Many proponents of Bitcoin are very excited about what a Trump presidency may mean for Bitcoin prices. Today, Paul needs investors to know that Bitcoin is driven by supply and demand, still has to compete with other cryptocurrencies, and offers no true return on your investment. It’s always going to be worth what someone is willing to buy for it. So while it may be a high-profile time for the crypto market, it is a dangerous time to try to get in and play the crypto game.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Most investors who are taking money in retirement have a fear of running out. They are afraid that the market will be too volatile and they’ll have to deplete their portfolio when the market is down. Today, Paul wants investors to know about another very dangerous reality: your money losing its purchasing power. Paul looks into the numbers of how markets fare over longer periods and what may happen if you are too conservative and get priced out of a livable income due to inflation.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today Paul and Jeff talk about their first impressions after the Paul-Tyson fight over the weekend and they both have the same reaction: This was always more about the money than it was about the sport. Paul brings a clip from CNBC that talks about rampant sports betting and the negative effect it’s having on families’ emotional and financial well-being. The truth is that the investing industry works very similarly to the sports industry. They want you to focus on the drama and story behind their products so they can make money.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul brings an article that says, “If you’ve made these five money moves, you will likely have enough money in retirement.” Most of the article seems like a pretty stock description of common investing products and strategies, like maxing out your work contributions or utilizing HSAs (but don’t really prove the article's main point). As Paul reads on, he quickly notices the article is actually a sales pitch masquerading as educational content. Listen to why articles like these don’t give you a nuanced understanding of your financial situation and how you can ditch these sales pitches and become a more confident investor.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.  

There are investment companies that will do anything to sell products to investors, even if that means lying about their products. Earlier this month, Invesco was sued and settled for $17.5 million for claiming that over 75% of their investments were ESG during the height of the ESG craze from 2020-2022. The truth was not only was it a lie, but the company had no documented procedures on how to achieve that goal or measure it. Evan talks about how advisors are groomed by the industry to sell products that people want to buy and what you can do to avoid working with them.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul and Evan talk about the unfortunate reality today that nothing on the internet may be as it seems and that professionals go to great lengths to delete bad reviews and engage in pay-to-play opportunities to create fake credibility. Listen along as the advisors talk about a Zweig article that calls out this practice titled, “Financial Guru, TV Star, Bestselling Author? Not So Fast,” and share some questions you can ask to better understand whether someone is credible or not.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul and Evan talk about an article that tells investors to watch out after the election. It claims that markets are overly optimistic and if you really want to know what’s coming you have to look back to 2016. Paul is skeptical of claims like these and counters the whole premise of the article by also looking back to 2016. The reality is that no one knows what’s going to happen, pundits are paid to make predictions, and markets are optimistic because they are resilient. Be on the lookout for the post-election spin from the media and don’t fall for the news. Later in the episode, Evan talks about the surprised and emotional reactions from many Americans, and the two advisors talk briefly about the 5 stages of grief.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul and Evan talk about both the outcome of last week's election and the workshop Paul hosted on that Thursday. The two big questions on many people’s minds are: “How did this happen?” and “How is this going to affect my retirement and markets?” Paul and Evan cover the Democrats’ tax policies, if markets can keep going up, and how the outcome may affect Bitcoin.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul talks about the outlook for 2025 for contributions to IRAs, 401(k)s, and catch-up contributions. Listen along as Paul talks about how this affects retirement planning, living on an inheritance, and what the phase-out ranges to contributions look like in the new year.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul talks about a psychological phenomenon where people who leave the pack and go their own way experience real pain in their brains and bodies. This is why it is so important for educated investors to huddle together in an industry that wants to make them feel “other.” Listen along as Paul talks about the psychology of investing and what you can do to stay the course and not get picked off by a financial predator.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul talks about advisors who are encouraging their clients to invest in loans and debt to private businesses. Paul breaks down why this is such a bad deal for investors from a risk/return standpoint and brings up other crazy products and strategies that advisors use to seem savvy, but really just prove how hard it is to get good financial advice in today’s world.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul talks about end-of-year tax strategies that could get you and your portfolio in trouble. Everyone wants to avoid paying too much in taxes, but Paul wants you to know that tax strategies like tax loss harvesting can create a lot of problems in trying to rebalance your portfolio. Always seek the advice of a financial advisor and an accountant before trying out tax strategies at the end of the year. Later in the episode, Paul brings an article talking about investors' behavior around precious metals and how supply and demand is the biggest factor in the prices of silver and gold.     For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul brings up a truth about markets that most investors don’t consider: The market has no memory. Paul ties this concept to two important areas that commonly trip people up: investing around elections and 4-star and 5-star funds. Listen along to hear why you’re always hearing that past performance is no guarantee of future results.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Evan acknowledges the feelings of uncertainty everyone has around presidential elections. It’s ok to be concerned about the outcome, but you shouldn’t take it out on your portfolio. Listen along as Evan brings a list of questions you need to answer before you make an election-related investment decision.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call. 

