Money Guy Show

The Money-Guy 2011 Commencement Address

13 May 2011

Contributed by Lukas

With graduation rapidly approaching for many college students, The Wall Street Journal just announced that the Class of 2011 will graduate with more d...

The Money-Guy Tax Plan: Part II

29 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

That’s right…our last show, “The Money-Guy Tax Plan”, sparked so many comments, we decided to do a follow-up… Learn more about your ad choic...

The Money-Guy Tax Plan

15 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve heard solutions from the right. You’ve heard solutions from the left. You’ve even heard President Obama’s bipartisan debt panel solutio...

Tax Cheats and How to Stay Out of Trouble

01 Apr 2011

Contributed by Lukas

“The income tax law is a lot of bunk. The government can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money.” These are the famous words and unsound tax a...

Asset Allocation: What to Think About

18 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we are going back to the basics and talking about the importance of asset allocation. This podcast is meant to remind our devoted listeners, an...

2010 Berkshire Letter to Shareholders

04 Mar 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s show is an exciting one for all of us self-proclaimed nerds. After anxiously awaiting the release of Warren Buffett’s annual message to th...

Cut, Click, or Charge… Guidance from Grocery Gurus

18 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s face it-groceries are a necessity for all of us, but more often than not, we’re left cringing at the checkout line over the impact on our wa...

Alphabet Soup and Disney

02 Feb 2011

Contributed by Lukas

In this day and age, it is hard to navigate the financial landscape. It becomes even more difficult when the waters are muddied. Therefore, many indiv...

I May Not Always be Right…

21 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

...but I'm never wrong! Or at least that is how the old adage goes. This may not be the exact mantra of modern day economic "prophets", but it isn't t...

Never Run Out of Money…

07 Jan 2011

Contributed by Lukas

Boy does it feel good to be back! The holidays always seem to throw off our schedule just a bit but, with the New Year, comes a re-vamp for the Money-...

Certainly Uncertain

13 Dec 2010

Contributed by Lukas

As is usually the case, the holiday season has caused our bi-weekly schedule to be slightly off. You could probably even say that the frequency at whi...

Black Friday!!!

12 Nov 2010

Contributed by Lukas

That's right! It's that time of year again. I think the name probably says it all... Black Friday is upon us. This is one of my absolute favorite days...

HRA, HSA, and a Little History of Insurance

29 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is very timely considering how much health insurance has been in the news lately. It is a topic that affects every man, woman, and child ...

Back to Basics and Email Responses

18 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is a bit of a reset. Every now and then, it is good to get back to Money 101. For me, "Money 101" takes me back to a high school Economic...

College Savings ‘Making the Grade’

04 Oct 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is a follow-up to a show we did back in February 2009 titled "529 College Savings and 'The 2009 Stimulus'". Now that we have had a decent...

“American Exceptionalism”: Voices From the Past

20 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

It is absolutely amazing the things we can learn from history. Even more amazing is how, very ofter, history appears to repeat itself. No, not in the ...

Creative Ways to Save a Few Bucks

03 Sep 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is kind of unique. Due to all of your positive feedback, I decided to sit back and let Bo take the lead. I asked him to come up with a to...

My Life: A Case Study

24 Aug 2010

Contributed by Lukas

You have probably noticed that we are slightly off of our 2-week routine of getting you guys a new show this week. The reason is, well, because someti...

Prevent Your Car Accident from Becoming a Wreck

06 Aug 2010

Contributed by Lukas

An unfortunate truth is that all of us, most likely, at some point in our lives will have to deal with being in a car accident. Of course the safety a...

Taxes, They Are A-Changin’

23 Jul 2010

Contributed by Lukas

To say that 2010 and 2011 are going to be 'unique' tax years would be quite an understatement. With all of the changes, or potential changes, heading ...

Start Early and Stay Ahead

09 Jul 2010

Contributed by Lukas

We have received a number of emails lately asking what steps can young people take to start getting their financial houses in order from the very begi...

How Well Do You Know Indexed Annuities?

