Was 2017 the year the year we coined the term “getting Amazoned”? Today Rob discusses physical stores like Target, Walmart and Costco who are feeling the heat from Amazon and slashing prices. Other topics include:

• AMD’s epic server chip
• Finding the metrics that work for you
• Is the market too bullish?
• Home buying regret
• Self-employment issues
• Estate planning

Please join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I for our Retirement Income Strategies and Estate Planning Seminar. This event will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Foster City at 6:30 p.m. and registration is $25. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Earning season is off to a great start with earnings growth up around 12% from this time last year, but some people are still calling for expansion of the PE ratio due to synchronized global growth and low interest rates. This big rally also means your portfolio might be a tad out of whack. Other topics include:

• Risky cryptocurrency
• Backdoor Roth IRA’s & Roth IRA’s for kids
• Brian needs a down payment strategy for his first home
• 15 things to do before hiring a financial planner
• 20% deduction that might keep business owners in California

Please join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I for our Retirement Income Strategies and Estate Planning Seminar. This event will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Foster City at 6:30 p.m. and registration is $25. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

There are two headlines you keep hearing right now: “bear market for bonds” and “soon-to-be wage inflation”. If you listen closely you’ll also hear that we are in a goldilocks phase that reminds me of the late 90’s. Today I explain what it means when you hear analyst talk about soon-to-be bear markets and what it means for your retirement plan. Other topics include:

• 5 reasons why tax cuts may not fuel the market as well
• Quit buying funds that preformed best last year
• Options as you approach retirement
• The 20th birthday of the Roth

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

While everyone was out enjoying their MLK holiday the financial industry was buzzing over new reports. Would you be able to survive retirement with a 60/40 US stock-bond portfolio? Today I discuss the calls for historically low average returns and the flattening of the yield curve. Other topics include:

• Roth 401k funding & Roth conversions as you retire
• Situations where reverse mortgages work
• Is a 1031 exchange the right move for this SF landlord searching for better yield?

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Last year was remarkable not only because market expectations were low and US leadership was less than desirable, but also because US equities consistency delivered positive returns. Typically we have an intra-year drawdown of 14%; in 2017 the maximum was around 3%. Are these numbers real or just based on corporate tax cut projections? Other topics include:

• Stock market FOMO
• Leveraged ETF’s
• Funding Roth IRA's and Roth 401k's assuming we see a rise in taxes
• Situations where reverse mortgages work
• Is a 1031 exchange the right move for this SF landlord searching for better yield?
• Is mortgage heloc tax debt deductible anymore?

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

While everyone was out enjoying their MLK holiday the financial industry was buzzing over new reports. Would you be able to survive retirement with a 60/40 US stock-bond portfolio? Today I discuss the calls for historically low average returns and the flattening of the yield curve. Other topics include:

• Roth 401k funding & Roth conversions as you retire
• Did the new tax law change capital gains exclusion on homes?
• How 1031 exchanges work
• Why financial professionals are uniting against the corporate tax cut
• Estate planning issues

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Updated reports are once again calling for low returns on traditional balanced portfolios. I explain how some "forecasters" expect low end numbers for a traditional 60/40 portfolio; a portfolio that should have given you double digit returns last year. Today I explain what these numbers mean and stress the importance of retirement readiness tests. Other topics include:

• How investing outside retirement plans can help you build wealth
• Issues with cryptocurrency pump and dump problems
• Kodak move into blockchain
• Reviewing your asset mix

Retirement planning is more complicated than ever, but focusing on a few essential issues can help increase your chances of enjoying a secure future. Please join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I for our Retirement Income Strategies and Estate Planning Seminar at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge Tomorrow, January 11th. Registration is $25. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

How has retirement planning changed based on the new tax code? Whether you have questions about the potential 20% of net income deduction on real estate or how the phase out works, the new tax code needs clarification. Other topics include:

• Where to stash safe money inside your IRA
• Will retirees be in a rush to leave California? Is California real estate doomed?
• The take home pay retirement test
• Changing the way you donate under the new tax code
• Reducing single company stock exposure and save taxes with a charitable remainder trust
• Updating your estate plan

Retirement planning is more complicated than ever, but focusing on a few essential issues can help increase your chances of enjoying a secure future. Please join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I for our Retirement Income Strategies and Estate Planning Seminar at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge this Thursday, January 11th. Registration is $25. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

The new tax plan is all people seem to be talking about. Unfortunately the new tax plan is far from the simplified one I hoped for, but it does include several (unnecessary) cuts and changes that many are beginning to ask about. Small business owners especially are having a rough time digesting the new tax plan as they try to get the new business tax credit. Today I explain the new tax code, who is affected the most and how to use it to your advantage.

Retirement planning is more complicated than ever, but focusing on a few essential issues can help increase your chances of enjoying a secure future. Please join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I for our Retirement Income Strategies and Estate Planning Seminar at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge next Thursday, January 11th. Registration is $25. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Domestic and international corporate earnings are up again with the best increase we’ve seen since 2011. Why? The US Dollar sank 10% since Trump took office, which is good for companies making profits overseas and want to bring their business back home. Today I discuss this and other geopolitical issues that affect the market. Other topics include:

• Major risks in retirement
• Can a POD avoid probate costs?
• The upcoming tax plan
• Tough times for Bitcoin
• Early Retirement

Retirement planning is more complicated than ever, but focusing on a few essential issues can help increase your chances of enjoying a secure future. Please join Rob Black, Michelle Lerman and I for our Retirement Income Strategies and Estate Planning Seminar at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge on January 11th. Registration is $25. Click HERE to sign up!

Email your money question to chad@newfocusfinancial.com, or call the show at 1-800-516-1220 on Tuesday's and Wednesday's from 6:00-7:00 a.m. (PDT)

Call 1-888-762-2423 for Wealth Management and Financial Planning services or visit www.NewFocusFinancial.com.

Mashup Encore Edition