The average child spends about eight hours a day in front of a video screen. We’ve now seen a generation of children raised on a digital cocktail of social media, video games, and streaming services. A panoramic window into the world, algorithmically tuned for your child’s wants and subconscious desires.

Ferraris turn more heads than Hondas, a human preference so intrinsic that it shows up in children. And wealth is more attractive than knowledge. Countless hours of affluence are processed by brains that can’t even comprehend a simple cash flow statement.

We’ve all encountered the proverbial trust fund baby with more money than sense and think, ‘what went wrong’? The grunge of teen spirit cannot be washed away with money. It must be bathed in lessons hard learned under watchful guidance.

Even then, the stink of poor choices persists as potent reminders that the stakes are real. Guidance is the key. What form this guidance takes is debatable and can vary depending on the child or situation.

Ben and Brent argue their approaches to how we should introduce our children to wealth. Their approaches vary, demonstrating that there is no one ‘correct’ path, but branching paths. The objective should be to move on those paths that chart in the generally correct direction.

Ben prefers the use of UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act) account as a training ground with a liberal degree child responsibility while Brent favors a more conservative tact with tighter controls.

It’s a lively discussion, and we are curious to find out where you stand on the subject. What age do you think your kids would be ready to handle a meaningful sum of capital?

Send comments, questions, and requests for show contents to ben@nwmgadvisors.com or brent@infinitwealthplanning.com!

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Sources:

Cost of College over Time: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_330.10.asp

‘Trump’ Accounts: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/22/tax-bill-maga-baby-bonus-now-called-trump-accounts-who-is-eligible.html

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About your Hosts

Ben Jones, CFP®

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

___

Brent Gargano, CFP®

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

Connect With Brent -> linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

____________________________

Editor:

Trevor Gargano

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________________

Follow our socials to support the podcast; see extra clips and announcements!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

____________________________

Disclosure:

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.

The American proverb “you get what you pay for” is well understood but not commonly applied. Nowhere is this made more abundantly clear than in the food services industry, where people line up for cheap, borderline toxic calorie bombs to satiate their immediate cravings.

One should not ask why healthy food is so expensive but why fast food is so cheap. The idea that a drive thru diet is lower cost is an illusion once you factor in the long-term health consequences of indulgence.

This gets to the root of the question Ben and Brent discuss in today’s episode: where can we find the biggest rip offs in investing and how can we avoid them?

Everyone loves a deal almost as much as they love themselves. This makes us susceptible to overconfidence errors in economic assessment.

We find this to be especially true when it comes to purchasing financial advice. It’s also true that shopping for financial services is a highly variable experience with a non-zero chance of major trouble.

It’s difficult to price the value of an advisor but that doesn’t stop us from trying. The simplest interpretation is to think of a financial advisor as a stock picker - someone who can help you garner an edge.

False. In fact, if this is the pitch then that is the first sign that your non-zero chance of major trouble is now closer to 50/50. If you want an edge, run for congress. We hear they have a legal insider information scheme going on.

Pinpointing the value of an adviser is a nuanced subject that requires discussion. As Shrek would say, it has layers. If you're shopping for advice or just wondering what high-quality advice should look like, this episode is for you!

Managing Director, National Wealth Management Group

www.nwmgadvisors.com 

Sign up for Ben’s newsletter at www.karastick.com 

Follow him on X @thekaratstick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nwmg/

__

Founder & Advisor, Infinite Wealth Planning 

www.infinitewealthplanning.com

Connect With Brent -> linkedin.com/in/brent-gargano-cfp®-2067b573

____________________ 

Trevor Gargano

Email: Trevor@trevorgargano.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-gargano-72727b67/

Website: TheDigitalQuarterback.com

____________________

Follow our socials to support the podcast; see extra clips and announcements!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyalchemistpod/

X: https://twitter.com/moneyalchpod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556458987483

____________________

Investment advice offered through National Wealth Management Group, LLC.

All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.

The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or specific advice.