Real Money Pros

In this second part of our two-part show, Jeremiah Bates takes the mic to share his perspective on one of our most powerful retirement planning tools: the bucket strategy. Building on Brian's introduction in Hour 1, Jeremiah breaks down the logic, math, and mindset behind organizing your assets into three core buckets—short-term liquidity, income, and long-term growth.

Using real client examples, including one who retired just before the COVID crash, Jeremiah explains how the bucket plan can protect your retirement income, reduce emotional investing mistakes, and help you weather market downturns with confidence. He outlines how each bucket functions, what types of investments belong in them, and why timeline-driven planning is essential for lasting financial peace of mind.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Jeremiah Bates

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SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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Brian Wiley dives deep into one of the most effective investment strategies for retirement: bucket-based investing. Using a fictional scenario, Brian explains how blending goal-based and cash-flow planning can help retirees organize their assets into three key buckets—stable, income, and growth. He walks through their $1.3M portfolio, their $6,000/month retirement income needs, and how to align investments with real-life goals like buying an RV or planning for early retirement. Brian shows how this simple system empowers investors to manage market volatility, reduce emotional decisions, and retire with clarity.

Look for our next episode where Jeremiah Bates give his point of view of The Bucket Strategy!

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley

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SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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Amid the recent political theater, economic uncertainty, and media overload, this week's show on KBOI strips it all back to what really matters: your money and your mindset. Brian Wiley challenges listeners to push past the distractions—from tariffs and tech to presidential puffery—and demand the one thing no one seems to be offering: a plan.

Is America headed for another recession? Will tariffs tank your investments? And what do Elon Musk, Micron, and your 401(k) have in common? We don't pretend to have all the answers—but we do have a framework that works, even when the world doesn't.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley, Wealth Management Advisor

The dudes unpack the headlines that distracted investors all week—starting with the bizarre (and kind of surprising) public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. But rather than get caught in the drama, they break down what these kinds of headlines actually reveal about market psychology, innovation narratives, and how investors often overreact to noise.

Brian shares thoughts on Musk's focus on Mars, and how the biggest minds—and money—are increasingly concentrated in AI, robotics, and infrastructure. Jeremiah brings it back to reality with a discussion on emotional investing and why even the best plans get derailed by uncertainty and indecision.

They also revisit the bucket strategy, explain how long-term planning can absorb market turbulence, and share a real-world story about a client who sold a home and finally put cash to work—reminding listeners that action, not perfection, drives results. We talk tech, politics, and personal finance in a way that helps listeners refocus on what actually matters: having a strategy that isn't swayed by social media, soundbites, or sentiment swings.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley & Jeremiah Bates

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SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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This Money Monday, Brian covers a wide range of topics—blending market analysis, tax insights, and small business advice with listener-driven conversations about the real economic pressure points showing up now.

He kicks off the hour with commentary on Elon Musk's Mars obsession, the latest tariff developments, and how political leadership—regardless of party—continues to shape investor sentiment and consumer costs. He questions whether Americans are being fully informed about the impact of policy shifts, especially when it comes to trade, the IRS, and the broader retirement system.

A strong segment focuses on the IRS quietly keeping overpayments after a three-year window, and Brian's push for systemic change—including a bipartisan proposal he's drafted to reform Social Security and tax administration.

Listener calls add practical insight: a new real estate photographer navigating 1099 taxes and business structure, and a grandfather funding a trust for his grandson while watching tariff policy threaten his ski gear business.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley

Everything from market volatility and investor behavior to life insurance gaps and why simple planning still wins… Jeremiah and Nic unpack the latest tariff developments—what's real, what's politics, and how uncertainty is shaking Wall Street—and explain why emotional reactions to short-term headlines often lead to long-term regret.

Jeremiah shares stories from client meetings, including a couple sitting on too much cash for too long, illustrating the cost of inaction and paralysis by analysis. The team stresses the importance of knowing your investment timeline and purpose—especially when volatility strikes. A key stat? The S&P 500 has rallied over 18% since April 8th—proof that missing just a few big days can wreck your long-term returns.

