Tall Oaks Podcast

Most people hire a financial advisor by recognizing a few letters and hoping for the best. That's how you end up paying a brain surgeon to treat a sniffle.In this episode, Branden sits down with Cliff Cornell — CFP based in New York and writer behind the Yield To Maturity newsletter — to decode what the most common financial credentials actually train for, and what they quietly leave out.Whether you're hiring an advisor or are an advisor, this conversation will sharpen how you think about credentials, fit, and the questions that actually matter.What we cover:Why CFP is the price of admission in financial planning — and why that can mislead clientsWhat CFPs are actually built to do: cash flow, retirement projections, insurance, estate awareness, and tax coordinationThe fiduciary confusion — why "are you a CFP?" is often the wrong question to askCFP vs CFA: when deeper investment expertise actually mattersWhere CPAs fit in, and why tax planning requires collaborationNiche paths: CLU for insurance, CMT for technical market analysisWhy geography (especially high-tax states) changes planning prioritiesWhy the best advisor relationships look like a coordinated team, not a lone expertFind Cliff Cornell here:https://www.readyieldtomaturity.com/Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Picking The Right Kind Of Expert[00:04:56] Are CFPs Becoming Table Stakes[00:08:10] What The CFP Really Trains[00:14:12] Fiduciary Duty Versus Letters[00:17:15] CFA And The Investment Depth Gap[00:21:17] Join Our Advisory Team[00:28:53] CMT And Active Market Approach[00:31:53] MBA And Advanced Tax Designations[00:37:22] Credentials As Signals Not Quality[00:44:42] The Ham Story On Challenging Assumptions[00:47:42] Where To Find Cliff Online

The scariest market risk isn’t a single bad year. It’s a long stretch where your portfolio goes sideways, inflation keeps eating purchasing power, and you still need to pull cash for real life. That’s what “lost decades” look like, and today we unpack why they can quietly wreck a retirement plan even when the headlines feel calm.I’m joined by Ryan Gorman of Tamar’s Financial, to talk through his research on long periods of weak stock market returns. We break down what people mean by “the market,” why investors anchor to the highest value on their statement, and how sequence of returns risk turns normal withdrawals into a compounding problem. We also get practical about inflation adjusted returns, why getting back to a prior account balance is not the same as getting your buying power back, and why forward-looking averages can hide painful paths.If this conversation helps you think more clearly about investing through a lost decade, subscribe for more, share it with a friend who needs a plan, and leave a review so more investors can find it. What part of a lost decade worries you most right now?Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396Find Ryan here:https://www.westmichiganadvisors.com/ryan-gormanDISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Lost Decades Set The Stage[00:04:00] How Lost Decades Actually Look[00:10:47] Inflation Turns Gains Into Losses[00:15:45] Mean Reversion And Long Run Returns[00:19:40] Why Valuations Fail As Timing[00:25:40] Signals That Help Manage Risk

A 60/40 portfolio feels diversified, but it can still behave almost like the stock market. That gap between what we think we own and the risk we actually take is where this conversation gets interesting.I’m joined by Alex Shahidi, co-CIO at Evoke Advisors and author of books on risk parity and balanced asset allocation. We walk through risk parity in plain English: picking asset classes that tend to win in different growth and inflation environments, then balancing them so no single sleeve dominates results. We get specific about the building blocks investors can actually use, including global equities, Treasury's, TIPS, commodities, and gold. We also tackle the part nobody can ignore: portfolio psychology. If your benchmark is the S&P 500 because that’s what the media talks about all day, tracking error can feel like failure even when your plan is working.If you want a clearer asset allocation strategy built for uncertain cycles, listen now, then subscribe, share this with a friend who benchmarks everything to stocks, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.Find Alex here:insightfulinvestor.orgevokeadvisors.comFind Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Welcome And Quick Disclosures[00:10:39] Three Steps To True Diversification[00:17:01] Escaping The Stock Market Benchmark[00:20:08] Simple Asset Mix That Works[00:25:23] Rebalancing Discipline And Tax Friction[00:40:26] Diversify First Then Optimize Taxes[00:48:29] Gold As A Signal And Hedge[00:55:55] Valuations Geopolitics And The Next Decade[01:06:14] Where To Find Alex

