Our guest on the podcast today is Mike Piper. He is the author of several personal finance books, the latest of which is called More Than Enough: A Brief Guide to the Questions That Arise After Realizing You Have More Than You Need. Other books include, After the Death of Your Spouse; Can I Retire?; Social Security Made Simple; Taxes Made Simple; and Investing Made Simple. Mike also writes a wonderful blog called Oblivious Investor, and he has developed a free tool for exploring Social Security-claiming decisions. It’s called Open Social Security. Mike is a certified public accountant.Background & BooksBioOblivious InvestorOpen Social Security“Mike Piper: Delaying Social Security Not Always a Good Deal,” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, April 27, 2021.More Than Enough: A Brief Guide to Questions That Arise After Realizing You Have More Than You NeedAfter the Death of Your Spouse: Next Financial Steps for Surviving SpousesCan I Retire?Social Security Made SimpleTaxes Made SimpleInvesting Made SimpleTax Strategies“How Much Can I Give Per Year Without Having to Pay Tax?” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com.“401(k) Rollover: Where, Why, and How,” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com.“Tax Planning Begins When Building Your Portfolio. Here’s What to Know,” by Kate Dore, cnbc.com, June 7, 2022.“Roth Conversion Planning: A Step-by-Step Approach,” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, July 5, 2021.Social Security“Social Security Strategies for Married Couples,” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, Jan. 1, 2020.“The Three Biggest Social Security Misconceptions,” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, April 11, 2022.Charitable Giving“Deduction Bunching: Tax Planning Strategy for Charitable Giving,” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, Jan. 1, 2022.“What’s the Point of a Donor-Advised Funds?” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, Feb. 28, 2022.“Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): How Do They Work, and Are They the Best Option for Charitable Giving?” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, Nov. 22, 2021.Asset Allocation“Calculator for Backtesting a Portfolio or Asset Allocation (Also Monte Carlo Simulations),” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, Sept. 12, 2022.“How Much Cash Should a Retirement Savings Portfolio Include?” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, Aug. 16, 2021.“Simplifying a Retirement Bucket Portfolio,” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, July 8, 2019.Other“Personal Representative vs. Trustee: What’s the Difference?” by Mike Piper, obliviousinvestor.com, May 22, 2023.

The Long View

Mike Piper: Financial Considerations for People Who Have ‘Enough’

Hi, and welcome to The Long View. I’m Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar. Our guest on the podcast today is Aswath Damodaran. Damodaran is a professor of finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University, and he has been called the dean of valuation. He has written several books on equity valuation, investment management, and corporate finance. This interview was recorded at the Morningstar Investment Conference in April 2023.BackgroundBioBooks by Aswath DamodaranInterest Rates and Inflation“Inflation and Investing: Is the Genie Out of the Bottle?” by Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business.“In Search of a Steady State: Inflation, Interest Rates, and Value,” by Aswath Damodaran, Musings on Markets blog, May 6, 2022.“A Follow Up on Inflation: The Disparate Effects on Company Values!” by Aswath Damodaran, Musings on Markets blog, May 20, 2022.“Malaise in Market Will Last Longer if Investors Behave Like It’s the ‘70s: Aswath Damodaran,” by Nikhil Agarwal, The Economic Times, Sept. 27, 2022.Equity Risk Premium“Country Default Spreads and Risk Premiums,” by Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business, Jan. 5, 2023.“Equity Risk Premiums (ERP): Determinants, Estimation, and Implications—The 2022 Edition,” by Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business, March 23, 2022.“Equity Risk Premiums,” by Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business.Buybacks“Data Update 7 for 2023: Dividends, Buybacks, and Cash Flows,” by Aswath Damodaran, Musings on Markets blog, March 8, 2023.“Aswath Damodaran: The History of Buybacks,” GuruFocus.com, Aug. 29, 2019.ESG“The ESG Movement: The ‘Goodness’ Gravy Train Rolls On,” by Aswath Damodaran, Musings on Markets blog, Sept. 14, 2021.“Valuing ESG: Doing Good or Sounding Good?” by Bradford Cornell and Aswath Damodaran, Portfolio Management Research, Fall 2020.“Professor Damodaran’s Latest ESG Takedown Overlooks One Important Group of Investors,” by Adam Fleck, Morningstar.com, April 1, 2022.Valuation and Capital Allocation“Closure in Valuation: Estimating Terminal Value,” by Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business.“My Valuation Journey: Have Faith, You Must!” by Aswath Damodaran, NYU Stern School of Business, June 2020.“3 Fund Portfolio: How to Save for Retirement With Just Three Investments,” by Carla Fried, Forbes, July 15, 2022.Other“Michael Mauboussin: Finding Easy Games,” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Jan. 25, 2022.Expectations Investing: Reading Stock Prices for Better Returns, by Michael Mauboussin and Alfred Rappaport.

