Mark Salisbury shares the secrets to spending less on the cost of college! As the founder of TuitionFit, explains how the college pricing and financial aid system is designed to favor schools over families. He describes how emotional marketing, opaque pricing, and complex financial aid forms create confusion and limit families' leverage. he outlines how students and parents can regain control by defining their price range first, using resources like TuitionFit and net price calculators, and strategically managing assets, timing, and financial disclosures. He also covers how income, savings, and family structure affect aid, and more!

We discuss...

• Mark Salisbury explains how the college pricing system is intentionally vague, designed to benefit schools rather than families.
• This conversation exposes how the financial aid process operates like a hidden marketplace where families unknowingly pay vastly different prices for the same education.
• Mark explains the difference between a school's sticker price, discount rate, and net price, emphasizing that the last is what truly matters.
• He details how the FAFSA and CSS Profile collect information that can be used by colleges to assess a family's financial "willingness to pay."
• Timing and disclosure of assets can dramatically impact how much financial aid a family receives.
• Families with business ownership structures may have advantages in how assets and income are reported.
• Fnancial aid formulas often penalize savings while rewarding debt.
• Salisbury argues that families should start with their budget first, then find schools that fit within that price range—rather than applying and hoping for aid.
• Tools like TuitionFit help families compare real financial aid offers and discover the true market price for college.
• He advises against oversharing financial information before admission decisions are made to preserve negotiation leverage.
• Negotiating college costs is compared to buying a car—where informed consumers who know their target price get better deals.
• Transparency and data sharing among families are key to fixing the broken college pricing system.
• Mark calls for systemic reform to make higher education pricing fairer, more transparent, and tied to real market value.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors
• Diana Perkins | Trading With Diana
• Jack Wang | Smart College Buyer

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/secrets-to-spending-less-on-the-cost-of-college-mark-salisbury-764

Should the S&P go higher? Today we discuss that and more in this wide-ranging episode. We talk the markets, and warn that investors often cling to bad positions instead of reassessing when wrong, noting that current valuations are stretched and the market appears overextended. There is rising corporate caution during earnings season, weak performance among consumer staples and cyclicals, and the growing dominance of the "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks in driving the S&P 500's gains. AI-related capital expenditures and record margin debt levels suggest heightened risk, so you should remain defensive and patient as market conditions soften despite entering a historically strong seasonal period.

We discuss...

• New York City's election of a socialist-leaning mayor and question how it might impact the city's historically capitalist foundation.
• Drawing a parallel to investing, we stress the need to reassess assumptions when investments go against you instead of clinging to them.
• The current market is overextended, with valuations significantly above historical trends and a concentration in a few large tech stocks.
• Consumer cyclicals and staples, normally defensive areas, have underperformed, suggesting caution for risk-averse investors.
• The "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks are disproportionately driving the S&P 500's performance, masking weakness in the broader market.
• AI-related capital expenditures are rising sharply, but returns on these investments remain minimal, highlighting potential overhype.
• Margin debt has reached record levels, indicating elevated risk if market sentiment shifts.
• Earnings season shows that even companies beating expectations may see stock declines, signaling that much of the positive news is already priced in.
• Weak market breadth—many stocks declining while a few outperform—indicates fragility and higher potential volatility.
• While a correction is possible, seasonal trends historically make late November through January a strong period for markets.
• Inflation is picking up modestly, while interest rates are being lowered, creating a complex environment for fixed-income investors.
• Private credit and real estate markets are showing early signs of stress, particularly as products are increasingly marketed to retail investors.
• Investors are advised to watch for opportunities in mispriced assets but remain cautious due to market overvaluation and potential downside risks.
• Overall, the discussion emphasizes patience, caution, and careful risk management amid uncertainty in politics, markets, and emerging technologies.

Today's Panelists:

Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/should-the-sp-500-go-higher-763

Lily Vittayarukskul shares her remarkable journey from working at NASA in her teens to founding a company that innovates with AI to transform long-term care planning. We explore why long-term care remains one of the most misunderstood and underserved areas in wealth management, despite being one of the biggest retirement risks. We break down how long-term care works, who needs it most, the pros and cons of self-funding versus insurance products, and why many families fail to plan until it's too late.

We discuss...

