
Invest Smarter
By David DeWitt


The FIRE Movement - Take Control of your Future with Susana Selles (EP.42)
Today I am joined by Susana Selles. She is engineering her way to Financial Independence Retire Early- FIRE. Susana is doing this by investing smarter, not harder, and has a unique perspective on asymmetric investments. She is a huge proponent of cryptos and blockchain, and she tells us about its potential. She is the host of her own excellent podcast called Say YES to FIRE: Financial Diaries of a Millennial.

What is Embedded and Decentralized Finance? How has Fintech Changed how we Bank and Invest? (EP.41)
My guest for this episode is Tristan Pelloux. He is passionate about all things fintech and is the founder of Fintechreview.net, a media website that has a mission to demystify the world of fintech.
In today's show, we get into some topics you may have heard of before but aren't really sure what they mean. After listening to this episode, you still may be confused about exactly what embedded, and decentralized finance is, but I think you'll have a better idea. Because I know I am still confused!
In this episode, we start talking about what fintech actually is because sometimes the term gets thrown around for things that don't actually qualify. Today, we talk about some of the biggest fintech themes, such as payments with companies like Stripe, and how the established banks attempt to stay relevant.
We also dive into how fintech companies are changing the way we bank and invest. We both seem to agree that some of the companies that have "democratized" investing, like Robinhood, have not been purely positives for the consumer.
We get into non-fungible tokens and how they are enabling a new way of owning assets digitally.
Episode Resources:Why is NFT a Game Changer for the Ticketing Industry?
About the Podcast:The Invest Smarter Podcast is a show with a mission to bring valuable, insightful, and practical conversations to our audience. We want to enable people to invest smarter both in their portfolios and in themselves to live a healthier, wealthier life both now and in retirement. Host Dave DeWitt is a financial advisor with DeWitt Capital Management who is passionate about helping his clients invest smarter and plan for the best possible future.

(EP.40) Keeping a Global Perspective with Award-Winning Money Manager, Jonathan Baird CFA
Jonathan is the author of the monthly report called the Global Investment Letter. After reading a few of these myself, I knew I was in for a treat. He has a wonderful, impressive, and nuanced worldview. Check it out here.
On today's show, we talk about:
Jonathan's approach to investing
What is causing inflation
Why Jonathan believes inflation will be transitory (his view is subject to change!)
Why the markets are driven by psychology
His thoughts on the durability of "meme stocks"
His thoughts on Robinhood
His advice for pre-retirees
And more!

(EP.39) The Power of the Solo 401(k) with Daniel Blue
With a solo 401(k), you have so much more flexibility when it comes to your retirement account. This week we have solo 401(k) expert Daniel Blue on the show to give the lay of the land. One of the biggest pain points with your traditional 401(k) is the incredibly limited menu of investment selection. With a solo 401(k), your investment universe is virtually unlimited, allowing you to make your retirement dollars work for you the way you want them to.
A solo 401(k) can give you the flexibility you need to access your money without triggering a taxable event, invest in real estate, pay down debt, or fund a new business venture.
Listen now to learn and become a smarter investor.
Visit Daniels website at https://www.danielblue.me/
Visit his company website at https://www.yourquest.com/

(EP.38) Banking on Yourself with Mark Willis, CFP®

(EP.1) Make the Markets Boring Again | The Low Vol Anomaly Explained (Youtube Video)
This is the first episode of our new midweek episodes, where we will be talking all about retirement planning and investing topics in a shorter format. All of these episodes will be best enjoyed on our YouTube channel, where graphics will accompany the audio. We hope you enjoy this new expansion of our Podcast/YouTube channel.
In this 15 minute podcast, you will learn what it is, why it's so surprising, theories as to why it has occurred, and reasons it may continue. In short, the age-old wisdom of more risk, more return hasn't particularly held up that well through history.
Please leave us a review if you have enjoyed our podcast!
Source of data: https://bmogamviewpoints.com/the-low-volatility-anomaly/

(EP.37) Democratizing Access to Human Financial Advice with Brian Thorp
He also turns the tables on me and asks me about my philosophy when it comes to investing in individual stocks as part of a financial plan, which I think can make working with an advisor a lot more engaging and, yes, even fun.
I encourage you to visit wealthtender.com to explore all the great things Brian is up to.