Aswath Damodaran: A Valuation Expert’s Take on Inflation, Stock Buybacks, ESG, and More

Today on the podcast, we welcome back financial planning guru and Michael Kitces. I recently had the chance to catch up with Michael to get his take on asset allocation, specifically whether higher yields should have an impact on where investors hold their money. Today’s podcast is a recording of that conversation. Michael is the head of planning strategy for Buckingham Strategic Wealth, co-founder of XY Planning Network and AdvicePay and is the chief financial planning nerd—and yes, that’s his real title—for the advisor education platform Kitces.com and the Nerd’s Eye View blog. You can follow him via Twitter @MichaelKitces or on LinkedIn.BackgroundBioXY Planning NetworkAdvicePayBuckingham Strategic WealthKitces.com@MichaelKitcesInvesting Safe Assets“Where Should Investors Stash Their Safe Money Today?” Video interview with Michael Kitces and Christine Benz, Morningstar.com, April 19, 2023.“Kitces: Where to Park 3 Types of Client Cash,” by Dinah Wisenberg Brin, thinkadvisor.com, April 20, 2023.“Client Cash Management: Why It’s Important, and the Next Generation of Technology to Make It Better,” by Ben Henry-Moreland, kitces.com, Aug. 22, 2022.MaxMyInterestRising Yields, Asset Allocation, Retirement Withdrawals“How Rising Yields Should Affect Asset Allocation for Retirees, Preretirees,” Video interview with Michael Kitces and Christine Benz, Morningstar.com, May 3, 2023.“The ‘Yield-Split’ Method of Asset Allocation to Improve Tax Efficiency of Index Funds,” by Chris Murray, kitces.com, March 30, 2022.“Increasing Retirement Withdrawal Rates Through Asset Allocation,” by Michael Kitces and Wade Pfau, aaii.com.“8 Inflation Conversations for Financial Advisors to Have With Clients,” by Ben Henry-Moreland, kitces.com, April 27, 2022.“Is Private Debt Worth Considering as an (Alternative) Asset Class in Client Portfolios?” by Larry Swedroe, kitces.com, Jan. 18, 2023.“The Extraordinary Upside Potential of Sequence of Return Risk in Retirement,” by Michael Kitces, kitces.com, Feb. 20, 2019.Other“Kitces: ‘The Model Has to Change Again,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, June 5, 2019.“Michael Kitces: Does Portfolio Customization Pay Off?” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Aug. 23, 2022.

Michael Kitces: How Higher Yields Affect Asset Allocation and Retirement Planning

Our guest this week is Liz Ann Sonders. Liz Ann is managing director and chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. In her role, Liz Ann is responsible for conducting market and economic analysis, which she and her team publish in a variety of forms. She also regularly appears in the financial media and was recently named to Barron’s Magazine’s “100 Most Influential Women in Finance” list. Liz Ann joined Schwab in 2000 when the firm acquired her prior employer, U.S. Trust. Before that, she was a managing director and senior portfolio manager at Avatar Associates. Liz Ann received her bachelor’s from the University of Delaware and her MBA from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business.We recorded this interview live from the main stage of the annual Morningstar Investment Conference, which was recently held in Chicago, Illinois.BackgroundBio“Liz Ann Sonders: ‘We Could See Some Inflation Scares,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Jan. 6, 2021.Secular and Cyclical Looks“What the End of the ‘Great Moderation Era’ Means for Investors: Morning Brief,” by Jared Blikre, news.yahoo.com, March 2, 2023.“Market Snapshot With Liz Ann Sonders,” video commentary, schwab.com, April 2023.“Helpless? Recession Risks Abound,” by Liz Ann Sonders and Kevin Gordon, schwab.com, Jan. 23, 2023.“Expect Volatility, Rolling Recession, but Watch for Contagion, Schwab’s Sonders Says,” by Tracey Longo, fa-mag.com, March 15, 2023.“Hurts So Good: Jobs Picture Stays Mixed,” by Liz Ann Sonders and Kevin Gordon, schwab.com, Jan. 9, 2023.“Schwab’s Sonders Says Bear Market Hasn’t Yet Hit Bottom,” by Tracey Longo, fa-mag.com, Feb. 7, 2023.Inflation and the Fed“U.S. Stock Market ‘Pretty Expensive’ as Investors Parse Inflation Report in Choppy Trade,” by Christine Idzelis, marketwatch.com, April 12, 2023.“Mixed (Inflation) Signals,” by Liz Ann Sonders and Kevin Gordon, schwab.com, April 17, 2023.“Market Perspective: Searching for Spring,” by Liz Ann Sonders, Kathy Jones, and Jeffrey Kleintop, advisorperspectives.com, Feb. 19, 2023.“Schwab Market Perspective: Top of the Rate Cycle,” by Liz Ann Sonder, Kathy Jones, and Jeffrey Kleintop, schwab.com, April 14, 2023.“Under Pressure: Fed Hikes in Face of Bank Turmoil,” by Liz Ann Sonders, schwab.com, March 22, 2023.Credit Risk and Real EstateSenior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices“A Recession Seems ‘Somewhat Unavoidable’ as Tighter Credit Conditions Reveal More Zombies of the Easy-Money Era, Schwab Strategist Liz Ann Sonders Says,” by Phil Rosen, businessinsider.in, April 7, 2023.“The US Housing Market Is in Recession—and the Pandemic Has Created a Unique Economic Headache, Elite Strategist Liz Ann Sonders Says,” by Theron Mohamed, markets.businessinsider.com, March 8, 2023.Stocks and Earnings“The Price You Pay: A Look at Equity Valuations,” by Liz Ann Sonders and Kevin Gordon, schwab.com, Feb. 21, 2023.“This Indicator Clearly Shows Where Wall Street’s Top Money Managers Expect Stocks to Head Next,” by Sean Williams, Nasdaq.com, April 14, 2023.Growth vs. Value and Asset Allocation“Mysterious Ways: Growth vs. Value Debate,” by Liz Ann Sonders, schwab.com, May 1, 2023.“Elevation: Largest Stocks to Market’s Rescue?” by Liz Ann Sonders and Kevin Gordon, schwab.com, April 3, 2023.

