There is a different way to approach finances. It's what motivates us to meet with clients. You have to have control of your finances to have control of your life. Where You Start Is Important. Start By Identifying What Matters Most To You For me, it's my family. It's investing in them and shaping who they become. The reason we talk about finances isn't so you can get the highest return on your bank accounts. Money is a tool towards the life you want. The life you want may be, like me, more time...
May 17, 2017•12 min•Ep. 22
The two biggest expenses facing most Americans are healthcare and taxes. The status of both are up in the air and causing a great amount of stress for millions holding there breathe awaiting what is going to happen. In short, there are a lot of question marks on healthcare and taxes. How do you plan for what you don't know? Here's how you can create financial stability in a time of uncertainty. A Great Financial Plan Today Has To Be Flexible Above All Else How you make a strong financial plan wh...
May 17, 2017•16 min•Ep. 21
Right now you can lock in a crazy interest rate but is the rush of buying a home forcing you to overpay? The housing market is crazy right now if you are looking to sell, and dangerous if you are wanting to buy. Listen in to my advice to home buyers. Have you watched houses in your neighborhood fly off the market? Home prices are up 40% since 2012. It's the third fastest growth of home rates since the 1890's. Some of you right now are tempted to make rash decisions because of the reality of this...
May 05, 2017•5 min•Ep. 20
No matter what you think about Trump we all agree on one thing that he is unpredictable. The markets have responded to his unpredictable announcements. Here we sit, 100 days into his Presidency. What happened? What will happen? How can you be best prepared so that your future looks how you dream it will? Trump's Presidency has industry leaders looking for advice. I had a financial advisor call and ask me for help on how to invest his clients with the market right now. The issue was he continued ...
May 03, 2017•8 min•Ep. 18
Trump's proposed tax plan is both incredibly remarkable and disruptive. A few things about Trump's tax plan stand out. Here are three main keys to understanding how it impacts your financial future and personal savings plan. Let's Start With My Favorite Criticism of Trump's Proposed Tax Plan The Wall Street Journal quoted Lilly Batchelder, a former Obama Administration aide who now teaches at New York saying, "This plan could have been written on a napkin and the changes could have been written ...
May 01, 2017•13 min•Ep. 17
If you are stressed to make it month to month on your income, or you just are on the spectrum of worry and want some advice, this two-step solution will bring you immediate peace of mind. This is how I, Chris Burns and More Than Money, advise my clients to eliminate financial stress and live a better quality of life. Sometimes it just helps to hear someone else's story that you can identify with who is willing to say that life can be hard. I recently met with a couple by every appearance was suc...
Apr 27, 2017•11 min•Ep. 15
Is social security going to be there when you reach retirement? This is easily one of the most common questions I get when I meet with clients. The data on this is scary. The social security trust fund is in massive trouble. Social Security Is In Big Trouble We have 32 trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities and it will be exhausted by 2034. When that goes away we are relying on tax dollars. Something is going to have to give. No matter what ends up happening, we know social security is going t...
Apr 26, 2017•12 min•Ep. 14
This is the highest level of intensity we've seen in over a decade. From North Korea to Russia, to Iran the market is forced to respond. But, what does that mean for your personal finances and staying on track to reach your investment goals? We break down the number one key to financially succeeding during this volatile season in this episode of More Than Money. When volatility looks to be on the horizon, we see people shovel money from "risky" assets like stock into safer things like gold, bond...
Apr 25, 2017•12 min•Ep. 13
Oh man. Is there a better feeling than finding out you're right? The answer is yes. Because in this case it's helped hundreds of my clients and now not only am I right but also they get to reap the rewards. I'm referring to a 15-years study that broke this week and released years of data looking at mutual funds and their cost and benefits. This is HUGE because the far majority of my clients have 401K's composed of mutual funds and some simple, small changes will equal BIG long-term rewards. (I a...
Apr 20, 2017•11 min•Ep. 11
How does dropping the largest non-nuclear bomb in U.S. history impact your finances? Let's get practical and look at what you need to know and how you can best respond. A quick recap of the huge global news happening over the past weeks! There is incredible tension in Russia because of the U.S. bombings in Syria. The tension between the United States and North Korea continues as North Korea experiments with their nuclear capabilities. Trump has met with China, and he continues to say that the U....
Apr 18, 2017•12 min•Ep. 10
Sure you are paying interest to yourself by taking a loan out this way, but there is a lot more to consider than that one positive. A 401k loan is not "free money" and here's everything you need to know before you pull out a loan. When you pull money from your 401K you are taking tax-deferred long-term compound growth and stopping your growth. In really simple terms, 401k loans are not good loans. They are different from collateralized loans (Think home equity). If a collateralized loan function...
Apr 14, 2017•8 min•Ep. 9
Stop waiting. Don't let this special offer go away. Banks are pulling out all the advertising stunts they can to open more savings accounts and CD's, but it's at your expense. If you are looking for long-term saving solutions listen to find out why there are better solutions. Banks Are Advertising CD's Like They Are What Your Retirement Dreams Are Made From You likely already have a checking account with your bank so when they offered you a certificate of deposit or savings account you agreed. O...
Apr 12, 2017•8 min•Ep. 8
What Does It Look Like to Retire And Plan For Retirement During The Trump Presidency? The game has changed. If you are looking to retire in the next eight years, or if you're in your 50's this so important to your retirement. Here Are 3 Big Must-Know Things That Have Changed About Retirement Today Now, Plans Are More Important Than Products Your parents and your grandparents played according to different rules for their retirement savings plan. Their realities just aren't true today. Previous ge...
Apr 10, 2017•15 min•Ep. 7
The absolute worst feeling in the world is writing that tax check. (If you're getting a refund it's another story you need to read.) What if you are paying too much in income taxes? We share a story of a man I just worked with and the practical tax advice that comes out of that conversation. If You've Paid Big In Taxes For Years - That's A Red Flag I just met with a partner recently over lunch. He has owned a business for over a decade. He is doing very well. But, he's missing a ton of tax shelt...
Apr 07, 2017•8 min•Ep. 6
First a quick snapshot of today's market: Donald Trump's Presidency means the financial market and your money's future is going to experience c hanges - major ups & downs. In financial terms: market volatility is coming. ... and capitalizing on this is key. Just look at March: we saw a record amount of money flow into the market. Then... a drop. And billions of dollars flooded out of the market. The problem is that's not how to win big earnings. Listen to this practical advice and start grow...
Apr 05, 2017•12 min•Ep. 4
We just saw one of the longest market drops in over a decade. If it would have gone just one more day it would have been the worst we've seen since the 70's. Why did it happen? Trump's failure to pass the health care bill. But more importantly, what does this point to? And what does it teach you moving forward? Last week points to one thing: market volatility. The reality is this dip wasn't catastrophic. It was a slight correction and a little drop. But, that won't always be true. Are you prepar...
Apr 03, 2017•9 min•Ep. 3
I spoke with a man this week who has managed to do the impossible over the last handful of years - lose $100,000. The market has been at historic heights. Not many people are losing money on that scale, but then he asked me a question that revealed a tragic flaw in his thinking. The man loved gimmicks. Don't Buy Into Financial Gimmicks Or "Systems" Instead Trust Proven Principles Bad Financial advisors use a system. You don't need a gimmick, you need to do what works. The same financial principl...
Mar 24, 2017•8 min•Ep. 1