They also discuss the AI-driven surge in NVIDIA, with caller insights and reminders about avoiding concentration risk. Plus, practical talk on Roth vs. traditional accounts, 401(k) withdrawal rules, and why index funds often outperform stock picking.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Hosts:

Jeremiah Bates & Nic Daniels

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SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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Over the Memorial Day weekend, Brian Wiley and Alexandra Lundgren unpack the often misunderstood mechanics and risks of 401(k) plans—from overloading on company stock to the overlooked tax strategy known as Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA). If your retirement plan is tied to your employer's stock, your paycheck, and maybe even a pension, you may be overexposed without realizing it…

They walk listeners through how NUA works and when it might be smarter to move company stock out of a 401(k) instead of rolling it all into an IRA. Brian and Alex also dive into loan provisions, early withdrawals, and the in-service distribution option that can open the door to greater investment flexibility—if your plan allows it.

They also break down why 401(k) plans are designed the way they are, what employers can customize, and how plan features like automatic enrollment, vesting schedules, and Roth catch-ups impact savers at different stages of life.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley & Alex Lundgren

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SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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This week on KBOI, Brian digs into the economic and behavioral ripple effects of tariffs, asking the central question: who really pays? Using the latest Walmart price controversy as the backdrop, Brian challenges the political narratives suggesting tariffs are absorbed by foreign governments, when in reality, it's American consumers, employees, and businesses footing the bill.

He blends real financial insight with personal stories—like his own tariff-snagged motorcycle order—and ties in a powerful call from Joe, a Walmart employee and Trump supporter, who supports the trade policy but wants honest leadership and transparency. It's a thoughtful, unfiltered discussion about how economic policy affects real people, and why ignoring the cost or blaming others is a dangerous game.

What's the actual plan behind the tariffs? Why aren't leaders explaining the pain before asking for sacrifice? Brian draws sharp historical parallels—from World War II speeches to modern economic battles—to ask why today's Americans are being kept in the dark.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley

Brian, Alex, and our callers dig into one of the most overlooked but urgent problems in personal finance: our retirement system is broken—and most people don't even realize it.

The conversation opens with an honest critique of the current mess of savings vehicles: 401(k)s, SIMPLEs, SEPs, IRAs, Roths—all with different rules, limits, and levels of access. The hosts explain why these inconsistencies create a fundamental inequality: if you're self-employed, you can stash away $70K pre-tax, but if you're a W-2 employee? You're capped at less than half that. It's a system built with good intentions that's now a patchwork of inefficiency, confusion, and lopsided opportunity.

The episode features a practical case study from a young entrepreneur trying to offer retirement benefits to a small team with limited resources. Alex breaks down the real math behind startup retirement plans and offers realistic paths forward. They also take a call from a college student who saved $10K and wants to invest it wisely—an unexpected reminder that real financial planning starts early, and opportunity favors the intentional.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley & Alex Lundgren

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SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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This last Saturday, Brian Wiley and Jeremiah Bates dug deep into the real-world impact of tariff policy, investor behavior, and why emotional risk tolerance matters as much as the numbers. The market feels chaotic—but as the guys explain, it's not just the economy reacting—it's the people. And like a game of musical chairs, the longer the music plays, the more irrational the behavior becomes!

We open up with sharp commentary on market overreactions tied to tariffs and trade drama. From there, it zooms in on the behavioral side of investing: fear, confirmation bias, and the mental loops that drive emotional decisions. Brian and Jeremiah explain why many investors—especially retirees—feel stuck and how a simple framework like the "bucket strategy" can bring clarity.

There's also discussion around overexposure to stocks like Nvidia or Tesla, and why it's easy to get caught chasing performance when a clear plan is missing. Real listener calls—like a business owner seeing reshoring effects from tariffs—round out the conversation with timely, ground-level perspective.

Listen, Watch, Subscribe, Ask!

https://www.therealmoneypros.com

Host:

Brian Wiley & Jeremiah Bates

—————————————————————

SPONSORS:

Guild Mortgage:

https://guildmortgage.com

Ataraxis PEO

https://ataraxispeo.com

Tree City Advisors of Apollon:

https://www.treecityadvisors.com

Apollon Wealth Management:

https://apollonwealthmanagement.com/

Formations:

https://get.formationscorp.com/real-money-pros

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