Hosted by Wealth Advisor Chris Galeski, THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE is a weekly podcast that gives the rundown on what's going on in the current market, how it affects you, and what you can do about it – all designed to fit into your commute. Each week Chris welcomes an expert guest, including Morton Wealth advisors, fund managers, and investment analysts, to break down complex financial topics. Our goal for this podcast is to provide you with the tools to help you navigate this challenging enviro ...
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Reckoning with $36 Trillion: Debt, Growth & Market Impacts
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16:15In this episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Chris Galeski and Meghan Pinchuk discuss what the growing national debt means for investors and the economy at large. Tune in if you're interested in the following: • Understanding why the U.S. national debt is a growing concern—and what it means for your money • How inflation, interest rates, and political…
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Stock Options & Strategy: Build Wealth Through Equity Compensation
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18:08Equity compensation can be one of the most powerful tools for building wealth — but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Chris and Mike discuss the ins and outs of equity-based pay, from stock options and RSUs to employee stock purchase plans. Whether you’re negotiating a new offer or trying to make sen…
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10 Principles Every Wise Investor Should Follow
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22:12In our modern world of noise, trends, exaggerated stories, and "expert" online investment advice, it's wise to be at least a little skeptical. On this episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Chris sits down with Morton Wealth CEO Jeff Sarti to unpack the 10 core investment principles in his latest newsletter, The Healthy Skeptic. Tune in if you're intere…
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Taxes, Debt & the Future: What the New Budget Bill Means for You
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21:20Last week, House Republicans advanced a multitrillion-dollar tax and spending bill that could affect millions of American households. With the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire at the end of the year, this bill aims to make several key provisions permanent. Join Chris Galeski and Beau Wirick as they unpack what’s in the bill, who it benefits…
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In celebration of the women of Morton – both team members and clients – we welcome you to listen to this episode where we explore the role women play in the financial services industry and the growth of female investors. According to recent studies, women are taking more leadership roles in investment decisions, which has progressed the way advisor…
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An Inside Look at How We Make Investment Decisions
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17:07Ever wonder how our Chief Investment Officer, Meghan Pinchuk, decides which investments are worth it and which are overhyped? Join Chris and Meghan on this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE as they discuss what makes an idea worth exploring, why due diligence is key, if AI is an overhyped investment, and alternative investments. Tune in if yo…
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Long-Term Care Insurance: Keep, Cancel, or Replace?
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13:08This episode is relevant to you if... • You purchased long-term care insurance years ago and are now receiving notices about major premium increases. • You help your parents/grandparents manage healthcare and financial decisions, especially around long-term care. • You are a single person who wants to ensure you have a plan in place for long-term c…
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RMDs Explained: How, When & Why They Matter
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13:20On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Financial Planning Advisor Brittany Yudkowsky joins Chris to talk about RMD planning. • Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) must start by age 73. • Strategies like Roth conversions can be used before reaching RMD age to reduce future taxable distributions. • After age 70½, individuals can donate up…
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Trump, the Fed, and the Fight Over Interest Rates
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13:44On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Wealth Advisor Mike Rudow joins Chris to discuss the Fed's decision to keep rates high. Here are some key takeaways: Trump recently criticized the Fed for keeping rates high and hinted at wanting to replace Powell. Inflation has been stubbornly high, making it risky for the Fed to cut rates premature…
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Watch This Before You Move States to Avoid Taxes
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20:03On this week's THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE episode, CPA Chris Passmore joins Chris Galeski to discuss moving states to save on taxes. Does it always make sense? Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Headlines about high California taxes can be misleading—actual savings vary widely based on income and lifestyle. States like Texas may have n…
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What Financial Advisors Think About "Die with Zero"
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16:17On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Chris and Kevin discuss a book they recently enjoyed, Die with Zero by Bill Perkins. Are most of us over-saving and under-living? Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Bill Perkins argues that most people die with too much money. He says wealth should be used to create meaningful exper…
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Market Volatility & How We Protect Your Portfolio
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9:40On today's special episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Jeff and Meghan address the recent volatility in the stock market and how Morton Wealth protects clients' portfolios amidst uncertainty. This episode was filmed on the morning of April 4th. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Meghan and Jeff emphasize the importance of preparing …
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5 Must-Know Travel Tips for Your Next Vacation
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22:46On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and COO & CMO Stacey McKinnon discuss their five best travel hacks. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: FLIGHTS: Once you have an idea of your vacation dates, try using the date finder on airline websites or Google Flights to see which specific days are the cheapes…
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On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and Wealth Advisor Patrice Bening discuss buying vs. leasing cars. Which is better? Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: While leasing typically offers lower monthly payments, it can become an ongoing expense with no ownership benefit. Leases usually have mileage re…
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Money Conversations Every Couple Should Have
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16:40On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and his wife Briana discuss the importance of having intentional conversations about money with your partner and how to do so. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: On average, couples argue about money 58 times per year. Having open, productive conversations about m…
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Are Tariffs Making America Stronger or More Expensive?
