On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and Financial Planning Advisor Amber McBride discuss year-end financial planning items to stay on top of. Here are some key takeaways from their conversations: - Ensure you are maximizing contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans. The limit is $23,000 for people under 50, and $30,500 for those 50 and over with the catch-up contribution. - Consider tax loss harvesting to offset capital gains by selling investments at a...
Dec 17, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 116
On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE , host Chris Galeski invites Wealth Advisor Mike Rudow to discuss charitable giving strategies to ensure you are optimizing your donations. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: QCDs (Qualified Charitable Distributions) allow individuals over 73 to send required minimum distribution amounts directly from their IRA to charities, avoiding taxable income. CRTs (Charitable Remainder Trusts) provide a way to donate assets, reduce income t...
Dec 10, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 115
This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. CEO Jeff Sarti, Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk, and Wealth Advisor Chris Galeski discuss the advantages and drawbacks of liquidity. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: It is crucial to maintain 3-6 months' worth of living expenses in a liquid emergency fund to manage unexpected life events without disrupting long-term investment plans. The ...
Dec 03, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 114
This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Wealth Advisors Kevin Rex, Joe Seetoo and Mike Rudow discuss strategies that could help replace income in retirement. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Traditional income strategies like government bonds are less effective due to changing interest rates and market dynamics. Joe and Mike advocate for alternative income sources like private lendin...
Nov 25, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 113
This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Managing Director of Investments Sasan Faiz welcomes Co-Founder of Cordillera “Gus” Araya to discuss new investing trends. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Cordillera typically focuses on niche, non-correlated investment opportunities. - Cordillera seeks early investment opportunities in areas that lack heavy competition, aiming for high return...
Nov 19, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 112
This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Host Chris Galeski welcomes Mortgage Advisor Brian Farwell and Thousand Oaks City Council Member Mikey Taylor to discuss the California housing market. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: • Brian highlights that while low-interest rates previously boosted affordability, recent increases have made it difficult for buyers to afford homes, particularly...
Nov 12, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 111
On this week’s special episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, CEO Jeff Sarti and Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk discuss how the election’s results may impact the economy, investors, and consumers. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - The morning after the election, stocks saw a 2.5% increase, partially due to market relief from avoiding election uncertainty. - Anticipated Republican policies, like tax cuts and reduced regulation, may be favorable for businesses and the stoc...
Nov 07, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 110
In this special session recorded live from our 2024 Investor Symposium, COO and CMO Stacey McKinnon leads a discussion with Wealth Advisors Beau Wirick and Priscilla Brehm about how baby boomers and millennials think about money differently. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Millennials generally see money as less tangible, trusting credit cards and cryptocurrency more than Boomers. - Boomers see money as real and finite, largely due to experiences like the Great Depression....
Oct 29, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 109
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes CEO Jeff Sarti to review our 2024 Investor Symposium, and the topics discussed at the event. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: - Grant Williams, our keynote speaker and author of Things That Make You Go Hmmm…, highlighted his thoughts on the election, the polarization in the U.S., concerns over rising debt levels globally, interest rate policies, and gold as a source of value against currency debasement...
Oct 22, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 108
On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Kevin Rex to discuss the recent 50 basis point rate cut by the Fed and its implications. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Kevin says he was surprised by the Fed's decision, noting that prior economic data like jobs and GDP did not indicate a need for such an aggressive rate cut. Kevin and Chris discuss this uncertainty around the Fed's motivations, with speculation that factors beyond ...
Oct 15, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 107
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Brian McArthur, President of Design My Medicare to discuss upcoming changes to Medicare. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: - Starting in 2025, Medicare Part D will see significant changes, including a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap on drug costs, aiming to provide relief for beneficiaries with high prescription costs. - Insulin users will benefit from a $35 monthly cap, which began in 2023, and this wi...
Oct 08, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 106
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Joe Seetoo to discuss building generational wealth as a family business. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: - Small businesses are the cornerstone of the American economy, and 90% of American small businesses are family owned. - About 70% of family businesses do not get passed down to the second generation successfully. Succession is difficult because there are so many complicated dynamics...
Oct 01, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 105
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Client Coordinator Morgan Jul to discuss financial literacy and a new California bill requiring high school students to take a financial literacy course starting in 2031. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - The bill requires financial literacy courses to be offered to all California high school students by the 2027-28 school year and be part of the graduation requirements for the class of 2031. - Rese...
Sep 24, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 104
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Mike Rudow to discuss different tax-preference savings vehicles and how high earners can use these accounts to optimize their wealth. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are highlighted for their “triple tax savings.” They offer tax deduction on contributions, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free withdrawals for qualified medical expenses. - Traditional IRAs,...
Sep 18, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 103
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Jenn Caruso to discuss how to financially prepare for a divorce and how a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) can help. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - As a CDFA herself, Jenn explains that CDFAs can help clients understand the complex nuances of financial impact before, during and after a divorce. - Before the divorce process actually begins, it is best to get organized, loc...
