Today, we're discussing the current state of the market, which has seen impressive returns since last Halloween. The focus today is on the importance of maintaining discipline not just in downturns but also during strong market periods. Alex ki

Staying Invested THROUGH Your Retirement

Feb 22nd, 2024 27m 31s

For most of us, we manage our investments with the goal of having a nice big nest egg when it's time to retire. But we need to continue to stay invested throughout our retirement. Often, investors are more afraid of running out of money than

How to Approach Your Finances in 2024

Jan 22nd, 2024 24m 6s

Each year, we often take a holistic look at our finances. Today, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run financial break down what you should be looking at specifically, as we begin 2024.Alex gives us six ponts to consider:If you have an adviso

Have Interest Rates Really Peaked?

Dec 19th, 2023 19m 47s

This month, Alex, Ed, and Jag delve into the financial landscape as 2023 draws to a close. The episode, recorded on December 14, reflects on the unexpected market rally in November and the overall performance of various asset classes throughout

Peak Rates and Asset Returns

Nov 20th, 2023 27m 16s

(All data in today's podcast is courtesy of FactSet).More economists are suggesting that the FED is done raising interest rates. While it's important to note that past returns do not indicate future results, today, we look at some historical d

Real Estate Market Update

Oct 24th, 2023 21m 39s

(Data in this podcast courtesy of YCharts and FactSet)Today, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial dive into the residential real estate market, where interest rates have climbed, but home prices remain high.Ed begins by giving us so

The Pros and Cons of Higher Rates

Sep 18th, 2023 20m 38s

Over the last 18 months, the interest rate environment has changed dramatically. And despite all the headlines, there are actually pros and cons to higher interest rates. Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run explain.First, the downside. A

July 2023 Mid-Year Update

Jul 28th, 2023 21m 20s

In this episode of "Nurturing Financial Freedom," Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial discuss the first half of 2023 and its impact on the economy and markets. Ed highlights the resilience of the economy despite interest rate hike

All About Bonds

Jun 23rd, 2023 25m 40s

Money markets, CD's and bonds are paying reasonable interest for the first time in years. Today, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial take us on a "crach course" on fixed income and how it works.Alex starts by explaining bonds - es

Is the FED Finished Raising Rates? Sell in May and Go Away?

May 26th, 2023 31m 35s

We have a two-part episode for you today, as we begin our fifth year of the Nurturing Financial Freedom Podcast.First, the FED raised interest rates by 0.25% on May 3rd. Are they finally done raising rates? Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial w

What Did We Learn From 2023 Q1?

Apr 27th, 2023 27m 59s

We celebrate 4 years of the Nurturing Financial Freedom Podcast with our 48th episode today. Thank you for listening! As we reflect on the first quarter of 2023, we will do a recap of the markets (data courtesy of YCharts), as well as reflect o

A Wild Three Years

Mar 17th, 2023 24m 40s

As hard as this is to believe, the COVID-19 pandemic started three years ago. Today, Ed Lambert and Alex Cabot look back at the economy and capital markets over that period. Interestingly, both are close to where they'd have likely been witho

SECURE ACT 2.0: The Cavalry Isn’t Coming

Feb 22nd, 2023 31m 53s

Recently, Congress passed the "SECURE 2.0" Act, building on the first SECURE Act it had passed previously. Today, Alex Cabot will break down what these new changes mean for your retirement, and Ed Lambert will explain why the cavalry is not co

2023: A New Year, a New Start

Jan 10th, 2023 32m 31s

What can we expect from the financial markets in 2023? Obviously 2022 was not a great year for investors. Today, Alex gives us a recap of last year, and Ed explains why the team at Birch Run Financial is optimistic heading in to the new year.A

Roth Conversions and Tax Loss Harvesting: Is This The Year?

Dec 9th, 2022 26m 28s

It's been almost a decade and a half since we've seen a market downturn like we have in 2022. And while you may not be happy when you look at your investments, our current environment may provide some opportunities that investors haven't seen

Implications of the Mid-Term Elections

Nov 3rd, 2022 25m 45s

With the mid-term elections one week away, many of Alex and Ed's clients and podcast listeners are wondering how the markets will be affected by the results on November 8th.Alex did some digging into this, looking at the every President since K

Very Few Years Are Average

Sep 19th, 2022 25m 32s

Investors often get caught up in the idea of "average returns." Today, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial explain why that mindset can be dangerous. Average returns can be looked at over a longer period of time, but very few ye

Investment Time Horizons

Aug 16th, 2022 24m 28s

Investment Time Horizons are a concept that Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert feel is often misunderstood by investors. Alex starts with the two main factors we need to consider: how long until you need the money and how long you will draw on it. This

2022 Mid-Year Update

Jul 7th, 2022 32m 43s

Where do the financial markets sit as we've hit the halfway point of 2022? Ed Lambert and Alex Cabot are here to break it all down, in terms of what it means for you as an investor.Obviously, the big word of the year is Inflation. Ed explains

Look Before Jumping

Jun 21st, 2022 39m 3s

Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial have been working in this industry for over 20 years, and they've seen a lot of interesting financial products. Today, they take a look back at some of these investments and why they didn't work

Politics and Investing

May 27th, 2022 32m 7s

Often, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert at Birch Run Financial are asked about how the political environment can affect investments. Today, we take a deep, non-partisan dive into that very question.First, Ed takes the 30,000 view. On average, it doe

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Employment in the U.S.

Apr 28th, 2022 27m 4s

Today we’re going to talk about the job market in the US. As we’ve discussed in the past, the job opportunities for workers at this point are plentiful. Each coin has two sides, though. Not everything about the job market is ideal. First

Building a War Chest

Mar 17th, 2022 23m 44s

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, in addition to a terrible humanitarian toll, has also affected the financial sector. We've seen increased market volatility. Today, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial explain the importance of havi

Optimism is the Only Realism

Feb 23rd, 2022 25m 16s

Over the first two months of 2022, we've heard a lot of reasons to worry about the market and our overall financial future. However, Alex Cabot of Birch Run Financial recently wrote a white paper on 4 reasons to be optimistic at this point.

What You Should Do To Start 2022

Jan 20th, 2022 26m 48s

Today, Alex Cabot and Ed Lambert of Birch Run Financial cover two main topics. First, Ed tells us the four things everyone should do to start the new year. Then, Alex talks about how investors should be viewing the current financial environme