Liz Ann Sonders: Navigating a New ‘Temperamental Era’ in Markets

On the podcast today, we welcome back Jonathan Clements, who was among our first guests when we launched this podcast back in 2019. Jonathan is the founder and editor of HumbleDollar, and he is also the editor of a new book called My Money Journey, which is a compilation of essays from 30 individuals about how they found financial freedom. Jonathan also sits on the advisory board of Creative Planning, one of the country’s largest independent financial advisors and is the author of nine personal finance books. Earlier in his career, Jonathan spent almost 20 years at The Wall Street Journal, where he was the newspaper’s personal finance columnist and six years at Citigroup, where he was director of financial education for the bank’s U.S. Wealth Management arm.BackgroundBioHumbleDollarMy Money Journey, edited by Jonathan ClementsCurrent Conditions“What I Don’t Own,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, March 4, 2023.“Happy Talk,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Nov. 19, 2022.“Behaving Badly,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Sept. 18, 2021.“Nine Roads to Ruin,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, March 6, 2021.“New Rules for Success,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Nov. 26, 2022.“Pay It Down,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Aug. 17, 2019.Indexing, Retirement, and Real Estate“Four Questions,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Feb. 22, 2020.“Jonathan’s Portfolio,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com.“Mix and Match,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Dec. 4, 2021.“Risking My Life,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Aug. 8, 2020.“Jonathan’s Retirement,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com.“How to Overhaul Your Retirement Portfolio in Just 7 Days,” by Jonathan Clements, money.com, Jan. 3, 2019.“The Long Game,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Feb. 4, 2023.“Jonathan’s Homes,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com.Theory and Thrift“Helpful in Theory,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Feb. 11, 2023.“Don’t Overdo It,” by Jonathan Clements, humbledollar.com, Jan. 23, 2021.Other“Jonathan Clements: ‘It’s in Wall Street’s Interest to Make Everyday Investors Think That They Are Stupid,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, July 31, 2019.“Credit Scores and Committed Relationships,” by Jane Dokko, Geng Li, and Jessica Hayes, federalreserve.gov, August 2015.Morningstar Investment Conference 2023If you’re looking for even more investing insights, data, and analysis, join us at this year’s Morningstar Investment Conference, April 25 through 27 in Chicago. We have a great agenda this year, featuring top financial minds from market gurus like Liz Ann Sonders to great investors like Steve Romick to retirement planning experts like Mary Beth Franklin and Dr. Laura Carstensen. There’s something for everyone looking to tackle the challenges and opportunities for investors in the current market. We’re in-person only this year. So, check out the link in our show notes to register. We’re looking forward to seeing you in Chicago.

Jonathan Clements: ‘Humility Is a Hallmark of People Who Are Financially Successful’

Our guest on the podcast today is Jill Schlesinger. She is the author of a new book called The Great Money Reset: Change Your Work, Change Your Wealth, Change Your Life. Jill is also a business analyst for CBS News and comments on the economy, investing, and personal finance for CBS television and radio programs. She also hosts the popular Jill on Money podcast and writes the nationally syndicated “Jill on Money” column for Tribune Media Services. Jill’s first book, The Dumb Things Smart People Do With Their Money, was published in 2019. She has received numerous awards over her career, including an Emmy Award for her work on CBS Sunday Morning. Jill is a certified financial planner and spent 14 years as the co-owner of and chief investment officer for an independent investment advisory firm. She began her career as a self-employed options trader on the Commodities Exchange of New York following her graduation from Brown University.BackgroundBioThe Great Money Reset: Change Your Work, Change Your Wealth, Change Your Life, by Jill SchlesingerThe Dumb Things Smart People Do With Their Money: Thirteen Ways to Right Your Financial Wrongs, by Jill SchlesingerJill on Money podcastMaking Changes and Mindful Spending“How the Pandemic Changed the Rules of Personal Finance,” by Paddy Hirsch, npr.org, Jan. 31, 2023.“Year-End Money Moves 2022,” by Jill Schlesinger, jillonmoney.com, Dec. 2, 2022.“Use This Expert-Approved 5-Step Strategy to Assess Your Financial Health Today,” by Katie Couric Media, katiecouric.com, Feb. 15, 2023.Negotiating in the Workplace“How to Negotiate With Your Boss,” Jill on Money podcast, jillonmoney.com, Feb. 11, 2022.“The Great Resignation,” by Jill Schlesinger, linkedin.com, Aug. 9, 2021.Current Environment“Investor Panic Prevention Plan 2022,” by Jill Schlesinger, jillonmoney.com, May 13, 2022.“Scary Financial News: Actions to Take Now,” by Jill Schlesinger, jillonmoney.com.“Bank Failures Put Fed in Hot Seat,” by Jill Schlesinger, jillonmoney.com.“Silicon Valley Bank Fails: What Happened, What’s Next?” by Jill Schlesinger, jillonmoney.com.Other“Jill Schlesinger: ‘What Are You Going to Do With Your Life?’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Feb. 15, 2022.Morningstar Investment Conference 2023