(EP.36) Growth, Inflation, Modern Monetary Theory and more with Herb Morgan
On this week's show, we are back talking about investing and the markets. Our guest is Herb W. Morgan of Efficient Market Advisors. Herb is a sharp guy, and we get into several interesting and relevant topics. We dive into inflation, and the interesting market reaction to the latest Federal Reserve update to increase their inflation forecast. However, they still maintain that inflationary pressures are largely transitory. Herb believes the bifurcated market reaction, with value stocks all of a sudden rolling over and growth catching a big bid, is a sign of growth regaining a leadership position. We also discuss the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) experiment and the risk that it ultimately leads to unknown but potentially dangerous unintended consequences. We talk about the US Dollar's role as the reserve currency for the world, Bitcoin's potential as a true currency, and much more. We have a wide-ranging and dynamic conversation that will help bring you up to speed in the markets. Herb has a fantastic podcast called Slaying Bulls & Bears, where every week, he breaks down the market in a methodical, data-driven, and compelling way. Listen to his podcast here. Enjoy this week's episode.

(EP.35) Investing In Yourself with Million Dollar Collar Founder Rob Kessler

(EP.34) How Abbie Leibowitz Started a Business to Simplify Health Insurance

(EP.33) A Wealth Secret you Probably Haven't Heard of With Sean Adams
Sean Adams is the CEO of Leveraged Life Management. His goal is to help the wealthy change their relationship with their money and become their own banker. Rather than try and explain it here, listen to the episode, and let me know what you think by emailing at investsmarterpod@gmail.com. The concept he introduces was new to me and it is probably new to you, so I hope you find this interview interesting and valuable. Note: The information in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should be viewed as specific investment advice.
Download Sean's free Ebook here
Visit his website here.

(EP.32) The Do's and Don'ts of Asset Location
Want to make sure your assets are properly located? Get a free retirement assessment at www.dewittcm.com/retirement-assessment
Note: The information in this podcast is for educational purposes only is not specific advice. Consult with a financial advisor or accountant with specific questions. Drop us a line at InvestSmarterPod@gmail.com or visit us at www.dewittcm.com/contact with questions or comments.

(EP.31) From Running Banks to Investing in them: Ted Peters
Today we talk with Ted Peters. Who is Ted Peters? He started two successful banks from scratch. He ran Bryn Mawr Trust for 14 successful years. He has worked with Bed Bernanke and Janet Yellen. And now he runs a unique and exciting hedge fund with the top bank analyst in the country. This is his story. Go to the Invest Smarter Podcast page for full show notes.
Email at investsmarterpod@gmail.com with questions for the show.

(EP. 30) Inherited IRAs: What are Your Options?
In this week's episode, we tackle inherited IRAs.
We cover | Options for spousal inherited IRAs | Options for non-spousal inherited IRAs | Explain what the 10-year rule is | Explain the old Stretch Provision | Give ideas for tax-efficient distribution strategies | Give a couple of scenarios | Explain how distributions are taxed | Explain some special considerations and exemptions | Keep Investing Smarter!

