Caffeine And Cash Flow with Michael Schulte

When the market feels unpredictable, your plan shouldn’t be. If you’re worried about the volatility and how you’re invested, now might be the time to step back and reassess your strategies to ensure we are adequately prepared for whatever the market throws our way. In this episode, Michael shares a structured, three-bucket approach to help investors navigate volatility and prepare for retirement with confidence. Drawing on lessons from the 2008 financial crisis and current market headwinds, we’ll explain how to allocate your assets across growth, guaranteed income, and liquidity to create a foundation that balances opportunity and protection. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 📉 Lessons from 2008 and today's volatile markets 🧠 Why emotional decisions can wreck your retirement 📊 How real diversification works — and what it’s not 🎯 Why financial success starts with a personalized plan Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Tariffs are back in the headlines—and so is market volatility. But is this a reason to panic or just another chapter in a long financial story? In this episode of Caffeine & Cash Flow, Michael Schulte walks through five historical periods of U.S. tariffs—from the Smoot-Hawley Act of the 1930s to recent measures under Presidents Trump and Biden—and reveals how markets performed during each era. The good news: it’s not all doom and gloom. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 📉 What happened during the 1930s Smoot-Hawley tariffs 📈 How the market reacted under Nixon, Reagan, Trump, and Biden 📊 Real performance data across five tariff periods 🔍 Why diversification and time horizon matter more than headlines 🧠 The case for ignoring market panic and sticking to your plan The data pulled in this episode is sourced from InteractFA. Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

You’ve heard the term “diversification” countless times—but are you actually doing it right? As the financial landscape continues to evolve, understanding how to properly diversify your investment portfolio is more crucial than ever. In this episode, we’re going to get into the investing fundamentals we consistently stick to in order to help achieve the highest probability of success. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: 📊 Diversification ≠ Just owning a few different stocks 📉 Most portfolios are too heavily tilted toward large-cap tech 🏦 Own the full asset class—don’t try to pick winners 🔄 Rebalance regularly to reduce risk & stay disciplined Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

March Madness is here, and just like filling out a bracket, picking individual stocks can feel like a thrilling gamble. But the odds of winning big are slim. In fact, history shows that most stock picks, like most brackets, end up busted. Many investors can’t resist chasing big wins, even though diversification is a smarter play. One economist, Hendrik Bessembinder, analyzed the returns of nearly a century of stock performance. Let’s compare what he found to March Madness history and uncover what March Madness can teach us about investing! Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Today we’re going to piggyback of our conversation in the last episode by focusing in on recency bias and show you how the concept plays itself out among investors. As Michael will explain, recency bias is the tendency to give more weight to the most recent information when making decisions, which can often lead to skewed perceptions and poor financial choices. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

As we begin a new year, it’s helpful to reflect on our financial habits and the biases that may influence them. By understanding and mitigating these biases, we can make more informed decisions and set ourselves up for greater financial success. In this episode, Michael will highlight the most common cognitive biases that he sees in people, which is a topic that could reshape how you approach your financial decisions. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

In this festive episode of Caffeine and Cash Flow, Michael guides you through the 12 Days of Financial Wellness. Discover essential tips on managing assets, liabilities, protection, and cash flow as you prepare your balance sheet for the new year. Whether you're planning for personal property, savings, investments, or understanding liabilities, this episode provides practical advice to enhance your financial health. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Check out the sample balance sheet here: https://caffeinecashflow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LBS-sample-client-dashboard-2024.pdf Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

As we approach the new year, it's essential to stay informed about the financial changes that could impact your retirement planning. The latest episode of the Caffeine and Cash Flow podcast will provide you with updates for 2025, focusing on pension and retirement plan contribution limits. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

We’ll continue with part two of our conversation on how the economy has grown under previous presidential administrations. In the previous episode, we discussed some of the more recent administrations, but this time we’ll go back deeper into history and take a good look at older data. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

With the election behind us, we now know that former President Trump will have another four years in the White House. While that could mean policy shifts in all sorts of areas, we want to focus on how it may impact the economy so Michael will take a deep dive into the data on different economic growth factors, and what the numbers have looked like under both Republican and Democratic administrations over the years. In part one of this two-part conversation, we’ll break down how the stock market and the economy are not necessarily the same thing, and how they don’t always go hand in hand. We’ll also discuss how the stock market has grown substantially over the last 97 years across many administrations of both parties. Then, we’ll get into specific growth numbers and what exactly they mean. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