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15:00On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and Wealth Advisor Beau Wirick discuss tariffs, their effect on the market, and how to prepare for the future as a consumer/investor. Chris notes that we filmed this episode on the morning of March 10th in case anything changes by the time this is released. At the time of filming, …
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2025 Tax Laws: What’s Changing & How to Stay Ahead
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23:18On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and Scott Gilmore, CEO of Ascend Tax and Business Advisors, discuss upcoming tax law changes and how to maximize your tax benefits in 2025. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Due to the January fires in LA, tax filing and payment deadlines have been extended to Oc…
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U.S. Stocks Are Expensive – Time to Invest Abroad?
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21:22On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes CEO Jeff Sarti to discuss overpriced U.S. stock valuations and whether investors should consider international stocks. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: With the recent outperformance of U.S. stocks as compared to international stocks, many investors are…
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Protect Yourself From Fraud: Cybersecurity 101
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21:43This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Executive Vice President Eric Selter invites Carmine Cicalese, Senior Partner at Digital Privacy & Protection, LLC, to discuss protecting oneself from cybersecurity threats. Here are some key takeaways from their conve…
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Beyond the Green: How Pro Golf Led Chris to Finance
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19:54On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, we learn about host Chris Galeski's background in professional golf and how he made the switch to wealth management. Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer Stacey McKinnon takes over as our temporary host and interviewer. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: Chris's father …
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The Hidden Forces Driving Interest Rates & Market Volatility
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23:51On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk to discuss interest rates, the hidden forces behind them and their impact on the economy. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: While many perceive current interest rates as extreme, they are in line with long-term his…
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Beyond the Hype: The Real Value of Bitcoin According to Nik Bhatia
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30:11On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski invites Nik Bhatia, professor at USC, author of Layered Money and host of The Bitcoin Layer podcast to discuss Bitcoin's evolution and role in society and finance. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Bitcoin was created as a response to the continuous expansion of …
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This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Our Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk welcomes our fund managers, Rich Gammill of Proterra, John Ahn with WhiteHawk, and Himani Bhalla with Symbiotic to discuss how they find investments with higher yields and lo…
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California Fires 2025: Next Steps to Take
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26:00On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and Chief Operating Officer & Chief Marketing Officer Stacey McKinnon share advice for those affected by the Los Angeles fires and tips for preparing for future emergencies. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: The Morton team is available for anyone in the communit…
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On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer Stacey McKinnon to discuss how to invest wisely in 2025, especially during uncertain times. Here are some key takeaways: Uncertainty is a constant in investing and is not a reason to stop investing. Stacey and Chris sugge…
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On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Patrice Bening to discuss how to strategize distributions when inheriting IRAs, complexities introduced by Secure Act changes in 2020, and what to know for 2025. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - In 2020, Secure Act 2.0 made it so non-sp…
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This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Our Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk welcomes our real estate fund managers, Megan Pautler-Gutnikov of KCB, Todd Williams of Grubb Properties and Shawn Clark of CRG. Each manager focuses on a different niche of …
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Time's Running Out: Financial To-Dos Before 2025
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12:45On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski and Financial Planning Advisor Amber McBride discuss year-end financial planning items to stay on top of. Here are some key takeaways from their conversations: - Ensure you are maximizing contributions to employer-sponsored retirement plans. The limit is $23,000 for people under 50…
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Would You Rather Give to Charity or the IRS?