Jill Schlesinger: ‘The Great Money Reset’

Our guest on the podcast today is Micah Hauptman. Micah is the director of investor protection at the Consumer Federation of America, a nonprofit association of nearly 300 national, state, and local pro-consumer organizations. He leads CFA’s investor protection work through conducting research and engaging in advocacy on investor protection issues, focusing primarily on the regulation of investment advisors, investment companies, and broker/dealers, particularly as they relate to the provision of retail investment products and services. Prior to rejoining CFA in early 2022 Micah served as counsel to Securities and Exchange Commission commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, and before that he served as CFA’s financial services counsel for nearly seven years. He also worked at Public Citizen on a broad range of banking and tax issues and started his career as a prosecutor for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office. Micah received his bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA and his JD degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law.BackgroundBioKey Challenges for Investors“New Offerings of Crypto in Retirement Plans Underscore Need for DOL Fiduciary,” by Micah Hauptman and Dylan Bruce, consumerfed.org, April 4, 2023.Department of Labor’s 2016 Fiduciary Rule: Background and Issues“Improving Investment Advice for Workers & Retirees,” U.S. Department of Labor, dol.gov, June 29, 2020.Regulation Best InterestRegulation Best Interest (Reg BI) Overview“What Regulation Best Interest Means for Brokers and Asset Managers,” by Aron Szapiro, Morningstar.com, Nov. 18, 2019.“Beyond the FINRA Suitability Comfort Zone,” by Matthew Radgowski and Jill Axline, Morningstar.com, March 9, 2020.Cryptocurrency“Crypto: Risks Abound,” by Micah Hauptman, consumerfed.org, Nov. 17, 2022.“With Crypto, Advisors Need to Tread Carefully,” by Jasmin Sethi, Morningstar.com, Aug. 15, 2022.“Bitcoin in Your 401(k)? Not so Fast,” by Madeline Hume, Morningstar.com, April 27, 2022.Social Media“Investors in the United States: The Changing Landscape,” A Report of the FINRA Foundation National Financial Capability Study, finrafoundation.org, December 2022.“Why You Should Stop Taking Investment Advice From Social Media,” by Sunniva Kolostyak, Morningstar.com, June 16, 2021.Environmental, Social, and Governance“CFA Strongly Supports SEC Proposals to Enhance ESG-Related Disclosures and Update Names Rule,” by Micah Hauptman and Dylan Bruce, consumerfed.org, Aug. 16, 2022.“Amid Charges of Greenwashing, Sustainable-Investment Industry Attempts to Reassure Investors,” by Leslie Norton, Morningstar.com, June 8, 2022.Other“Robert Powell: ‘How Do I Generate the Income?’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, March 14, 2023.Morningstar Investment Conference 2023

