Should you join an exchange fund? Can they really minimize taxes? What are the potential downsides? What are your other options? Do we recommend them?

Join us as we talk through the pros and cons of exchange funds, plus a few alternatives that could provide added protection without all the complexity.

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• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Flow Financial Planning

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial or Flow Financial Planning.

It’s election time again and right on cue, everything feels a little out of control. But should it? What does history have to say about market behavior around elections? Join us as we consider the influence of Democrats vs. Republicans, presidents vs. senators, the Fed vs. the DOJ, and more as we seek to find where politics and economics overlap (and where they don’t).

Plus, we’ll zoom in to see how you can seek to maintain financial stability, even when the news seems hell-bent on trying to make you panic. Whether you're a retiree needing balanced asset allocation or someone in your prime earning years looking to capitalize on market dips, you’ll find relevant, actionable steps to guide you through uncertainty and help you focus on your goals.

Election Stats Mentioned

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Flow Financial Planning

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial or Flow Financial Planning.

How do financial advisors mix stocks, bonds, and cash to achieve the best returns to meet each person’s financial needs? In today’s episode, Scott Frank and Meg Bartelt discuss the unique risks and potential returns each one offers; focusing on these primary asset classes can lead to a more stable and profitable investment strategy. They dive into the various types of bonds—government, municipal, and corporate—and their role in your portfolio, while delving into the importance of credit ratings, bond maturity, and global currency risks, offering you insights on how to navigate these complexities.

Scott and Meg provide tailored investment strategies for different financial goals and timeframes, whether you're saving for a short-term goal like a home down payment or a long-term objective like retirement. Learn the pitfalls of short-term stock market investments and the benefits of safer options like high-yield savings accounts for immediate needs. For long-term goals, they discuss leveraging the historical growth of the stock market while balancing intermediate-term objectives with a well-thought-out plan.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

People say it’s just business, it’s not emotional, but that’s really not the case. In this episode of Real Personal Finance, Scott Frank, founder of Stone Steps Financial, and Meg Bartelt, founder of Flow Financial Planning, LLC, tackle the psychological minefield of investment decisions and uncover how recent trends, like the meteoric rise of big tech stocks, can warp your perspective. They delve into the cognitive biases, specifically recency bias, that often stand in the way of sound financial strategies and illustrate how structured systems can safeguard your portfolio against these mental pitfalls. Past performance, while tempting to rely on, is not a reliable predictor of future success. Learn how to use tolerance bands to maintain a balanced portfolio by adhering to timeless principles like "buy low, sell high."

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

How prepared are you for a financial crisis when job security feels more fragile than ever? In today's episode, Scott Frank and Meg Bartelt break down the essential steps to creating a strong emergency plan able to withstand the tech industry’s volatile job market. Learn how to navigate financial instability with actionable strategies.

In order to save money, people are often advised to cut small expenses, but that’s not enough. We discuss why that practice isn’t enough and how managing major costs can protect your financial future. We provide a clear, step-by-step guide to maintaining a balanced investment mix. Tune in for these essential tips to safeguard your financial future in uncertain times.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

How do you secure your retirement against an uncertain future? In this episode of “Real Personal Finance,” Scott Frank, founder of Stone Steps Financial, and Meg Bartelt, founder of Flow Financial Planning, LLC, explore strategies to predict future expenses and ensure financial readiness, even if retirement is decades away. They address a listener question about preparing 26 years ahead, covering how to assess current expenses and plan for changing costs like mortgages. Estimating future medical expenses is crucial yet challenging, but informed planning brings peace of mind.

Our discussion extends to the importance of ongoing financial reassessment, considering life's unexpected events—such as starting a business or caregiving—that impact your finances. Regularly reviewing and adjusting financial plans is key to staying on course. Join the conversation, submit questions, and engage with our community for insights that strengthen financial resilience and align with long-term goals.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

Rethink your charitable giving and maximize your tax benefits with Donor-Advised Funds. Discover how this streamlined and tax-efficient alternative to traditional donation methods might just be a game-changer to your financial strategy. Scott and Meg contrast DAFs with conventional giving methods like checks and credit cards, to paint a clearer picture of their advantages. They also address common myths surrounding DAFs, especially the idea that they're only a tool for tax avoidance. Learn from real-life examples about when a DAF is the best choice and why genuine charitable intent is crucial to take advantage of its full potential.

DAFs allow you to separate the tax event from the actual act of giving. This can be particularly beneficial during high-income years, letting you maximize your tax benefits while taking the time to thoughtfully select the right charities. Scott and Meg also tackle the concept of "bunching" donations for optimal itemized deductions and discuss how DAFs can facilitate family involvement in your philanthropy, turning giving into a shared family mission. Tune in to discover how integrating DAFs into your financial planning can lead to both personal fulfillment and community support.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.

Are you using your Health Savings Account to its full potential? HSAs are great for covering immediate healthcare costs, but with careful planning, they can also become a strategic part of your long-term wealth plan. This week, Scott Frank, founder of Stone Steps Financial, and Meg Bartelt, founder of Flow Financial Planning, LLC, take on HSAs, sharing the ins and outs of eligibility, their triple tax benefits, and how it can become a vital nest egg for end-of-life care later on.

HSAs were created to help offset the cost of healthcare, so start letting your account do the work! Scott and Meg’s insights help clear the confusion around HSAs, giving listeners actionable advice to help them decide on future plans. Let’s face it—the world won’t get any cheaper. Investing in an HSA is an opportunity to protect your financial future.

Ready to learn more?

• Scott Frank on LinkedIn
• Meg Bartelt on LinkedIn
• Stone Steps Financial

Money can be confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. When you’re able to understand the complexities, you can make better decisions to improve your daily life. Are you ready to align your money with your ideal life? Connect with us at Stone Steps Financial.