by Lance Roberts
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| Should you pay off debt, invest more in your 401(k), or do both? Lance Roberts & Jon Penn walk through five real-world financial decisions that millions of Americans face every year. Using new Vanguard research and simple math, we break down how to prioritize credit cards, mortgages, student loans, retirement savings, and employer matches to maximize long-term wealth. We also discuss why the mathematically correct answer is not always the emotionally correct one, and how personal priorities, risk tolerance, and peace of mind factor into financial planning. Key topics include: 0:00 - INTRO 1:12 - Six Weeks of Market Advances - What Happens in Week-7?4:36 - Economic Data Review 5:30 - Narrow market Rally Poses Portfolio Risk 10:35 - Birthday Table & Coming Attractions 12:00 - Five Questions to Help You Make Better Financial Decisions 13:45 - Everybody Starts from Scratch 18:20 - Invest or Pay off Debt? 20:54 - Not Everybody Contributes to 401k Plan 25:50 - The Number One Asset is Time 30:21 - Taking a Loan Against Your 401k? (NO!) 32:51 - Margo Has Money Troubles & Other Streaming Treats 35:12 - Inherited Money: Pay Off Mortgage? (NO!) 43:04 - Healthy Debt vs Unhealthy Debt Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Senior Investment Advisor, Jonathan Penn, CFP Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer ------- Articles Mentioned in Today's Show: "Commodity Supercycle: The Enemy Of The Bull Thesis (Part 1)" https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/commodity-supercycle-the-enemy-of-the-bull-thesis-part-1/ "Earnings Estimate Revisions Are Very Optimistic" https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/earnings-estimate-revisions-are-very-optimistic/ "Parabolic Semiconductor Rally Is Pricing In 2028 Already" https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/parabolic-semiconductor-rally-is-pricing-in-2028-already/ ------- Do you enjoy our content? Rate us on Google: https://bit.ly/4b9JtEo ------- Watch Today's Full Video on our YouTube Channel: ------- Watch today's "Before the Bell" feature, "Tech Rally Risk Is Rising" here: _xjKIGiDs ------- Watch our previous show, "Annuities: Smart Move or Costly Mistake?" https://youtube.com/live/6Rag3wz8r3k ------- * REGISTER for our next Candid Coffee, Saturday, May 16: "Financial Organization Made Simple:" https://streamyard.com/watch/SA6aj2aMdMhf -------- Download Lance's Latest e-book, "Laws of Money & Wealth:"https://realinvestmentadvice.com/ria-e-guide-library/ -------- SUBSCRIBE to The Real Investment Show here: http://www.youtube.com/c/TheRealInvestmentShow -------- Visit our Site: https://www.realinvestmentadvice.com Contact Us: 1-855-RIA-PLAN -------- Subscribe to SimpleVisor: https://www.simplevisor.com/register-new -------- Connect with us on social: https://twitter.com/RealInvAdvice https://twitter.com/LanceRoberts https://www.facebook.com/RealInvestmentAdvice/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/realinvestmentadvice/ #TechnologyStocks #XLK #StockMarket #Investing #MarketRisk #FinancialPlanning #401k #DebtManagement #RetirementPlanning #PersonalFinance |
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4-16-26 New Highs in a Broken Market — What’s Really Going On?
2026-04-16
$SPX $QQQ Markets pushed to new highs despite elevated valuations, high interest rates, and ongoing war in Iran, driven largely by short-term momentum and increased speculative activity like 0DTE options.
This creates a disconnect where price action overrides fundamentals in the near term.
While the rally is real and participation has been rewarded, the risk is assuming this is a stable bull trend, but it is not.
Furthermore, history suggests midterm years bring volatility into summer, so investors should stay flexible, respect momentum, but continue managing risk and expect choppiness, pullbacks, and volatility spikes.
📺Full episode:
Catch Lance Roberts daily on The Real Investment Show: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealInvestmentShow
The Market Knew And Proved It Again
2026-04-16
On Monday, our Commentary, The Market Knows What You Don’t, shared an important lesson about how markets function. The message was timely, as fear and volatility over the prior few weeks had caused great anxiety among many investors. We wrote the following to help investors maintain a north star during these challenging times: Market prices …
3-3-26 Ten Immutable Laws of Money
2026-03-03
Most people will never build wealth — not because of the economy, but because no one taught them the rules.
Lance Roberts & Jonathan Penn break down the 10 Immutable Laws of Money — time-tested principles that have worked for generations, regardless of your income, age, or background. From budgeting basics and crushing debt to understanding why millionaires live more modestly than you think, these laws are the foundation of lasting financial success.
Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Senior Investment Advisor, Jonathan Penn, CFP
Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer
Rate us on Google: https://bit.ly/4b9JtEo
0:00 – INTRO
1:04 – What Else is Going On Besides Iran?
10:11 – VIX is Rising as Markets Fall
14:38 – Spring Break & Adulting
15:23
Economic Sentiment Belies Strong Economic Estimates
2026-02-27
Economic growth metrics for the United States have recently shown surprising resilience; however, consumers’ economic sentiment has not. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s advance estimate, real Gross Domestic Product expanded at an annualized rate of just 1.4%, well below expectations and a steep drop from the 4.4% pace in the third quarter. However, …
2-25-26 Q & A Wednesday: Straight Talk About Your Money
2026-02-25
Welcome to Q & A Wednesday: Straight Talk on Your Money — a live, unscripted Q&A show pulled directly from our YouTube chatroom. No canned slides. No rehearsed talking points. Just practical, plain-English answers to real-world money questions with Lance Roberts and Danny Ratliff.
Lance & Danny tackle topics like retirement planning, Roth vs. traditional decisions, tax-smart withdrawal strategies, Social Security timing, portfolio risk management, diversification, income planning, cash vs. investing, debt payoff frameworks, and how to think through market volatility without wrecking your long-term plan. We also discuss the “why” behind common financial rules of thumb—what holds up, what doesn’t, and how to tailor decisions to your situation.
Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment
1-7-26 Let’s Talk About Venezuela, Oil Prices & Energy Stocks
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Energy stocks $XLE are running ahead of oil fundamentals, and that gap won’t last forever.
In this Short video, Lance Roberts explains how Venezuela, supply risk, and slowing demand could push #crudeoil prices lower and force energy stocks to catch up.
📺Full episode:
Catch me daily on The Real Investment Show: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealInvestmentShow
2026 Forecast: Tis The Season For Wild Guesses
2026-01-07
It’s that time of year when every Wall Street analyst posts their forecast for where the S&P 500 will close at the end of 2026. This year, as in every other, Wall Street expects the S&P 500 to post positive returns. As shown below, Bank of America is the most cautious, with a 3% gain, …
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