 min
Flex and the City - Great leadership in financial servicesDavid Bower for Flex and the City Episode 25Today, we interview David Bower, Global Head of Institutional Sales at FE Fundinfo.David is a man of great integrity, he grows the potential in others. He is Leader as a Coach.David brings enormous energy, positivity and optimism to the financial services industry and explains why purpose and a sustainable growth mindset is critical for the investment industry, as told by a farmer's son! I love talking to great leaders and exploring their different styles, the way in which they connect with the troops and the way in which they engage in conversation.
2021-03-2529 minExcel in RetirementWaiting To Prepare For Retirement? Podcast 43A challenge I’ve seen people face is figuring out how to begin transitioning their finances for retirement. This may be especially difficult for some people because of the stock market’s upward momentum. It’s hard to know when enough is enough or how to scale back your portfolio risk level when times are good in the market.As bonds have increasingly paid less and less, this becomes even more problematic because we’re seeing portfolios completely constructed with equities. What that means is when a market correction happens, you may be impacted. What will that mean for...
2021-03-2411 minExcel in RetirementIs the 1999 Tech Bubble Happening Again? Show 42One the asset managers we use recently released his market commentary. His name is Geremy van Arkel, and he’s a Chartered Financial Analyst with Frontier Asset Management. He states in his writing, “There are so many similarities between what is happening now and what took place in 1999 that is uncanny.”Geremy continued, “First off, 1999 occurred following a long and extended bull market. Ten years into that bull market, the obvious leaders of the day were known, and investors couldn’t get enough of them. This created a very narrow investment market environment – much like that of today with F...
2021-03-1715 minExcel in RetirementIs the Stock Market in Bubble Territory? Show 41In this show, David begins by telling a story about his daughter's first dentist appointment. He demonstrates what working with our financial planning firm is like. And he finishes the show by talking about a recent article that discuss the current financial bubble economy. From our weekly newsletter, "Do you remember the first time you went to the dentist? My three-year-old daughter, Amelia, had her first dentist appointment last week. Mallory and I tried to coach her on what to expect, because when I’m going into a new situation my anxiety tends to spike. I ge...
2021-03-1015 minExcel in RetirementMarket commentators are growing leery Show 40Now is the time to have a plan in place. The market is hitting highs for no explainable reason, Congress is promising $1,400 stimulus checks, and we have ultra-low interest rates. Market commentators are growing increasingly leery of how this may turn out.Tom Siomades heads the investment division of AE Wealth Management. In a recent letter he wrote, “Now we have a $1.9 trillion stimulus moving through Congress that is meant to address and redress many of the problems those policy mistakes and shifting priorities created. It will also take years to pay out and increase the size of...
2021-03-0314 minExcel in RetirementAre You In A Perfect Storm Show 39Did you see the movie the Perfect Storm? I remember watching it in the movie theater. A crew on a ship are stuck out in the ocean when two major storms come together to form a “perfect storm.” The look of horror on George Clooney's and Mark Wahlberg’s faces told it all.At one point in the movie huge waves are collapsing on the vessel from both sides. Seeing it on a big screen makes a scene come to life. It was like I was right there as the two storms collided. Did you realize that two ar...
2021-02-2410 minExcel in RetirementFiduciary Investment Advisors, Who Are They? Show 38In financial services there’s confusion around what a “fiduciary” is. I’ll explain what a fiduciary is here without all the jargon. The definition was first placed into law a few years after the Great Depression. The government codified laws to guard against another financial crisis. The SEC highlights the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The loyalty part means that the adviser should not put his interest ahead of yours, and to disclose any conflicts of interest.The SEC doesn’t say that there cannot be conflicts of interest but that the...
2021-02-1714 minExcel in RetirementGood Samaritans Still Exist Show 37David begins this show by sharing a story about a young lady who was involved in an auto accident. Fortunately, a good Samaritan came by and freed her from her car before it burst in to flames. The two are later connected. David shares the details of how it unfolded. David then discuss an article CNBC published an article last year titled, The Fed is buying some of the biggest companies’ bonds, raising questions over why. The points the article covered are:The Federal Reserve is continuing to buy corporate bonds, following up on a pledge it...
