New Focus on Wealth with Chad Burton

Q1 earnings are coming out and expectations are high following tax cuts and the market rally. So is the market actually doing great? Are market returns negative? Other topics include: • Walmart employing IBM and blockchain to put food on tables • Explaining Jeff Gundlach’s comment on Facebook stock • Major risks to your retirement • Sustainable withdrawal rates on portfolios • Awful online retirement calculators & Monte Carlo simulation

Big banks are looking good in the first quarter since corporate tax reform took place. Cryptocurrency is also back in the news as New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman probes major trading platforms to find out more about operations, internal controls and customer safeguards. More cryptocurrency regulations this year for sure. Other topics: • Student loans vs. refinancing home debt • Life insurance, disability insurance and underinsurance • Individual 401k vs. SEP-IRA

Happy Tax Day! Here are a few friendly reminders: 1. An extension does not delay penalties and interest on amounts you owe 2. Your IRA and Roth contribution must be postmarked today even if you file an extension 3. Self employed still have time to fund some retirement accounts. Other topics: • Estimated earnings growth rate • Increase on cash rates • Understanding what you own in bonds • What to do with old variable annuities • 529 plan mistakes • Finding an estate planning attorney

Over 25+ years I’ve seen plenty of horrible money mistakes that destroy your chances at retirement. In the second half of today’s podcast I share major money mistakes that can really hurt you down the road. I also share good money habits such as accumulating positive cash flow assets. Other topics: • Financial Choices You'll Regret • Prepaying down mortgage vs. investing capital • Six retirement tests to do before you retire • Not getting sold on bad investment products

This week continued jobless claims see a slight uptick, but initial jobless claims decrease sharply by 9,000 in a firming of the job market. When will we finally see a wages rise? In other news futures were affected by a tweet from President Trump. Other topics: • Cryptocurrency tax headaches • Checking your credit report and identity theft • 5 days left till tax day –now what? • Taxes and real estate • Self employed tax tips • Horrible online retirement calculators

Futures are up and a lot of it has to do with China opening its economy to foreign investors. While day to day ups and downs don’t really matter in the long run, the reasons why do. Other topics include: • How to snag the new self employed 20% business deduction if you are in the service industry • Are you prepared for retirement financially and mentally? • The problem with social security

Some trade deals, such as NAFTA, are over 23 years old. Current deals with China were created when China was considered an emerging market. The Chinese economy is much larger today and deals must be reviewed. Renegotiating trade agreements is one cause for the current market volatility. Other topics include: • Postal service problems • FDIC insurance • Why all-in/all-out sector strategy can damage your portfolio long term • HELOC tax deductions • Updating IRA beneficiaries

LIBOR rates seem to be working their way back into the news, this time in the form of corporate debt. As interest rates go up there’s a good chance you’ll hear about lower quality borrowers feeling the squeeze. Other topics include: • Timing the market and the 60/40 portfolio delusion • The dangers of investing based on absolute statements • Inheriting large sums of money • Do you get dividends on RSU’s? • Why prepay medical expenses

Seeing social media advertisements based on things you have only spoken about is strange enough, but equally disturbing is any media selling based on absolute statements. Today I discuss absolute sales statements that are complete garbage. Other topics include: • Annuities and life insurance-the good, the bad, and the ugly • Health insurance pools • Inheriting large sums of money • Do you get dividends on RSU’s? • Why prepay medical expenses • Home owners insurance

When was the last time you heard about LIBOR rates? This loan which was common at the top of the real estate debacle seems to be working its way back into the news, this time in the form of corporate debt. As interest rates go up there’s a good chance you’ll hear about lower quality borrowers feeling the squeeze. Other topics include: • Timing the market and the 60/40 portfolio delusion • Roth IRA funding – are capital gains included when calculating MAGI? • Backdoor Roth IRA contributions

Today is Fed rate decision day and an increase is almost guaranteed. Today most people equate interest rates with mortgages directly when in reality mortgages are more affected by supply and demand issues. Interest rates have a greater affect on credit cards, CD’s, auto loans and HELOC’s. Other topics include: • Social security calculations • How the tax cut affects 529 plans • Money mistakes made by parents of special needs kids • Chasing returns

Crazy things can happen to your retirement plan. One moment you’re flying high and the next you’re over the handlebars. 6 different tests are used to check if your retirement plan will stand up to whatever may come your way. Other topics include: • Prop 60 • Tough times for young families in the Bay Area • Why you should have an estate plan even if you are not concerned about taxes • Visa CFO’s cryptocurrency criticism • What are your chances of spending time at a nursing home?

Hospitals are treating more people with strokes and the percentage of millennial patients has increased. People sometimes end up rebuilding their entire lives after a medical emergency and completely changing retirement plans. Today I talk income replacement after major medical issues. Other topics: • The bond market • A popular Roger Ibbotson article on indexed annuities • Do annuities ever make sense when 99% of them are awful? • Jeffrey Gundlach’s 2018 call • Savingforcollege.com

More chaos from the White House as Trump fires Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Today I discuss foreign security issues and foreign companies buying tech in the US. Other topics : • Q4 earnings exceed expectations – so why did the market punish some positive earnings per share surprises • Tax plan options if you are a business owner, self employed or own a lot of real estate with debt • What are REIT’s and how do they work? • Digital estate plans

When you look at what Trump's tweets and compare it to what gets done, you have to wonder if the tax cuts and trade war are part of a genius plan or a path of disaster. Things have changed drastically since NAFTA was implemented and its past time we improve these deals. Today I talk tariff wars and their impact on our economy. Other topics include: • Identifying and preparing for market corrections • Calculating and allocating safe money • Managing your portfolio in retirement • Bitcoin IRA’s