(EP. 29) Should you Invest with the Market at Highs?
Welcome to the Invest Smarter podcast. On this show, we aim to leave you a smarter investor by the end of every episode. We will simplify investing, provide actionable ideas, and discuss timeless investing wisdom.
In this episode, we talk about whether or not you should invest when the market is at highs. Just thinking about whether or not to invest when the market is at highs means you are engaging in market timing, and we know throughout history that humans are simply not good at timing markets. Markets are incredibly complex, and every transaction has a seller and buyer, and both are humans, or algorithms designed by humans, and humans are emotional and vulnerable to irrational decision making.
We discuss statistics to dispel the notion that investing highs is a poor idea.
Articles Discussed:
Should I Invest When The Market Is High? Dispelling The Buy Low, Sell High Myth

(EP. 28) Risk of Retiring at a Market Peak & 40% Capital Gains Tax?
In this week's show we cover:
- Biden's proposed taxes
- Risk of retiring at a market peak
- Dogecoin and Reddit
- Investing in what you understand- Peter Lynch
- Passive investing shortcomings
- Bill Miller's Q1 market letter
- Housing boom!
Stories Covered:
- Biden has pledged to tax the rich — but precisely how will he do that? Experts consider his options
- Study Shows Repealing Stepped-Up Basis Would Damage the Economy
- Retiring soon? Why the popular 4% withdrawal rule may be a bad idea
- Dogecoin, Elon Musk—And The Latest Reddit Mania
- The Atlantic: The Autopilot Economy
- Bill Miller 1Q 2021 Market Letter
- US Housing Market Is Nearly 4 Million Homes Short of Buyer Demand - WSJ
- America Is Short of Home Builders as Well as Homes

(Ep. 27) Welcoming our first guest: Julian Krinsky
We are very excited to introduce our first guest to the podcast. Julian Krinsky is the founder of the Julian Krinsky School of tennis, Julian Krinsky Camps and Programs, and The Julian Krinsky Business School, and more. He left a comfortable life in South Africa to move to the USA in 1977 with just 1,200 dollars. He started giving tennis lessons on Dave Sr.s childhood backyard tennis court, and by 2019 he has reached 4,000 to 5,000 kids, half of whom were from overseas. Oh, did I mention he played in Wimbledon and the French Open? He's loaded with an abundance of life lessons and tennis tips, and we think you'll enjoy it. Here our conversation with Julian Krinsky.

(EP. 26) The Fed Isn't Printing as Much Money as it Looks Like

(EP.25) Are Growth Stocks Dead?
Are Growth Stocks Dead?
Have you heard the saying, "if it's in the news, then it's in the stock?" If you have watched CNBC recently, you would constantly hear the narrative that value stocks are back and growth stocks are done. Meanwhile, value stocks are already up significantly from their lows, and growth stocks are already down significantly. While I am not suggesting that this dynamic won't continue, I am suggesting that generally speaking, by the time an idea becomes mainstream, it is frequently too late. And the consequences for the average investor are often poor decision-making. Let's look at an example.
In growth's corner, we have the Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK). This represents the highest-flying tech stocks over the past fifteen months. In value's corner, let's go with the airlines and energy, two of the harder-hit industries from COVID. We will use the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) and the SPDR Energy Select ETF (XLE).
Since November, ARKK is up 34%. Not bad, eh? However, JETS is up 59%, and XLE is up a whopping 75%! Looking more recently, since ARKK peaked in February, it is down a sizeable 22%. The others? JETS is up 19%, and XLE is up 14%. All this means is that if an investor is making their investment decisions based on what CNBC says, you will often be buying into consensus trades, which usually means you're buying high. Why is XLE a better buy today now that it's up 75% since November? Is it less risky today than it was then? Throughout the history of the markets, investors as a whole have proven time and time again to be bad at timing, buying when the risk is high and selling when the risk is lowest.
So are growth stocks dead? Well, relative to value, they've been dying slowly for months now. But by definition, growth stocks are growing, so how can they be dead?

(EP. 24) Are Target Date Fund's Your Friend? & The New ETF: Custom Indexing
This lends more support to the idea of a new age of stock picking (or custom indexing!). But we point out that just cause it's custom doesn't make it any better than passive. Ideally, you can blend optimization with personalization to improve long-term outcomes.
We also hassle Tesla and the EV industry as well as Bitcoin and its environmental concerns. We wrap up with a chat about SPACs.