24 Jun 2010

Contributed by Lukas

What if I told you there was an investment where you had a guaranteed rate of return when the stock market was doing poorly, but then you could make e...

Why Volatility Can be Your Friend

11 Jun 2010

Contributed by Lukas

While it comes as no surprise that it is a little harder to sleep at night when the stock market is bouncing all over the place, is there actually a w...

In Case of Emergency… Listen to This!

28 May 2010

Contributed by Lukas

So we head to Chicago for a conference and the market decides to misbehave! The Euro-Zone deteriorates, there is an oil spill that can't be stopped, a...

“Those Who Spend Too Much Will Eventually Be Owned by Those Who Are Thrifty”

14 May 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is about debt, plain and simple. It builds off of two shows we did last year titled "Legacy of A Generation...Not the Millionaire Next Do...

Don’t Let Buying a Car Drive You Crazy

03 May 2010

Contributed by Lukas

All of us at some point in our lives have bought, or are planning on buying, an automobile. For many, however, this is not a very pleasant experience....

Cheapskates, Tightwads, and Penny Pinchers

16 Apr 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is a fun one! With it being the day after tax day, we thought we would do a very light-hearted and entertaining show. Don't worry, though...

Time For Your Check-Up…

26 Mar 2010

Contributed by Lukas

With all of the media coverage concerning the new health care legislation, it would be easy to focus on the ins and outs of the new bill. However, we ...

Selecting Tax Efficient Investments

10 Mar 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show was spurred by two things: 1) it's tax time and, therefore, thinking about taxes and tax planning is fresh on most people's minds, and 2)...

Clear the Clutter

26 Feb 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is on an issue that we all face, yet not many people know how to handle. It's happened to every one of us. You start a folder to house al...

Understanding Unemployment

12 Feb 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show isn't exactly one of those that gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. The topic is, however, one of those that is a necessary evil a...

Roth Conversion: In-Depth Analysis

28 Jan 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Well here it is; we finally did it. You have been writing, calling, and asking for us to explain and go through the nuts and bolts of the Roth convers...

Happy New Year and A Happy Retirement

12 Jan 2010

Contributed by Lukas

Well, I've missed you guys. We took a few weeks off for the holidays, and I can only hope that absence has made the heart grow fonder. I thought a gre...

Year-End Clean Up

04 Dec 2009

Contributed by Lukas

As we wind down 2009, what sort of things should you be thinking about? Well, in my life, it seems like every December there are a million things goin...

TGI BLACK FRIDAY!!

20 Nov 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Some people love Christmas or Thanksgiving or maybe New Year's or Valentine's day, but, while I do enjoy these holidays very much, there is one day ea...

Health Insurance Making You Sick?

06 Nov 2009

Contributed by Lukas

If you pay attention to any piece of news, you no doubt have heard SOMETHING about health insurance over the last few months. Coincidentally, in the m...

The Tortoise, or the Hare?

28 Oct 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is on a topic that I feel is very easy to understand, but, for some reason, very often overlooked. While overlooking this seemingly small...

Inflation Concerns…?

16 Oct 2009

Contributed by Lukas

If you watch any piece of news, read any bit of financial commentary (which you probably do since you listen to this show), or have any sense of how f...

Credit Card Review

07 Oct 2009

Contributed by Lukas

There was a great article in my November edition of Consumer Reports. The title of the article was Take Control of Your Credit Cards: How to Fight Bac...

Life Changing Events and The Fair Tax

23 Sep 2009

Contributed by Lukas

So it has been about two weeks since our last show and, if you have listened to the most recent shows, you know that the reason for this temporary abs...

I.O.U.S.A. One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.

04 Sep 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Every so often we stumble across something so moving and so compelling that we feel we MUST share it with those around us. Well that is exactly what h...

An Heir-Tight IRA

28 Aug 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Today's show is one of those nitty-gritty topics that may not always be the most fun or most exciting, but it is definitely one of the most important....

