- Publisher |
- Benjamin Felix & Cameron Passmore
- Media Type |
- audio
- People |
- Country Of Origin |
- Canada
- Produced In |
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Premiere Date |
- 2018-08-02
- Frequency |
- Weekly
- Explicit |
- No
This podcast currently has no reviews.
Submit ReviewOur focus for this episode is the real utility of financial advisors, and Ben shares a host of research and findings about the supposed and actual value that advisors can offer investors. This segment continues our exploration of investment basics, a fundamental theme for this show and our work at PWL Capital. One of the biggest and clearest lessons that becomes apparent through this discussion is the need for financial literacy independent of advice and so-called expertise from the outside. With that said, we do find time to share some of the positives investors can accrue from dealing with a trustworthy advisor and the conditions necessary for this. Later in the episode, our colleague Lukas Fleck joins us to share his review of The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday and some of his own reading habits and tips. We finish the episode with lighter content about hot sauces, TV shows, and Ben's latest home improvement.
Key Points From This Episode:
• Introducing today's question about the usefulness of financial advisors. (0:03:35)
• Common financial mistakes made by households. (0:11:13)
• Some of the research and findings grounding today's discussion. (0:18:13)
• Investing and self-control; what we can learn from data about smokers. (0:22:49)
• Looking at some of the potential benefits of hiring an advisor for investors. (0:28:40)
• A quick review of Episode 43 with Dave Butler from 2019. (0:34:07)
• Today's book review of The Obstacle Is the Way, with Lukas Fleck, and some of the biggest takeaways. (0:36:43)
• A look at Lukas' reading habits, favourite recent books, and his increased focus on getting through books. (0:44:59)
• Advice for starting a book club and Lukas' reading hacks. (0:50:49)
• The after-show; Ben tells us about his basketball hoop, last week's episode of Succession, and the hot sauce debate. (0:54:44)
• Upcoming events, audience reviews, and future guests on the podcast. (0:58:31)
Ad mentioned by Ben:
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Books From Today’s Episode:
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph — https://amzn.to/3MXh1dl
The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money — https://amzn.to/3UM8KLb
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World — https://amzn.to/3AuSXqZ
Making Numbers Count: The Art and Science of Communicating Numbers — https://amzn.to/41HXnWK
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Lukas Fleck — https://www.pwlcapital.com/profile/lukas-fleck/
'Restoring Rational Choice: The Challenge of Consumer Financial Regulation' — https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.p20161127
'Financial literacy and financial resilience: Evidence from around the world' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/fima.12283
'Strategic price complexity in retail financial markets' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X08002092
'Shrouded Attributes, Consumer Myopia, and Information Suppression in Competitive Markets' — https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/121/2/505/1884013?redirectedFrom=fulltext
'The Role of Time Preferences and Exponential-Growth Bias in Retirement Savings' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w21482
'Contract Design and Self-Control: Theory and Evidence' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/25098689
'Restoring Rational Choice: The Challenge of Consumer Financial Regulation' — https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.p20161127
'Why Does the Law of One Price Fail? An Experiment on Index Mutual Funds' — https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/4686775/Laibson_OnePriceFail.pdf
'Failure to refinance' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X16301507
'Down or Out: Assessing the Welfare Costs of Household Investment Mistakes' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/524204
'Financial literacy and stock market participation' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X11000717
'Attention Induced Trading and Returns: Evidence from Robinhood Users' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3715077
'Excessive Extrapolation and the Allocation of 401(k) Accounts to Company Stock' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/2697737
'$100 Bills on the Sidewalk: Suboptimal Investment in 401(k) Plans' — https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3158583/
'Save More Tomorrow: Using Behavioral Economics to Increase Employee Saving' — https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/380085
'Annuitization Puzzles' — https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jep.25.4.143
'The Market for Financial Advice: An Audit Study' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w17929
'Understanding the Advice of Commissions-Motivated Agents: Evidence from the Indian Life Insurance Market' — e57f-4aea-9630-316aa4b772ce.pdf"> https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/12-055_13c23c02-e57f-4aea-9630-316aa4b772ce.pdf
'Fiduciary Duty and the Market for Financial Advice' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w25861
'Conflicting Interests and the Effect of Fiduciary Duty: Evidence from Variable Annuities' — https://academic.oup.com/rfs/article-abstract/35/12/5334/6674521
'How (not) to pay for advice: A framework for consumer financial protection' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X12000074
'Financial Advice and Bank Profits' — https://academic.oup.com/rfs/article-abstract/31/11/4447/4985213?redirectedFrom=fulltext
'The Misguided Beliefs of Financial Advisors' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jofi.12995
'Retail Financial Advice: Does One Size Fit All?' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jofi.12514
'The Ulysses option: Smoking and delegation in individual investor decisions' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1544612321003962
'Smoking hot portfolios? Trading behavior, investment biases, and self-control failure' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0927539821000463
'Exponential Growth Bias and Household Finance' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/27735191
'Money Doctors' — https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/shleifer/files/moneydoctors_journaloffinance.pdf
'The Costs and Benefits of Financial Advice' — Linnainmaa-Melzer-Previtero.pdf"> https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Shared%20Documents/conferences/2013-household-behavior-risky-asset-mkts/Costs-and-Benefits-of-Financial-Advice_Foerster-Linnainmaa-Melzer-Previtero.pdf
'Time is money: Rational life cycle inertia and the delegation of investment management' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X16300472
'Passing the buck: Delegating choices to others to avoid responsibility and blame' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597815300108#:~:text=One%20simple%20way%20to%20avoid,outcome%20on%20the%20other%20person.