7 in 10 retirees will need help with the basics—bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, eating, or continence—yet most plans ignore the financial shock of long-term care until it's urgent and expensive. In this episode, we bring Mitch Hancock into the studio to unpack what real care looks like, what it costs, and how to fund it without blowing up your retirement or burdening your family.We start with the human side: the invisible labor of coordinating caregivers, paying bills, and managing medications that falls on adult children. From there, we get practical about the money. Traditional long-term care insurance often failed because of rising premiums and "use it or lose it" structures. Asset-based long-term care changes the game. Capitalize a dedicated asset once, gain 2–3x leverage for qualified care, and if you never need it, your beneficiaries receive a death benefit or you retain cash value depending on the design.Find Valiant Brokerage here:https://valiantbrokerage.com/Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Setting The Stage: Risk And FOMO[00:06:03] Activities Of Daily Living Explained[00:11:12] Self-Funding Versus Insurance[00:18:16] Asset-Based LTC: How It Works[00:22:56] Portfolio Efficiency And Convexity[00:26:08] Market Cycles, Valuations, And Diversification[00:32:12] Liability Matching And Taking Smart Risk[00:38:14] Roth, Brokerage Flexibility, And Cash Flows[00:44:04] Personal Values Drive Position Sizing[00:49:06] Why Personal Advice Beats One-Size-Fits-All

Headlines can hijack your plan—unless you know exactly how markets translate them into prices you pay and returns you earn. In this February 2026 market update, we unpack what war-time volatility historically means for long-horizon investors, how to right-size risk for real-life cash needs, and where today's rate dynamics actually hit your wallet. We break down the yield curve in plain English and connect it to everyday decisions: why credit cards and auto loans live on the short end, why mortgages track the 10-year Treasury plus a prepayment option, and what tight mortgage spreads signal about refi odds. Then we tackle bonds and duration risk, showing how a 1% move in the 10-year can dent principal and why "bond ballast" isn't one-size-fits-all.On equities, we look beneath the S&P 500's surface: fading momentum from megacaps, stretched valuations that widen downside tails, and scenario math that frames modest upside versus meaningful drawdown risk. Rotation is the quiet story—equal-weight discretionary vs staples points to a cooling consumer, and a secular tilt toward international equities is forming even as the dollar commands safe-haven flows on stress days. We explore why inflation beneficiaries often lead the data, outline gold's relative uptrend supported by central bank buying, and map Bitcoin's now-or-never setup with key levels for accumulation versus trend-following. Want a portfolio that fits your timeline, not the news cycle? Subscribe, share, and leave your biggest money question in the comments.Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Disclaimers And Timing Context[00:06:35] Current Positioning And Signals[00:11:20] Two-Year And Ten-Year Rate Outlook[00:17:10] Credit Spreads And Private Credit Stress[00:22:20] Valuations, Scenarios, And Drawdown Math[00:29:34] Dollar Strength, Flows, And Safe Havens[00:34:02] Diversification And Role Of Gold[00:43:19] Closing And How To Reach Us

Ever wonder why two smart people can hear the same financial plan and walk away with opposite reactions—one ready to act, the other frozen? In this episode, we dig into the DISC framework to reveal how your natural communication style drives risk tolerance, patience, and decision-making under pressure. With CFP pro Melanie Ferreira joining from South Africa, we unpack each style—Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance—then connect the dots to money behaviors.We translate psychology into practical moves. You'll learn to spot your superpower and your saboteur, set countermeasures that fit your wiring, and ask for advice in the language your brain actually trusts. We decode common meeting misreads that derail progress: the nodding S who isn't committed, the excited I who isn't ready, the probing C who isn't doubting you, and the challenging D who's testing for control.We also explore why blends matter under stress, how to align estate, insurance, and tax decisions with your style, and simple scripts to bridge gaps with any professional. If you've ever thought "the plan is fine, but it doesn't sit right," this episode shows how to reframe choices so they land, stick, and compound over time.KEY TOPICS:What DISC is and how blends workDominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance definedSuperpowers and saboteurs for each stylePredictable stress responses and blind spots👉 Subscribe, share with a friend, and comment: what's your DISC style and biggest money blind spot?DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Why Self-Awareness Matters In Money[00:08:40] The Four DISC Styles Explained[00:13:28] How Wiring Drives Financial Choices[00:20:21] Career Invite For Advisors[00:28:26] Translating Styles Into Better Advice[00:36:21] Shared Language Lowers Friction[00:40:00] Markets Versus Communication

