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Welcome to the Plutonomix Podcast, with Laurie Kamhi and Barnaby Levin. Two Perspectives on Wealth and Investing in 10 Minutes or Less. The word “Plutonomics” means the “Study of Wealth” and it is our Mission to educate; to help Clients think about their goals and how they might benefit from working with an Advisor to achieve them. But more importantly, it’s to make sure our listeners understand both the Pros and Cons of any issue so they can make Informed Decisions and increase the odds of finding the “right” answer, for them. You see, it’s not who’s “Right” or “Wrong” but, knowing there are NO “unbiased” opinions – and that “Where you Sit depends on where you Stand” – the challenge to making good Decisions is to start by questioning one’s Assumptions and breaking free of our “prejudices” because the truth usually lies somewhere in between. There are always two sides, both of which have merit.
Episodes
Saturday May 13, 2023
Regional Banks and The Lessons We’ve Learned
Saturday May 13, 2023
Saturday May 13, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi examine the lessons they hope we've learned from the Fall of Silicon Valley Bank -- the need for new limits and greater transparency; who's really to blame; and the consequences those responsible may (in their opinion) merit. They also explore some of the alternatives available to investors looking for higher yield and Preservation of Capital, while explaining the pros and cons of each. .
TIMESTAMPS
[1:24] It wasn’t Any One Thing. But Whose Money is it Anyway!
[3:11] Speaking of First Republic
[4:38] Protecting your Deposits
[6:32] Should we Stick With (or Short) the Dollar?
[6:58] Stick with The Dollar?
[8:47] Like Stan says
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Tuesday May 09, 2023
March Madness and The Fall of Silicon Valley Bank
Tuesday May 09, 2023
Tuesday May 09, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi focus on the fall of Silicon Valley Bank and its impact on the industry. They discuss the factors leading to the Bank's demise, starting with poor judgement on the part of Leadership when investing Clients' On Demand Deposits. Barnaby and Laurie then explain how this and the failure of the Bank's Auditors has compromised trust -- in the Industry and the Federal Reserve -- and (hopefully) a few lessons we've all learned from it all.
TIMESTAMPS
[01:41] Credit Suisse and The Fall of Silicon Valley Bank
[04:03] When Things Started to go Wrong - and Who was to Blame
[12:04] FDIC Insurance and the Bank Deposit Program
[14:37] The Role of the Federal Reserve in Maintaining Financial Stability
[16:19] Dealing with the Financial Turmoil by taking a Pause and Raising the Limit
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
The Power of Compounding (or ”How to Retire Rich”)
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi talk about the Power of Compounding and how to maximize your savings with very little effort. "Compounding" can either refer to earning interest on your interest (by reinvesting what you earn at the same or higher rate) or by "letting your Winners Run." Either way, they show how it can have a "Snowball Effect," where small actions -- taken consistently -- can lead to big results, creating financial resilience through disciplined and deliberate planning.
TIMESTAMPS
01:15 Asset Allocation and Investment Strategy
01:33 The Eighth Wonder of the World
02:11 The Rule of 72
05:12 The Pareto Principle
09:59 Perks in the Tax Code
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Asset Allocation & Investment Update
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Friday Feb 24, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi discuss Asset Allocation (the process of balancing a portfolio's potential for Risk versus Reward) by adjusting the percent invested in each asset or asset class according to a person's Goals; Timeline; and tolerance for Volatility. They emphasize the need to have tempered expectations -- while allowing time for the power of compounding to work its "magic" -- and to proactively maximize savings by investing consistently, through the Market's ups and downs.
TIMESTAMPS
1:06 What is Asset Allocation
3:08 Investing to achieve Long-Term Goals
6:31 Concentration, Focus and the Power of Compounding
9:27 Valuation and Investment Strategies in a Low-Interest Rate Environment
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Monday Feb 20, 2023
NFTs, or ”Non Fungible Tokens”
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Monday Feb 20, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi delve into the world of "Non Fungible Tokens" (or "NFTs") with Jake Spinowitz, Head of Community at Courtyard IO. They explain "Smart Contracts;" share thoughts on why NFTs were initially created (and, perhaps, who they benefit most); and what the primary differences between the three categories of Open Marketplaces are. They also discuss the very real risks of investing in NFTs (including volatility in price and value), which add another layer of risk on top of the Crypto Currencies, in which they're denominated, themselves.
