Gimme Some Truth | Investing, Financial Advice for High-Net-Worth Families and Individuals

The holiday season is upon us, and so is the stress of what to get for the loved ones in our lives. You could purchase the latest toy or technology. But what if you want to step outside of the proverbial gift box and do something for your kids or grandkids that will last longer than the newest version of the iPhone? That’s where this episode of Gimme Some Truth comes in. Nate and Mitch gather in our somewhat festive studio to discuss financially-minded gift options that have the potential to keep on giving – contributions to accounts like a 529 savings plan, 401k, or Roth IRA for your younger generations of loved ones. And while it’s a holiday-minded topic, as Nate reminds us, these types of gifts don’t have to be given just during the holidays. Questions about this topic or other things you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Send us an email at podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS Investor.gov Compound Interest Calculator: https://bit.ly/3Wr8LUi Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2LTfuwc_6t4 Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

How old is your financial advisor? For many, the image that first comes to mind of a financial advisor is an older man. And there’s data to back that up. Around 40% of financial advisors are set to retire in the next 10 years, which will ultimately shake up the advising landscape. In this episode of Gimme Some Truth, we gathered our three youngest advisors at Walkner Condon – Alicia Vande Ven, Candidate for CFP® Certification, M.S.; Mitch DeWitt, CFP®, MBA; and Polly Price – to discuss the future of advising, a future they'll be a part of. Alica, Mitch, and Polly each draw on statistics they gathered related to the theme of the episode, opening up the floor to cover what that means for clients of financial advisors, the implications for the businesses of those retiring advisors, and more.  Questions about this topic or other things you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Send us an email at podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS 40% of Advisory Assets to Transition in Next 10 Years: http://bit.ly/3Ey1GKq Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sPPjGnw-k7s Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

In this brand-new episode of Gimme Some Truth, we delve into a topic we haven’t covered previously on the podcast – Commercial Real Estate. MLG Capital real estate analyst Jorgio Hopkins – a Madison native and UW-Madison grad – sits down with Walkner Condon's Jonathon Jordan, CFP, CEPA, and Nate Condon to cover the basics of this potential investing avenue. They go over the essentials of the sector, how broader investing themes like COVID-19 & interest rates have impacted commercial real estate, and how potential investors can access these types of investments. Questions about this topic or other topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes? Send us an email at podcast@walknercondon.com.  LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

How did the markets fare in the third quarter? What trends are unfolding this year? And what’s on the horizon for the rest of the year? Nate Condon and Clint Walkner unearth the answers to those questions (and more) in this bonus episode of Gimme Some Truth, our Q3 market recap. Armed with data from JPMorgan’s Guide to the Markets, Clint & Nate explore the drivers of inflation, U.S. market outperformance, bonds, and more. Questions related to this podcast or topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes of Gimme Some Truth? Send an email to podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS JPMorgan: Guide to the Markets Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

Is it 2018 again? Several of the financial factors at play this year are very evocative of four years ago. So much so, in fact, that Walkner Condon financial advisors Mitch DeWitt and Nate Condon thought about just re-posting this 2018 market commentary episode titled, “Should We Be Freaking Out Right Now?” Instead, we thought better of that idea and decided on using a few audio highlights of that episode in a fresh recording with advisors Mitch, Nate, and Polly Price. They cover the similarities in mortgage rates, yield curve, and the Federal Funds Rate, and once again pose the question, ‘Should we be freaking out right now?’ Questions about this episode or other topics related to investing and retirement planning? Send us an email at podcast@walknercondon.com or head to the links section below. LINKS Should We Be Freaking Out Right Now - Original Episode As Fall Falls: A Market Prospective (Blog) Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

The words ‘budget’ and ‘budgeting’ often carry negative connotations: “It’s not in the budget” or “let’s sit down and take a look at the budget.”  For high-net-worth families and individuals, it might not be the negative connotations as much as a budget seeming unnecessary if you have comfortable salaries and a disposable income cushion. And while we’re not fans of the word ‘budget’ either, we felt it was important to put the word front and center to jumpstart the conversation about what high-net-worth families should think about when it comes to the topic.  In this episode, Clint Walkner and Nate Condon are joined by Alicia Vande Ven, M.S., Candidate for CFP® Certification, to discuss cash flow management. Alicia draws on her background of scrupulously saving and spending during her college years, where she developed a cash flow management structure (and spreadsheet, of course) that she still uses to this day. Though her financial picture has changed, that cash flow management has adapted over the years to be a system that ensures her money is best being put to work. Yes, cash flow management might be a little accounting-sounding, but it's a critical exercise to make sure you’re not outspending your means and maximizing what you've earned.  LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