'Expert financial advice neurobiologically "Offloads" financial decision-making under risk' — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19308261/
'Impact of inflated perceptions of financial literacy on financial decision making' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167487020300672
'Precautionary savings, retirement planning and misperceptions of financial literacy' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X17301551
'Behavioral and wealth considerations for seeking professional financial planning help' — services-reveiw-publication.pdf"> https://fpcanadaresearchfoundation.ca/media/khyfoso3/financial-services-reveiw-publication.pdf
'Financial literacy and the demand for financial advice' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037842661400096X
'Does financial literacy affect the value of financial advice? A contingent valuation approach' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338669648_Does_financial_literacy_affect_the_value_of_financial_advice_A_contingent_valuation_approach
'How financial literacy shapes the demand for financial advice at older ages' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212828X21000220
'Depression Babies: Do Macroeconomic Experiences Affect Risk Taking?' — https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/126/1/373/1901343?redirectedFrom=fulltext
'(Over)insuring Modest Risks’ — https://www.jstor.org/stable/25760237
'The Mismatch Between Life Insurance Holdings and Financial Vulnerabilities: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study' — https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/000282803321455340
'Saving and Life Insurance Holdings at Boston University - A Unique Case Study' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/23877728
'Who is internationally diversified? Evidence from the 401(k) plans of 296 firms' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X16302483?via%3Dihub
'Is conflicted investment advice better than no advice?' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X20301537
'How Does Household Portfolio Diversification Vary with Financial Literacy and Financial Advice?' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jofi.12231
'Financial Advice and Individual Investor Portfolio Performance' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/41493871
'Financial advisors: A case of babysitters?' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378426611002548
'Professional financial advice, self-control and saving behavior' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijcs.12480
'Do contracts influence comprehensive financial advice?' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1429807
'The Value of Financial Advice' — https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadepfau/2015/07/21/the-value-of-financial-advice/?sh=6b13feda1333
How the financial system works and how we interact with it has grown in complex ways and is a fascinating but nuanced topic. To guide us through the history of the economy is Professor William Goetzmann, who is an expert in finance, economics and art history, and whose research has been featured in top publications. As a highly respected scholar, he's authored numerous books on topics such as real estate and behavioural finance. It is fair to say Professor Goetzmann's work has left a significant impact on both academia and the world. In our conversation, we dive into financial market history and explore more than just broad market returns. We unpack the fascinating phenomenon of economic bubbles and booms, and how they have evolved and shaped the financial system. He also shares crucial insights from the past and advice for investors looking to leverage the market. And to wrap things up, Professor Goetzmann shares his views on money after digging deep into its historical roots. Tune in to unlock the secrets of the past and gain valuable insights for the future as we journey through the fascinating world of economic history. Tune in now!
Key Points From This Episode:
• Why is it important to collect and examine long-term historical returns data, and how useful the findings can be for today’s market. (0:03:21)
• The furthest back in time that Professor William Goetzmann has looked at equity returns and how much of an issue survivorship bias is in long-term historical data. (0:05:44)
• Reasons for the United States market trends concerning equity risk premiums and his approach to forecasting long-term returns of both stocks and bonds. (0:11:02)
• Whether current discount rates are better for estimating future returns than long-term historical returns. (0:17:08)
• How the markets of today compare to the markets of the 1900s, and whether investor behaviour has changed. (0:18:42)
• Learn how global finance changed after the First World War and how likely a global financial meltdown is. (0:23:35)
• What to consider when investing internationally and whether Canadian investors should be biased towards their home country. (0:28:23)
• Hear Professor Goetzmann’s definition of an asset price bubble and his approach to studying economic bubbles and booms. (0:32:44)
• Overview of the economic bubble and boom trends and crucial advice he has for investors regarding a market run-up. (0:36:18)
• An explanation for negative bubble behaviour and how well market crashes align with investor expectations. (0:41:46)
• The role of media in influencing investor behaviour, and whether long-term investors should ignore news from the financial media. (0:47:35)
• What Professor Goetzmann has learned from studying bubble dynamics, and his advice for investing in transformative technologies. (0:52:50)
• Professor Goetzmann’s book Money Changes Everything, his definition of money, and if money pre-dates trusted authorities. (0:57:47)
• The role of money in finance and a brief outline of how finance played a role in the development of modern civilization. (1:02:13)
• Professor Goetzmann’s definition of success. (1:06:08)
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Book From Today’s Episode:
Money Changes Everything: How Finance Made Civilization Possible — https://amzn.to/3KqOYzX
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Prof. William Goetzmann on Twitter — https://twitter.com/wgoetzmann
Prof. William Goetzmann — https://som.yale.edu/faculty-research/faculty-directory/william-n-goetzmann
'History and the Equity Risk Premium' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=702341
'The present value relation over six centuries: The case of the Bazacle company' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X18302836?via%3Dihub
'A Century of Global Stock Markets' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=225683
'Will History Rhyme?' — research.com/content/30/5/34">https://jpm.pm-research.com/content/30/5/34
'New evidence on the first financial bubble' — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X12002541
'Bubble Investing: Learning from History' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w21693#:~:text=History%20is%20important%20to%20the,sample%20size%20for%20inference%20small.