Micah Hauptman: Advocating for Investors’ Best Interests

Our guest this week is James Choi. Dr. Choi is a professor of finance at the Yale School of Management, where he teaches and conducts research on behavioral finance and economics, household finance, and sociology, among other topics. He is a two-time recipient of the TIAA Paul A. Samuelson Award for outstanding scholarly writing on lifelong financial security, and his work on automatic enrollment into retirement plans has had a major influence on retirement plan policy and design. Dr. Choi is a co-director of the Retirement and Disability Research Center at the National Bureau of Economic Research and an associate editor of the Journal of Finance, among other professional and scholarly affiliations. He received both his bachelor’s degree and doctorate from Harvard University.BackgroundBioRetirement and Disability Research CenterAcademics vs. Bestsellers“Popular Personal Financial Advice Versus the Professors,” by James Choi, nber.com, October 2022.Choice Architecture and Retirement Plan Design“Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness,” by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, researchgate.net, June 2009.“Contributions to Defined Contribution Pension Plans,” by James Choi, nber.org, August 2015.“Small Cues Change Savings Choices,” by James Choi, Emily Haisley, Jennifer Kurkoski, Cade Massey, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, August 2017.“Plan Design and 401(k) Savings Outcomes,” by James Choi, David Laibson, and Brigitte Madrian, National Tax Journal, June 2004.“Saving for Retirement on the Path of Least Resistance,” by James Choi, David Laibson, Brigitte Madrian, and Andrew Metrick, scholar.harvard.edu., Dec. 1, 2005.“Which Early Withdrawal Penalty Attracts the Most Deposits to a Commitment Savings Account?” by James Choi, John Beshears, Christopher Harris, David Laibson, Brigitte Madrian, and Jung Sakong, Journal of Public Economics, Feb. 8, 2020.“Present Bias Causes and Then Dissipates Auto-Enrollment Savings Effects,” by John Beshears, James Choi, David Laibson, and Peter Maxted, hbs.edu, 2022.Retirement Readiness and Policy Response“Borrowing to Save? The Impact of Automatic Enrollment on Debt,” by John Beshears, James Choi, David Laibson, Brigitte Madrian, and William Skimmyhorn, nber.org, July 2019.“The Effect of Providing Peer Information on Retirement Savings Decisions,” by James Choi, John Beshears, David Laibson, Brigitte Madrian, and Katherine Milkman, The Journal of Finance, June 2015.Emergency Savings“Building Emergency Savings Through Employer-Sponsored Rainy-Day Savings Accounts,” by John Beshears, James Choi, J. Mark Iwry, David John, David Laibson, and Brigitte Madrian, journals.uchicago.edu, 2020.Saving, Spending, Investor Behavior“Economists Confirm It’s Actually OK to not Save Money in Your 20s,” by Sarah Hansen, money.com, Sept. 2, 2022.“Why Does the Law of One Price Fail? An Experiment on Index Mutual Funds,” by James Choi, Xavier Gabaix, David Laibson, and Brigitte Madrian, nber.org, December 2005.“Does Aggregated Returns Disclosure Increase Portfolio Risk Taking?” by James Choi, James Beshears, David Laibson, and Brigitte Madrian, National Library of Medicine, Oct. 19, 2016.Other“Brigitte Madrian: ‘Inertia Can Actually Be a Helpful Thing,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, April 22, 2020.Morningstar Investment Conference 2023

James Choi: How to Improve the Way We Present and Make Investment Choices

Our guest on the podcast today is Mark Berg. He is the founder of and lead advisor at Timothy Financial Counsel, which is an hourly financial planning firm that he started in 2000. Prior to launching Timothy Financial, Berg served as a client manager at a fee-only financial planning firm and has provided fee-only financial guidance since 1995. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wheaton College and is a certified financial planner practitioner and is registered with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. He served on the national board of directors for NAPFA from 2008 through 2011. Timothy Financial is the firm that Christine Benz and her husband use for financial planning, and a member of Jeff Ptak’s family is a Timothy Financial client as well.BackgroundBioTimothy Financial Counsel“Scaling Up to $1.4M of Revenue With (Only) Hourly Financial Planning Fees With Mark Berg,” by Michael Kitces, Financial Advisor Success podcast, March 20, 2018.InfluencesGarrett Planning Network“Voices: Sheryl Garrett, on the Evolution of a Planning Firm,” Thomas Coyle, The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 31, 2009.“Sheryl Garrett: ‘The Industry Thought I Was Nuts,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, July 17, 2019.Tax Planning/Direct Indexing“An Inside Look at Direct Indexing,” by Danny Noonan, Morningstar.com, March 23, 2023.“Could Direct Indexing Lower Your Taxes?” by John Rekenthaler, Morningstar.com, March 27, 2023.“4 Questions About Direct Indexing,” by Sheryl Rowling, Morningstar.com, Oct. 24, 2022.Retirement“What Is the ‘Retirement Spending Smile’?” by Wade Pfau, Retirement Researcher.ResourcesMichael KitcesFinancial Planning AssociationThe National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)OtherMorningstar Investment Conference 2023

Mark Berg: Hourly Financial Planning Is 'A Vast Blue Ocean'

Our guest on the podcast today is Brad Barrett. Brad is the co-founder of ChooseFI, which is a website focused on achieving financial independence. With Jonathan Mendonsa, Brad is co-host of a popular podcast also called ChooseFI. Brad received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Richmond and became a CPA. He practiced public accounting for years and eventually achieved financial independence by age 35. Brad is passionate about all aspects of personal finance, but especially the topic of scoring good deals on travel, which is a topic we discussed in depth on the podcast.BackgroundBioChooseFIResources and InspirationSmart Couples Finish Rich, by David Bach“The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement,” Mr. Money Mustache blog, mrmoneymustache.com, Jan. 13, 2012.Jlcollinsnh.comThe Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life, by JL CollinsFinancial Independence and Real EstateKarsten Jeske: Early Retirement Now“Karsten Jeske: Cracking the Code on Retirement Spending Rates,” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Oct. 14, 2020.Paula Pant: Afford Anything“Paula Pant: A Different Path to Financial Independence,” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Jan. 18, 2022.Coach CarsonBiggerPocketsNick Maggiulli: Of Dollars and Data“Nick Maggiulli: ‘The Biggest Lie in Personal Finance,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, April 12, 2022.“What to Do With $2.5 Million & Real Estate Update | Scott Trench | Ep 426,” ChooseFI podcast, choosefi.com, Feb. 26, 2023.Travel HacksChooseFi.com/travel“The Ultimate Guide to Credit Card Travel Rewards | Part 1,” by Jonathan Mendonsa, choosefi.com, April 3, 2022.The Points GuyView From the WingMillion Mile SecretsTravel Miles 101

