Tag: Risk Management

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Perspectives on Asset Allocation in Today’s Market with BlackRock’s Eric Mueller (Ep. 54)

Perspectives on Asset Allocation in Today’s Market with BlackRock’s Eric Mueller (Ep. 54)

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Markets are always moving, and with elections and global uncertainty on the horizon, what can you do to position your portfolio for the future?

In this episode of Maximizing Outcomes, Jim McGovern speaks with Eric Mueller, Managing Director and strategist at BlackRock, about the current state of the markets and how to strategically adjust portfolios. 

They cover the economic landscape, interest rate cuts, and the strength of corporate earnings, offering actionable advice for investors concerned about the road ahead.

They discuss:

  • An analysis of the current economic and financial market landscape
  • Strategies for portfolio positioning amidst geopolitical and election uncertainties
  • The impact of Fed interest rate cuts on fixed income investments
  • The significance of tax-efficient and personalized investment strategies
  • And more!

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

Connect with Eric Mueller:

About our guest:

Eric Mueller is a Managing Director at BlackRock, serving as a senior strategist within their Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions group. With 17 years of experience at BlackRock, he works closely with portfolio managers and research analysts to analyze market trends and identify investment opportunities across various asset classes. His knowledge includes guiding portfolio positioning, understanding economic risks, and helping investors achieve a range of financial objectives through strategic portfolio management.

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Business Uses of Life Insurance: The Untold Stories Behind Iconic American Brands (Ep. 53)

Business Uses of Life Insurance: The Untold Stories Behind Iconic American Brands (Ep. 53)

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In this episode, Jim McGovern dives into the surprising and crucial role life insurance has played in building and saving some of the world’s most iconic brands. From Walt Disney using his life insurance to fund Disneyland to Ray Kroc leveraging his policy to grow McDonald’s, we uncover how life insurance goes beyond providing death benefits—it’s a powerful tool for business growth, risk management, and ensuring continuity. Jim shares the fascinating stories of Disney, McDonald’s, JCPenney, and Pampered Chef, showing how business owners can protect their companies, fund opportunities, and protect key employees with the strategic use of life insurance. Tune in to learn how this financial tool can transform your business!

Jim discusses:

  • Real-life examples: Learn how Walt Disney, Ray Kroc (McDonald’s), and James Cash Penney (JCPenney) used life insurance to fund their businesses during critical times.
  • Beyond the death benefit: Explore the versatile uses of life insurance for business growth, risk management, and protecting key employees.
  • Key person insurance: Understand how insuring key individuals can help safeguard a company’s value and ensure continuity in times of crisis.
  • Strategic financial tool: Discover how life insurance can provide tax-efficient, liquid cash reserves that business owners can tap into for opportunities or emergencies

Resources:

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

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Wall Street Clichés: Insights or Illusions (Ep. 49)

Wall Street Clichés: Insights or Illusions (Ep. 49)

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In this episode of Maximizing Outcomes®, we dissect some of Wall Street’s most famous investing clichés. From “Don’t fight the Fed” to “Cash is king,” Jim McGovern explores the reality of famous investing sayings. Are they timeless wisdom or just catchy phrases? Learn which adages hold valuable insights and which ones are merely financial folklore. Tune in to gain a clearer understanding of how these sayings can influence your investment strategies and decisions.

Highlights:

  • There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch – Understanding the full costs and risks decisions.
  • Sell in May and Go Away – Does this seasonal strategy hold up today?
  • Don’t Fight the Fed – How the Federal Reserve actions can impact your investments.
  • A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned – Does the timeless phrase still hold true?
  • Bulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered – Is greed good or bad?
  • Never Catch a Falling Knife – Are declining investments a bargain buy or buyer beware?
  • And more…

 

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

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Mastering Your Money with The Living Balance Sheet® creator Bob Ball – Part 2 (Ep. 41)

Mastering Your Money with The Living Balance Sheet® creator Bob Ball – Part 2 (Ep. 41)

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Are you ready to challenge traditional financial strategies and embrace a groundbreaking approach?

In this compelling second part of the Maximizing Outcomes Podcast series, host Jim McGovern and financial expert Bob Ball dive deeper into the “Living Balance Sheet” concept. They expand on earlier ideas, helping listeners gain a clearer insight into achieving financial balance.

Key Discussion Points:

  • The Living Balance Sheet’s Evolution: From its early days to its current status as a pivotal financial planning tool
  • Advanced Savings and Debt Tactics: A continuation from part one, focusing on refined strategies for a balanced financial future
  • Disciplined Saving’s Impact: Diving into the 80/20 rule, illustrating the supremacy of structured saving over high-risk returns
  • Enhancing Cash Flow and Debt Approaches: Practical advice on elevating savings rates and deploying effective debt strategies
  • Liquidity’s Essential Role: Insights on maintaining a balance between readily accessible and long-term assets
  • Balanced Insurance Strategy: A discussion on aligning asset protection with wealth growth, following up on earlier points
  • And much more!