'Negative bubbles: What happens after a crash' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eufm.12164
'Crash Beliefs From Investor Surveys — https://www.nber.org/papers/w22143
'Crash Narratives' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w30195
There’s been a lot of interest in the topic of bank runs lately, and in today’s episode, we take a look at the most relevant research to help us better understand why they happen and how they can be avoided. Our conversation unpacks the 2022 Nobel prize-winning work of Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig and examines the three primary risks that banks need to navigate to avoid a bank run related crisis. We discuss the immense value that banks provide and how they keep the economy moving, before reflecting on how their most valuable services are inexorably tied to the risk of bank runs. You’ll also learn about the role of the media in triggering a bank run, and how the problems that arise with bank runs can be addressed through a combination of deposit insurance, bank regulation, and a diverse customer base — all of which are designed to keep depositors from panicking simultaneously. We also revisit a past conversation with Jonathan Clements, before catching up with him in real time to discuss his new book My Money Journey: How 30 People Found Financial Freedom - and You Can Too. Tune in for an in-depth look at bank runs, the value of writing your money story, and a timely reminder that when you’re making a deposit, you’re actually lending money to the bank.
Key Points From This Episode:
• An introduction to the topic of bank runs including an overview of the Nobel prize-winning work done on the subject in 2022. (0:02:12)
• The three primary risks you need to manage as a bank in order to be a successful business. (0:07:28)
• Why liquidity, illiquidity, and duration risk can pose a problem, even for healthy banks. (0:12:47)
• How news stories can create unwarranted panic and cause a bank run, even if a bank isn’t experiencing problems. (0:16:02)
• The multiple equilibria of banks as outlined in the Diamond and Dybvig paper. (0:16:31)
• How deposit insurance can function as a solution, at least in part, to bank runs. (0:19:34)
• What the Diamond and Dybvig paper teaches us about the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) bank run. (0:21:35)
• The difference between households and banks, and the lessons households can learn from the narrative around bank runs. (0:22:59)
• A quick recap of our conversation with Jonathan Clements and a review of his new book My Money Journey: How 30 People Found Financial Freedom - and You Can Too. (0:27:16)
• We welcome Jonathan Clements back onto the show to discuss his new book and why he wrote it. (0:32:00)
• What readers can expect to learn from Jonathan’s book, like the impact parents have on your financial beliefs, and what inspires people to reassess their finances. (0:34:31)
• The impact of early habits on our finances. (0:38:36)
• Jonathan’s insights into the financial service industry, its complexity, and how our risk tolerance can shift over time. (0:40:19)
• Why regret in financial decision-making is virtually unavoidable and the value of writing your money story. (0:44:22)
• Past and upcoming meetups, feedback from our listeners, and a reminder of our 23 in 23 Reading Challenge. (0:47:42)
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Book From Today’s Episode:
My Money Journey: How 30 people found financial freedom - and you can too — https://amzn.to/439D5Hw
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Jonathan Clements on Twitter — https://twitter.com/clementsmoney
Jonathan Clements on LinkedIn —https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanclements
Jonathan Clements on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/ClementsMoney
Jonathan Clements — http://HumbleDollar.com
Episode 55: Jonathan Clements — https://rationalreminder.ca/podcast/55
'Bank Runs, Deposit Insurance, and Liquidity' — https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/261155
'Liquidity Risk, Liquidity Creation, and Financial Fragility: A Theory of Banking' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/319552
'Why didn't Canada have a banking crisis in 2008 (or in 1930, or 1907, or . . .)' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/43910017
'Long-Horizon Losses in Stocks, Bonds, and Bills: Evidence from a Broad Sample of Developed Markets' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3964908