Brad Barrett: ‘Start With a Small Win’

Our guest on the podcast today is financial journalist and certified financial planner, Robert Powell. His work appears regularly in MarketWatch.com, USA TODAY, TheStreet.com, The Wall Street Journal, and AARP. Bob also serves as the director of Retirement Education at Sensible Money and as editor in chief of the Investments and Wealth Institute’s Retirement Management Journal. He is also an instructor in Salem State University’s Online Elder Planning Specialist program. In addition, Bob hosts two podcasts himself: the Investments and Wealth Institute’s Exceptional Advisor podcast and the Callaway Climate Insights podcast. He received his bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and a master’s degree from Boston University.BackgroundBioTwitter handle: @RetirementpediaThe Exceptional Advisor podcastCallaway Climate InsightsCurrent Environment“60/40 Portfolio—Dead or Alive?” by Robert Powell, marketwatch.com, Jan. 11, 2023.Tony Davidow“Common Retirement Questions: Should I Be More Conservative With My Portfolio?” by Mer Brown, the street.com, Dec. 23, 2022.“Estimating the True Cost of Retirement,” by David Blanchett, Morningstar.com, Nov. 5, 2013.“The Bucket Approach to Building a Retirement Portfolio,” by Christine Benz, morningstar.com, Nov. 23, 2022.“Spending Trajectories After Age 65,” by Michael Hurd and Susann Rohwedder, rand.org, 2022.Decumulation“Why Target-Date Funds May Be Sabotaging Your Retirement,” by Robert Powell, marketwatch.com, Aug. 17, 2022.“What Is the Average Retirement Age?” by Emily Brandon, money.usnews.com, July 26, 2022.“2018 Retirement Confidence Survey,” Employee Benefit Research Institute, ebri.org, April 24, 2018.Retirement Income Style Awareness Profile (the RISA®)“Managing Post-Retirement Risks: A Guide to Retirement Planning,” Society of Actuaries, soa.org, 2011.“Saving for Retirement Is Easy Enough—Spending It Is More Complicated,” by Robert Powell, marketwatch.com, March 26, 2022.AnnuitiesMoshe Milevsky“Retirement Spending and Biological Age,” by M.A. Milevsky, H. Huang, and T.S. Salisbury, moshemilevsky.com, Sept. 20, 2017.“Retirement Income for Life: 4-Box Strategy,” by Robert Powell, marketwatch.com, Nov. 8, 2012.Social Security“How to Claim Social Security at the Right Time,” by Robert Powell, marketwatch.com, Aug. 28, 2021.“Do the Math. Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Claim Social Security at Age 62,” by Robert Powell, usatoday.com, Aug. 9, 2019.“Who Does Social Security Provide Benefits To? It’s Not Just the Elderly Who Qualify,” by Robert Powell, usatoday.com, Jan. 10, 2023.Long-Term Care“Planning for Unexpected Health Care Costs in Retirement,” by Sudipto Banerjee, troweprice.com, March 2022.“A New Way to Calculate Retirement Health Care Costs,” by Sudipto Banerjee, troweprice.com, February 2020.“Cumulative Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenses After the Age of 70,” by Sudipto Banerjee, ebri.org, April 3, 2018.“Are Healthcare Costs in Retirement Overwhelming?” by Robert Powell, fa-mag.com, Nov. 1, 2022.“Planning for Health Care Costs in Retirement,” Vanguard Research and Mercer Health & Benefits, vanguard.com, June 2021.OtherElder Planning Specialist Program

Robert Powell: ‘How Do I Generate the Income?’

