In this episode, we break down the "pretext" behind the legal pressure on Jerome Powell and analyze a surprise GDP beat. Then, we shift gears to our Topic de Jour: Goal Setting. If you want 2026 to be your best financial year yet, you need a framework that goes beyond simple resolutions.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Holiday Recap: Catching up with Ben and Brent after the break.

• Geopolitical Shockwaves: The capture of Venezuelan President Maduro and its immediate impact on global oil prices.

• The Fed Under Siege: Why Jerome Powell is facing a Grand Jury over headquarters renovations and the "political pretext" involved.

• GDP & Tariffs: Analyzing the 4.3% Q3 GDP beat and how the shrinking trade deficit is driving growth.

• The Mortgage Market: Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac’s potential $200B purchase plan and what it means for the housing market.

• Topic De Jour: 2026 Goal Setting: How to use the SMART framework and end-result visualization to hit your targets.

• Listener Q&A: The guys take on your most pressing financial questions in the "Stump the Planner" challenge.

• Tip of the Week: A simple hack for Costco DoorDash gift cards.

Ben Jones, CFP® Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

• Web: www.nwmgadvisors.com

• Newsletter: www.karastick.com

• X: @thekaratstick

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

Brent Gargano, CFP® Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning

• Web: www.infinitewealthplanning.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

• Newsletter: Join Brent's Monthly Newsletter

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

Trevor Gargano (The Digital QB)

• Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

• Web: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

Support the podcast and see extra clips and announcements!

• Instagram: @moneyalchemistpod

• X: @moneyalchpod

• Facebook: The Money Alchemist Podcast

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

What does 2026 hold for your wallet? In this episode, Brent and Ben conduct a "Topic de Jour" deep dive into their 2026 Financial Predictions. Following their successful 2025 forecast—where they correctly predicted the AI counter-revolution and the crypto bear market—the guys are looking ahead at the next big shifts in the global economy.

From the Supreme Court tariff ruling to the AI trade fracturing, we break down why a diversified portfolio is your best defense in a shifting market. Plus, we discuss why the "Value Rotation" is finally here and what the Fed’s latest rate cuts mean for the "debasement trade."

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The 2025 Retrospective: What we got right (and the one thing we got wrong).

• AI’s "Human Counter-Revolution": Why the "froth" is breaking down and where the real value lies.

• Geopolitical Shifts: The potential China rebound and the impact of the House swinging Blue.

• The Isaac Newton Lesson: A historical cautionary tale about the smartest man in the room losing it all.

Timestamps COMING SOON

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

__

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

Join Brent's Monthly Newsletter:

https://40221980.hs-sites.com/join-infinite-wealth-plannings-newsletter

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

__________________

Trevor Gargano (The Digital QB)

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

This Week's Agenda:

• What’s happening in 10 min
  • Record Black Friday Sales
    • 11.8B up 9.1% from 10.8B in 2024 (Adobe Analytics)
    • Higher in-store component (1.7% up since last year)
  • Alphabet surpasses Microsoft as 3rd most valuable company in the world
  • Concept of circular financing dominating headlines
  • Fed rate cut in December jumped to 80 - 85% Dec 9 - 10
• Topic de jour - Is $140k the new poverty line?
• Listener Q&A -
  • What should I do if my computer/Mac has been compromised?
• Tip of the week
  • https://www.auctionzip.com/

_____

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

__

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

Join Brent's Monthly Newsletter:

https://40221980.hs-sites.com/join-infinite-wealth-plannings-newsletter

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

__________________

Trevor Gargano (The Digital QB)

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

• What’s happening 10 min
  • 50 year mortgage idea announced to unpopular fanfare
  • Bitcoin down 35% from highs, down 5% on the year. Crypto markets erase over $1.1T in market cap.
  • Government shutdown hits 43 days, ended when House of Reps passed a continuing resolution that would make it through the Senate.
  • No BLS jobs data ever for period.
  • Michael Burry announcing major AI short on Palantir and NVDIA then closes hedge fund shortly thereafter
• Topic de jour - top financial questions to bring up at Thanksgiving
  • What investment should I buy?
  • I need to reduce my taxes, how are all people doing this?
  • The stock market is rigged, why should I bother?
  • I hate the mortgage debt/payment and just want to pay it off, why shouldn’t I do that?
  • My advisor has been recommending annuities, is that a good idea?
  • My friend/acquaintance has made so much money trading, where should I start?
  • TikTocker/YouTuber says we’ve peaked. Time to get out, the crash is coming.
  • The housing market is going to crash, terrible time to buy.
  • The US debt ($38T) is too great and the American dollar is going to collapse. I’m buying gold. Prove me wrong.
  • What about this AI bubble? What’s that about?
• Listener Q&A -
  • I’ve maxed out my 401(k) by summer and was told I might be missing out on company match. Will I continue to get a company match?