Human beings are undeniably complex, and what motivates us can often be a mystery, even to ourselves. So, how do we go about gathering and analyzing the data that will help us answer the most fundamental questions about our lives and our purpose? The answers may lie in an unexpectedly rich source of knowledge, our regrets. While regret is likely to have a decidedly negative connotation for most of us, it is also extremely powerful and can teach us a great deal about ourselves and what we value. It is an emotion that is present in all of us, and social scientists (like anthropologists and sociologists) have been fascinated by the subject for decades. Today on the show, we are joined by one such expert, Daniel Pink, author of the book The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. In our conversation, Daniel shares details about the research he conducted for his book, how he determined the four main categories of regret, and what we can learn from our regrets by confronting them head-on. We also discuss Daniel’s 2011 New York Times Bestselling title, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, and what he thinks about working from home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Daniel is an exceptional storyteller and is highly knowledgeable on the subjects of regret, motivation, and the important role they play in our lives. To learn more about the many facets of regret and how it can help you thrive, be sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
● Understanding regret as an emotion, why it differs from disappointment, and how regret can help us make better decisions. (0:03:00)
● The four main types of regret (foundation, boldness, moral, and connections) and the methodology Daniel used to determine them. (0:07:30)
● The role that outcomes play when it comes to boldness regrets. (0:13:09)
● Why Daniel believes connection regret is so common, and what regret reveals about our values. (0:14:13)
● The World Regret Survey that Daniel conducted as a systematic survey of regret, and his findings that regrets of inaction tend to stay with us much longer. (0:17:14)
● What people can learn from past financial decisions that they regret and the challenge of addressing foundation regrets. (0:20:42)
● The surprising benefits of regrets and how to learn from them. (0:21:31)
● How regret anticipation can be used to help people save for retirement. (0:22:46)
● Daniel’s system for addressing feelings of regret, why it’s important to confront them rather than wallow in them, and the importance of being kind to yourself. (0:24:01)
● The overwhelming amount of decisions we make in our lives, when to choose the best versus something that is good enough, and how to optimize future regret. (0:27:56)
● An overview of the many complex factors that motivate people, intrinsic and external motivators, and how Daniel’s research on regret affected his perspective on motivation. (0:31:16)
● Daniel’s thoughts on working from home when considering autonomy, mastery, purpose, and motivation. (0:37:17)
● The motivational model that Daniel sets out in his book Drive and some of the common misconceptions he has observed in reporting on his book. (0:39:33)
● Why people are purpose maximizers, not profit maximizers, and how this should impact the leadership of a company. (0:41:26)
● Daniel’s response to the question “How do you define success in your life?” and why he doesn’t think about the word ‘success’ very much. (0:47:08)
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Books From Today’s Episode:
The Power of Regret — https://amzn.to/42HArID
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us — https://amzn.to/40jDpl7
To Sell Is Human — https://amzn.to/3K9M2ci
Free Agent Nation — https://amzn.to/40knovb
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Daniel H. Pink on Twitter — https://twitter.com/danielpink
Daniel H. Pink — https://www.danpink.com/
Goal-setting is essential for personal and professional growth, helping individuals clarify their priorities, stay focused, and achieve success. We are pleased to welcome guests Samantha Lamas and Danielle Labotka to help us unpack the topic of goal-setting and how it relates to finance. Samantha Lamas is a Senior Behavioural Researcher at Morningstar and a recipient of the Montgomery-Warschauer Award for her research in financial planning. Her work centres on investor engagement and the factors that influence an individual's decisions when it comes to investing and managing their finances. As a Behavioral Scientist at Morningstar, Danielle Labotka examines the impact of various cognitive and linguistic factors on investors’ financial decisions. Her research involves studying investors' behaviours, preferences, and attitudes in both everyday and financial planning situations. In our conversation with Samantha and Danielle, we gain insights into financial behaviour and decision-making, the biggest barriers to goal-setting, what deeper goals are, and how to focus on them. Then, we speak to Mark McGrath, who is licensed in insurance, holds several professional designations, including a Chartered Investment Manager and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and has more than a decade of experience in the industry. Mark tells us the emotional story about his dad, what motivated him to share his experience, and why you need to start thinking about retirement now. Finally, we review a past episode with Dennis Moseley Williams, a book from Will Storr, and go through feedback from the Rational Reminder community. Tune in now!
