Andy dresses up as an index fund for Halloween (yes, really). The costume sparks a conversation about what index funds actually are, why they've dominated recent returns, and what happens when mega-cap stocks stop outperforming.

Plus, Adam breaks down three approaches to retirement spending – from detailed spreadsheets to the famous 4% rule to a more flexible guardrails method. They also discuss what rising bear market experience means for different generations of investors.

We cover:

• Why index funds are mostly just the biggest stocks in different sizes

• The performance chasing problem with yesterday's winners

• Small cap and value stocks historically outperforming over long periods

• Three ways to figure out retirement spending (and why flexibility matters)

• What the 4% rule actually assumes (and what it misses)

• The guardrails approach to retirement withdrawals

• How many bear markets different generations have experienced

• Gifting Roth IRA contributions to young family members

⏱️ Timestamps: 

• (00:00) Andy's index fund Halloween costume

• (02:38) Why index funds have been such a big win for investors

• (04:45) The concentration problem – when the biggest stocks dominate

• (06:09) Performance chasing and what happens when mega caps slow down

• (08:08) Small cap and value premiums over the long run

• (14:20) Three approaches to retirement spending budgets

• (16:50) Why detailed budgets never play out exactly as planned

• (18:50) The 4% rule and what it misses

• (22:00) The guardrails approach to retirement spending

• (28:30) Bear markets by generation – experience shapes perspective

• (33:40) Gifting Roth IRA contributions to kids and grandkids

• (36:05) Podcast disclosures

Resources:

Follow Burney Wealth Management on LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/burneywealthmanagement 

Follow Adam Newman on Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-newman-cfa-cfp%C2%AE-mst-ricp%C2%AE-cepa-48853916/ 

Follow Andy Pratt on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyjpratt/ 

#IndexFunds #RetirementPlanning #RetirementSpending #WealthManagement #InvestingStrategy

The Burney Company is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Burney Wealth Management is a division of the Burney Company. Registration with the SEC or any state securities authority does not imply that Burney Company or any of its principals or employees possesses a particular level of skill or training in the investment advisory business or any other business. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as personalized investment advice or a recommendation.