Certified Financial Planner Kerrie Debbs joins the show again to discuss the 401(k) trap that many Americans are falling into as they prepare for retirement. "The 401(k) Trap" also happens to be the name of an excellent e-book that Kerrie and Brian Doe co-created to help retirees avoid the missteps others make in their savings and retirement accounts. Brian & Kerrie discuss how higher taxes in the future could rob you of your retirement dreams, what will happen if an unexpected expense forces you into a higher tax bracket, and explore the benefits of maximizing your after-tax income in retirement. Learn all about The 401(k) Trap on this episode and also by downloading the e-book.

The world is constantly changing. On this episode, we'll take a look at how advancements in technology are changing our way of life and analyze what kinds of opportunities might arise because of the changing landscape. We'll explore telemedicine, remote learning, 5G, computing power, transportation and more.

You probably heard all about GameStop stock and buzzwords like short squeeze, Reddit’s Wall Street Bets, and hedge funds in the last week of January. But to understand the full story, we need to take a step back and look into what short selling is and how a hedge fund operates. Brian will define these concepts for us and explain what happened with the GameStop frenzy that has everybody talking.

When we are making financial decisions, we want to make sure that the logic and math of the plan check out. However, this is difficult to do when we get our emotions involved. Today Brain talks to us about behavioral finance and why a mix of both delayed and instant gratification can be beneficial in your plan with some practical examples.

Has the pandemic turned you into a hunk, a drunk or a chunk? As many commit to New Year's Resolutions about getting in shape physically, we hope you'll resolve to get financially fit in 2021. Brian walks us through some things you can do to organize and consolidate your financial affairs. Plus, meet Linda Montgomery, the Client Services Specialist at Livingworth Wealth Advisors with more than 20 years of experience in the banking and financial services industries. She'll share her knowledge and personal stories about durable powers of attorney, fraud protection, and more.

BitCoin was all the rage before the wild ride called 2020 happened to all of us. The digital currency made headlines in 2017 and 2018 when a single coin's value skyrocketed to almost $20,000. It then tumbled and went on a turbulent roller coaster ride through the charts. With it near all-time highs again, interest has been renewed in the controversial product. Is BitCoin a good investment? Is it right for me? How can I get in on it? These are the kinds of questions we're getting with more frequency these days. What does the average saver and investor need to know about BitCoin? We'll try to tackle some of those questions and clear a bit of the air, without getting caught in the technical fiddle-faddle, on today's show.

Do you remember the Government Cheese fiasco? Government's attempt at controlling the prices of dairy forced such a tremendous amount of cheese to be produced that it led to the creation of caves full of cheese is a shining example of how the road to ruin is paid with good intentions. On this episode, special guest Brett Danko joins Brian to talk about other examples of how government influence has impacted the markets and the economy and how we can apply the lessons learned to our own financial lives.

Sometimes it's OK to do nothing. No, we're not talking about sitting on the couch and doing nothing. Instead, we're talking about when things are going crazy in the market or there's a lot going on in your financial life that's causing you stress, sometimes it's OK to step back and do nothing. Often it gets you in less trouble than trying to react. We'll talk about this idea with Brian as we analyze investor reactions throughout 2020 and as we look ahead to next year.

Some of the traditional pillars of retirement income are almost non-existent (Pensions) or severely fractured (Social Security). It leaves the final pillar of personal savings (your 401(k)) as the last pillar standing. But new assaults are threatening the security of this final pillar. We call it The 401(k) Trap. Join us on this episode as we explore the (surprisingly) long history of pensions, how their general demise gave way to the 401(k), and how we can take certain actions today to make sure your retirement income is left intact on your way to, and through, retirement. You can also download a special report that Brian Doe has created by the same name as this podcast. Check out The 401(k) Trap for more information on this subject. It includes a helpful bonus checklist to help you assess your retirement preparedness.

The 2020 Presidential Election is still ongoing as we record this bonus episode of Make The Dough Rise. Brian gives us a look back at the week through a financial lens (as of Friday morning) to see what the election uncertainty has meant for the markets so far, and what this reaction possibly tells us about near and long term financial prospects.