When it comes to planning for retirement, there's no shortage of advice out there. Unfortunately, much of it can be misleading or only half-true. That can be a problem for investors because they end up following guidance that doesn’t apply to their situation. Today we continue our two-part discussion on these potentially misleading statements by shedding light on some of the most common retirement half-truths and explain why they might not tell the whole story. Here’s what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

We hear a lot of half-truths in the financial world, not necessarily because people try to make misleading statements, but because sometimes a simple statement just doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Join us for part one of this discussion as we cover common misconceptions about market losses, portfolio fees, mortgage interest, diversification, and bonds. We’ll provide insights on why these half-truths can be misleading and how to navigate them for better financial planning. Here’s what we discuss in this episode: Data referenced in this article: https://interactfa.com/the-index-matrix-app/ https://www.upmyinterest.com/bloomberg-us-aggregate-bonds/ Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Paying for college has become increasingly harder with rising costs. Starting early for your child's or grandchild's education can make a big difference and reduce the need for excessive borrowing later. In this two-part series, we’ll cover the key aspects of college financial planning from both the parent and grandparent perspectives. Part one broke down the costs associated with college, how much they’ve risen, and how to determine if the value is worth it over time. Now we’re focused on the strategies for saving money to cover rising tuition costs, determining who should pay for college, and the various tools available for funding education. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Paying for college has become increasingly harder with rising costs. Starting early for your child's or grandchild's education can make a big difference and reduce the need for excessive borrowing later. In this two-part series, we’ll cover the key aspects of college financial planning from both the parent and grandparent perspectives. From understanding the true purpose of college to comparing the opportunity costs and exploring various saving methods, this first episode is packed with practical advice to help you plan effectively for one of life's biggest expenses. We’ll break down how the costs have risen significantly over time and whether it’s truly worth the price at many schools. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: To learn more about the cost of college, visit this link: https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college-by-year#:~:text=In%201999%2D2000%2C%20tuition%20at,schools%2C%20from%20%244%2C975%20to%20%248%2C274. Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

In any sport, it is often the smallest, most consistent actions that make the biggest difference. In today’s episode, Michael shares insights from his experience coaching youth baseball to show that this philosophy is just as important in financial planning as it is on the field. Listen in as he shares 15 “little things” that everyone should focus on in their finances to achieve winning personal finance. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Are you ready to take your financial planning to the next level? In this episode of Caffeine and Cash Flow, Michael and Ben explore the timeless wisdom of legendary coach, John Wooden. Wooden's Pyramid of Success has guided countless individuals to greatness, both on and off the court, and has some powerful takeaways for your everyday life and financial planning. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: John Wooden's Pyramid of Success: https://www.thewoodeneffect.com/pyramid-of-success/ Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

When it comes to investing, the term 'diversification' is often tossed around, but what does it truly mean to diversify your portfolio? Is it as easy as sticking to the S&P 500 index the to achieve wealth management success? In this episode, we’ll answers these questions and dive into the latest returns by asset class to help you better understand what diversification truly means. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Are you a business owner who's ever wondered about the best way to exit your venture when the time comes? You're not alone. Exit planning is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of entrepreneurship. Today we’ll try to help unravel the complexities of exit planning and discuss the different options most people consider when it comes time to sell the business. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Source for the data in today's episode: https://caffeinecashflow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/The-Why-and-How-of-Exit-Planning-with-polling-questions.pptx Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Each generation is currently navigating a unique part of the retirement planning experience. With many Baby Boomers preparing for the transition into retirement and Generation X close behind, these two generations are asking a handful of financial planning questions. In today’s episode, we’ll share insights into the unique concerns that echo across different age groups. These are the retirement questions that each generation is asking. We’ll continue the conversation on our next episode as we talk about the younger generations and the questions they need to be asking. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897

Are you planning for your retirement with the confidence that you're making all the right moves? In today's episode, we'll unveil the crucial income planning mistakes that could jeopardize your retirement and show you how to craft a financial plan that's built to last decades, not just years. Tune in to ensure your retirement strategy is foolproof against common pitfalls and ready to secure your financial future. Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode: Learn more: https://caffeinecashflow.com/ Get in touch with Michael- Web: https://www.westpacwealth.com/team/michael-schulte Email: michael.schulte@westpacwealth.com Phone: 702-767-4897