Today, Evan talks about how deeply large mutual fund companies and investment firms are stuck in a model that isn’t good for investors. These companies are not amateurs and have all the same research as PWI. They know that holding small U.S. and international companies offers higher expected returns than large U.S. companies, but they still largely ignore the highest respected returns of markets. Why? Listen along as Evan explains that the average investor only holds onto mutual funds for 3.4 years and that investment companies are creating products to pitch to consumers instead of offering funds for long-term investors that follow sound academic principles. Later in the episode, Evan talks about some of the options a client can consider when they have a REIT and are ready to get out of it.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call. 

Today, Paul explains a concept he calls a vortex that shows how dissimilar investments can be over one, three, five, and 10-year periods and what happens to the returns over longer periods. The industry is trained to use five- and 10-year track records to sell investments. Listen along as Paul teaches you why your portfolio should follow Nobel Prize-winning strategies, not investments with great short-term track records.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call. 

Today, Paul and Evan talk about some changes that happened in the market because of news and speculation about a specific outcome in the elections on November 5th. Listen along as these two advisors break down how the news affects stock prices and why the investors trying to market time so close to an election are increasing their risk and stress by mixing money and politics.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call. 

Today, Paul brings an article from the Wall Street Journal about economic mobility and success in business from an unlikely place: an Amish community in Ohio. Listen along as Paul talks about how building a strong community that serves one another is a powerful tool that can unlock success in business, a deep sense of purpose, and the preservation of the American Dream.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul talks about the problem with investing being a sales-driven industry. Paul shares the constant barrage of emails from people hoping to pitch products and services that show up in his email inbox and explains how educated investors can usually spot when their advisors have fallen into common investing traps.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Over the last few decades, there have been multiple instances of investors getting caught up in massive frauds and losing all of their money (i.e., FTX or Bernie Madoff). Paul got to address an investor's concern on OpenLine earlier this week. Today, he dives a little bit deeper into the topic and explains why investors start to abandon proven investing practices and get sucked into investing with bad actors. Later in the episode, Paul talks about a Forbes article that puts a big price tag on the American dream and why you should ignore articles like these as you think about your life goals and your true purpose for money.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Insurance prices keep going up, pushing people who have been very loyal to their insurers to look for better coverage at a more affordable price. Today, Paul provides a quick guide to buying auto insurance in 2024, where he covers the difference between captive and brokerage companies and the factors that influence the cost of your insurance, then shares a major misconception that many have about their insurance companies.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul brings up a principle that most investors know, but few actually abide by: You don’t have to be able to predict the future to be a good investor. Listen along to hear how market timing sneaks into every aspect of investing and always results in investors taking too much risk for too little reward. Paul segues into a conversation about a fossil fuel alternative that could easily change the landscape of energy production, possibly lowering energy costs for companies and giving way for more profits and returns for shareholders.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

An investor reaches out to a financial columnist because his advisor told him to ditch the Roth Conversion in retirement and just take his family on a cruise instead. Today, Paul examines both the advisor and the columnist’s advice and talks about why people in retirement can get enticed by the idea of tax-free money without considering their current marginal tax rate.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

It is very difficult to calculate how inflation affects consumers because Americans are purchasing different products in different parts of the country. Today, Paul talks about a 2.5% raise in the COLA for 2025 and the trouble consumers are having keeping up with rising insurance and grocery store prices. Listen along as Paul shares some insight on how retirees feel the pressure of inflation and how some investing strategies can make it even worse. Later in the episode, Paul talks about emergency funds and what happens when you start to play games with your emergency fund by trying to get market returns through bonds or fixed-income investments.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Some assets are pretty tricky for someone to inherit because they create a lot of tax problems for the inheritor. Today, Paul talks about what happens when you inherit a non-qualified annuity. Do you pull money out and pay taxes on all of it? Do you annuitize it and hope you outlive your life expectancy? Paul answers these questions and encourages investors to avoid these kinds of problems by not getting their money tangled up in these kinds of products from the start.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul dives into what you should do if you work for a company that offers company stock as a benefit. Listen along as Paul spells out why it’s ok to trust your employer to provide you with a paycheck without putting the future of your retirement completely in their hands. In this episode, Paul explains that owning a single company can actually add risk to the rest of your portfolio even if it's performing well right now and gives you some other options to fully take advantage of this employee benefit.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