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12:23On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski invites Wealth Advisor Mike Rudow to discuss charitable giving strategies to ensure you are optimizing your donations. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: QCDs (Qualified Charitable Distributions) allow individuals over 73 to send required minimum distribution amou…
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This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. CEO Jeff Sarti, Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk, and Wealth Advisor Chris Galeski discuss the advantages and drawbacks of liquidity. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: It is crucial to maintai…
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This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Wealth Advisors Kevin Rex, Joe Seetoo and Mike Rudow discuss strategies that could help replace income in retirement. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Traditional income strategies like government…
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This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Managing Director of Investments Sasan Faiz welcomes Co-Founder of Cordillera “Gus” Araya to discuss new investing trends. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Cordillera typically focuses on niche, n…
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This week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE features a special session recorded live from Morton Wealth’s 2024 Investor Symposium. Host Chris Galeski welcomes Mortgage Advisor Brian Farwell and Thousand Oaks City Council Member Mikey Taylor to discuss the California housing market. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: • Brian highl…
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How The Election Impacts Your Investments | The Financial Commute (Ep. 110)
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13:38On this week’s special episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, CEO Jeff Sarti and Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk discuss how the election’s results may impact the economy, investors, and consumers. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - The morning after the election, stocks saw a 2.5% increase, partially due to market relief fro…
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Boomers vs. Millennials: How Generations Shape Financial Choices | The Financial Commute (Ep. 109)
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25:10In this special session recorded live from our 2024 Investor Symposium, COO and CMO Stacey McKinnon leads a discussion with Wealth Advisors Beau Wirick and Priscilla Brehm about how baby boomers and millennials think about money differently. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Millennials generally see money as less tangible, tru…
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Investor Symposium Spotlight: Key Moments with Our CEO Jeff Sarti
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17:54On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes CEO Jeff Sarti to review our 2024 Investor Symposium, and the topics discussed at the event. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: - Grant Williams, our keynote speaker and author of Things That Make You Go Hmmm…, highlighted his thoughts on the election, the …
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What's Behind the Fed's Interest Rate Cut?
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13:44On this week's episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Kevin Rex to discuss the recent 50 basis point rate cut by the Fed and its implications. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: Kevin says he was surprised by the Fed's decision, noting that prior economic data like jobs and GDP did not indicat…
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On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Brian McArthur, President of Design My Medicare to discuss upcoming changes to Medicare. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: - Starting in 2025, Medicare Part D will see significant changes, including a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap on drug costs, aiming t…
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How a Family Business Can Build Generational Wealth
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22:40On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Joe Seetoo to discuss building generational wealth as a family business. Here are some key takeaways from their discussion: - Small businesses are the cornerstone of the American economy, and 90% of American small businesses are family owned. - About 70% of …
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What the Next Generation Should Know About Financial Literacy
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14:30On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Client Coordinator Morgan Jul to discuss financial literacy and a new California bill requiring high school students to take a financial literacy course starting in 2031. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - The bill requires financial literacy courses to…
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How to Prioritize Tax-Advantaged Accounts for High Earners
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23:29On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Mike Rudow to discuss different tax-preference savings vehicles and how high earners can use these accounts to optimize their wealth. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are highlighted for their “triple tax …
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A Financial Guide to Divorce: Tips from an Advisor
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19:12On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Jenn Caruso to discuss how to financially prepare for a divorce and how a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) can help. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - As a CDFA herself, Jenn explains that CDFAs can help clients understand the …
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Market Insights and the Election: What to Expect at Our Investor Symposium
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18:42On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes CEO Jeff Sarti to discuss our upcoming Investor Symposium. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Grant Williams, author of Things That Make You Go Hmmm… and co-founder of Real Vision, will be the keynote speaker at our upcoming Investor Symposium. If you h…
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Grant Williams on Investing vs. Speculating in Uncertain Times
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25:37We are celebrating our 100th episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE this week! Thank you for listening and supporting Chris and our guests these past two years. We are excited to continue empowering our listeners with financial confidence and knowledge through this podcast. To make this episode extra special, host Chris Galeski had a conversation with Gr…
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Real Estate FAQ: Investing in a Challenging Market
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19:09On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Chief Investment Officer Meghan Pinchuk to discuss the current real estate environment and investment opportunities. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - There is a noticeable drop in real estate transaction volume due to high interest rates and sellers h…
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On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, Wealth Advisor Priscilla Brehm joins host Chris Galeski to discuss ways to build financial confidence. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Access to too much information does not necessarily lead to true knowledge or confidence, highlighting the importance of one’s mindset towards …
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The Stock Market Selloff: Morton's Perspective
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12:06On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Managing Director of Investments Sasan Faiz to discuss the global stock market selloff. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Tech stocks’ valuations were high due to AI excitement and hype, but recent corrections highlight the importance of true diversifi…
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On this episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes COO & CMO Stacey McKinnon to discuss retirement planning. How much do people really need to retire comfortably? Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Over 55% of Americans feel behind in retirement planning. - It is crucial to create a retirement plan custom to y…
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Does Dollar Cost Averaging Work When Investing?
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15:05On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Wealth Advisor Patrice Bening to discuss dollar cost averaging, an investment strategy where investments are bought over time. Purchases occur regularly regardless of the asset’s price. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - Patrice shares her first experie…
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Behind the Scenes: How Morton Manages Investment Portfolios
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17:05On this week’s episode of THE FINANCIAL COMMUTE, host Chris Galeski welcomes Portfolio Management Analyst Hunter Daniel to discuss Morton’s approach to portfolio management. Here are some key takeaways from their conversation: - For clients bringing cash to invest rather than an existing portfolio, Hunter and his team will use dollar cost averaging…
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