Sep 10, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 102
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes CEO Jeff Sarti to discuss our upcoming Investor Symposium. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Grant Williams, author of Things That Make You Go Hmmm… and co-founder of Real Vision, will be the keynote speaker at our upcoming Investor Symposium. If you haven’t watched our special 100th episode with Grant yet, check it out here . - Grant Williams and Jeff both see gold as a reliable store of value in u...
Sep 03, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 101
We are celebrating our 100th episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE this week! Thank you for listening and supporting Chris and our guests these past two years. We are excited to continue empowering our listeners with financial confidence and knowledge through this podcast. To make this episode extra special, host Chris Galeski had a conversation with Grant Williams, author of Things That Make You Go Hmmm…, host of The Grant Williams Podcast and co-founder of Real Vision. Here are some key takeaways f...
Aug 27, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 100
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk to discuss the current real estate environment and investment opportunities. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - There is a noticeable drop in real estate transaction volume due to high interest rates and sellers holding out for better prices. - Many real estate loans are coming due soon, creating potential opportunities for buyers as sellers may be forced to re...
Aug 20, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 99
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Wealth Advisor Priscilla Brehm joins host Chris Galeski to discuss ways to build financial confidence. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Access to too much information does not necessarily lead to true knowledge or confidence, highlighting the importance of one’s mindset towards money. - People often swing between scarcity and abundance mindsets. Wealth advisors can help clients move towards an abundance mindset to make confid...
Aug 13, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 98
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Managing Director of Investments Sasan Faiz to discuss the global stock market selloff. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Tech stocks’ valuations were high due to AI excitement and hype, but recent corrections highlight the importance of true diversification. - The ISM Manufacturing Index indicates a recession in the manufacturing sector, though consumer spending, a major economic driver, remains re...
Aug 05, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 97
On this episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes COO & CMO Stacey McKinnon to discuss retirement planning. How much do people really need to retire comfortably? Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Over 55% of Americans feel behind in retirement planning. - It is crucial to create a retirement plan custom to your lifestyle instead of taking generic advice from people who may have different standards than you. - 65 is generally seen as the “right” time t...
Jul 26, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 96
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Patrice Bening to discuss dollar cost averaging, an investment strategy where investments are bought over time. Purchases occur regularly regardless of the asset’s price. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Patrice shares her first experience with dollar cost averaging through her 401(k), highlighting its discipline and long-term benefits despite market volatility. - Dollar cost averagi...
Jul 23, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 95
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE , host Chris Galeski welcomes Portfolio Management Analyst Hunter Daniel to discuss Morton’s approach to portfolio management. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - For clients bringing cash to invest rather than an existing portfolio, Hunter and his team will use dollar cost averaging to mitigate market timing risks. This means they will make periodic investments over time which helps average the purchase cost and reduce the impac...
Jul 16, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 94
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Jeff Sarti, CEO of Morton Wealth to discuss market conditions and valuations. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Jeff highlights the importance of setting realistic expectations for stock returns, noting that the past decade’s 10-12% returns may not continue. - Jeff discusses the benefits of investing in various asset classes beyond stocks and bonds, such as real estate and private lending. Diversifi...
Jul 09, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 93
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Planner & Estate Attorney Brian Standing to discuss advanced estate tax planning strategies. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Estate tax laws are set to sunset in the next year and a half, potentially reducing the exemption amount from over $13 million to $7 million per person. - High net worth individuals with estates over $26 million (married) or $13 million (single) should consider ad...
Jul 02, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 92
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski invites Chief Compliance Officer Menachem Striks to discuss cybersecurity measures you should take to protect yourself and your money. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Menachem advises listeners to create complex, unique passwords (15 to 20 characters) for their accounts. Try not to use the same password for multiple accounts, as if one account is compromised, others can be jeopardized, too. - Password mana...
Jun 25, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 91
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Managing Director of Investments Sasan Faiz to discuss inflation, interest rates, and monetary policy. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Some people think that when inflation comes down, prices should decrease. That would be “deflation,” which is a concerning economic indicator. Inflation measures how much more expensive goods and services become over a certain period, so when inflation slows down, ...
Jun 18, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 90
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Jon Wingent to discuss opportunities in international investing. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Most investors tend to have a home country bias, allocating most of their investments toward domestic stocks and companies. - Most investors hold less than 10% of their portfolios in international stocks, despite the U.S. making up only 24% of global GDP. - Jon says U.S. stocks are curre...
Jun 11, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 89
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Jenn Caruso to discuss recent financial headlines. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - The Dow Jones and NASDAQ have reached new highs; however, clients and consumers feel nervous. - Clients often react emotionally to investment performance, wanting to sell underperforming assets and buy high-performing ones. - Jenn and Chris emphasize the importance of rebalancing portfolios and divers...
Jun 04, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 88
On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski invites Wealth Advisor Patrice Bening to discuss planning for your child’s education with 529 plans, state-specific rules, and how to maximize benefits. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - In California, 529 plan funds that are used for kindergarten through 12th grade private school tuition incur taxes and penalties. - Up to $10,000 from a 529 plan can be used for student loan payments, but this is a lifetime ...
May 28, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 87