A concerned investor reaches out to Paul because he got a notice from his employer saying that they are updating 401(k) plans to “superior” fund options and doesn’t know what to do next. Paul explains what you should look for and avoid when your employer updates your 401(k) and how to keep from getting overwhelmed or confused by the options. At the end of the day, you are still responsible for your retirement, and your employer may not be as good at investing and financial planning as they seem.  For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul knows that if investors aren’t educated about some of the basics of investing, they're vulnerable to trust someone who sounds like they know what they’re talking about. Today, Paul teaches about the factor that has been proven to make the most difference in the returns of your portfolio: asset allocation. Listen along as Paul explains what it is, why it’s the most important factor, and what happens to your portfolio when an advisor believes that there are more important factors for investor returns.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Tax laws change all the time. That is why Paul wants investors to start thinking about tax advantages like they think about stock returns. We don’t know what tax laws will look like in the future and betting your retirement on specific tax strategies is a lot like betting your retirement on one or two companies. Listen along as Paul talks about the risks of certain tax-advantaged accounts and how to create a strategy that doesn’t rely on you correctly predicting future legislation or income brackets. Later in the episode, Paul talks about an invite he got to an investment webinar.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul talks about how conditioned investors are to hear about market updates, speculation about interest rates, and updates on specific companies’ stock prices. All of these things either confuse investors about what matters most or force them to get out of investing altogether. Listen along as Paul talks about three specific portfolios he’s seen in the last month and how these bad practices have snuck into clients' investments in places you might not think to look.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul talks about how conditioned investors are to hear about market updates, speculation about interest rates, and updates on specific companies’ stock prices. All of these things either confuse investors about what matters most or force them to get out of investing altogether. Listen along as Paul talks about three specific portfolios he’s seen in the last month and how these bad practices have snuck into clients' investments in places you might not think to look.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

One out of three healthcare workers don’t feel confident about their retirement. This number may even be inflated because confidence usually drops during bear markets, and markets have been bullish over the past few years, covering up some bad investing habits. So what does it take for any investor to be confident about retirement? Today, Paul covers this topic and explains why educated investors are confident investors.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

So you go to a planning meeting and find out that the company is full of award-winning brokers selling 5-star funds. Well, you need to know what the awards are for. Today, Paul brings an article where a broker seems to be bragging about their award-winning strategies when, in reality, they are bragging about speculating and market timing and bringing in income for the company they work for. Listen along as Paul breaks down the argument that highly rated brokers and funds lead to better performance for investors.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul got to talk with a bright young financial industry professional who wanted some advice on how to navigate the industry and find a job where he could use his skills and his interest in personal financial planning to help people. This leads to an important conversation about the biggest challenge that both advisors and their investors face in today’s planning landscape: Most education about investing comes to advisors and investors from companies trying to turn a profit selling financial products.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul remembers what it was like early in his career working for a large insurance company and selling insurance products. This led Paul to ask a financial planner this week who works with one of these companies about the products they are excited about and recommending to clients. Listen along as Paul reads the fine print about Nationwide’s New Heights Fixed Indexed Annuity program and explains how frustrating it is that an insurance company like Nationwide can have the slogan, “Nationwide is on your side,” while selling products that make the salesperson large commissions through practices that would be illegal for a company like PWI to employ.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul asks AI: “Why can’t people stand working with financial advisors?” Much to Paul’s surprise, AI hit the nail on the head with 10 reasons people don’t trust and won’t work with a financial advisor. Listen along as Paul walks through each reason and explains why people are disillusioned with the industry. Later in the episode, Paul brings up a WSJ article about retirees who keep moving to places that have a high risk of natural disasters.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Finally, a state has required high school students to take a class on personal finance. Paul talks about the need for good education for all Americans around economics and personal finance and shares some common misconceptions the average American has because this kind of education wasn’t prioritized in the past. Listen along as Paul shares a few books you can read to catch up on basic personal finance and economics topics and why education keeps you from being manipulated by people who know a little bit more than you do. Later in the episode, Paul covers what happens when the FED drops interest rates more than we think. Is this a political move or is there something the FED knows that we don’t?   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

