Smarter Planner Podcast

In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, welcomes back Victor Haghani, founder of Elm Wealth, co-author of The Missing Billionaires: A Guide to Better Financial Decisions, and former co-founder of Long-Term Capital Management. Victor returns to the podcast to discuss his latest investing experiment, the Crystal Ball Challenge, a unique exercise designed to test whether having access to tomorrow's news would actually make investors better decision-makers. Inspired by a challenge posed by Nassim Taleb, the Crystal Ball Challenge gives participants access to a future Wall Street Journal front page while hiding the actual market results. Players then decide how to position stocks and bonds before discovering what really happened. What sounds like an investing superpower quickly becomes a lesson in uncertainty, confidence, and risk management. Victor also explains why some artificial intelligence models were surprisingly effective at identifying market direction while still struggling with one of investing's most important skills: determining how much risk to take. Throughout the conversation, Belle and Victor explore a challenge every financial planner encounters. Even when investors have access to more information, markets often behave in unexpected ways. Understanding the limits of prediction can help advisors keep clients focused on process, discipline, and long-term outcomes rather than short-term forecasts. One of the most compelling takeaways is that confidence and accuracy are not the same thing. Whether you're a human investor, a professional trader, or an artificial intelligence model, knowing what might happen next is only part of the equation. Victor's message is simple: Successful investing is not about predicting the future perfectly. It's about making better decisions in the face of uncertainty. Guest Links Website: https://elmwealth.com Book: The Missing Billionaires: A Guide to Better Financial Decisions Crystal Ball Challenge: https://elmwealth.com Recommend a Podcast Guest 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7 The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals, firms, products, or services mentioned.

In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, welcomes Jeremy Keil, CFP®, CFA®, and Certified Kingdom Advisor®, founder of Keil Financial Partners, host of the Retirement Revealed Podcast, and creator of the Mr. Retirement YouTube channel. Jeremy joins Belle to talk about advisor marketing, branding, and niching down in a way that feels authentic rather than sales-driven. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience helping clients transition into retirement, Jeremy explains why successful marketing is not just about generating leads. It starts with understanding exactly who you serve and how you communicate with them. Jeremy breaks down the framework he uses for his own business: • Brand: Who you are and who you serve • Messaging: How you speak to those people • Marketing: How you help the right people find you Jeremy also explains how his retirement planning framework became part of his client experience and why advisors should think intentionally about how clients experience their process from the very first interaction. The conversation also explores Jeremy's work as a Certified Kingdom Advisor and how values, faith, and transparency can influence advisor-client relationships. Finally, Jeremy shares why he believes advisors should learn motivational interviewing, a communication framework originally developed in behavioral counseling that helps people move toward meaningful change through better conversations and questions. His message to advisors is simple: The best marketing often does not feel like marketing at all. It feels like clarity, consistency, and connection. Guest Links Website: https://keilfp.com Podcast: https://keilfp.com/blogpodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MrRetirement LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrretirement/ Recommend a Podcast Guest 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7 The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals, firms, products, or services mentioned.

In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, welcomes Ed Dressel, president and owner of Retire Ready Solutions, a company empowering advisors to simplify retirement education — especially for middle-income workers and pension-eligible employees. With nearly 40 years in the industry, Ed has identified a critical disconnect: advisors love complexity, but clients crave simplicity. When presentations are too technical, clients feel lost and miss the most essential questions about their retirement readiness. Ed explains how shifting from over-analysis to interactive simplicity helps clients: -Truly understand their retirement path -Express their values and priorities -Make informed decisions with confidence -Stay engaged long after the meeting ends He also shares how Retire Ready Solutions' tools help advisors show on one page whether a client is on track and how minor improvements (like 1–2% contribution increases) can dramatically boost outcomes without overwhelming them. Guest Links Website: retireready.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwarddressel/ Recommend a Podcast Guest 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7 ____________________________________________________________________________ The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services mentioned.

In this episode of The Smarter Planner Podcast, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, sits down with Ari Galper, founder and CEO of Ari AI — the world's only trust-based proprietary AI sales growth advisor — to explore how financial planners can build deeper trust and stronger client relationships in today's commoditized advisory landscape. Ari, author of seven bestselling books including Trust in a Split Second and Unlock the Sales Game, explains why we're in what he calls a "trust recession." He challenges the traditional focus on relationship-building and free consulting, showing instead how advisors can earn trust faster by adopting a doctor–patient approach — diagnosing problems before offering solutions. Together, Belle and Ari unpack: Why "value" and "education" are no longer effective trust builders How to shift from being "shopped" to becoming the trusted choice Practical ways to change your first meeting language to build instant credibility How emotional connection—not intellect—is what drives client commitment The role of AI in transforming trust-based communication and client engagement Learn how to stop chasing prospects and start creating trust in a split second. Guest Links: Website: AriGalper.com Book: TheTrustBook.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arigalper Recommend a podcast guest: 👉 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PWXHTV7 The Smarter Planner Podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services mentioned.