(Ep. 23) Cathie Wood's Capacity Problem, Bitcoin's Green Problem, and... the Metaverse?
This week's episode was a blast to record. We start off by covering a great piece from Morningstar about the challenges Cathie Wood and her Ark funds are likely to face now that her funds are enormous. We chat about the Fed and what Jerome Powell said to make markets happy. We discuss a great 2020 and 2021 outlook from legend Howard Marks from Oaktree Capital Management. We discuss some interesting Bitcoin facts, particularly as it relates to environmental concerns. We also look at how there is truth to the idea that investing in stocks a monkey picks by throwing darts at a stock dartboard is potentially a better option than a cap-weighted index fund. And we wrap up trying to figure out NFTs and Metaverses! Enjoy!
Articles Discussed:
Morningstar: No Room on the Ark?
Here’s what changed in the new Fed statement
Fed sees the stronger economy and higher inflation, but no rate hikes
The Nasdaq Is Acting Strange. What That Means for Stocks.
The Flaws of Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
BofA Global Research: 10 Surprising Facts About Bitcoin - The Big Picture

(EP. 22) The Size of the Emerging Market Opportunity is Mind-Boggling
Articles Mentioned:
Inflation Isn't Happening Yet, and It Likely Won't
Gundlach: Looking Backwards

(EP. 21) Staying Calm as ARK Funds Continue Sell-Off as Rotation Intensifies
What a week! One of my favorite stocks, Digital Turbine (APPS), hit a 52 week high on Tuesday on great news and proceeded to drop 35% in the Span of 72 hours! This is a microcosm of what is happening across the board in stocks that have been the biggest winners. The media is labeling the stocks taking hits as non-profitable tech stocks, but from what I can see, it is anything that has been a big winner, profitable or not. If you are waking up with a feeling of confusion and uncertainty, take a listen to this podcast. This is not a time to panic. We are seeing a run-of-the-mill correction in stocks that have been absolute beasts- so naturally, the correction is a bit deeper and more painful. It's time to stay calm and keep our eyes downfield.

(Ep. 20) With Rates Rattling the Market, will the High Flying Technology stocks hold up?
In this week's episode, we chat about how rates rising have rattled the market a little bit. We discuss the mechanics of why this happens and tie it to the big picture of inflation expectations. We wonder which sectors would benefit from more inflation and what will happen to the high-flying tech stocks. There has been a divergence even within technology stocks, and some may be more vulnerable than others.
We also talk about the expectation gap that exists with individuals expecting large returns on their portfolio and list capital preservation as a top priority. We discuss the importance of having a plan and knowing what you actually need in terms of return to make your plan work. You do not always need excess returns to make your vision a reality!
Other Topics:
- Digital Advertising growth
- Cathie Wood
- Bubbles
- Getting started with stocks or funds

(EP.19) Roku, Is inflation coming, and why Asset Allocation may need to Change
In this week's episode, we spend the bulk of our time talking about inflation. It has been one of the most frequent questions we have received recently. When you Google search, "Is inflation coming?", you seem to find that for every alarmist article citing inflation fueled market crash is imminent, there is another article suggesting that there is nothing to worry about. We break down some of the top reasons for both arguments to help our listeners understand some of the dynamics at play. Big picture, however, inflation and rates will have to normalize at some point. Those who have investment horizons of 10 years or less until retirement will want to be very vigilant in how their investments are allocated. Asset allocations may need to adjusted in more seemingly drastic ways to be able to expect the required rate of return to get some individuals to the finish line. We dive in. We also casually chat about why we love Roku and how they make money, and why the stock's massive valuation MAY be justifiable!

(EP. 18) Cathie Wood's Thoughts on Bubbles, & Google Trends Forecasting a Bubble?
We know, we keep bringing up bubbles and Cathie Wood. Why? Cause everyone keeps talking about bubbles and Cathie Wood! And over the last couple of weeks, Cathie even talked about why she thinks we aren't in a bubble. So Cathie + Bubble talk means we had to talk about it. Enjoy this week's episode!