Markets reward risk, but not all risk pays you the same way. In this episode, we sit down with Drew Feldman, a filmmaker-turned-advisor, to unpack why "own the market and chill" feels easy until life shortens your time horizon.We get practical about fees: high-cost closet beta doesn't deserve a spot, but strategies with low correlation and distinct return drivers can earn their keep. We compare buffered ETFs, hedged equity tactics, and show how to judge funds by correlation and volatility—not just past returns.We also challenge oversized emergency funds that secretly turn "100% stocks" into 60/40, and explain capital creation versus risk transfer markets. The goal isn't beating the market every year—it's avoiding life-changing drawdowns while compounding meaningfully.KEY TOPICS:Managed futures, reinsurance, cat bondsWhen fees are justified (correlation test)Buffered ETFs and hedged equityRight-sizing cash with disability coveragePortable alpha for smoother returnsFind Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396Find Drew here:www.moneyformakers.com www.drewfeldman.comDISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Welcome, Disclaimers, And Setup[00:07:10] Diversification As A First Principle[00:14:25] Fees, Active Funds, And True Differentiation[00:23:58] Buffered ETFs: Math, Behavior, And Taxes[00:30:10] Hedged Equity Tactics And Timing The Hedge[00:39:12] Time Horizons Shrink When Life Hits[00:44:52] Cash Is A Position: Hidden 60/40s[00:50:33] Rethinking Emergency Funds And Insurance[00:56:05] The Midterm Bucket And Holistic Planning[01:07:02] Portable Alpha, Leverage, And No Free Lunch[01:12:20] Reinsurance, Cat Bonds, And Risk Premiums[01:18:10] Capital Creation vs Risk Transfer Markets

When the headlines scream panic and prices snap higher, most investors feel relief. We make the opposite case: those outsized up days often signal a fragile market beneath the surface. In this episode, we sit down with technician Vincent Randazzo to pull back the index curtain and look at participation, liquidity, and the hidden imbalances that build before the break.Breadth shows whether the whole train is pulling or just a few cars dragging the averages forward. When leadership narrows and volatility begins to cluster, the risk of a sharp air pocket rises—no crystal ball needed. We challenge the popular warning about "missing the best 10 days." The data shows those days tend to arrive when the S&P 500 sits below its 200-day average, during short-covering surges inside broader downtrends. That's not a healthy bull market; it's a coiled spring releasing.Vincent explains why extreme returns cluster, how regime analysis separates risk-on from risk-off environments, and why avoiding catastrophic losses beats chasing perfection. We get practical about compounding math, sequence-of-returns risk near retirement, and the behavioral traps that push even smart people to buy late and sell low.You'll hear a plain-language model for adapting exposure without guesswork: scale up when breadth supports a durable trend, scale down when participation thins and liquidity fades. We also compare where systems shine—deep U.S. large caps—versus markets that favor trend or fundamentals, like commodities or emerging equities.The takeaway is simple and powerful: protecting capital keeps compounding alive, and you don't need to time the top to do it.KEY TOPICS:Why the biggest up days cluster in bear marketsMarket breadth as early warning for fragilityThe "best 10 days" myth debunked with dataShort covering mechanics and volatility squeezesCompounding math and catastrophic drawdown costsSequence-of-returns risk near retirementAdaptive regime framework to scale riskWhere technical systems work best across assetFind ViewRight Advisors here:https://viewright.ai/Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Welcome, Disclaimers, And Setup[00:05:28] Warnings Before Crashes: Breadth’s Role[00:12:05] Why Big Up Days Cluster In Bear Markets[00:19:13] Advisor Careers CTA And Risk Questions[00:27:16] Sequence Risk Near Retirement[00:31:36] Valuations, Secular Cycles, And Patience[00:36:01] Adaptive Regimes Over Static Rules[00:39:11] Where Systems Work Best Across Markets[00:43:12] Early Warning Signs And Liquidity