In this 1 CE-credit episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP® talks with two leading voices about how artificial intelligence is shaping the industry and what it means for the future of financial planners. CE Credit Instructions Listen to the full episode. Take the quiz: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/fpancaaipodcastce Receive 1 CE credit upon completion. Links & Resources Part One: Brendan Fraser – How AI Will Make You a Better Planner Will AI replace advisors? Brendan explains why the answer is "not yet"—and maybe never, if humans focus on what tech can't replicate. The chess analogy: How pairing human strategic thinking with computational speed elevates financial advice to new levels. Client conversations that matter: Why empathy, values, and life goals will always separate advisors from machines. The ROI of advice: Beyond investment returns, Brendan reframes ROI as money, time, and peace of mind. RFG Advisory https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanfrazier/ Part Two: Brooke Juniper – AI's Role in Portfolio Management AI's long history in finance: From quant strategies to tax-loss harvesting, AI has been powering portfolio management for decades. Generative AI's "unlock": Moving from deterministic models to flexible, client-specific analysis and commentary. Vertical vs. horizontal AI apps: Why specialized AI like Sage is built for advisors, compared to general tools like ChatGPT. Trust and transparency: Ensuring data sources, calculations, and models are reliable and client-ready. Looking ahead: AI as a "co-pilot," enabling hyper-personalized portfolios, real-time insights, and scalable empathy. Sage – AI for Wealth Advisors https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-juniper/ The information provided in the Smarter Planner Podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice. Views expressed are those of the guests and host, not necessarily those of the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area (FPA NCA). Please consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

In this episode, host Belle Osvath, CFP®, talks with Vincent Randazzo, CMT, founder of ViewRight Advisors and former Head of Technical Research at CFRA, about how financial advisors can better navigate market cycles and systemic risk using a disciplined, data-driven approach. Vincent explains that traditional static asset allocation models don't account for the market cycle's stage—spring, summer, fall, or winter—and therefore miss critical opportunities to manage risk. He emphasizes the importance of active risk management, which differs from stock picking or market timing. Vincent also challenges the assumption that compounding is straightforward, reminding listeners that path dependency matters—the sequence in which returns occur can significantly impact outcomes. His closing advice: helping clients avoid significant losses is more potent than chasing high returns, especially early in retirement. To learn more or subscribe to Vincent's market research, visit viewright.ai or follow him on LinkedIn and X (@CMTRandazzo). _____________________________________________________________________ The information provided in The Smarter Planner podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the FPA National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA), its board, or its affiliates. FPA NCA does not endorse or recommend any individuals, firms, products, or services mentioned in this podcast. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional who understands their personal financial situation before making any decisions based on this or any other content.

In this episode of the Smarter Planner podcast, host Belle Osvath talks with Dr. Christina Lynn, CFP®, AFC, CDFA, Director and Wealth Strategist at Mariner, about the transformative power of motivational interviewing in financial planning. A technique rooted in behavioral health, motivational interviewing is gaining momentum among financial professionals as a powerful tool to navigate emotionally charged client conversations and foster meaningful change. Dr. Lynn explains that financial advisors often jump too quickly into solutions, assuming expertise alone can guide clients to better outcomes. Motivational interviewing teaches advisors to slow down and first explore a client's emotions, motivations, and readiness for change. It's about helping clients arrive at their reasons to act—making the advice more likely to be implemented. Using real-life client scenarios—from pension decisions to post-crash diversification regrets—Dr. Lynn illustrates how motivational interviewing helps lower client defensiveness, rebuild trust, and foster more empathetic and effective relationships. As AI continues to handle more of the math, this episode emphasizes that emotional intelligence and relational skills are the future differentiators for advisors. To connect with Dr. Lynn, visit Mariner.com or find her on LinkedIn. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Smarter Planner podcast is brought to you by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes only. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse any specific individuals or services discussed in the episode.

In this episode host Belle Osvath, CFP® interviews Matt Gelfand, PhD, CFA, CFP®, Managing Director and Global Strategist at Princeton Global. Matt brings deep insight into the age-old debate of active vs. passive investing. Matt shares how his academic background in economics initially led him to embrace the efficient market hypothesis, but his decades of real-world experience changed his view. He explains why active investing still has an important place, particularly in volatile markets, and outlines the logical and behavioral arguments supporting the idea that markets aren't always efficient. From market inefficiencies created by human behavior to the critical role of active managers in making markets efficient, Matt unpacks why active management may outperform in certain circumstances. The discussion also covers broader market forces, the impact of policy uncertainty, and how behavioral finance adds another layer of opportunity for active investors.. This episode is packed with thought-provoking insights for financial planners looking to deepen their understanding of market dynamics and investment strategy. You can connect with Matt on LinkedIn or visit PrincetonGlobal.com for more. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgelfand/ —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Smarter Planner podcast is produced by the Financial Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter (FPA NCA) for educational purposes. Belle Osvath and FPA NCA do not endorse specific individuals or services discussed in this podcast.