(EP. 17) The Business of Being Bullish
The lowest 2021 S&P 500 large bank price target is 3800, which is essentially where we are. In 12 of the last 15 years, the consensus end of year S&P 500 price target has been overestimated. Being bullish is good for business and a safe choice for analysts when everyone is following the herd. We discuss this in our latest episode. We also take a look at the valuation of the market which is at levels hard to justify even in this low rate environment. We discuss Jeremy Grantham's piece from early January about the nature of bubbles, and why he believes we are in a bonafide bubble at the moment. Finally, we answer a listener question about what to do with the cash that you want to use to buy a house in a few years.
Articles Discussed
Wall Street analysts make a big S&P 500 call for 2021. Market history says ignore them
Goldman says the bull market is still in the early stages, gives six trades to play it
Short seller Carson Block says rolling bubbles that keep popping up show fragility of stock market

(EP.16) Gamestop and the Gamified Stock Market
Hey guys so every week or every other week (still deciding), I'm going to have another version, call it a subchannel, of the podcast where I spend 15-20 minutes talking about what's on my mind regarding the markets, what I'm watching, what's catching my eye, and so on where I just get it out of my system. I'm thinking of a name for the subchannel so if you have any thoughts, let me know. Hope you like it, please let me know what you think by emailing yourmoneydewitt@gmail.com.
In the first rendition, I talk all about the Gamestop situation. I cover
- How it all started
- Why it's happening
- Why it will happen for a while
- How the market is gamified
- Why this won't last forever
- Fundamentals vs. "flow"
- An alternative to the "meme stock of the week" strategy

(EP. 15) Why it's Time to get a Financial Advisor

(EP. 14) Investing in Space, the OLED Revolution, and Real Esate Crash?
In this episode, we talk about
- A new way to invest in space (coming soon)
- The state of the market
- The ongoing OLED revolution, and lessons learned from investing in it
- Why a housing crash is probably not in the cards in 2021
Articles Mentioned:
Blue Origin to fly People on New Shepard by April
Apple to use OLED in Ipads in 2022
Foldable OLED display Market to Grow 94 Million Units by 2025

(EP. 13) 2021 Outlook, the Coming Millenial Boom, and the Costco Experience
In this weeks episode, we talk about the following:
Why you should not wait for the market to drop to buy stocks, 2020 Recap, 2021 Outlook, Why we love Costco, Value buying and avoiding value traps, stock market performance under Democratic leadership.
Articles Discussed
Three Reasons you should Not Wait for The Market to Crash
Tom Lee says Stocks are Far From a Bubble

(EP. 12) Tesla, Investing in Innovation, Market Cycle Investing
In this week's show we talk about:
- Tesla
- Ark Funds and how they invest in innovation
- How innovation is bubbly
- Passive funds vs. active funds historically
- Economic Activity collapses, but not the stock market
- Market Cycle Investing
- How to get into the market if you missed out?
- How lowering your car payment by 50 bucks a month could get earn you 60K in 30 years
- Roth IRA conversion
Articles Discussed:
ARK ETF family pulls in ~$1B in fund flows Tuesday night
Packy McCormick The Best is Yet to come (Innovation is Bubbly)

(EP.11) IPO Euphoria, Passive Investing Dangers, and Gen Z Investing Trends
In this week's show, we discuss recent IPOs and IPOs in general. We talk about why and how IPOs are priced and how they can trade at such different prices on their first day of trading. We then move into a discussion revolving around the emerging risks of passive investing. Basically, the way market-cap-weighted indexes are constructed can create imbalances. For instance, Tesla is going to be the fifth largest weighting in the S&P 500! We wrap up talking about the very different way Gen Z thinks about and interacts with the world, and investment trends to consider as a result.
1:00 - IPO Overview
6:00 - Airbnb
9:00 - Average IPO return data
10:00 - IPO valuation data
12:00 - Comparisons to 1999
14:00 - Valuation of IPOs vs. FAANG and high flying COVID stocks
18:00 - IPO Fund flows
19:00 - Jay Ritter, Goldman CEO, Tom Lee warning
20:00 - Tesla vs. Yahoo
21:00 - Original Idea of Passive Management
22:00 - Passive Investing Danger
24:00 - Understand where your risks are in your passive investment
24:45 - New wave of indexing
26:00 - Stock picking comeback
27:00 - Risks to your retirement
32:00 - Bull Market Complacency
33:30 Interest Rate Risk
35:00 Climate Risk
37:00 Gen Z
40:00 Investing Trends to Watch out for from Gen Z