While this episode spans 40 minutes (long for us!) and has a variety of topics, there are comparisons to be drawn between the discussion of how pointless jumping jacks are and the meat of the episode. That is, the recent market happenings over the past year reveal issues in how financial media outlets cover financial news on a daily – and even hourly – basis. On the day of this recording, an otherwise pedestrian day in the markets, Clint pulls up one of the headlines from CNBC. That article seeks to attach reaction to Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s rate hike to the market movements, market movements that were less than 0.70% in both the Dow Jones and S&P 500. This spawns further discussion on how the financial media industry and its figureheads have trended toward being more forward-looking and predictive in recent years, forecasting that can be about as useful as jumping jacks.  But that’s not all we cover in this episode. We also go into the recent rate hikes, inflation, proper jumping jack form (not that it matters, per Clint), and more. LINKS Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

Here in Wisconsin, it’s still very much summer. But for some investors, winter has set in – crypto winter, that is. In this episode, Clint Walkner – who came dressed for the occasion – and Nate Condon discuss the sharp downturn in the cryptocurrency markets. Cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin have all plunged more than 40% in the last year. Crypto investing platforms like Voyager have filed for bankruptcy – Clint has first-hand knowledge of this, unfortunately. And there’s a lot of uncertainty about the future of crypto assets. Clint & Nate start by trying to pinpoint what type of asset crypto is and how it correlates to other assets. They also discuss other topics like the limited supply of bitcoin and why that matters, whether you’re better off in a stock or index fund when everything is down big, and more. Questions about the current state of cryptocurrency? Or things you’d like us to go more in-depth about? Send an email to podcast@walknercondon.com or check out the link section below for more information. LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

Walkner Condon is committed to producing educational content to better inform our listeners, viewers, readers, and current clients on the myriad financial topics. That's how this podcast came about. But we’re also committed to the continuing education and career advancement of our staff members. In this episode, Polly Price – who began her journey at Walkner Condon as a client service specialist – discusses her path to passing the Series 65 exam. The Series 65 is the licensing needed to become a financial advisor, and it's a big step toward Polly's goal of advising in a full-time role. LINKS Alicia's Bio Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

There’s a new face – and voice – here at Walkner Condon. In this installment of Gimme Some Truth, we get to know Alicia Vande Ven, the newest fee-only financial advisor on our team that works with clients locally in the Madison area (and around the country).  Alicia has quite the background – from working in Human Resources at Epic Systems in Madison, owning a homemade candle business, becoming a financial advisor, and being the parents of three kids. And outside of work, as she likes to put it, she enjoys being outdoors just as much as being indoors. Find out more about what makes her a self-proclaimed geek with a tan, what one of her favorite parts of financial planning is (hint: death and [blank]), and what drove her to go down the path of becoming an advisor. LINKS Alicia's Bio Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

After hosting our State of the Market Webinar on July 13, we thought it important to cover similar subjects from that webinar in a more condensed, audio-friendly fashion.  Nate Condon and Clint Walkner team up to explore trends in the market through the first half of 2022. They go over year-to-date stocks and bonds performance – plus a look back on stocks and bonds – treasuries and mortgages, inflation, the inverted yield curve, and more.  Questions, comments, or anything else you'd like us to cover on the markets so far in 2022? Don't hesitate to reach out to us via email at podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS Watch on YouTube Watch State of the Market Webinar State of the Market Presentation Slides Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

After somehow finding themselves in a somewhat brief 10-minute aside about Kraft Mac & Cheese, Taco Bell, Disneyland, and waterparks, Clint Walkner and Nate Condon dive into another installment of their journey of going from working in the Broker-Dealer (BD) space to owning and operating a Fee-Only Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm.  In this episode of B-D to Fee-Only RIA, Clint and Nate focus on scaling in terms of staffing, spacing, and technology. After starting as just Nate and Clint for the first five years, Walkner Condon grew to a third advisor in 2017 and a fourth advisor in 2018. The trend of adding an advisor for a third consecutive year in 2019, with the addition of Keith Poniewaz, who was the first member of Walkner Condon's team of U.S. expat financial advisors. Then in 2020, the firm grew by two advisors – both of whom joined the expat team – as well as the firm's first full-time marketing staff member. In four years, Walkner Condon had gone from three total staff members to nine, necessitating another addition in 2021 – a second full-time client service specialist.  That brings us to mid-2022. A move to add another advisor is in the works as of the publishing of this episode, bringing about another scaling concern – space constraints. At soon-to-be 11 total staff members split between two workspaces in the Walkner Condon building on Madison's Monroe Street, space is quickly running out. Walkner Condon moved to the current space in July 2016 and built out the separate suite in the building on Monroe St. and Glenway St. in 2018. Based on general consensus, 11 people between the two spaces seems to be the maximum for the current setup, which means another space option is in the not-do-far-off future. And all that growth has also brought on the need to become more efficient with technology. One of the biggest pieces of that technology is the client web portal. Starting in mid-2021, Clint – the de-facto tech guru of the team – began the search to potentially replace Walkner Condon's existing web portal. That search ultimately culminated in early 2022 with the rollout of the new client portal, one of the biggest technology moves the firm had made, especially considering how large it had grown.  While that's the what – and not-so-concise summary – of the scaling over the last several years, listen to the episode to get Clint and Nate's take on how it happened and why. Questions about the episode or something specific you'd like to know more about? Send us an email at podcast@walknercondon.com or check out the links below.  LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Meet with an Advisor Contact Us