2021-02-1014 minExcel in RetirementGameStop And What A Billionaire Is Doing With His Money Show 36The stock market was front and center in the news and on our social media feeds over the last week. Maybe you were confused by what was going on with GameStop, like some people who called me to ask for an explanation. I’ll break it down in simple terms. A hedge fund noticed that GameStop has been in decline for years and saw an opportunity to buy an option. The hedge fund was betting that GameStop would continue to struggle and they bought options accordingly.Well, a website where people gather in an online com...
2021-02-0312 minExcel in RetirementA lesson dad taught me Show 35What will happen with the economy? Will President Biden and Democrats raise taxes? How will this impact my retirement savings? These are questions I’m hearing when I’m talking with people about their life savings, and they’re all merited. I think it’s fair to say that many of us have never experienced this much uncertainty. I’m as worried as the next person about what will ultimately happen to America, but when people ask me the questions above, I have good news for them. Some of our long-term readers and...
2021-01-2712 minExcel in RetirementDIY Investing Pitfalls and Social Security Updates Show 34It’s no exaggeration that before we bought our house, we looked at least thirty houses. Yes, the housing market was competitive, but we looked at all kinds of houses then we finally began narrowing our needs and desires down. Finally, after months of deliberation and prayer, we bought our house. We spent copious amounts of time on our house buying decision and we should have. It’s one of the largest financial decisions most of us make. But then many of us work 25 to 40 years saving for retirement. We faithfully put away...
2021-01-2014 minExcel in RetirementWhat is Estate Planning with attorney Robert Merting Show 33Some of our long-time readers may recall that we frequently hosted in person seminars. We had an ambitious calendar of events planned for 2020, but that all came to a halt early last year.One of the seminars I had hoped to conduct was one with an elder law attorney to go over the ins and outs of estate planning. Obviously, we couldn't do that, but I wanted to find a solution...Instead of asking you to attend an in-person seminar or watch a webinar online, I interviewed attorney Robert Merting on our podcast. You can...
2021-01-1339 minExcel in Retirement5 Goals for Retirees in 2021 Show 32Over the weekend the Wall Street Journal ran article entitled, For New Year’s Resolutions, Never Think You’re Too Old to Become a Beginner. New Year’s resolutions tend to get a bad reputation. I like to think of them as goals rather than resolutions. The word resolution carries more of a symbolic meaning, and the word goal carries more of striving context. Goals are more practical and applicable. Sure, we can write 2020 off, but let’s face it: sometimes our goals don’t even come to fruition when everything goes perfectly in the world. Some of...
2021-01-0614 minExcel in RetirementWhat Rich People Are Doing Show 31Bloomberg recently ran an article that read, Rich Americans Who Fear Higher Taxes Hurry to Move Money Now. From the Social Security Administration’s website, “Currently, the Social Security Board of Trustees projects program costs to rise by 2035 so that taxes will be enough to pay for only 75% of scheduled benefits. This increase in cost results from population aging, not because we are living longer, but because birth rates dropped from three to two children per woman.” From NPR article in July of this year, “Most of those who watch Medicare finances agree that the larger pro...
2020-12-3014 minExcel in RetirementAm I gonna be ok? Show 30What I’ve found is when most people come to me, they are looking for assurance that they’ll be okay. Most people don’t state it quite like that, but that’s the underlying concern that they have. It’s merited. We all want to know what to expect or how to prepare. And if we’re not asking these questions, we may have issues down the road of life.The next question clients have for me is, “How can you help me have greater financial peace of mind?” Again, they don’t say it quite like that, but I’v...
2020-12-2310 minExcel in RetirementNew Update Available Show 29It’s fascinating to me that in our day of high speed innovation, how we invest is slow to innovate. Modern Portfolio Theory was developed years ago and it’s broken. Harry Markowitz developed MPT in 1952 and won a Nobel Peace Prize for it.Investopedia.com states, “Modern portfolio theory (MPT) is a theory on how risk-averse investors can construct portfolios to maximize expected return based on a given level of market risk.Leland B. Hevner in an article states, MPT dictates that portfolios be designed to match the risk tolerance of each investor using asset...
