Simply Money presented by Allworth Financial

This episode of Simply Money, hosted by Bob Sponseller and Brian James, covers a range of critical financial topics with expert insights from Allworth Financial. The discussion opens with a deep dive into the March 2026 inflation report, driven by rising oil prices due to Middle East tensions, which pushed headline inflation to 3.3% year-over-year, largely due to a 0.9% monthly increase in energy costs. Core inflation, however, remained stable at 0.2%, suggesting broader economic pressures are not yet widespread. The hosts emphasize that markets are forward-looking, and while oil remains a wild card, the U.S. economy is expected to grow around 2% in Q1–Q3 2026, supported by tax refunds, business spending, and productivity gains. The episode then shifts to a cautionary tale about a former financial advisor in Warren County sentenced to five years in prison for a 20-year Ponzi scheme, highlighting red flags like personal checks to advisors, fake performance statements, and commingling of funds. The hosts stress the importance of verifying custodial institutions and avoiding blind trust. A segment with estate planning expert Paul Schwartz underscores why estate documents should be reviewed every 2–5 years, even without life changes, due to evolving laws, beneficiary age, and state-specific legal requirements. The discussion also covers asset titling, trust funding, and the importance of updating beneficiary designations. Finally, the episode addresses key investor questions: municipal vs. taxable bonds (with a strong warning against muni bonds in IRAs), the role of private investments (recommended at 10–25% of portfolios), and the critical need for proactive tax planning—especially for high-income earners—emphasizing that tax planning must happen in Q4, not April. The episode concludes with a call to action: coordinate with fiduciary advisors early to avoid costly mistakes.