Breaking Bad Advice

The return on investment for a college degree just isn’t what it used to be. Tuition has been increasing at exorbitant rates for decades with no end in sight. At the same time, the lack of comparable wage growth over the same period has left many individuals and families relying on student loans as the only viable way of obtaining that coveted degree. Why is the cost of tuition always increasing? How should young parents or high school graduates determine whether the college route is “worth it”? What are the best vehicles for successfully navigating that journey? Well listen in to this week’s podcast as Joel and Isaac reveal a roadmap to help you answer these questions and more!

Recent headlines were dominated by the failures of some large banks, both in the US and abroad. Many commentators have suggested that these banks were poorly managed, or that the Federal Reserve’s rapid interest rate increase is to blame. While these factors certainly contributed, the reality is that all modern banks have much deeper problem. They only hold on to a small amount of the funds they promise clients they always have on demand. This is the magic of fractional reserve banking. In this episode of Breaking Bad Advice, Isaac and Joel discuss the foundational problem with fractional reserve banking, the role it played in leading to a chaotic run on Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), and what this means for the banking system and the economy going forward. Is the crisis over? Or has it just begun?

With ongoing uncertainty and volatility in the global economy and markets, the Federal Reserve looks to guide the US economy into the Promise Land of a “soft-landing”. The Fed believes that by increasing short-term interest rates, they will be able to lower inflation without compromising growth. 

On this episode of Breaking Bad Advice, Isaac and Joel question the Fed’s outlook, and point to data suggesting our destination may entail a bumpier experience. Will Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve be able to slap a band-aid on our economic wounds, or will only major surgery fix what ails this economy? Tune in to find out why the answer is the latter, and why that may not be such bad news after all!

“To know is always better, no matter what the answer might be.” Max Brooks, World War Z
Zombie hoards exist everywhere in the corporate world, consuming capital and destroying the bedrock foundation of a healthy economy. Unlike the movies, however, these zombies don’t have matted hair with a facial expression like a feline on catnip. They often look quite healthy…on the outside. But that just makes them even more dangerous.

In this episode of Breaking Bad Advice, Isaac and Joel dive into zombie corporations; what they are, how they got here, and what catalyst may finally decapitate these blood (money) thirsty companies.

For centuries, economies across the globe have had booms and they've had busts. As we all know, the booms are a good time and the busts, well, not so good of a time. But is this normal? Should economies have a business cycle? In this episode of Breaking Bad Advice, Isaac and Joel take a dive into the business cycle as we know it today and discuss the implications of an overly aggressive Federal Reserve, as well as a look at where we are in today's "business cycle".   

With the economy seemingly flying into very choppy conditions, the Federal Reserve is doing everything they can to fight off inflation. However, will the rising of interest rates to combat the inflation, send the economy and markets into a tailspin? Is a recession imminent? On this episode of Breaking Bad Advice, Isaac and Joel take a deeper dive into what has got us to this point, as well as what likely lies ahead. 

As prices of everyday goods seemingly only continue to increase at a rapid pace, most are calling for this inflation to be long lasting. However, a look into one of the most accurate predictors, the treasury   market, we can see that there may be a different story unfolding on inflation. While the bond market seems to be shaken, it is certainly not stirred by long-term investors. 

So, you got a certain percentage return last year on your investments. Is it good? Bad? Ok? Well, it depends. Investing is fundamentally about buying low and selling high, because that will determine your future portfolio returns. It sounds simple, but it isn’t always easy. In today’s podcast, we discuss the importance of both starting prices and an investor’s sequence of returns. Starting prices matter, which is another way of saying that current prices heavily influence future returns. But what can be even more important are the sequence – or timing – of those returns, as they may actually determine whether your investment objectives are reached. Take a listen to learn more!