Markets are whispering two messages at once: prices look confident, but momentum is slipping. In this episode, we unpack that tension with a plain-spoken tour through the data—starting with an S&P 500 that's still climbing while RSI and weekly MACD cool, a classic divergence that often precedes choppy corrections. We frame valuation bands that don't predict the turn but do set expectations for how far a slip could run if earnings wobble.Then we connect the dots across the fixed-income complex. We revisit the 60/40 playbook as stock-bond correlations drift higher, explain why a broken four-decade trend in the 10-year Treasury points to structurally higher rates, and demystify mortgage pricing by focusing on the prepayment option embedded in every home loan. Credit spreads remain tight—a key reason the bond market hasn't flashed broad stress—yet they're the canary we watch for early warnings. Meanwhile, TIPS are perking up against nominals, and an index of inflation beneficiaries has pushed out of a long base, hinting that inflation pressures may reassert.We also zoom out to the quiet drivers: gold and the dollar. A multi-year base suggests gold could outperform U.S. equities on a relative basis, providing insurance when volatility bites. The dollar's path, shaped by policy and trade aims, may tilt the field for international stocks; a softer dollar can turn currency from headwind to tailwind for foreign returns.Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Disclaimers And Setup[00:04:53] Valuations And Downside Scenarios[00:09:11] Discretionary Vs Staples Leadership[00:15:10] Structural Rate Shift And The 10‑Year[00:22:26] Credit Spreads And What They Signal[00:28:35] Inflation Beneficiaries And Breakouts[00:34:48] Dollar Path, Trade, And Tariffs[00:38:46] U.S. Vs International Equities Setup

Headlines say "pensions are gone," but the real story is more complicated—and way more actionable. In this episode, we break down Intermountain Health's pension freeze in plain English, translate pension credits into today's dollars, and show exactly who's likely to benefit or be hurt by the shift to a 401(k). Along the way, we get honest about interest rates, lump sums, and why a monthly check that looks "safe" can sometimes be the less flexible choice.We start by demystifying defined benefit, cash balance, and defined contribution plans so you can see the trade-offs clearly: pensions promise outcomes and hide investment risk inside the company; 401(k)s promise contributions and hand the risk—and the opportunity—back to you. Younger employees may win when 2 percent employer contributions compound at equity-like rates over decades. Late-career employees, especially within five years of retirement, can feel a real hit as near-term pension credits give way to smaller 401(k) funding.We run through the math on discount rates, why lump sums rise when rates fall, and how to think about optionality before rolling over into annuities. We also get into the "why now" behind the freeze: rising volatility, bond headwinds, and the funding spiral that turns missed return targets into higher borrowing costs.That context matters, because it points to what you can control. We outline a practical playbook: build a cash flow plan across Social Security and healthcare before Medicare, upgrade tax location across Roth, tax-deferred, and taxable accounts, and rethink portfolio risk so you avoid catastrophic drawdowns without giving up long-term growth. If you're in the Intermountain 401(k), don't miss the Schwab PCRA option—it can expand your investment menu and enable better asset location and risk controls.KEY TOPICS:What defined benefit, cash balance, and 401(k) each promiseWhy a freeze isn't a termination of benefitsPension credits and discount-rate math explainedWho wins and who loses in the shiftLump sum vs monthly check and interest rate sensitivityCompany solvency pressures and funding spiralsCash flow planning for Social Security and healthcareTax location across account typesSchwab PCRA to expand 401(k) choicesThis change isn't the end of your retirement plan. It's a call to tighten it.Find Du Charme Wealth Management here:https://ducharmewealth.comPhone: (435) 288-3396Find Aaron Best here:https://bestwealthadvisory.com/DISCLAIMER:Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy, and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.[00:00:00] Intro and Welcome[00:05:04] From DB To Cash Balance[00:10:18] The New 2% Contribution[00:15:02] Young Workers: Why This Can Help[00:20:44] Lump Sum Math And Rates[00:27:16] How Underfunding Becomes A Spiral[00:34:10] Rising Volatility And Low Bond Returns[00:41:16] Healthcare And Early Retirement[00:47:08] Portfolio Management And Flexibility[00:50:14] Using Personal Advantages Wisely[00:57:07] Practical Next Steps And Wrap