Bing Double Cash Back

19 Aug 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Bo and I will be traveling to South Carolina for a conference this week, but I didn't want you to be without sound financial information for two whole...

When The Going Gets Tough…

12 Aug 2009

Contributed by Lukas

So here we find ourselves. I won't go so far as to say that things feel good, but at least it doesn't appear as though the sky is falling any longer. ...

Free Fixes and ‘Cash For Clunkers’

03 Aug 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Today is a prime example of how quickly things change in our current economic environment! We recorded this show on Thursday afternoon, 07/30, and pla...

Why a Roth 401k May be Your Best Bet

25 Jun 2009

Contributed by Lukas

If you have been listening to this show for any length of time at all, you have no doubt heard me sing praise of the Roth IRA. The Roth IRA is an amaz...

Legacy of A Generation… Not the Millionaire Next Door

12 Jun 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes individuals have those moments where they wake up in the middle of the night, and it hits them! It's that thought, or idea, or realization t...

Bear Bargains, Broker Battles, and Searching for Yields

03 Jun 2009

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s show comes from two of my most favorite newsletters, Consumer Reports’ Money Adviser and Kiplinger’s Retirement Report. These public...

Social Security, Charity Fraud, and Credit Card Deadbeats

22 May 2009

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been a good week around here. We’ve been pretty busy with client and prospect meetings, but things are starting to calm down and get back to ...

DCA: Maybe the Most Important Investment Decision You Will Ever Make

13 May 2009

Contributed by Lukas

So once again this week's show topic was inspired by real life events. You would have to be living under a rock to not notice the gains we have been e...

Is Now the Time to be Taking Risks?

29 Apr 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Even though the economy has shown some signs of life over the last month and a half, I feel it is safe to say we are still in or around the low-point ...

How to Build Your Credit

20 Apr 2009

Contributed by Lukas

As many of you are aware, I have been harping on how low mortgage rates have been over the past few months and how much of an opportunity we all have ...

Mutual Fund Screeners

04 Apr 2009

Contributed by Lukas

So here you are. You have been listening to the show for a while. You understand efficient markets. You understand asset allocation. You even understa...

Stewart vs. Cramer and Real Estate Update

19 Mar 2009

Contributed by Lukas

You couldn't turn to a major network or listen to a major broadcast in the past week without hearing about the ongoing feud between the Daily Show's J...

Buyer Protection, Listener Emails, and Economic Research

05 Mar 2009

Contributed by Lukas

In trying times, it isn't enough to just be an intelligent investor. To truly get your financial house in order, you must also be a good consumer. It ...

529 College Savings and ‘The 2009 Stimulus’

20 Feb 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s show is brimming with information. In the first half of the show, I share a research study done by Consumer Reports in their Consumer Report...

Money Guy Q and A… Year of the ‘Re’ Take 2

05 Feb 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s show is a hodge-podge of information. You guys have been instrumental in providing me with great feedback as well as some very good question...

Bringin’ Simple Back

23 Jan 2009

Contributed by Lukas

That’s right. We’re bringin’ simple back. 2008 provided us with a wonderful opportunity to step back and ask, ‘what in the world are we doing?...

Year of the ‘Re’ – Refinance and Rebalance

16 Jan 2009

Contributed by Lukas

Well, so far the beginning of 2009 has felt quite similar to the last part of 2008. That, however, does not mean that there aren’t opportunities out...

Protecting Yourself From Fraud

08 Jan 2009

Contributed by Lukas

As if the financial markets weren’t scary enough in 2008, here comes the story of a snake who decided to take advantage of people and subsequently m...

Closing Out 2008 with a Challenge and Books

16 Dec 2008

Contributed by Lukas

A 2009 Challenge: 2008 is coming to a close and this is the time of the year where we start planning those Resolutions on how we are going to make 200...

Unusual Times require Creative Solutions

21 Nov 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Next week is Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is a great time to catch-up with friends and family, but I am worried that this year’s big point of discus...

little money = BIG DEALS!

