Finerate

What happens in the aftermath of a parent's death? What is an executor and what are they responsible for? How different is it to work with a non-family executor versus a family member who acts as one? How different is the process when a parent dies with a living spouse than when a widow/widower dies? Bill and Anastasia discuss the myriad of questions that may come up in the aftermath of a parent's death and what you can do ahead of time to help ease what can be a very difficult and emotional process.

For questions or comments, please email us at [email protected].

On TV, a lack of money is often used as an obstacle to challenge characters. Anastasia describes the money problems of characters in TV shows Breaking Bad, The Office, Gilmore Girls, etc and Bill suggests possibilities that the characters could have considered to avoid or resolve their financial difficulties, providing a few takeaways for real, non-fictional listeners.

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What is a tax and its purpose? What are the benefits of taxes? Bill and Anastasia discuss the major forms of taxes in the U.S. and what you should know about each one. Why do some states have income tax and others don't? Bill discusses from a financial advisor's perspective when you should file your own taxes and when to hire a tax expert.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

Bill and Anastasia discuss when they first heard of bonds, which bonds are the riskiest, which bonds are short-term, medium-term, and long-term, and what is important to know about those bonds.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

What are four simple actions you can take to increase your savings rate? Why is focusing on your savings rate so important? Do younger people struggle more with saving or is it a challenge for all ages? Bill provides an example from his career of someone who was frugal and diligent with budgeting. As the world exits the pandemic era, what should you keep in mind as our spending habits change again (and likely increase)?

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

What is the purpose of a national stimulus and why should individuals care about it? When has the U.S. done a national stimulus before? Bill mentions when a stimulus is helpful and what investors need to keep in mind about economic cycles. Anastasia discusses an update to the conclusion of Creating Wealth's National Debt episode.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

What are bonds and why do people invest in them? What should you keep in mind when investing in bonds and can you have a successful investment strategy without them? Bill discusses periods of rising interest rates, Puerto Rico municipal bonds after Hurricane Maria in 2017, and mortgage bonds during the Great Recession of 2008/2009 as examples when bonds can involve risk.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

Bill applies his perspective of decades as an investment advisor to what happened with GameStop (GME-nyse) stock in late January 2021. What fueled the rise of GME? What made the event so unique and what are the implications for the financial industry moving forward? Bill compares GME stock to what happened with tulips in the Netherlands in the 1600s. Anastasia relates one of the most poignant moments in the film, The Big Short, to the anger that fueled many retail investors' decision to buy GME stock.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

What is a trade deficit and should individuals be concerned if their country has a high trade deficit? What should the average citizen consider when it comes to how trade functions in their country and in the world? Bill and Anastasia discuss bilateral vs. multilateral trade deals, and also notable current and future trends in U.S. trade.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].

Bill and Anastasia return to one of their favorite topics to discuss what goes into forming an annual household budget. How do you create a yearly budget? How do you budget for specific goals like going on a long vacation or a house renovation project? As a future-oriented thinker, Bill explains how he starts by visualizing goals before he sits down to crunch the numbers. Anastasia mentions her husband's latest attic project, which had some unanticipated consequences.

For questions and comments, you can email us at [email protected].