TIMESTAMPS
[1:02] Introduction to Jake Spinowitz, Head of Community at Courtyard IO
[2:27] What is an NFT?
[3:13] The value of Non-Fungible Tokens
[7:10] NFT marketplaces and giving artists more control
[9:23] Using technology as proof of ownership and identity
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Risk & Reward: Where and How to Invest in Today’s Environment
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi continue their conversation on “Risk & Reward,” discussing (again) the importance of understanding what risk means for you. They suggest, when it comes to defining "Risk," how it might be better to think in terms of "Acceptable" versus "Un-Acceptable" and, given the current market environment, share some thoughts where and how to invest.
TIMESTAMPS
- [01:43] Understanding risk and the misleading nature of "Beta" and "Standard Deviation"
- [05:29] Assessing risk in the global economy
- [08:41] Exploring investment opportunities in a low-interest rate environment
- [10:34] Bond market yields and forming good financial habits
- [12:11] Investment strategies for financial security
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Risk & Reward
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi talk about the need to redefine "Risk & Reward." After sharing some of the more traditional definitions, they explain how emotional considerations are just as important as monetary ones because both are critical to our well-being.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:01] Intro
- [01:24] “Low Risk” no longer IS
- [03:10] “Fear Of Missing Out”
- [07:24] Financial planning and Expected Rates of Return
- [09:32] Gen Z and Millenials: work-life balance
- [10:57] Outro
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Friday Dec 02, 2022
What’s Happening with Bitcoin?
Friday Dec 02, 2022
Friday Dec 02, 2022
In this week’s episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin and Laurie Kamhi talk about the current state of crypto and what the future could hold for Bitcoin. They discuss the events leading up to the recent FTX crash; the demise of Sam Bankman-Fried; and the importance of due diligence while rebuilding trust in Bitcoin and the Blockchain network.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:01] Intro
- [01:04] What has happened with Bitcoin?
- [04:19] Commingling explained
- [11:23] Sam Bankman-Fried and the FTX bankruptcy
- [12:40] Disclosure and limits to borrowing
- [14:20] Outro
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if a recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Friday Nov 04, 2022
The Midterm Elections: Do They Matter
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Friday Nov 04, 2022
In this episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, it's Laurie's turn to talk about the importance of the upcoming, midterm elections on November 8th and what outcomes may already be priced into the stock and bond markets. She explains what economists are truly concerned about and -- regardless of the election outcomes -- compares predictions for the coming year to historical moments and why (as Barnaby suggested last time) the stock market often prefers a stalemate
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:01] Intro
- [01:19] The importance of the upcoming midterms
- [03:50] Inflation, Stagflation and the threat of a Wage-Price Spiral
- [06:37] De-globalization and current supply chain disruptions
- [10:21] Reposition yourself with long-term money
- [12:50] Outro
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stan Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie
Friday Oct 14, 2022
What I Think I Know
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Friday Oct 14, 2022
In this episode of the Plutonomix Podcast, Barnaby Levin talks about forecasts and (given people's natural inclination to base their decisions on Assumptions) whether they can ever be of any value. Either way, he discusses the impact forecasts do have on investing and, in the end, asks whether the Fed or the upcoming, Mid-Term Election is more important, longer term.
TIMESTAMPS
- [00:01] Intro
- [01:02] Do forecasts really help?
- [04:10] Cognitive dissonance
- [06:27] The impact on investing
- [13:10] What could happen with Mid-term elections
- 14:34] Outro
RESOURCES
- What I Think I Know by Barnaby Levin
- The Illusion of Knowledge by Howard Marks
- Closing Technique of the Week: The Ben Franklin Close
- CNBC: The Fed has not made a compelling case for taming inflation by crushing demand, says Judy Shelton
- Stanley Druckenmiller says he'd be 'stunned' if recession doesn't happen in 2023
- Contact Barnaby
- Contact Laurie