• Lily Vittayarukskul shared her early fascination with aerospace engineering, including work recognized at age 12 and a role at NASA's JPL by 16.
• A personal long-term care event in her family at age 16 prompted her pivot from aerospace to healthcare.
• She built technical expertise in genetics and AI at Berkeley before founding a company focused on long-term care solutions.
• The ideal candidates for long-term care planning are typically 40–60 years old, upper-middle-class individuals with $2–5 million in assets.
• Many financial professionals avoid long-term care due to its complexity, morbid nature, and time-consuming conversations.
• Traditional long-term care policies and hybrid/lump-sum products each have advantages depending on individual circumstances and predicted care needs.
• Self-funding long-term care is an option, but many clients are risk-averse and ultimately prefer a structured insurance plan.
• Lily's company uses decades of data to predict long-term care events and costs, helping advisors map policies to individual client needs.
• Long-term care planning is as much about protecting family members and legacy as it is about financial strategy.
• Conversations about long-term care should start with a professional, involve spouses, and eventually include children or trusted family members.
• Many clients struggle with the emotional and logistical burdens of caregiving, which can impact their own health and quality of life.
• The topic is often avoided culturally because it forces acknowledgment of aging, mortality, and potential loss of autonomy.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance
• Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/transform-long-term-care-lily-vittayarukskul-762

The stock market bubble is going to pop! And we're going to tell you when. In today's episode we discuss that price is the ultimate indicator of market truth. Charts, narratives, and data often distort reality, while price alone reflects what investors truly believe. Don't overcomplicate investing with speculative indicators, fear-based "chart crimes," and emotional herd behavior, especially in areas like AI stocks that echo the dot-com bubble. Fundamentals and narratives often mislead, while disciplined attention to price direction and risk management yields better results.

We discuss...

• Price is the purest and most reliable truth in markets, capturing the collective judgment of all participants and filtering out misleading narratives.
• Investors often get trapped by "chart crimes," forcing technical patterns or trends that confirm what they want to see rather than what the market is actually showing.
• Investors often believe that deeper analysis means better insight, but in truth, simplicity and clarity around price direction outperform complex models.
• There are strong parallels between the current AI investment boom and the late-1990s dot-com bubble.
• Euphoric narratives around transformative technologies tend to overinflate valuations before reality catches up.
• AI enthusiasm is driving herd behavior, where investors fear missing out on perceived "once-in-a-lifetime" gains, leading to speculative excess and distorted valuations.
• Most investors misjudge risk, confusing volatility with opportunity, and failing to respect the message that price declines are often early warnings of deeper structural problems.
• There are under-appreciated risks building in private markets, especially private credit and private equity, which have grown rapidly outside the scope of traditional regulation.
• Private credit lacks transparency, liquidity, and oversight, creating potential systemic vulnerabilities if credit conditions tighten or defaults rise.
• In contrast, regulated banks, though unpopular, are more transparent and stress-tested, making them safer in relative terms despite their public scrutiny.
• Investors chasing yield in private markets are ignoring the lessons of past crises, mistaking the illusion of stability for real safety.
• Liquidity is an often-overlooked advantage, allowing investors to act decisively when market conditions change instead of being trapped in illiquid positions.
• Stay grounded in simplicity, price truth, and discipline, avoid the noise of narratives, the allure of complexity, and the comfort of consensus thinking.

Today's Panelists:

Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/stock-market-bubble-761

Have you thought about investing into space? Mark Boggett, CEO of Seraphim, shares the investment opportunities in the rapidly expanding space industry. He explains how innovations led by SpaceX dramatically lowered launch costs and increased access to space, catalyzing growth in satellite constellations and data-driven applications for defense, climate, and communications. He emphasizes that near-term investment potential lies in defense and climate-related uses of satellite data, rather than speculative ventures like space travel or asteroid mining. He also highlights the growing importance of sustainability, debris management, and more.

We discuss...

• Mark Boggett is a career technology investor who founded Seraphim Space, the world's first space-focused investment fund.
• Seraphim Space operates a global accelerator, a private venture fund, and a publicly listed growth fund on the London Stock Exchange.
• Boggett shifted focus to space investing after recognizing how technologies like AI, telecommunications, and 3D printing were transforming the sector.
• SpaceX revolutionized space access by reducing launch costs from $86,000 to $1,000 per kilogram and dramatically increasing launch frequency.
• Smaller, cheaper satellites now enable massive constellations that provide real-time Earth observation and global connectivity.
• Investment opportunities in space fall into three categories: upstream (launch and satellites), downstream (data and applications), and in-space (future lunar and interplanetary activities).
• The most investable areas today are defense and climate-related satellite data applications rather than speculative space travel or mining.
• The falling cost of launch is paving the way for large-scale space infrastructure, including future data centers powered by solar energy.
• Space debris is an emerging challenge, driving new industries focused on monitoring, avoiding, and removing defunct satellites.
• Regulatory changes now require satellite operators to deorbit defunct satellites within five years, accelerating growth in orbital cleanup services.
• Defense is a major driver of demand for satellite technology in intelligence, communications, navigation, and asset protection.
• The "in-space" category includes lunar landers, space stations, and eventual habitation or mining ventures, though these remain long-term prospects.
• NASA's new funding model relies on private companies like Axiom Space and Voyager to build commercial space stations.
• Boggett concludes that while long-term prospects like lunar mining are exciting, the current trillion-dollar opportunity lies in satellites, data, and communication serving Earth-based customers.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management
• Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/investing-into-space-mark-boggett-760