A listener wants to know what they need to do with their 401(k) plan when their job changes. Paul walks through a few important steps to consider during this life change and how to look through the options at your new employer to find the most diversified investments. Later in the episode, Paul wants you to know that people who are really harping on the idea of having a “tax-free” retirement are likely just using these buzzwords as a marketing tool. Paul touches on where taxes fit into a retirement plan and a few of the traps you can fall into when you’re chasing the lowest possible taxes.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

By now, almost everyone has heard that the FED dropped interest rates last week, which has created a lot of noise in the investment world. Contrary to what many talking heads and advertisers would lead you to believe, now is not the time to make a change, and interest rates were already coming down before the announcement. Paul opens the episode with a deep dive into why the drop may have happened and what these kinds of announcements actually signal or affect. Later in the episode, Paul jumps into a listener question about an annuity with multi-year guarantees to use for healthcare costs late in retirement. Paul addresses the rising healthcare costs and discusses what he’s looking to use annuity products for and when you should stay away from them.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul starts by sharing his excitement about a big client appreciation dinner coming up next month and shares the details on how to get involved. Then, Paul talks about some conversations he had this week with financial advisor coaches about how financial advisors can help people overcome the fears that make them park all their money in fixed-income assets and incur inflation risk. Paul talks about what you can do to pinpoint the fears you have about investing and how education can help you overcome them. Many people develop fears out of the misinformation from financial media or the risky financial practices of the industry, but there is another way forward.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul talks about his transition from trying to learn about investment products and starting his own career to learning how to educate investors and understanding what it truly means to work for someone for their own best interests. Paul talks about the Prudent Investor Rule, which is a legal framework that is used when minors or others unable to manage their own assets need to trust someone to enact a financial plan on their behalf. He also tells the story of the first conversations he had with his dad about the proven academic research behind investing that the industry flat-out ignores and how these influenced him over the years.  For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul tells a story about his younger self, who heard a pitch about the benefits of annuities and was left with plenty of doubts. Paul talks about what stood out to him about the pitch and the moment Paul realized he needed to pursue more education instead of following an industry that seemed set on pitching high-commissioned products as intelligent investing strategies. For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Most people have been told that work retirement plans are not enough to meet their personal needs and goals for retirement income, and for the most part that is true. The bigger problem is that most people don’t know why they aren’t a turnkey retirement option. Today, Paul explains what’s going on in these plans and what you can do to work with the investing options you’ve got through your employer. Listen along as Paul talks about why diversification, even though it’s a popular buzzword in the financial industry, isn’t being practiced by most companies that offer retirement options.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul walks through a very popular strategy for investing and taking an income in retirement: the bucket strategy. While having a plan for short-term, medium-term, and long-term expenses sounds like a good idea for investors, the bucket strategy uses ideas as an excuse to own assets that do not offer good returns for their risk. Listen along as Paul explains to investors why you can have a different strategy for retirement and still be able to afford purchases with different time horizons.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul talks about the importance of being an educated investor. He talks about how almost 100 years of research continue to show why investors fail and what strategies actually work. Listen along as Paul encourages you to get out of the hamster wheel of product sales and losing strategies and onto a path that will help you relax about money. Later in the episode, Paul shares an absurd fact about the ultra-wealthy that proves that having a purpose for your money is more important than just having a lot of it.   For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul gives a quick crash course on a topic that is getting more attention because of the rhetoric around capital gains and the Harris campaign: taxes and investing. Listen along as Paul walks you through how the financial industry uses tax planning to sell products, how to make a financial plan that includes diversification for tax planning, and why the idea that most Americans don’t pay capital gains taxes but should isn’t accurate. In a two-part episode, Paul explains why the tax system is designed to benefit the federal government and why a wider tax on capital gains should be viewed as a tax on inflation — which the government is involved in creating.  For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Today, Paul gives a quick crash course on a topic that is getting more attention because of the rhetoric around capital gains and the Harris campaign: taxes and investing. Listen along as Paul walks you through how the financial industry uses tax planning to sell products, how to make a financial plan that includes diversification for tax planning, and why the idea that most Americans don’t pay capital gains taxes but should isn’t accurate. In a two-part episode, Paul explains why the tax system is designed to benefit the federal government and why a wider tax on capital gains should be viewed as a tax on inflation — which the government is involved in creating.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.

Paul walks through an important conversation about how to treat taxes when saving for retirement. Is it best to pay taxes before you contribute or after you retire? The answer depends on marginal tax rates. Listen along as Paul helps you navigate these two popular retirement vehicles and keeps you from paying more in taxes than you need to.    For more information about what we do or how we can help you, schedule a 15-minute call with us here: paulwinkler.com/call.