14 Nov 2008

Contributed by Lukas

With all of the doom and gloom in the financial markets right now, surely you are asking: why in the world would I be talking about spending money? Es...

Life Insurance 101

05 Nov 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Life insurance is one of the most controversial and, in my opinion, convoluted personal finance topics today. Even once you get past the eternal debat...

Time to Buy? Buffett vs Cramer

24 Oct 2008

Contributed by Lukas

We have been riding this wave of volatility long enough that 7%-9% market swings do not have the same shock and awe impact they had a few weeks ago. ...

Thanksgiving is Around the Corner: Time to Harvest

15 Oct 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Last show we talked about the silver lining of a financial crisis. This week I talk about the special opportunities that these down markets can offer....

The Silver Lining of a Financial Crisis

01 Oct 2008

Contributed by Lukas

What a week! Actually, what a past couple of weeks! Obviously, it wouldn’t be too hard to harp on all of the bad stuff going on right now. So, inste...

News Nightmares & Bank Debacles

16 Sep 2008

Contributed by Lukas

So this is the question of the hour: What is going on? Or maybe the better question is: What got us into this mess? The real answer is a perfect storm...

Cheese Grits, College Savings, Black Holes, and HELOCs

09 Sep 2008

Contributed by Lukas

For most parents, saving for their child’s education is always a priority. With the volatility and uncertainty in today’s market, it has become a ...

Tax Smart and Creative Ways to Better the World

27 Aug 2008

Contributed by Lukas

In tight economic times charities are often hit with increasing needs from the individuals who require their services. To make matters worse, generous...

Fairy-Tale Foreclosure, How a Planner Works, and Dark Knight Review

12 Aug 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s show is a grab-bag of goodies. If you keep up with pop-culture, you’ve probably come across the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition. If you...

Brian Preston’s Guide to Selecting Mutual Funds

31 Jul 2008

Contributed by Lukas

The mutual fund universe is larger than ever and there are no signs of it slowing down. With more funds, more information, and easier access to this i...

Liz Weston – Loaded Celebrity Interview

23 Jul 2008

Contributed by Lukas

We have a special treat for you on this installment of the Money Guy Show! I usually don’t have guests on the show, but today we’re fortunate to b...

Protecting Yourself: Banking System Under Stress

20 Jul 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Our banking system’s clearly under a lot of stress at the moment. Coming off a decade of aggressive mortgage lending, the system’s troubles have b...

Navigating Stormy Economic Waters

10 Jul 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Pick your economic worry — there’s more than enough to go around: mortgage crisis? faltering U.S. economy? government deficits? skyrocketing oil p...

Are Tax-Deferred Savings a Ticking Time Bomb?

25 Jun 2008

Contributed by Lukas

"If Thomas Jefferson thought taxation without representation was bad, he should see how it is with representation." – Anonymous Deferring taxes has ...

Father’s Day 2008: Teaching Children About Money

19 Jun 2008

Contributed by Lukas

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a Dad." – Anonymous Since we celebrated Father’s Day this past weekend, I thought it...

Rethinking Life’s Necessities, Wants, and Wishes

10 Jun 2008

Contributed by Lukas

I think a lot about our culture and how the virtues of frugality and simplicity seem to have been forgotten by many of us. As never before, the popula...

William Shakespeare on Trust and Financial Planners

30 May 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Professional financial planning is built on a foundation of trust. You entrust not just your money but also your hopes and dreams with an adviser and ...

Dave Ramsey: Financial Planning Guru … or Charlatan?

20 May 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Love him or not, Dave Ramsey is a financial planning phenomenon. Consider his popularity: Ramsey’s syndicated radio program, The Dave Ramsey Show, i...

12 Investment Mistakes Couples Make

13 May 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Through my years as a financial planner, I’ve worked with a lot of couples and, unfortunately, seen many of the same money mistakes over and over ag...

The Price of Security – Immediate Annuities

06 May 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Money-Guy 05-05-2008 With recent stock market ups and downs, immediate annuities are attracting attention from people looking to shelter themselves fr...