There are record levels of money market funds, but it doesn't mean quite what you think. Today we also explore recent market volatility sparked by Trump's brief tariff announcement and a sharp crypto sell-off that triggered stop-loss cascades. We also analyze seasonal trends, the rotation from mega-cap tech into value and small-cap stocks, and why most active managers underperformed the S&P 500 this year. We talk the importance of diversification, understanding risk tolerance, and viewing corrections as part of normal market cycles rather than reasons to panic.

We discuss...

• Markets experienced sharp volatility following Trump's brief tariff announcement and a cascading crypto sell-off.
• How stop-loss triggers and algorithmic trading can amplify short-term market moves.
• Gold and silver pullbacks are healthy corrections within a long-term bullish thesis on precious metals.
• Portfolio allocation and risk management are critical to surviving sharp market drawdowns.
• Seasonal patterns are examined and late-year volatility can set up strong year-end rallies.
• Underperformance of active managers relative to the S&P 500 comes from narrow market leadership.
• Don't chase short-term moves, instead focus on long-term positioning.
• We explore how investor psychology and herd behavior can magnify both rallies and declines.
• The episode touched on how retail investors often get whipsawed when reacting emotionally to news-driven moves.
• The conversation compared current market sentiment to prior bubbles in meme stocks and crypto.
• Diversification is the best protection against unpredictable volatility events.
• How market manipulation and liquidity gaps can distort short-term price signals.
• The discussion linked rising geopolitical uncertainty with the growing appeal of hard assets.
• We underscore the importance of having a clear thesis and sticking to it through market noise.
• Volatility should be viewed as opportunity, not danger, for prepared investors.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/record-levels-of-money-market-funds-759

CPA Rachel Farris joins us to talk about how you can benefits from Puerto Rico's Act 60 tax incentives by becoming bona fide residents of the island. Rachel explains how the program was created to attract capital and talent to Puerto Rico, the rules around residency and post-move appreciation, and the common pitfalls people face when trying to qualify.

She also discusses lifestyle differences, cost of living, and more, as the Act requires genuine relocation and compliance with IRS rules to be done correctly.

We discuss...

• Rachel Farris explains Puerto Rico's Act 60 tax incentives and how they allow U.S. citizens to pay 0% on capital gains, interest, and dividends.
• The program offers a 4% corporate tax rate for businesses relocated to Puerto Rico.
• Rachel details the legal requirements for becoming a bona fide Puerto Rican resident.
• The conversation covers the importance of distinguishing pre-move and post-move capital gains for tax purposes.
• Kirk and Rachel discuss common pitfalls people face when trying to qualify for Act 60 benefits.
• They explore how Act 60 was designed to attract capital, entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals to Puerto Rico.
• Rachel outlines lifestyle differences between the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico.
• The discussion includes the island's cost of living, housing options, and healthcare quality.
• Education systems and family considerations for those relocating are reviewed.
• Rachel emphasizes the need for real relocation and compliance with IRS residency rules.
• They touch on hurricane preparedness and infrastructure realities of island living.
• The episode concludes with insights on how to properly structure a business move to maximize Act 60's benefits.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance
• Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/puerto-ricos-act-60-rachel-farris-758

Today we dive into earnings season investing secrets. Learn the investing secrets that will grow your wealth as we dive into market analysis highlighting accounting red flags and potential overvaluation risks. Financial engineering often signals late-cycle behavior recessions, though unpopular, are necessary to clear economic "dead wood."

We also examined current earnings trends in the financial sector, technical market patterns like resistance and support levels in small caps and metals, and the importance of balancing fundamental and technical analysis. We also talk investor psychology—how emotion, bias, and sentiment often drive poor timing and decision-making in markets.

We discuss...