Resources:

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

Connect with Robert Ball:

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Hedging Risk in a Concentrated Stock Portfolio with Eric Metz, CFA of SpiderRock Advisors (Ep. 31)

Hedging Risk in a Concentrated Stock Portfolio with Eric Metz, CFA of SpiderRock Advisors (Ep. 31)

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Are you an investor with a large amount of money in just a few stocks? Are you concerned about how to protect against a decline in the stock, but also reluctant to diversify due to significant tax consequences? Are you curious about ways to continue to hold the stock while at the same time have a tax-efficient way to reduce risk in such a concentrated position?

In this episode, Jim McGovern talks to Eric Metz, CFA, President and Chief Investment Officer from SpiderRock Advisors, offering insights for those aiming to protect the wealth they’ve created.

Throughout this episode, Jim and Eric discuss:

  • How SpiderRock Advisors creates solutions designed to help maintain and safeguard wealth by using options strategies
  • How technology has enabled SpiderRock to solve complex problems with scalability for financial advisors and their clients
  • How derivatives can help generate income, provide downside protection and strategically manage risks
  • How SpiderRock’s strategies can minimize tax implications commonly associated with diversifying a stock with low cost basis
  • The importance of communication and customization at the core of investment management 
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

Connect with Eric Metz:

About our guest:

Eric Metz is President and Chief Investment Officer at SpiderRock Advisors, key driving force behind SpiderRock Advisors’ investment strategies. With a career that began on the trading floors of the CME and CBOE, Eric went on to manage mutual and hedge fund assets at RiverNorth Capital Management. Prior to that, he was a senior trader at specialized firms like Ronin Capital and Bengal Capital.

Educationally, he holds a Magna Cum Laude B.S.E. and an M.S.E. with honors, both in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. He is also a CFA Charterholder and a board member of the OIC Institutional Advisory Council. Eric’s blend of practical experience and academic excellence make him a key asset in the realm of investment management.

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Using Life Insurance as an Asset in Your Portfolio (Ep. 23)

Using Life Insurance as an Asset in Your Portfolio (Ep. 23)

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In this episode, Bobby Samuelson, President and CEO of Life Innovators, breaks down the complexities of traditional fixed income investing options, and explores how life insurance can be used as an asset in your overall portfolio.

He breaks down how whole life insurance can be a versatile financial instrument, used for the protection of families and businesses, while helping build and enhance wealth. Bobby covers the unique benefits that differentiate whole life insurance from other financial instruments, how it works, its uses, and flexibility.

Bobby discusses:

  • His journey: Past work and what he’s currently doing as the president of Life Innovators
  • Why demand is on the rise for whole life insurance and annuities
  • The stability and returns trade-off of an insurance policy vs. a fixed-income portfolio
  • The complexities associated with investing in bonds
  • The benefits of whole life insurance
  • And so much more!

Resources:

Connect with Bobby Samuelson:

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

About Our Guest:

Bobby Samuelson co-founded Life Innovators in 2018 and has been President and CEO since its inception. 

Bobby was formerly Senior Vice President and Head of Life Insurance and Annuity Product Development and Pricing at Brighthouse Financial and Vice President of Life Product Development at MetLife. 

Prior to joining MetLife in 2013, Bobby was a consultant to life insurers, distributors and high-end agents. He is the third generation of his family to work in life insurance. He is also the Executive Editor of The Life Product Review since 2012. 

Bobby is a regular keynote speaker at corporate and industry events.

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How Much Life Insurance Can You Own? (Ep. 22)

How Much Life Insurance Can You Own? (Ep. 22)

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It’s impossible to measure the value of a human life. Who you are as a person, and what you mean to your family, friends, and your community, cannot be measured or a dollar value placed upon it. If you suddenly died, such a loss would be permanent, profound, and irreplaceable. Your future earnings potential is about the only thing that is replaceable through proper life insurance protection.

In this episode, we discuss the different mindset people tend to have when insuring material possessions vs. their own life. We also discuss how much life insurance you may be able to acquire based on your age and income, and why trying to figure out coverage amounts based on a needs analysis is the opposite of what most people truly want.

By the end of this episode, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how life insurance companies can determine the amount of coverage you’re eligible for, and what you can do to help protect the lifestyle you and your family worked so hard to create.

Jim discusses:

  • The importance of life insurance to help ensure that your family can maintain their lifestyle and financial security in the event of your death
  • Why insurance companies won’t allow someone to over-insure their property, income, or life
  • How trying to take a needs approach to determining your life insurance coverage is the opposite of how you treat your career
  • Life Insurance coverage amounts for business owners vs non-business owners
  • And a lot more!

Resources:

Connect with McGovern Wealth Group:

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