Like many episodes of Gimme Some Truth, this one on liability was developed from lots of advanced legwork, methodically sculpted until it reached its culmination at the time of recording. Well, that's not quite true. Clint Walkner – one of the founding partners of Walkner Condon – shared a personal anecdote about his own liability coverage a few minutes before the scheduled recording, and it snowballed from there. But, nonetheless, it's an important subject, with an actionable ending for you, the listener, from Clint. So, what would happen if your home burned down tomorrow? If you're a household employer, what if your nanny took a tumble down the stairs of your deck and broke their leg? While these are just hypothetical, there is a chance that these situations – or a version of them – could happen. And the last thing you want is to be left holding the proverbial bag when your coverage isn't sufficient. And in light of recent events – in particular, the increase in home values as well as home renovations during COVID – there's a chance the coverage you started with might not be enough.  What's next? Give this episode a listen for your call to action from Clint, and then let us know if you completed the homework assignment.  Questions, comments, or anything else you'd like us to cover on this topic? Don't hesitate to reach out to us via email at podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

"With chaos, comes opportunities." What we often hear from clients and prospective clients in times of market downturn is something along the lines of, "Should I still stay invested? Or should I wait until things smooth out and re-enter later? While we certainly understand the sentiment behind wanting to get out when things are going poorly, the statistics tell a different story, especially when it comes to the proximity of the best and worst days. As Syl Michelin, CFA, alludes to in the episode – the quote featured above – some of the best days come during periods of higher volatility like we're in now. Syl is joined by Walkner Condon co-founder Clint Walkner, as well as Keith Poniewaz – a member of our team of U.S. expat financial advisors – to go deeper into the conversation of time in the market vs. timing the market. While we've dedicated some materials to this subject recently, we wanted to have a more in-depth conversation on the subject in light of how 2022 has unfolded in the markets, at least so far.  Questions, comments, or anything else you'd like us to cover on this topic? Don't hesitate to reach out to us via email at podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS CNBC: Why you may miss the market’s best days if you sell amid high volatility Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

Thinking of starting your own independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Firm? Or maybe mulling a move from one of the big wirehouses to an RIA? A few years back (circa 2019), the co-founders of Walkner Condon Financial Advisors – Nate Condon and Clint Walkner – sat down on Gimme Some Truth to discuss their journey from the Broker-Dealer world to the independent RIA space. Now, it's been 10 years since Nate and Clint first opened the doors to their financial planning firm. Plenty has happened in the last few years alone, much less the last 10. In this bonus episode of GST, Nate and Clint circle back on that first conversation from a few years ago, discussing some of the more recent challenges faced as founding partners of an RIA. This conversation – one of several episodes to come over the next few months about starting an RIA – centers around the idea of staffing and firm culture. As Nate and Clint discuss, hiring the right staff and retaining them has continued to be a challenge throughout the life of Walkner Condon, particularly when it comes to support and administrative personnel. They discuss staffing as it relates to the adage, "It's not how much you can grow; it's how small can you stay," and being lean on staff on purpose. They also dive into molding the firm's culture, including the now-trademarked phrase Comfortably Unique™, how the firm goes above and beyond just the name, and the challenges of having seven equity partners. Questions about starting an RIA? Or ideas about other facets of this subject you'd like us to cover in future episodes of this mini-series? Let us know by using the link section below or by sending an email to podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us

