Four years ago, Justice Scalia passed away suddenly while President Obama was in office. Republicans refused to allow a vote to come to the floor, saying that there had to be an election prior to a new Supreme Court nomination. Here’s the big question…If four years ago, you justified a different response to filling a Supreme Court vacancy, how is your opinion different for you this year? Chris speaks to multiple callers regarding their opinions. He also shares the results of a live poll on Chris’ social media page.

“Operation Warp Speed” is a program aimed at getting a COVID-19 vaccine to market before the end of the year. The question is… would you take it? Here is the issue. For the vaccine to be effective the goal is to reach herd immunity, meaning that most people must take it. However, reports have shown that 20% of Americans have flat out said that they would not take the vaccine, additionally, another 31% are unsure. Chris speaks to callers and together they discuss their thoughts regarding taking the vaccine and whether political affiliations have an impact on their opinions.

The presidential election is just nine weeks away. Now we expect that both sides, Republican and Democrat to release op-eds and research about both candidates. The big question is, what would it take at this point to change your mind on who you are voting for? Whether it’s literally voting for the other candidate or perhaps even staying home, what would it take to change your opinion regarding the upcoming election? Chris opens the discussion by taking on the recent article by The Atlantic. Do these types of articles have an impact on you? If we rewind back to 2016, President Trump said so many things that the media said would derail his chances in the election. What are the determining factors for you? NEXT, Chris discusses the role of Social Media for kids and teens during the pandemic. If kids need Social Media as a platform to connect with their peers, how do you balance keeping them safe, while respecting their desire for privacy?

A number of folks have reached out recently concerned about the impact the election could have on the stock market. The stock market is actually in record territory right now. Three months ago, no one expected this type of recovery. So the next question is, when might this change? The answer that most people are getting is that the election is going to be the big difference maker. Before the 2016 election, CNN money reported: “If Donald Trump wins, U.S. stocks will almost certainly tank.” They quoted one firm who predicted an 8% drop if Trump won, and the Brookings Institute projected a 10-15% drop. Of course, in 2016, the exact opposite happened. But the key lesson here isn’t that the market will go up or down based on who wins, it’s that we don’t win in the market by trying to predict it. So many people have come out with predictions from both the right and left. Chris shares his main concern with predictions, which is the choices we make when reacting to anxiety and fear. If we live in a cycle of fear, you are going to severely damage your portfolio long-term. Politicians are capitalizing on this like crazy right now. They are trying to push us into thinking, if the other side wins…it is going to catastrophic. It’s about managing your response to fear.

More and more of our clients fall into the sandwich generation… caring for a parent while also caring for kids. This can be very rewarding but also financially and emotionally stressful. Tara Stack joins Chris on the show and shares her story of caring for four kids and a mother with Alzheimer’s during the pandemic. Tara shares the progression of their family dynamic and the many transitions her and family remained resilient through. Together Chris and Tara discuss the increased pressures that Covid-19 brought on, as well as the financial impact of caring for a parent.

The president decided Congress was taking too long and released his own stimulus package via executive order, and neither side seem particularly happy about it. Republicans and Democrats have been arguing over this issue over the past two weeks regarding what do to when the current stimulus package ends. The President announced that he’d like to roll out a plan that includes $400 a week, but the Federal Government would only cover 75% of it ($100 would be paid by the States). NEXT, Chris dives into the other components of the proposed stimulus plan, which includes the deferral of payroll taxes. How does this work, and more importantly, how does this impact Social Security funds? ALSO, what assistance is available to renters and homeowners in the stimulus plan? Chris shares his thoughts and speak to callers about their outlook as well.

Close to 30 million Americans receive unemployment benefits, that’s about 18 billion dollars a week that funds the current unemployment program. Over the past few months Americans that qualify for unemployment have received an extra $600 in supplemental income. Should these additional benefits be continued? Unemployment aid accounts for 15% of our entire nation’s wages, which majorly impacts the economy as a whole. In fact, data suggests that unemployed Americans may be spending more than they did before the pandemic, while folks who maintained their jobs are spending less. This purchasing behavior can be attributed to a variety of reasons, one large factor being that those receiving the extra unemployment benefits are just now able to make a livable wage. So, where do we go from here? Chris speaks to multiple callers and hears their take. He discusses their thoughts regarding moving to an unemployment strategy that is balanced to fuel the economy, while still providing proper incentives for Americans to pursue employment.

Dr. Shannon Self-Brown, Department Chair and professor at Georgia State University, joins The Chris Burns Show to explain the hidden impact of Covid-19 felt by youth and our responsibility to help. Together they discuss the common ways that trauma can reveal itself in kids, and effective ways to encourage our children through this difficult time. If you do believe that you witness a child experiencing trauma or is in an unsafe environment, what do you do? Dr. Shannon Self-Brown talks through the appropriate steps to take action and what important items to consider. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed some resources for parents and families related to COVID-19: https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/disasters/pandemic-resources.

If you have kids, they are probably anxious to get back to school. Kids miss their friends and may not have a full understanding of everything that has led to the shift of their learning environment. Depending on where you live, parents this week are faced with a major decision between in-person or digital learning for their children. While everyone is trying to determine how to proceed safely, this decision is largely impactful on both parties. While kids may be adjusting to the concepts behind learning virtually, parents may not have the appropriate support system to manage work and in-home learning. Chris shares how he sees the impact of virtual learning in his own kids and speak to other parents who share their outlook as well.

Chris and Meredith Burns share stories from their early days in their marriage, including their college years and the struggles they experienced when they moved into their parent’s basement. Together, they dive into the financial expectations they had and the realities of life they had to face. So, how does the Burns Family handle their finances? They discuss tactics like playing to their personal strengths, the importance of communication, and why it is key to revisit and restructure your budget when hard times transpire. NEXT, they talk about Emergency Funds. The Burns had a large unexpected expense this summer and had to dip into their emergency fund. They talk through the ebbs and flows of their fund, and the emotions tied to using and rebuilding their emergency fund.