(EP. 10) Can Bitcoin Help Diversify your Portfolio, and the Market is Overvalued...Or is it?
Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen bitcoin make a new high for the first time since 2017. This time, it feels a little less euphoric as more big names admit it is here to stay. We discuss if it could make sense in a diversified portfolio. We also discuss a recent article by legendary market researcher Robert Shiller where he makes a case that equities still look attractive. We wrap up with some tax moves to consider in this very unique 2020. Please email us at YourMoneyDeWitt@gmail.com with feedback or questions and topics for the show.

A Stay-at-Home Black Friday and End of Year Volatility? (EP.9)
In this week's show, we talk about Black Friday. This year Black Friday will look a lot different. A lot more online shoppings and perhaps a lot less impulse shopping. We also discuss some market calls from some top market watchers. There seems to be a theme about some expecting near-term volatility or even perhaps a sell-off. We discuss all this and more. Enjoy!

Momentum Investing Pitfalls, Tesla's Valuation, and Roth IRA Strategy (EP.8)
This week we talk about the state of the market in terms of market leadership. Momentum investing has pitfalls. Inherently, momentum always comes to an end. A long-time skeptic of Tesla, Morgan Stanley upgrades Tesla, and we tell you why they have had a change of heart. There's never been a better time to think about using a Roth IRA to yourself against future tax increases. We cover a few strategies in this week's show. Email us at yourmoneydewitt@gmail.com if you would like us to cover a topic or have any questions or feedback. Enjoy!

The Vaccine, Long-Term COVID pain, Bubble? (EP.7)
In this week's show, we talk about the vaccine and why stocks reacted the way they did. We talk about some of the long-term implications COVID-19 will have on the economy. We also talk about whether or not the stock market is in a bubble.

Oil prices, investing like Bill Miller, and an exciting way to play emerging markets

ESG Fund Flows Accelerate, Retirement Disconnect, Population Boom or Bust?


Investing for Dividend Income
Thanks for checking out our podcast! Today's episode is all about dividend investing. We talk about the top metrics to look at when analyzing stocks as it relates to their dividends. We also talk about the biggest mistake investors make when looking for dividend income. Visit our website at www.dewittcm.com. Important: The information in today's podcast is for educational purposes only. Please do not make investment decisions solely based on what you hear in this podcast. http://www.dewittcm.com/blog-disclosures

Tax-Efficient Investing
Our second podcast covers some tax considerations investors should think about when investing. Topics covered include:
Changes from the CARES act investors should think about, the types of securities which generally make sense in different account types, harvesting losses, and how to save and invest efficiently
We hope you enjoy! Visit our website at www.dewittcm.com
Please let us know what you think about the podcast by emailing to dhdewitt@dewittcm.com
Important: The content of this podcast is for educational purposes only. Please do not invest solely based on the information you hear on this podcast. http://www.dewittcm.com/blog-disclosures

The Rules-Based Engine that Could
Our first ever podcast introduces our rules-based approach to investing. Take the human emotion out of your investment process. We talk about how the strategy works, who can benefit, and why it might make sense in today's challenging environment. Visit www.dewittcm.com/demo to learn more.
Important: The contents of this podcast are for educational purposes only and should not be taken as specific investment advice into any investment strategy or security. Please consult a financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Full disclosure at http://www.dewittcm.com/blog-disclosures