2020-12-0912 minExcel in RetirementWill Biden Raise Taxes? Show 28There’s a lot of chatter about what will happen politically right now. One side of the political spectrum says the election is settled. The other side says Trump’s pleas of election fraud are warranted. No matter where you stand on the question, the most important thing you can do when it comes to your retirement planning is plan for the worst and hope for the best. The biggest question for many people is “Do you think tax rates will be lower or higher for you in the future?If you’re like most of th...
2020-12-0222 minExcel in RetirementWhat To Look For In A Financial Advisor Show 27David further expands on our Empowering Women in Retirement topic. He discusses the 3 legged stool of retirement planning and expands on practical approaches we can all take in our financial planning. He also shares what to look for in a financial advisor. He expands and explains each of these points. 5 Criteria for a Financial Advisor• Listen• Open and honest• Respond in a timely manner• Speak clearly• Create a written retirement plan and review regularly Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through AE Wealth Management, LLC...
2020-11-2524 minExcel in RetirementEmpowering Women in Retirement Show 26Did you know that 90% of all women will eventually be solely in charge of household finances? Unfortunately, that can also be very scary for some. To me this was very exciting. I try very hard to empower women around me when it comes to financial planning. One of the reasons I wanted to do the podcast this week is because, based on a recent survey, it was found that only 20% of women feel very well prepared to make wise financial decisions. If 90% of women are going to be solely in charge of finances, would you agr...
2020-11-1823 minExcel in RetirementAvoid The Penalty For Withdrawing Your 401k Before 59.5 Show 25On this show David cover three segments. First, he goes over some current events, then he covers a behavioral finances study then we conclude by going over what the exceptions are to withdrawing money from your IRA early are. Remember, if you’re younger than 59.5 years old if you take money out of your tax-deferred plan like your 401k you’ll be penalized in most cases. We’ll go over what the exceptions to that rule are. Next week, our show will be geared towards women and what they face in retirement. It’s no secret that women oft...
2020-11-1119 minExcel in RetirementLikely Outcomes for a Trump / Biden Administration - Show 24What will happen to the national debt under a Trump or Biden presidential administration? David outlines possible outcomes and what that could mean for your retirement assets. Also, he discusses what happened last week in the markets. Everything sold off including bonds and gold. He tells listeners what they may be able to do to hedge against this issue. Also, he discuss what Nobel Prize winning economist Robert Shiller has recently found. Shiller's Crash Confidence Index is measured based on asking investors “What do you think is the probability of a catastrophic stock market crash in...
2020-11-0421 minExcel in RetirementBonds Bonds Bonds and How To Properly Use the Stock Market Show 23Are you still using the outdated antiquated 60% equities / 40% bonds portfolio allocation?That rule originated in the mid 1990s when bonds were paying 6% to 7%. That’s not the case anymore. With interest rates hovering near zero, the 60/40 rule is broken. Many bonds are not even keeping up with inflation, so using bonds may be problematic.Couple this with the new reality that corporate bankruptcies are piling up due to Covid-19. From the Financial Post: “Bankruptcy filings are surging due to the economic fallout of COVID-19, and many lenders are coming to the realization that their...
2020-10-2818 minExcel in RetirementElection 2020 Analysis - Should you Convert to a Roth IRA - What EVERY Retirement Plan Needs - Show 22In this show David Treece, a financial adviser, shares with you his election analysis and explains how COVID-19 has impacted this election. He explains how this election may affect you and your retirement. David also shares how we build all weather financial plans at Clients Excel that are built to withstand market volatility. Also, he shares with listeners reasons why you may want to consider a Roth IRA conversion and why some people probably don't need to consider a Roth conversion. David ends the show by discussing what everyone's financial plan must have. He covers...
