Greenstream

After 15 years of U.S. outperformance, many investors are wondering whether global diversification is still worth it. In Episode 21 of Greenstream, we look past recent returns and dig into the long-run evidence of global stock market returns. You’ll learn about:

• The academic, risk-adjusted case for international diversification
• How global diversification helps protect against a ‘lost decade’ or more in your home country
• The ca...

It’s one of the most important decisions in personal finance. Research has shown that asset allocation, not the stocks you pick, explains 90% of returns (see sources below). That’s why getting your mix of stocks to bonds right matters most. In Episode 20 of Greenstream, we explain why there is no agreement on the single, optimal portfolio, but how we can find the best portfolio for you.

You’ll learn about:

• How to align your po...

Taxes are one of your largest lifetime expenses, but most people think about them after it’s too late to make a difference. In Episode 19 of Greenstream, we break down the difference between tax preparation (filling out your tax return) and tax planning (proactively shaping your outcomes). You’ll learn about:

• How to identify opportunities before year-end that may disappear in January
• Why financial advisors and CPAs play compli...

Board service is one of the most impactful ways to shape organizations, give back, and expand your influence. In this episode, Lindsay Jordan and Robyn Bew, board governance experts from EY (sharing personal perspectives), unpack what boards do, why they matter for every organization, and how you can position yourself to join one.

Sources

EY Center for Board Matters – Our latest thinking | EY - US https://www.ey.com/en_us/board-m...

Are you investing or are you gambling? In episode 17 of Greenstream, we unpack evidence from casinos, sportsbooks, and academic finance to show how the odds work against gamblers but for investors. You’ll learn about:

• Why time is an investor’s ally but gambler’s enemy
• How the “favorite–longshot bias” from horse racing shows up in lottery stocks and IPOs
• Four practical ways to help stack the odds in your favor and invest like t...

Investment returns are expected, not promised. To capture them, investors should both intelligently take risks and stick around for the return. In episode 16 of Greenstream, we break down the psychological and behavioral biases that can hold us back. Investors should view these as penalties or unforced errors that make winning your game harder.

You'll learn:

• What we believe to be biases and how they manifest themselves in port...

Investing isn’t about avoiding risk; it’s about taking the right risks and avoiding the wrong risks. In episode 15 of Greenstream, we break down what risk means, the difference between compensated (right) and uncompensated (wrong) risk, and why most investors underestimate risk.

You’ll learn:

• What different types of risk matter: catastrophic, opportunity cost, and missed goals
• Why individual stocks are riskier than you might t...

Is AI overhyped? Or is it the next big leap in productivity and profits? In this episode, we explore real-world examples of how GenAI is transforming small and medium sized businesses. Our guest, Steve Moritz, 2x AI founder and longtime IT consultant, shares how to start using AI in your business, the risks to mitigate, and why leadership buy-in matters. Plus, we discuss what AI’s expected productivity boost means for your investme...

Do they add enough value to cover their fee? We dive into to unpacking the qualitative and quantitative components of potential value for investors from fee-only advisors. We also compare fee-only advice with other forms of advice and discuss why investment advice alone isn’t enough to justify 1% per year.

Meet with Marcus & Pat: https://outlook.office365.com/book/MarcusCalendaratGreenspringAdvisors@Greenspringos33.onmicrosof...

How can you evaluate your advisor’s investment performance? We discuss why it’s an important question to ask, why it’s challenging to answer, and why you should be skeptical if the answer is only about past performance. Investing is different from other disciplines because past performance tends to not persist, even for sophisticated institutional investment managers. We also talk about the ways the industry obfuscates historical b...

In this episode, Marcus Schafer and Patrick Collins discuss the intricacies of generating income in retirement. They explore various strategies for withdrawal rates, the importance of asset allocation, and the role of social security. The conversation emphasizes the need for a comprehensive financial plan that includes tax strategies and the evaluation of income-generating products. The hosts advocate for a diversified portfolio ap...

Is an 8% withdrawal rate, like Dave Ramsey says, sustainable? Or is it 4%? We unpack one of the top questions retirees have: How Much Money Do I Need to Retire? We reviewed the research on replacement, spending, and withdrawal rates to understand what a sustainable portfolio withdrawal rate is.

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding How Much Money You Need to Retire – finding a better answer than “more”

04:13 Spending vs. Asset Retirement T...

In this conversation, Marcus Schafer and Patrick Collins explore the complexities of real estate investment, discussing whether a home is an asset or a liability, the expected returns on real estate, the risks involved, and the tax implications of investing in property. They emphasize the importance of understanding market dynamics, leveraging unique skills, and conducting thorough analyses to make informed investment decisions. Th...

36% of Americans believe owning a house is the greatest investment you can make, but is it? In the 8th episode of Greenstream, we breakdown how many of us overestimate our returns by not factoring in true costs, which can be ~5% per year. After costs, fees, and taxes, real estate returns may be underwhelming but viewing a home as a consumption good also has non-monetary benefits. We evaluate how to make the most of your home as an ...

In episode 7 of Greenstream, Marcus Schafer and Pat Collins unpack why annuities, especially those labeled “deferred” or “variable”, often fail investors. Through the lens of the Rosenthal family’s costly mistake, they explore why annuities are so complex, how high fees and opaque terms work against consumers, and when (if ever) annuities make sense. From fear-based sales pitches to hidden tax pitfalls, this episode is a must-liste...

Is the 2025 stock market downturn driven by economic policies, such as tariffs, different from previous market crashes? We're joined by Justin Brown, Greenspring's Director of Investments, to discuss how this time, like every time, is different, but also how drawdowns and volatility are features, not bugs, of markets that reward long-term investors. We outline how investors should respond depending on the preparedness of their port...

Are Elite Endowment portfolios and returns replicable for other investors? In this episode we unpack what we can learn from some of the most famous institutional investors: endowments. We discuss how their process is repeatable, but the evidence suggests their performance is not. We discuss the challenges of evaluating performance, the debate between whether they are taking more risk vs different risk to achieve higher absolute per...

Patrick McQuown joins to discuss exiting your business and innovation in Baltimore. Patrick is a 2x founder and the Executive Director of Entrepreneurship at Towson University, where he leads the StarTUp coworking space, accelerator, and incubator. Pat, Marcus, and Patrick discuss the importance of planning for a transaction in advance, how to execute that plan in a way that fits your goals, and most importantly, what to think abou...

Meet with Greenspring Advisors: https://greenspringadvisors.com/contact/

What is financial planning? Join us for a conversation on what financial planning done well looks like and how to tell when it’s done for the wrong reasons – typically if the conclusion is to buy a product a salesperson receives a commission on. We discuss the difference between static versus dynamic plans, how your families’ plan is similar and different to ...