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Best In Wealth Podcast

Best In Wealth Podcast

Auteur(s): Scott Wellens
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À propos de cet audio

 This is the best in Wealth podcast – A show for successful family stewards who want real answers about Retirement and investing so we can feel secure about our family’s future. Scott's mission is simple: to help other family stewards build and maintain their family fortress. A family steward is someone that feels family is the most important thing. You go to your job every day for your family. You watch over your family, you make sacrifices for your family, you protect your family. I work with family stewards because I am one; I have become an expert in the unique wealth challenges family stewards face. Scott Wellens is the founder of Fortress Planning Group - an independent, fee-only, registered investment advisory firm. Fortress Planning Group is dedicated to coaching clients toward a holistic view of wealth and family stewardship. Scott is a certified financial planner, a fiduciary and has been quoted in the industry’s leading websites including Forbes, Business Insider and Yahoo Finance. Scott is also a Dave Ramsey Smartvestor Pro in the greater Milwaukee and Madison areas.Copyright 2025 Scott Wellens Finances personnelles Relations Économie Éducation des enfants
Épisodes
  • Balancing US and International Stocks to Diversify Your Investments, Ep #263

    Balancing US and International Stocks to Diversify Your Investments, Ep #263
    Sep 19 2025
    Most investors have been ignoring international stocks lately because the US market has been performing so well—but that strategy might backfire this year, with international markets significantly outpacing American stocks. In this episode, I dive into why diversifying globally isn't just smart investing; it's essential for long-term wealth building. We explore how the US currently dominates 61% of world market capitalization, but history shows this wasn't always the case—and it won't necessarily continue. I share four key reasons international investing should be part of your portfolio: it reduces geographic risk when any one country hits turbulence, gives you access to high-growth emerging markets that have delivered spectacular returns, protects you through currency diversification, and helps overcome the natural tendency to only invest in familiar companies. The numbers tell a compelling story—while the S&P 500 is up around 12% this year, international developed markets are up nearly 30%, and some individual countries have delivered returns of 50-90% in recent years. Whether you're completely US-focused or wondering how much international exposure makes sense for your situation, this episode provides the data and reasoning you need to build a more resilient, globally diversified portfolio. I also touch on an interesting parallel between portfolio diversification and gut health—turns out both benefit from variety and balance. Outline of This Episode
    • [01:12] The importance of the gut microbiome for health.
    • [03:42] International markets surpass US performance right now.
    • [06:24] International diversification mitigates geographic risk.
    • [10:25] A globally diversified portfolio balances volatility and gives opportunity for growth.
    • [13:49] invest internationally to protect against domestic currency depreciation.
    • [15:13] Why to overcome a behavioral home country bias.
    • [17:06] Review your health and financial diversification.

    Building a healthier, more resilient investment portfolio. Broadening your approach—whether it’s what you eat or where you invest—can improve your long-term outcomes. Did you know that we all have an ecosystem of microbes living within our intestines? Science increasingly shows that a highly diverse gut microbiome is linked to better health, well-being, and more healthy years well into old age. A thriving gut health requires at least 30 different types of plant-based foods each week. The greater the diversity, the more kinds of helpful bacteria can flourish, supporting everything from digestion to immunity. Just as variety improves gut health, diversity is equally essential in investing. Many Americans have opted to remove international stocks from their portfolios, citing the recent dominance of U.S. markets. I want to push back on this trend, with these important points:
    • The Shifting Sands of Market Dominance:

    As of early 2024, U.S. markets make up approximately 61% of the world’s capitalization. The next-largest...
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    19 min
  • The Secret to Stress-Free Investing, Ep #262

    The Secret to Stress-Free Investing, Ep #262
    Aug 22 2025
    We all have some worries, those everyday anxieties that creep into our lives—money, kids, jobs, and adding more stress to your life in the form of an investment portfolio can seem like too much at times. So this week, I’m sharing how understanding one key financial theory can transform your approach to investing and seriously lower your stress. This episode takes you through the groundbreaking work of Eugene Fama and the efficient market hypothesis, explaining why trying to outguess the market is usually a losing game. I’m also sharing how, by trusting the power of the market and building your strategy around solid, evidence-based principles, you can ditch investing anxiety and set your family up for long-term success. So if market swings keep you up at night or you’re looking for a more peaceful way to manage your portfolio, tune in for a fresh perspective and actionable advice on taking the stress out of investing—once and for all. Outline of This Episode
    • [00:00] Your foundation of knowledge to experience stress-free investing.
    • [05:58] Understanding Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH).
    • [09:40] The power of market consensus.
    • [11:55] How fast does the stock market react?
    • [13:12] Efficient market hypothesis simplified.
    • [17:27] The myth of market-beating funds.
    • [19:22] Reduce investment stress by demystifying the market.