Content Warning: Some of the discussion in this episode is about suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts about self-harm, help is available. In Canada: 1.833.456.4566 or at https://suicideprevention.ca/resources/
Key Points From This Episode:
• How we became acquainted with the Morningstar team and background about our guests. (0:02:29)
• An outline of the common obstacles faced in identifying the correct goals, and how it impacts financial advisors. (0:06:08)
• Danielle explains the approach used to analyze qualitative data and how the results compared to the Rational Reminder findings. (0:09:07)
• How the goals identified changed as respondents progressed through the survey, and insights gained from the process. (0:11:23)
• The main takeaway from the analysis of how people should approach goal-setting and how financial advisors can leverage the research findings. (0:17:53)
• Outline of current gaps and what is the next step for behavioural research. (0:20:59)
• Find out what compelled Mark to share the tweet about his dad and he takes us through the story. (0:23:00)
• How the experience regarding his dad has influenced his work as a financial advisor. (0:40:50)
• Mark shares how the experience has impacted his approach to life. (0:42:25)
• A final takeaway message that Mark has for listeners. (0:44:23)
• Highlights and key takeaways from a past episode with Dennis Moseley Williams. (0:45:52)
• This week's book review of The Status Game, and why it is a must-read. (0:48:44)
• Research findings concerning macro socio-economic status and work ethic. (0:54:03)
• We discuss interesting news and events, riskless assets, the advantages of Twitter, and the latest reviews for the show. (0:57:05)
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Book From Today’s Episode:
The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It — https://amzn.to/40vVLix
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Samantha Lamas on Twitter — https://twitter.com/SamanthaLamas4
Mark McGrath on Twitter — https://twitter.com/MarkMcGrathCFP
Samantha Lamas on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/slamas/
Mark McGrath on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcgrathcfp/
'Mining for Goals' — 0bf5-4321-9a4a-e04a82a11597.pdf"> http://static.fmgsuite.com/media/documents/8b5abbe8-0bf5-4321-9a4a-e04a82a11597.pdf
When it comes to the world of investing, there are many options available to consumers. The range of financial products available can be overwhelming and confusing. Additionally, investing is not only about the rate of return but also about what you are investing for and why. To help us unpack this complicated subject is Charles Ellis, a highly respected investment consultant and founder of Greenwich Associates, a strategy firm focused on financial institutions. He is also a famous author and has written several books on the topic of finance and investment, such as Winning the Loser's Game which provides readers with insights into making the best financial decisions in an increasingly unpredictable market. In our conversation, we discuss why indexing is the better investment option, how the investment space has changed over time, tailoring your investment decisions to suit your needs and desires, and why looking at the bigger financial picture is essential. We also delve into why investors can be their own worst enemies, what advisors and investors should avoid, the theme of his book Inside Vanguard, various investment strategies, and much more. Tune in and hear insights on indexing, wise investing, and how to win the ultimate game from industry legend Charles Ellis!
Key Points From This Episode:
• Charles explains what he means by ‘a loser's game’ and provides examples. (0:03:51)
• How the perception of active management has changed since publishing Winning the Loser's Game. (0:08:00)
• He unpacks how the market and market competition has changed since 1975. (0:10:33)
• Whether the sentiment towards active management has become too negative. (0:17:24)
• Discover why Charles thinks indexing is the best and preferred investment option. (0:19:22)
• His opinion on low-cost systematic strategies that seek higher expected returns in the market by owning riskier stocks. (0:24:55)
• Why investors and advisors should avoid trying to time or beat the market. (0:27:19)
• The value and importance of a well-defined investment policy statement. (0:33:34)
• Find out how investors can protect themselves from themselves. (0:34:58)
• An underappreciated approach that investors can take to be more successful. (0:36:26)
• Hear whether fee differentials between index and active strategies are understood well. (0:37:17)
• Charles shares how his mindset has changed over the course of his career. (0:41:47)
• Find out if institutions and endowments respect low-cost index investing. (0:42:42)
• What he thinks about bringing exotic asset classes to retail investors. (0:44:45)
• Reasons why investment management should be considered a full-time profession. (0:46:50)
• The biggest opportunities he sees in future for investment management. (0:49:20)
• Hear about the difference between price discovery and value discovery. (0:50:09)
• Discover why Vanguard has been so successful as a company. (0:53:27)
• The theme of his book, Inside Vanguard, and if it relates to other businesses. (0:58:17)
• Lessons he has learned regarding personal motivation and productivity. (1:00:28)
• Charles tells us his definition of success. (1:03:35)
• An outtake from the episode: the role of luck. (1:05:21)
Participate in our 23 in 23 Reading Challenge:
23 in 23 Reading Challenge — https://rationalreminder.ca/23in23
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Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
https://community.rationalreminder.ca/t/episode-244-the-losers-game-episode-discussion/22558
Books From Today’s Episode:
Winning the Loser's Game: Timeless Strategies for Successful Investing — https://amzn.to/3FrNKmt
Inside Vanguard — https://amzn.to/3TlwrcG
What It Takes: Seven Secrets of Success from the World's Greatest Professional Firms — https://amzn.to/3Thgm7z
Capital: The Story of Long-Term Investment Excellence — https://amzn.to/3FpiHb5
Figuring It Out: Sixty Years of Answering Investors' Most Important Questions — https://amzn.to/3LknZZ8
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582. Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Debt can play an essential role in financial planning in several ways, such as financing large purchases, building credit, managing cash flow, and leveraging investments. However, it's important to remember that taking on too much debt can also have negative consequences that could impact your financial future. Therefore, it's vital to carefully consider your options and ensure that any debt you take on is manageable and aligns with your overall financial goals. In this episode, we talk about the essential aspects of debt and the role of debt in financial planning, and we unpack the two major forms of debt. Learn about debt in financial planning, consumption smoothing, the mindset and psychology behind debt, the risk that comes with debt, how credit cards impact how people interact with their money, integrated financial planning, and important aspects of mortgages. We also review a past episode with guest Dan Solin and the book, The Five Most Important Questions, which provides readers with a tool for self-assessment and transformation concerning productivity in the workplace.