• The Kolbe test, which measures instinctive strengths and natural problem-solving styles rather than personality or intelligence.
• Businesses use Kolbe results to build better teams by pairing complementary working styles.
• We also talked current market conditions, drawing comparisons between today's tech boom and the late-1990s dot-com bubble.
• How Nvidia's vendor financing arrangements resemble accounting maneuvers from the dot-com era, raising concerns about inflated revenues and future write-down risks.
• The hosts noted signs of late-cycle behavior in markets, including excessive optimism, overleveraged valuations, and creative corporate accounting.
• Recessions serve an essential economic function by clearing out inefficiencies and "dead wood," creating healthier long-term growth.
• A segment focused on earnings season, particularly the uneven performance in the financial sector and what it signals about underlying economic momentum.
• We analyzed technical market patterns, such as key resistance and support levels in small-cap indexes and precious metals.
• How gold and silver might act as contrarian signals or safe havens amid market uncertainty.
• The discussion emphasized the interplay between fundamental and technical analysis, stressing that investors should use both to form a complete market view.
• They highlighted the danger of emotional decision-making, noting that fear and greed often lead investors to buy high and sell low.
• The episode closed by underscoring the importance of maintaining discipline and objectivity, especially during euphoric or panic-driven market phases.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/earnings-season-investing-secrets

As a college planning expert, Jack Wang breaks down major changes coming to college financial aid under the new "big, beautiful bill." Jack explains how new borrowing limits for parents and graduate students could upend traditional funding strategies and push more families toward the private loan market. He shares insights on how colleges decide who gets aid—revealing the "moneyball" game of enrollment management—and why being wanted by a school matters more than just being accepted. Jack offers practical advice on how families can spend less on college by targeting schools that align with their financial and academic profiles.

We discuss...

• Jack Wang explains how his personal experience navigating college costs during a divorce inspired him to become an expert in college financial aid planning.
• He discusses the new "big, beautiful bill," which introduces sweeping changes to college funding and borrowing rules beginning in 2026.
• Parent PLUS loans will soon be limited to $20,000 per year and $65,000 total, ending the previous system of virtually unlimited borrowing.
• Many families focus on helping their child get accepted into college without understanding how they will actually afford it afterward.
• Jack encourages families to prioritize schools that offer the most generous financial aid rather than chasing prestige or name recognition.
• He clarifies that financial aid isn't just for low-income families—colleges often give significant aid to higher-income households if the student fits their goals.
• Colleges operate like businesses using "enrollment management," a strategy to attract certain types of students who align with institutional priorities.
• Jack explains that being wanted by a college often leads to larger scholarships than simply being accepted.
• Signs a school may want your student include launching new majors, building new facilities, or heavily recruiting from your region.
• Families should be cautious about applying to overcrowded majors like business, which typically receive less financial aid because demand is already high.
• Understanding each college's scholarship policies and true costs upfront helps families make smarter, more affordable decisions.
• Jack stresses that financial planning should begin as early as freshman year of high school, since aid decisions rely on sophomore-year tax data.
• Visiting campuses and showing consistent interest can improve a student's appeal and increase their chances of receiving aid.
• He concludes that families will either spend the time planning early or spend far more money later if they fail to prepare.

Today's Panelists:

• Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
• Phil Weiss | Apprise Wealth Management
• Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/college-planning-strategies-756

Right now, you should invest in anything but the S&P 500... Today we talk about what you should invest in instead. We focus was on market dynamics, particularly the strong performance of precious metals like gold and silver, the technical risks of recent market breakouts, and the caution needed after periods of rapid gains. We examine broader market trends, highlighting the relatively stronger performance of European and emerging market stocks versus the U.S., the importance of diversification, and more.

We discuss...

• Precious metals, especially gold and silver, have been performing strongly, but recent market breakouts are showing signs of weakness, signaling caution for over-leveraged investors.
• September was a high-gain month, leading many investors to become overextended, with earnings season potentially introducing volatility.
• The precise reasons for gold's rise are unclear, though factors like central bank purchases and possible stablecoin-backed demand may contribute.
• Gold acts as a fear indicator rather than a production-based asset, with rising prices reflecting concerns over fiat currency and economic uncertainty.
• Historical comparisons show current gold-to-oil ratios are anomalous, echoing aspects of the 1970s stagflation period while oil prices remain low.
• U.S. stock market gains are outpaced by European and emerging markets this year, emphasizing the importance of global diversification.
• Average S&P 500 returns differ from actual realized returns due to volatility and sequence-of-returns risk, affecting long-term retirement planning.
• Electricity prices have surged in most U.S. states, highlighting structural energy supply challenges and rising costs for consumers.
• AI expansion is creating unprecedented energy demand, potentially driving electricity prices higher and stressing grid capacity.
• Nuclear energy development is critical to meet growing energy needs, yet decades of poor policy and infrastructure deficiencies hinder progress.
• Media narratives on energy and investment trends can be manipulated, requiring investors to critically evaluate information.
• Historical tech and AI boom comparisons suggest caution, as overhyped markets with high valuations may lead to significant losses.
• Investors should manage risk carefully, use first-principles thinking, and avoid greed-driven overexposure to emerging trends like AI.

Today's Panelists:

Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Douglas Heagren | Mergent College Advisors

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast

Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast

Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast

For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/invest-in-anything-but-755