January 31, 2026

January 31, 2026: Behavioral Biases, Proxy Power, and Planning for the Future

53 minutes

We start by exploring why investors so often fall in love with certain companies—and how nostalgia, personal experience, and compelling stories can quietly override sound investment discipline. We’ll discuss the real risks of concentrated single-stock positions, why familiarity often feels safer than it truly is, and why long-term investing success often requires behavior that runs counter to human instinct.

Proxy voting rarely gets much attention, yet it’s one of the few direct ways investors actually exercise ownership. We’ll break down what proxy voting is, how it works, and what really happens to your vote when you own stocks through mutual funds or ETFs rather than directly. We’ll also examine why firms like JPMorgan are rethinking the role of proxy advisory services, the rise of in-house and AI-driven voting tools, and why regulators are taking a closer look at who’s influencing corporate decision-making.

A listener question takes us deeper into a strategy we’ve mentioned before—but haven’t fully unpacked: “superfunding” a 529 plan. We’ll explain what superfunding is, how it works under current gift-tax rules, and when it may—or may not—make sense for families looking to fund education efficiently. We’ll walk through the potential benefits, key tradeoffs, and planning considerations investors should understand before committing large sums to a 529.

We wrap up with this week’s market update, focusing on two forces shaping investor sentiment: monetary policy and earnings. The Federal Reserve concludes its two-day FOMC meeting with interest rates left unchanged, but markets are paying closer attention to the Fed’s language and what it signals about the path ahead. At the same time, fourth-quarter earnings season accelerates with reports from Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Tesla. We’ll discuss what investors will be watching most closely—particularly whether ongoing investments in artificial intelligence are translating into sustainable profits and long-term value.

Join hosts Nick Antonucci, CVA, CEPA, Director of Research, and Managing Associates K.C. Smith, CFP®, CEPA, and D.J. Barker, CWS®, and Kelly-Lynne Scalice, a seasoned communicator and host, on Henssler Money Talks as they explore key financial strategies to help investors navigate market uncertainty.

Henssler Money Talks — January 31, 2026 | Season 40, Episode 5

Timestamps and Chapters