    Does Investing Have to Be One More Worry? Retirement account fluctuations, big market drops like those in 2008, COVID-19, and trade war-related selloffs are enough to send anyone’s blood pressure soaring. One of the most important concepts in modern finance: the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH), developed by Nobel laureate Eugene Fama. In simple terms, the EMH says that all the available information about any publicly traded company is already reflected in its stock price. Let’s use Apple as an example. Every day, millions of shares, worth billions of dollars, change hands, each trade representing someone who thinks Apple is fairly priced, and someone else who disagrees. Crucially, both buyers and sellers have access to the same information. No one has a crystal ball; everyone’s predictions about future sales and profits are just that—educated guesses. Why Beating the Market Is So Hard In a 20-year analysis of actively managed mutual funds, those run by managers trying to beat the market through skillful stock picking. Of the 1,667 funds analyzed on January 1, 2004, just 48% were still around 20 years later (the rest closed or merged after poor performance). Of those survivors, only 16% managed to outperform the market—a sliver of winners, and no guarantee that their outperformance was due to skill rather than luck. Over longer periods, the odds get even worse. The market’s efficiency means that news, good or bad, gets priced in fast. By the time you read about a hot tip or see a magazine
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    21 min
  • The Truth About Bitcoin, Gold, and Safe Investing Strategies, Ep #261

    The Truth About Bitcoin, Gold, and Safe Investing Strategies, Ep #261
    Jul 18 2025
    Bitcoin and gold are two assets often hailed as safe havens and reliable stores of value. I explore whether bitcoin and gold really deliver the security investors hope for, or if, instead, they’re more about speculation than true investment. I’m helping you to look at the hard data and science behind financial decisions. Whether you’re curious about market volatility or searching for a dependable way to safeguard your wealth, this episode is packed with practical insights about the pros and cons of investing in Bitcoin or gold. Outline of This Episode
    • [06:05] Bitcoin and gold are speculative, limited by supply and demand.
    • [09:29] Bitcoin is an unreliable store of value.
    • [13:57] Volatility and diversification in investing.
    • [16:58] Is gold really a safe haven for your money?
    • [20:18] Gold commercials push for sales due to high commissions, not safety.
    • [22:30] Investing relies on data and science to build successful portfolios, focusing on controlling taxes, expenses, and risk.

    Finding Safe Havens for Your Money What makes you feel secure? Fresh from a nine-night family trip to a volleyball tournament in Dallas, I’ve realised that my real safe haven isn’t a lockbox or a password, it’s my home and the daily routine I return to. More than that, his family represents his ultimate store of value, the core “asset” he’s committed to nurturing year after year. For me, investing is just one facet of a broader stewardship, protecting not only wealth but also the relationships and routines that bring lasting fulfillment. Bitcoin is a Volatile Gamble Clients often ask me, “Can Bitcoin act as a reliable store of value?” so I’ve dug into the numbers. Since 2010, the annualized volatility of Bitcoin has been a staggering 76.9%, nearly five times greater than the already-risky Russell 3000 index, which clocks in at 15.8%. Over the same period, Bitcoin has endured 27 separate 10% drops, 10 plunges of 30% or more, and five catastrophic 70% crashes. By contrast, the mainstream US stock market has only seen six 10% drops and a single 30% drawdown. Investing in bitcoin with this type of volatility is not a store of value. Investing in Bitcoin is speculation. The wild swings may excite thrill-seekers, but anyone seeking stability is likely to be disappointed. Gold as a Safe Haven What about gold, the classic safe-haven asset? Gold has enjoyed some positive years, up 60% of the time since 1970, but it's hardly a guarantee. That means in roughly four out of every ten years, gold investors have faced losses. Meanwhile, the S&P 500, ironically, the very market from which gold investors typically flee, has delivered positive returns 80% of those years. Plus, the marketing of gold is driven by high-commission sales tactics, not genuine concern for investor safety. Beware of those “buy gold now” ads; they exist to line the pockets of sellers, not to deliver real security to buyers. The Science of Investment Security Rather than...
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    25 min
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