Learn how to login to your payroll portal and figure out split deposits

https://www.auctionzip.com/

https://simplelogin.io/

_______

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

  __

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

Join Brent's Monthly Newsletter:

https://40221980.hs-sites.com/join-infinite-wealth-plannings-newsletter

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

___________________

Editor:

Trevor Gargano (The Digital QB)

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

• What’s happening 10 min
  • Gov’t shutdown - no BLS employment data
  • Bitcoin now in bear market collapsing to below $100k
  • Michael’s Burry’s new big short
  • Healthcare premium inflation
  • Jester “Jack” Daniels - how he built an empire and did not survive to reap the reward
• Topic de jour - Cost of healthcare for workers vs retirement, long-term care
• Listener Q&A -
  • I’ve maxed out my 401(k) by summer and was told I might be missing out on company match, will I continue to get a company match?
  • All my neighbors are putting their homes in a trust or giving them to their kids so the nursing home doesn’t take the money, should I do that?
• Tip of the week
  • Understand how you pay for a mortgage - not all refis are the same.

___

Sources

https://communications.fidelity.com/wi/tools/retirement-health-care/

Healthsherpa.com

https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

_____

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

  __

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

Join Brent's Monthly Newsletter:

https://40221980.hs-sites.com/join-infinite-wealth-plannings-newsletter

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

___________________

Editor:

Trevor Gargano (The Digital QB)

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

• What’s happening 10 min
  • All asset classes are up: bonds, stocks, precious metals, crypto
    • Valuations at ATH
    • Brent’s new baby
  • Equity flows from funds to bonds
  • Crypto crunch in October - Bitcoin in corrective territory from ATH
  • Tariff threat with China last week.
• This week’s most interesting money story - Alfred Nobel 15 min
• Topic de jour - Open enrollment season - Optimize your choices 20 min
• Listener Q&A -
  • “We are buying a new home, what do we do with our old home. Should we rent it out or sell it to fund goals or reduce the mortgage balance on the new home”
• Tip of the week
  • Don’t use your HSA - defer it
  • Backup, Hidden savings of online delivery
  • 529 plan payroll deduction

Resources:

• Employer Benefits Checklist: https://www.fppathfinder.com/checklists/respond/423a7a8d-e99e-4201-b7da-80e337855dce

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

  __

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

Join Brent's Monthly Newsletter:

https://40221980.hs-sites.com/join-infinite-wealth-plannings-newsletter

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

___________________

Editor:

Trevor Gargano (The Digital QB)

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

This Weeks Topics:

1. Enrollment and contribution best practices
2. Plan design - who these plans are optimized for
3. Fees, what they pay for
4. How to collab with an advisor
5. Hidden secrets in the plan document
6. Recent policy changes that expand investment offering potential

_____

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

  _

Special Guest: Matt Heitman, CFA, CFP®, ChFC®

Wealth Advisor, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-e-heitman/

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

Call us at 513-438-0095

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

___________________

Editor:

Trevor Gargano

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

Managing investment return expectations.

The truth behind terrible returns is a person that doesn’t quite understand market mechanics and how they tie into your financial goals.

Watch this episode now: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDMLU9XVm8Cd5c1-gWbk3VA

Sources:

https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/the-12-reality

https://am.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpm-am-aem/global/en/insights/ltcma-2025-us-matrix_usd.pdf

https://corporate.vanguard.com/content/corporatesite/us/en/corp/vemo/vemo-return-forecasts.html

https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/adv/insights/market-insights/guide-to-the-markets/

_______________

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

  __

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

Comments or questions? Email us at comments@moneyalchemistshow.com

___________________

Editor:

Trevor Gargano

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

___________

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

Information in this podcast should not be construed as tax advice. Consult with your tax professional for specific advice on your situation.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.