Finding a ‘Fiduciary’ Planner in a Sea of Snakes

29 Apr 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Being a financial planner myself, I loved an article that The New York Times featured over the weekend, "Pick a Planner Who Can Spell ‘Fiduciary’"...

Dateline and Equity-Indexed Annuities

22 Apr 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC devoted an entire hour on April 13, 2008 to the topic of equity-indexed annuities and the unscrupulous tactics sometime...

An Inconvenient Truth (About Cash)

16 Apr 2008

Contributed by Lukas

If I told you about a popular investment product that was yielding 40% less than it did last year, you’d probably think it was one of the great fina...

Recession and the First Quarter 2008 – Avoiding Advisers Who Push Risky Products

08 Apr 2008

Contributed by Lukas

I’m short on notes today, but heavy on great information in the audio of the show. I first provide my detailed perspective on the performance of the...

Prioritize Retirement Savings and Where to Invest Cash

31 Mar 2008

Contributed by Lukas

We’re currently in the final weeks of tax preparation season. As many of you know, I do just enough tax return preparation every year to make me won...

Auto Accidents – Dealing with Insurance Companies

24 Mar 2008

Contributed by Lukas

After you’ve been in an auto accident, you count your ten fingers and ten toes. Then, the stress sets in that you will have to deal with an insuranc...

Fear, Financial Markets, and Your Money

18 Mar 2008

Contributed by Lukas

I’m a day late with this post because I spent most of yesterday fielding concerned phone calls and writing a market update letter for my clients. It...

Buffett Time – 2007 Annual Shareholders Letter

10 Mar 2008

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve reviewed the Money Guy site recently, you’ve probably noticed that we added a fun "widget" which rotates through some of Warren Buffett’...

$200 a Month with a Few Phone Calls

03 Mar 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Money-Guy 03-03-2008 In this week’s show, I help you find $200 a month by just calling your "Ungrateful Providers". Now this does not mean that your...

Creating a Retirement Withdrawal Plan

25 Feb 2008

Contributed by Lukas

I talk about the need to save for retirement all the time on the Money Guy Show. However, I have not done a show discussing what you can expect from t...

Time and Money: It can be your best friend

18 Feb 2008

Contributed by Lukas

I was asked to write a guest post for fivecentnickel.com that will be posted while nickel is on vacation. I decided to base my post on the timeless ad...

Should You Prepay Your Mortgage and Mutual Fund Opportunities

11 Feb 2008

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered if you should prepay your mortgage? In today's show I give you the information to make an informed decision based upon your per...

Nuts and Bolts of Obtaining a Mortgage and How to Cut Closing Costs

04 Feb 2008

Contributed by Lukas

January is officially history and there was a tremendous amount of volatility. On today's show I share how you can turn the lemons of January into swe...

Stimulus Package, Tax Preparation Discussion, and IRA Rollovers

28 Jan 2008

Contributed by Lukas

We are covering: Details of the Government’s bipartisan economic stimulus program “How to drive your tax preparer crazy” discussion with CPA, Br...

Dealing with an Uncertain Market, US Credit under Fire, and What does $900 Gold Mean?

21 Jan 2008

Contributed by Lukas

If you need proof that this broad sell-off is nothing new then read an article that I wrote back in October 2002. (click here for a copy) In the artic...

2008 Financial Resolutions and How Not to Have a 1987 Portfolio

07 Jan 2008

Contributed by Lukas

A new year can represent a fresh start for many. I know that many out there have made financial resolutions and I want to be a resource to help you re...

Money and Your Brain, AMT Update

22 Dec 2007

Contributed by Lukas

The emotions that your brain creates can lead to disaster if you do not know how to recognize where your decisions and actions are coming from (analyt...

GA Education Update, Financial Leftovers, and Sex, Drugs & Hedge Funds?!

17 Dec 2007

Contributed by Lukas

If you are a Georgia listener then Christmas has come early this year. As of December 11th the GA 529 plan has been drastically improved (probably bec...