Key Points From This Episode:
• The role of debt in financial planning and the distinction between good and bad debt. (0:08:16)
• A brief overview of mortgages, credit cards, and their associated risks. (0:11:31)
• Consequences of borrowing money at a high-interest rate, and how financial literacy impacts effective debt management. (0:13:20)
• The psychological aspects related to debt and consumer spending. (0:16:10)
• Outlining the psychological interactions of established debt on mental well-being. (0:18:15)
• Credit cards, what they offer, and their psychological effect on paying. (0:22:10)
• Costs associated with not using a credit card. (0:28:45)
• Why mortgage debt is considered good debt for the borrower and the different facets of mortgages to consider. (0:32:48)
• The difference between fixed and adjustable mortgage rates and which is better. (0:37:25)
• Highlights and key takeaways from a past episode with Dan Solin. (0:46:06)
• A review of the book, The Five Most Important Questions and why we recommend it. (0:47:47)
• How the questions from the book relate to household decision-making. (0:51:18)
• A testament to Dan Wheeler and his contribution to the field of finance. (0:52:55)
• Recent interviews with Ben, upcoming guests, other interesting financial content, and our book recommendations. (0:56:33)
• A 23 in 23 book challenge update, feedback on the show, and upcoming meetups. (01:01:35)
Participate in our 23 in 23 Reading Challenge:
23 in 23 Reading Challenge — https://rationalreminder.ca/23in23
23 in 23 Reading Challenge on Beanstalk — https://pwlcapital.beanstack.org/
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582.
Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Extra References:
The role of debt
'Life Cycle, Individual Thrift, and the Wealth of Nations' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/1813352
'Diversification Across Time' — research.com/content/39/2/73">https://jpm.pm-research.com/content/39/2/73
'Debt literacy, financial experiences, and over indebtedness' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282436829_Debt_Literacy_Financial_Experiences_and_Over_Indebtedness
'Restoring Rational Choice: The Challenge of Consumer Financial Regulation' — https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/campbell/files/elylecturejan182016.pdf
'Attitudes towards Debt and Debt Behavior' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sjoe.12419
'Expenditure Cascades' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1690612
'Consumer debt and satisfaction in life' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341564180_Consumer_debt_and_satisfaction_in_life
'Good credit, bad credit: The differential role of the sources of debt in life satisfaction' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joca.12388
'Debt and Overindebtedness: Psychological Evidence and its Policy Implications' — https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sipr.12074
'Winning the Battle but Losing the War: The Psychology of Debt Management' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249644425_Winning_the_Battle_But_Losing_the_War_The_Psychology_of_Debt_Management
'Reducing debt improves psychological functioning and changes decision-making in the poor' —https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332472709_Reducing_debt_improves_psychological_functioning_and_changes_decision-making_in_the_poor
Credit cards
'The Effect of Payment Transparency on Consumption: Quasi-Experiments from the Field' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/40216497
'Always Leave Home Without It: A Further Investigation of the Credit-Card Effect on Willingness to Pay' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233496571_Always_Leave_Home_Without_It_A_Further_Investigation_of_the_Credit-Card_Effect_on_Willingness_to_Pay
'Present-Biased Preferences and Credit Card Borrowing' — https://www0.gsb.columbia.edu/mygsb/faculty/research/pubfiles/3531/AEJ_Meier_Sprenger.pdf
'How Credit Card Payments Increase Unhealthy Food Purchases: Visceral Regulation of Vices' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/657331
'Distributional Effects of Payment Card Pricing and Merchant Cost Pass-through in the United States and Canada' — https://www.bankofcanada.ca/2021/02/staff-working-paper-2021-8/
'Popular Personal Financial Advice versus the Professors' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w30395
'Buy Now, Pay Later Credit: User Characteristics and Effects on Spending Patterns' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w30508
Mortgages
'Report of the Household Finance Committee' — https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/PublicationReport/Pdfs/HFCRA28D0415E2144A009112DD314ECF5C07.PDF
'Household Risk Management and Optimal Mortgage Choice' —https://www.jstor.org/stable/25053944
'Failure to refinance' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w20401
'A Model of Mortgage Default' — https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/campbell/files/mortdefault13022014.pdf
The intersection between economics and psychology makes the subject of personal finance complex. To help us elucidate this topic is personal finance reporter at the Globe and Mail and the author of the bestselling book "Money Like You Mean It, Personal Finance Tactics for the Real World.", Erica Alini. Her journey into finance journalism began when she started working for the Wall Street Journal immediately after the financial crisis of 2007/08. Since then, Erica has become an accomplished writer and journalist, having worked for many respected organizations. She is also the author of a best-selling book, Money Like You Mean It, which provides readers with a nuanced understanding of the economic forces that shape financial struggles and how to overcome them. In this conversation, we talk to Erica about the importance of knowing yourself and your debt, the money bucket system, and the definition of financial abuse. We also discuss the various types of debt traps people should avoid, the dangers of micropayments, and what to be aware of when looking for a mortgage, as well as advice for finding a reliable mortgage broker, the avalanche versus the snowball model, and much more. Tune in to discover how to take back control of your finances and avoid the burden of debt with personal finance expert, Erica Alini.