We've covered Exchange-Traded Funds – commonly referred to as ETFs – in myriad ways on Gimme Some Truth previous to this episode. But we've never truly dedicated an episode to ETFs. So this is us doing exactly that, zooming out to go over the basics of ETFs, their history, how they compare with mutual funds, and more. Mitch DeWitt, MBA, and Jonathon Jordan, CEPA – two of the three Certified Financial Planner™ professionals in the Walkner Condon office – sit down to cover an introductory look at ETFs, including how Mitch is, in fact, slightly older than the first established ETF, SPDRs (Ticker: SPY), but too young to understand the wonders of listening to Poison on cassette with a Walkman – unlike Jonathon.  A key part of the conversation involves contrasting ETFs with mutual funds, where Jonathon brings to the fore a great analogy involving piloting. And the subject of investing in ETFs vs. individual stocks also surfaces the idea of time in the market vs. trying to time the market, a common theme with how 2022 has gone so far in the markets, especially lately. Jonathon references the figure that if you missed out on the 10 best days in the market since 1930, your overall return would be 28%. And if you had stayed the course through the good days and bad, your return would be more than 17,000% (and that's not a typo). Questions, comments or anything else? Don't hesitate to reach out to us via email at podcast@walknercondon.com. LINKS Jim Collins:  Good to Great CNBC: Missing Out on the Top 10 Days in S&P Every Decade Since 1930 Investopedia: A Brief History of ETFs Investopedia: ETF Guide Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

"It's kind of like the track runner that's getting started, gets his feet in the blocks, and then tumbles and falls down. That's pretty much what bonds are this year."  Not only is Clint's imagery very descriptive at the outset of this episode (he must've aced high school English class), but it's also quite accurate in terms of how the bond market has fared to open 2022. Many investors have bonds as at least a small part of their portfolio's holdings. But while bonds are typically viewed as a less risky investment with less volatility than things like individual stocks, they have certainly not been above the rough road in the markets, more broadly speaking, to open the year.  In this episode, Clint and Nate cover some important ground on bonds – why bonds go down in value when interest rates go up, why they've been a hot topic so far this year, and why the duration of bonds matters. As always, Clint comes prepared with a chart on the year-to-date returns of bonds, a link which you can also find in our links section below.  LINKS CHART: Year-to-Date Bond Returns Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

"Did anything work in the first quarter?" That poignant question posed by Syl Michelin, a Chartered Financial Analyst, to open this episode is more or less the underlying sentiment three months into 2022. But although it feels like the first quarter was an all-around flop, there were some things that worked from an investment standpoint in the opening stanza of the year. Syl and Stan Farmer, CFP® – one of Syl's counterparts from Walkner Condon's team of U.S. expat financial advisors – recap their main takeaways from the first quarter, the role of commodities, the impact of international conflict, and more.  LINKS Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

"You're not going to take deliveries of oil and store them in your basement." So if you're not buying and selling barrels of oil and holding them at your house, which Syl Michelin points out as a rather cumbersome commodity investing option, how do you invest in commodities as an everyday investor? And what does that look like? While we've neglected to cover commodities on the podcast previously, it's been discussed more and more because of inflation, rising oil prices in early 2022, and a higher interest rate environment. Clint Walkner – a commodities auditor in a previous life and co-founder of Walkner Condon Financial Advisors – converses with Syl, our resident in-house CFA, about all things commodities. They cover commodities' role in a portfolio, how you might get exposure to them if you're not purchasing the raw material itself, and, of course, the fascinating periodic table of commodities. Questions about anything related to commodities or specific parts of our conversation? Let us know by sending us a voice message on Spotify or emailing podcast@walknercondon.com.  LINKS Periodic Table of Commodities Watch on YouTube Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor

With all the negative news lately, it can feel like a daunting, uphill climb to find the positive pieces of information on a day-to-day basis. So instead of discussing inflation, the financial impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, or any of the other myriad topics in the news cycle, we decided to shake things up on this edition of Gimme Some Truth and talk about – well, nothing. More specifically, Nate and Clint (along with our mostly trusty producer, Dan) cover the development of this very podcast from its early days to future hopes of venturing into the video – or maybe metaverse – realm, the worst Batman, how Culvers is the Kwik Trip of fast food, MEATER® Sticks, the longest-lasting plant in our office, and more. Hopefully, you can find something enjoyable in this episode. And for those who stick around all the way until the end, there might be something special to reward your dedication to Gimme Some Truth. For those looking for financial and investing topics to dive into, we have you covered in the links below, with our 2022 Investing & Market Outlook Guide, article on market corrections, and most recent podcast on ESG investing.  LINKS 2022 Investment & Market Outlook Guide Market Correction: What it is and Why Market Corrections Matter Exploring ESG Investing - Podcast (Spotify) Exploring ESG Investing - Podcast (YouTube) Walkner Condon's YouTube Channel Contact Us Meet with an Advisor