Our guest this week is Lubos Pastor. He is the Charles P. McQuaid Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he’s taught since 1999. Pastor is a leading researcher on financial markets and asset management, publishing numerous award-winning papers that have been widely cited in academic finance literature. His research spans a number of areas, including liquidity risk, return predictability, active fund performance, and more. Pastor serves as a director of the Center for Research in Security Prices and is a member of the board of the Fama-Miller Center for Research in Finance. He also holds various positions outside of the Booth School, including serving as a member of the bank board of the National Bank of Slovakia. He received his doctorate in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.BackgroundBioResearchResearch and StocksThe Journal of FinanceJournal of Financial EconomicsThe Review of Financial StudiesThe Journal of Portfolio ManagementJournal of Investment ManagementFinancial Analysts JournalSocial Science Research Network“Are Stocks Really Less Volatile in the Long Run?” by Lubos Pastor and Robert F. Stambaugh, National Bureau of Economic Research, December 2011.ESG“Dissecting Green Returns,” by Lubos Pastor, Robert F. Stambaugh, and Lucian A. Taylor, SSRN, June 15, 2022.“Sustainable Investing in Equilibrium,” by Lubos Pastor, Robert F. Stambaugh, and Lucian A. Taylor, SSRN, Aug. 12, 2020.Myth-Busting“Mutual Fund Performance and Flows During the COVID-19 Crisis,” by Lubos Pastor and Blair Vorsatz, SSRN, Aug. 14, 2020.“Mutual Fund Performance: An Empirical Decomposition Into Stock-Picking Talent, Style, Transaction Costs, and Expenses: Discussion,” by Tobias Moskowitz, The Journal of Finance, 2000.“Scale and Skill in Active Management,” by Lubos Pastor, Robert F. Stambaugh, and Lucian A. Taylor, SSRN, Aug. 11, 2020.Factors and Liquidity“Liquidity Risk and Expected Stock Returns,” by Lubos Pastor and Robert F. Stambaugh, SSRN, Aug. 17, 2001.“Liquidity Risk After 20 Years,” by Lubos Pastor and Robert F. Stambaugh, SSRN, May 10, 2019.“Steering a Ship in Illiquid Waters: Active Management of Passive Funds,” by Naz Koont, Yiming Ma, Lubos Pastor, and Yao Zeng, SSRN, Feb. 2, 2023.Manager Selection“Judging Fund Managers by the Company They Keep,” by Randolph B. Cohen, Joshua D. Coval, and Lubos Pastor, SSRN, July 30, 2022.“How Long Can a Good Fund Underperform?” by Maciej Kowara and Paul Kaplan, Morningstar.com, Aug. 17, 2018.“Diseconomies of Scale in Active Management: Robust Evidence,” by Lubos Pastor, Robert F. Stambaugh, Lucian A. Taylor, and Min Zhu, SSRN, July 16, 2021.Other“Political Cycles and Stock Returns,” by Lubos Pastor and Pietro Veronesi, SSRN, May 28, 2019.“Fifty Shades of QE: Comparing Findings of Central Bankers and Academics,” by Brian Fabo, Martina Jancokova, Elisabeth Kempf, and Lubos Pastor, SSRN, April 8, 2021.

Lubos Pastor: ‘Judging Fund Managers by the Company They Keep’

Our guest on the podcast today is Stacy Francis. She is president and chief executive officer of Francis Financial, a fee-only financial advisory firm that focuses on serving women, especially those who have experienced divorce or the loss of a loved one. Francis is a certified financial planner, and she’s also a certified divorce financial analyst, a divorce financial strategist, and a certified estate and trust specialist. She also founded Savvy Ladies, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate and empower women to take control of their finances. To date, Savvy Ladies has helped over 20,000 women through free one-on-one financial counseling, workshops, and retreats. Francis also hosts her own podcast; it’s called Financially Ever After. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Middlebury College.BackgroundBioFrancis FinancialSavvy LadiesFinancially Ever After podcastWoman and Money“How Do Women Really Invest?” by Christine Benz, Morningstar.com, March 2, 2021.“100 Must-Know Statistics About Women and Retirement,” by Christine Benz, Morningstar.com, March 3, 2021.“The Biggest Financial Mistake Women Make? Not Investing Enough,” by Arielle O’Shea, The Florida Times-Union, Feb. 15, 2019.“Are Women Better Investors?” by Farnoosh Torabi, farnoosh.tv.com.“Happy Women’s History Month—How Can Women Improve Their Financial Wellness,” by Natalie Colley, Francis Financial, March 8, 2022.“Stop Letting Your Man Make These Financial Decisions Without You,” by Dayana Yochim, HerMoney, Oct. 1, 2020.Divorce and Couples“Financial Abuse—The Most Common Type of Abuse That Far Too Many Ignore,” by Stacy Francis, Francis Financial, Sept. 16, 2020.“Financial Abuse Is on the Rise: What It Is and What to Do About It,” by Stacy Francis, Savvy Ladies, Feb. 19, 2023.“Why Financial Advice Is Key Before Beginning Your Divorce,” by Stacy Francis, Francis Financial, Aug. 6, 2020.“Farnoosh Torabi: ‘Money Is Meaningless Without Goals,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Sept. 13, 2022.“Why Anyone Getting Married Should Consider a Prenuptial Agreement,” by Julia Rodgers, Savvy Ladies.Divorce Financial Advice for Women: A Free Divorce Resource Guide, Francis Financial.WidowsLastPass“What Do Widows Need to Know About Their Finances When Their Partner Dies,” by Stacy Francis, Francis Financial, Nov. 22, 2021.“Managing Your Finances Through Widow’s Fog,” by Stacy Francis, Francis Financial, June 17, 2022.Financial Help for Widows, Francis Financial.