Key Points From This Episode:
• Why Erica thinks Canadians have so much household debt. (0:02:24)
• Strategies that people can implement to avoid the debt trap. (0:04:58)
• Erica’s opinion on budgeting as a tool to manage spending. (0:08:34)
• How the ‘bucketing model’ changes for a couple as opposed to an individual. (0:12:10)
• How couples with different incomes should share expenses. (0:14:17)
• Signs of an unhealthy financial relationship between partners. (0:17:06)
• The amount of money an emergency fund should have. (0:21:17)
• What consumers should know about the different debt products available. (0:24:08)
• Discover the downside of taking a mortgage with the lowest interest rate. (0:33:55)
• Whether or not an independent mortgage broker is better than a bank. (0:38:05)
• Important insights about credit scores. (0:39:51)
• Whether people should rent or buy property. (0:45:13)
• How the traditional sense of a good job with sufficient income has changed. (0:50:34)
• Erica’s approach to explaining the risk of investing in stocks. (0:56:46)
• Insights about the math of a financial decision versus the psychology. (0:58:25)
• How Erica defines success in her life. (1:00:29)
Extra: Questions to ask a mortgage broker:
1. What kind of penalty will you have to pay for breaking your contract?
2. Is the cap on your lump-sum payments 10 percent or 20 percent of your mortgage balance?
3. Will you be able to make lump-sum payments any time or just once a year?
4. Can you double your payments?
Participate in our 23 in 23 Reading Challenge:
23 in 23 Reading Challenge — https://rationalreminder.ca/23in23
23 in 23 Reading Challenge on Beanstalk — https://pwlcapital.beanstack.org/
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Book From Today’s Episode:
Money Like You Mean It — https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459748675-money-like-you-mean-it
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582.
Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Erica Alini on Twitter — https://twitter.com/ealini
Today we are spending most of the episode going further into the basic concepts that ground good financial practices and the personal finance topics that are often taken for granted. The three main areas we unpack in this episode are the cost of living, savings capacity, and emergency funds, and though these can be viewed as basic ideas, there are always areas of the simplest variety that deserve more attention. Listeners can also expect to hear a little more about what our role as financial advisors constitutes on a daily basis, as we respond to an audience member's question about how to conceptualize the profession. We welcome Dr. Wendall Mascarenhas back to the show for a brief cameo in which he shares his reading habits and approach with us, which contrasts with some of the opinions often expressed by other guests, so make sure to stay tuned in for that. We also find time for a quick recap of an old episode we had with Rick Ferri and a book review of Rethink Lead Generation by Tom Shapiro.
Key Points From This Episode:
• Discussing the cost of living and why an accurate picture of your expenses is so important. (0:04:08)
• Working out your saving capacity and when and how to save. (0:21:32)
• General advice for emergency funds and further considerations for households. (0:32:51)
• Recapping our episode with Rick Ferri on his index investing philosophy and the lasting impact of John Bogle. (0:40:21)
• This week's book review of Rethink Lead Generation by Tom Shapiro. (0:42:26)
• Dr. Wendall Mascarenhas talks about his reading habits and his prioritization of reading for pleasure. (0:49:23)
• A few favourite book recommendations from Dr. Wendall Mascarenhas. (0:58:12)
• Current debates around ChatGPT and the sources of its information. (1:06:18)
• Information about upcoming meetups for the Rational Reminder community. (1:09:38)
• Further explorations on our recent goals survey and the input we received from Morningstar. (1:11:00)
Participate in our 23 in 23 Reading Challenge:
23 in 23 Reading Challenge — https://rationalreminder.ca/23in23
23 in 23 Reading Challenge on Beanstalk — https://pwlcapital.beanstack.org/
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582.
Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Dr. Wendall Mascarenhas — https://www.fcos.ca/meet-dr-mascarenhas/
Teeth & Titanium Podcast — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teeth-titanium/id1514989809
Extra References:
Savings capacity
'Popular Personal Financial Advice versus the Professors' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w30395
'The Life-Cycle Model Implies That Most Young People Should Not Save for Retirement' — https://www.aei.org/research-products/journal-publication/the-life-cycle-model-implies-that-most-young-people-should-not-save-for-retirement/
'Exponential-Growth Bias and Lifecycle Consumption' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/43965317
'Save More Tomorrow™: Using Behavioral Economics to Increase Employee Saving' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/380085
Emergency fund
'What Matters to Individual Investors? Evidence from the Horse's Mouth' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jofi.12895
'Millionaires Speak: What Drives Their Personal Investment Decisions?' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w27969
'Emergency savings for low-income consumers' — https://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus/pdfs/foc301c.pdf
'Emergency Saving and Household Hardship' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269468202_Emergency_Saving_and_Household_Hardship
'Savings Policy and Decisionmaking in Low-Income Households' — https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289069441_Savings_Policy_and_Decisionmaking_in_Low-Income_Households
'Insufficient Funds: Savings, Assets, Credit, and Banking Among Low-Income Households' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7758/9781610445887
'Financially Fragile Households: Evidence and Implications' — https://www.nber.org/papers/w17072
'One in four Canadians are unable to cover an unexpected expense of $500' —eng.htm">https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230213/dq230213b-eng.htm
'Who Should Buy Long-Term Bonds?' — https://www.jstor.org/stable/2677900
‘Mental accounting matters' — 99.pdf">https://people.bath.ac.uk/mnsrf/Teaching%202011/Thaler-99.pdf
'The Bucket Approach for Retirement: A Suboptimal Behavioral Trick?' — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3274499
'Should Households Establish Emergency Funds' —https://www.proquest.com/openview/042e8ea8f8e3986ec6c93e5cfca265c0/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=38873
'Is an All Cash Emergency Fund Strategy Appropriate for All Investors?' — https://www.financialplanningassociation.org/article/all-cash-emergency-fund-strategy-appropriate-all-investors
'Building emergency savings through employer-sponsored rainy-day savings accounts' — https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/708170
'Double Mental Discounting: When a Single Price Promotion Feels Twice as Nice' — https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1509/jmr.15.0559
'The Role of Mental Accounting in Household Spending and Investing Decisions' — https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119440895.ch6
'Emergency Savings and Financial Security: Insights from the Making Ends Meet Survey and Consumer Credit Panel' — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/emergency-savings-financial-security-insights-from-making-ends-meet-survey-and-consumer-credit-panel/
The decisions we make may be further out of our control than we’d like to imagine. Today we are joined by Professor Eric J. Johnson to discuss choice architecture and its role in financial decision-making. Eric is a decision science expert and the author of the book, The Elements of Choice: Why the Way We Decide Matters. In this episode, we learn about the various factors that impact not only decision-making but the effort required to make a decision. Eric shares his philosophy on free will and shares advice for making important decisions and guiding clients to find the right choice as a financial advisor. Tune in to discover how to minimize the influence of the choice architect and take charge of your decisions!
Key Points From This Episode:
• Introducing Professor Eric J. Johnson and this week’s topic: financial decision-making. (0:00:26)
• The hidden partner that accompanies us when we make decisions. (0:03:42)
• How design choices impact our decisions. (0:04:54)
• The plausible path: what it is and how we choose it. (0:06:00)
• Advice for making important decisions. (0:08:21)
• The impact of recent events on decision-making. (0:10:33)
• How to be your own choice architect. (0:12:15)
• Factors impacting the effort required to make a decision. (0:13:22)
• The impact of default choices and what influences them. (0:16:09)
• How choice architecture can help people find the right choice. (0:20:17)
• The influence of sorting on what people choose. (0:25:18)
• How the order of options being presented and the way they’re described impact decisions. (0:26:54)
• How exponential growth bias influences long-term decisions and how financial advisors can help clients understand the impact. (0:31:45)
• The effectiveness of Netflix as a choice engine, the role choice engines play in educating users, and the value of just-in-time education. (0:35:04)
• The impact of social media on people’s attention and intentions. (0:40:08)
• Eric shares his philosophy on free will and the factors impacting our choices. (0:42:55)
• How to minimize the influence of the choice architect. (0:44:16)
• What financial advisors can do to be most useful to their clients. (0:46:00)
• How Eric defines success in his life. (0:50:12)
Participate in our 23 in 23 Reading Challenge:
23 in 23 Reading Challenge — https://rationalreminder.ca/23in23
23 in 23 Reading Challenge on Beanstalk — https://pwlcapital.beanstack.org/
Participate in our Community Discussion about this Episode:
Book From Today’s Episode:
The Elements of Choice — https://theelementsofchoice.com/
Links From Today’s Episode:
Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582.
Rational Reminder Website — https://rationalreminder.ca/
Shop Merch — https://shop.rationalreminder.ca/
Join the Community — https://community.rationalreminder.ca/
Follow us on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RationalRemind
Follow us on Instagram — @rationalreminder
Benjamin on Twitter — https://twitter.com/benjaminwfelix
Cameron on Twitter — https://twitter.com/CameronPassmore
Prof. Eric J. Johnson on Twitter — https://twitter.com/profericjohnson
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