2020-10-2137 minExcel in RetirementElection Consequences For Our Retirement Savings Show 21David Treece shares some potential consequences to this year’s presidential election. And he shares with you a new investment idea that our clients have been enjoying! "You know, I believe the economy is better off with competition. We don’t have to look hard to see enterprises, companies or government entities that have a monopoly. In fact, sometimes the government will intervene and break companies up when they become too big. But what tends to happen when one organization has the corner on the market? Customer services becomes secondary, the company isn’t as competitive as it used...
2020-10-1417 minExcel in RetirementEliminate Banks! Show 20David is joined by Sarry Ibrahim to discuss how to eliminate using banks for loans. The bank on yourself concept uses Nelson Nash's Infinite Banking strategy to create your on personal bank. This idea utilizes permanent life insurance to create your personal bank. Permanent life insurance has couple living benefits, and when properly structured this strategy can allow you to simultaneously use your dollars for more than one thing. If you've ever wanted to leverage your assets this episode is for you! Book mentioned at minute 3:52Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals...
2020-10-0726 minExcel in RetirementDifferent Types of Fixed Indexed Annuities, Show 19Do you know the two types of Fixed Indexed Annuities? There are income annuities and accumulation annuities. David breaks them down into these two categories, but of course there may be some overlap with them. But generally speaking, these are the types. Accumulation focused fixed indexed annuities do not guarantee a rate of return. You’re participating the growth of an index but you’re not invested directly in the stock market. So, you cannot lose money if the market goes down. If the market goes up you may earn a return. This same concept applies to Inco...
2020-09-3019 minExcel in RetirementDo You Need A Second Opinion On Your Financial Plan, Show 18Have you ever wondered if your financial plan could use a second opinion? On this show David goes over reasons why it may good idea. He gives a list of reasons that you can immediately apply to determine if you should get a second opinion. David begins by telling a story about how he got a second opinion one time and the impact it had in his life. Also, he mentioned some blue blocking glasses he's using and a Harvard study about them. Check out the links to those below. Then he finishes the show off by...
2020-09-2224 minExcel in RetirementMutual Funds & ETFs What's the difference? Show 17If you have a 401k, then you probably own mutual funds. Maybe you own ETFs too. But do you know what they really are? David's found most people who own them but don't really understand how they work. If you'd like to have a better understanding of both of these investments then this show is for you. David takes you on a short journey that starts with when these funds were created and explains how they evolved. At the end of the show, David gives a strong warning about tax-deferred accounts that you'll want to hear. Mutual...
2020-09-1621 minExcel in RetirementWhat To Do When The Stock Market Is Crashing - Show 16This week David expands on last week's show where he talked about using a fixed indexed annuity for the bond portion of your allocation. This week he talks about how we have helped some of our clients allocate the equity portion their money. We believe it’s important in retirement to be downside focused first. And it’s important to be nimble in your equity approach, because the dynamics may quickly change. Those who are positioned to adapt to rapid change often come out on top. David explains how we achieve this for our clients.Investment advisory serv...
2020-09-0921 minExcel in RetirementWhy Use a Fixed Indexed Annuity Instead of a Bond Allocation Show 15You've probably heard about the 60/40 rule in financial planning. Sixty percent of your portfolio is allocated to equities and 40% to bonds. But it's no secret that bonds are not paying too well. In this show David shares how using a Fixed Indexed Annuity instead of bonds may pay off. Also, he explains what an Independent Financial Adviser is and how they operate. This is a super informative show that we believe you'll get a lot of good content out of. Let us know what you think! Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through A...
2020-09-0219 minExcel in RetirementWhat's REALLY Going on in the Financial MarketsDavid talks about financial indicators and what they are telling us. As a financial adviser he is a student of the markets and he studies and observes what’s going on. He does this so our clients don’t have to. We build portfolios that are all weather financial plans.Last year we were warning our clients about a possible recession. Even if you are evergreen optimist, you had to see that markets can’t continue up in perpetuity. David shares some signs we warned our clients about last year.It’s important to have an under...
2020-08-2628 min