Stacy Francis: On a Mission to Help Women Thrive

Our guest on the podcast today is financial and retirement planning expert Derek Tharp. Derek is an assistant professor of finance at the University of Southern Maine, and he’s also lead researcher at Kitces.com where he writes about a broad range of financial and retirement planning matters. In addition, Derek is a senior advisor at Income Lab and he’s president of a private wealth management firm called Conscious Capital. Derek received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Iowa State University and his doctorate in personal financial planning from Kansas State University. He’s a certified financial planner, and he’s also a chartered life underwriter.BackgroundBioRetirement Withdrawal Rates“The Retirement Distribution ‘Hatchet’: Using Risk-Based Guardrails to Project Sustainable Cash Flows,” by Derek Tharp and Justin Fitzpatrick, kitces.com, Nov. 24, 2021.“Using Probability-of-Success-Driven Guardrails to Manage Safe Retirement Spending,” by Derek Tharp, kitces.com, March 3, 2021.“With Retirement-Spending Plans, the Odds Are Stacked in the Investor’s Favor,” by John Rekenthaler, Morningstar.com, Jan. 13, 2023.“Justin Fitzpatrick: ‘Retirees Have a Superpower,’” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, July 12, 2022.“Retirement Income Guardrails Beyond Withdrawal Rates,” Webinar, incomelaboratory.com, Jan. 12, 2022.“Why 50% Probability of Success Is Actually a Viable Monte Carlo Retirement Projection,” by Derek Tharp, kitces.com, Jan. 6, 2021.“Christine Benz and John Rekenthaler: Revisiting What Is a Safe Retirement Spending Rate After a Tough Year,” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Dec. 20, 2022.“What Is the ‘Retirement Spending Smile’?” by Wade Pfau, retirementresearcher.com.“The Ratcheting Safe Withdrawal Rate—A More Dominant Version of the 4% Rule?” by Michael Kitces, kitces.com, June 3, 2015.“Reframing Monte Carlo Results to Increase Trust in Dynamic Retirement Spending,” by Derek Tharp, kitces.com, June 29, 2022.“Simplifying Retirement Income Planning Visualization Using the ‘Spending Risk Curve,’” by Derek Tharp and Justin Fitzpatrick, kitces.com, April 13, 2022.“The Impact of Decreasing Retirement Spending on Safe Withdrawal Rates,” by Derek Tharp, kitces.com, Feb. 22, 2017.Portfolio Construction and Tax-Loss Harvesting“The Extraordinary Upside Potential of Sequence of Return Risk in Retirement,” by Michael Kitces, kitces.com, Feb. 20, 2019.“Michael Kitces: Does Portfolio Customization Pay Off?” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Aug. 23, 2022.“Tax Loss Harvesting+ Methodology,” by Boris Khentov, betterment.com, Sept. 7, 2021.“Tax-Loss Harvesting Best Practices (and How to Scale It Across a Client Base),” by Ben Henry-Moreland, kitces.com, Sept. 7, 2022.“Quantifying the Value of Tax Loss Harvesting,” by Derek Tharp, retirementprof.com, Jan. 10, 2023.ESG“The Tricky Ethics of Socially Responsible Investing,” by Derek Tharp, wsj.com, Sept. 4, 2017.Robo-Advice“The Value of Robo-Advisor Technology: A Practical Tax-Loss Harvesting Case Study,” by Derek Tharp, retirementprof.com, Jan. 9, 2023.“Why DIY Investors Should Still Use a Robo-Advisor,” by Derek Tharp, retirementprof.com, Dec. 7, 2022.

Derek Tharp: An Alternative Approach to Calculating In-Retirement Withdrawals

Our guest on the podcast today is Cody Garrett. He is a certified financial planner and heads up Measure Twice Financial, an advice-only financial planning firm geared toward serving do-it-yourself investors. He also created measuretwicemoney.com, an educational website for DIY investors. Before starting up Measure Twice, Garrett was a financial planner at Legacy Asset Management. He was a professional musician before beginning his career as a financial planner. He received his bachelor’s degree in music and music theory at the University of Houston.BackgroundBioMeasure Twice FinancialMeasure Twice MoneyMeasure Twice PlannersMeasure Twice MentorsTwitter handle: @MeasureTwiceMNYAdvice-Only Planning“Does Being a Fiduciary Depend on the Fee Model?” by Tracey Longo, Financial Advisor, Sept. 23, 2022.“Advice-Only Financial Advisers Don’t Touch Your Money,” by Elaine Silvestrini, Kiplinger, Nov. 17, 2022.Influences and OtherDave RamseyFinancial Peace UniversityRadical Personal Finance podcastChooseFI podcastMichael KitcesDavid Allen’s Getting Things Done“Michael Kitces: Does Portfolio Customization Pay Off?” The Long View podcast, Morningstar.com, Aug. 23, 2022.“How to Use the 4 Ds of Effective Time Management,” by Bryan Collins, Forbes, June 14, 2018.

Cody Garrett: ‘Give Every Dollar a Job and a Use-By Date’

Expand your investing horizons and look to the long term. Join hosts Christine Benz and Jeff Ptak as they talk to influential leaders in investing, advice, and personal finance about a wide-range of topics, such as asset allocation and balancing risk and return.

hubhopper

The Long View

hubhopper