Money On Tap

Ben Brayshaw & Seth Krussman

Hi, and welcome to "Money on Tap", your personal finance headquarters where we bring out the professionals, experience, and some fun in what we call 3 dimensional investing; utilizing insurance, brokerage, and fee-based planning. We believe all investments have merit, all investments have relevance and all investments have their time and place, depending on your goals and appetite for risk. On a weekly basis "Money on Tap" airs live in New England and is rebroadcast multiple times, as well as available on podcast. Our goal is to educate and debate the current relevant financial issues facing today's investors. As planners with Brayshaw Financial Group, LLC, we have over a century of experience among our planners, and find that many people simply cannot engage in healthy and constructive financial planning relationships due to the magnitude of the industry as a whole. As we educate and debate current topics and relate them to everyday concerns, we will help empower you to feel more confident and more aware as an investor. Mentioned on air: Our short sequence-of-returns risk video — watch it at brayshawfinancial.com.Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com

  1. Retirement Redzone, The Last Mile

    2d ago

    Retirement Redzone, The Last Mile

    Ten straight up weeks, then a sharp pullback — and if you’re two to five years on either side of retirement, the fear is real. This is the Retirement Red Zone: the last mile into and out of your retirement date, and the most fragile window in your entire financial life.This week on Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon turn last week’s market-history conversation into a practical playbook for anyone near retirement: how to avoid the paralysis that wrecked so many retirements in 2008–2009, and what to actually do right now.What you’ll learn: Why a 35-year-old and a 65-year-old should do the opposite thing in a pullbackThe accumulation-to-distribution switch most people don’t know existsWhat history says: after 40 sharp selloffs since 1980, markets were higher 75% of the time a year laterSequence-of-returns risk — why the first five years decide everythingBuilding a 1–3 year retirement runway with ~4% cash and T-billsRebalancing a 60/40 that drifted to 75/25Diversifying away from a top-10 that’s now 40% of the S&P (8 of them tech)Buffered ETFs — a 20% buffer with a 12–15% cap, explainedFoundational income, annuities, and the tax-aware withdrawal piece most firms skipPlus Money In The News: Consumer prices rose 4.2% annually in May — the highest in three years (CNBC, Jeff Cox)Elon Musk poised to become the first trillionaire — and just how much a trillion dollars really isA top JP Morgan strategist’s four ways to prep your portfolio for “considerable danger” (David Kelly)Mentioned on air: Our short sequence-of-returns risk video — watch it at brayshawfinancial.com.Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  2. Risk, Reward, & Record Highs

    6d ago

    Risk, Reward, & Record Highs

    Nearly every major index is at a record high — and everyone’s asking the same question: is this the beginning of something great, or the end of something that’s gone too far?This week on Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon take that question apart with 75 years of market history, a few statistics that genuinely surprised them, and a clear look at what a record high means for you — whether you’re decades from retirement or already drawing income.What you’ll learn: The Fidelity data showing investing at an all-time high beats investing on a random dayWhy a record high is usually a signal of a healthy economy, not a topA walk through 1982, 1987, 1995–1999, 2000, 2009, and 2020Why today’s AI market looks more like 1995 than the 2000 dot-com bubbleWhy timing the market is a loser’s game — and why taking profits isn’t fearSequence-of-returns risk — why the first years of retirement decide everythingBuffered ETFs — staying in the market with downside guardrailsAnnuities with lifetime income and long-term-care ridersPlus Money In The News: American financial literacy hits a 10-year low — U.S. adults answered just 47% of the TIAA Institute’s 2026 questions correctly (Yahoo Finance, Kerry Hannon)America’s data-center build-out falls behind schedule — Google’s $80B equity raise and what it signals about AI’s real cost (WSJ, Katherine Blunt)Exxon chief warns oil could spike to $160–$170 a barrel as strategic reserves run thin (Fox Business, Robert McGreevy)Mentioned on air: Our short sequence-of-returns risk video — watch it at brayshawfinancial.com.Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  3. Retirement Anxiety: Why So Many Americans Feel Unprepared

    May 29

    Retirement Anxiety: Why So Many Americans Feel Unprepared

    61% of Americans now fear running out of money in retirement more than they fear death itself. Half of all U.S. households approaching retirement are at risk of falling short of their current standard of living.This week on Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon sit with the topic that shows up in the conference room more than any other these days: retirement anxiety — and why so many Americans feel unprepared.What you'll learn: The five fears inside retirement anxiety — and which one most plans don't addressWhy retirement is structurally more anxious today than a generation agoThe Honeymoon, the Shock, and the Reframe — the three phases of every retirementWhy men, executives, military, and first responders are hit hardest by the identity lossThe new 100% income rule (the old 60–70% rule of thumb is dead)The six-part income plan that actually reduces anxietySequence-of-returns risk — and why the first five years of retirement determine everythingSocial Security in 2026: 77% benefit, $1.5T bipartisan proposal, what it means for youWhy phased / consulting retirement is the underrated soft landingThe emotional plan nobody writes down — hobbies, friendships, purpose, marriagePlus Money In The News: Can the stock market save Social Security? A $1.5T bipartisan proposal from Cassidy and KaineFord stock surges on a $2B (becoming $10B) pivot to stationary energy storage with CATLStudent loan changes hit July 1 — payments rising $300–$350/month under IBR and RAP plansFree resource: Email us with "Retirement Anxiety white paper" in the subject and we'll send the companion document.Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  4. The Science of Retirement Income, Creating Income Alpha (Encore)

    May 22

    The Science of Retirement Income, Creating Income Alpha (Encore)

    Two retirees with the same balance can take wildly different incomes home — it's not about returns, it's about taxes.This week on Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon unpack The Science of Retirement Income — How to Create Income Alpha: the practice of beating the market not by picking better stocks, but by keeping more of what you already have through tax-aware planning.What you'll learn: What "Income Alpha" actually means — and why it's worth 15–30% more retirement income, year after yearHow Social Security gets taxed at 0%, 50%, or 85% — and how to control which one applies to youThe Roth IRA conversion ladder: filling the 22% bracket today to avoid the 30%+ bracket laterThe lesser-known after-tax account strategy — converting future ordinary-income tax into capital-gains taxQualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) — the single highest-leverage move for charitable retireesDonor-Advised Funds and Charitable Trusts — stacking giving with Roth conversion yearsThe hidden IRMAA Medicare tax — and the income thresholds that can cost you $1,000–$3,000 a yearThe Widow Tax Trap — the most damaging tax in retirement and how to plan around itWhy the year of a spouse's passing is the last big planning window — and what to do with itWhat 1–2 years of tax returns will tell a good planner that your investment statement never willPlus Money In The News: Weight-loss drug developers line up to tap a $150B market (Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, the pill-vs-shot race)Nike stock tumbles 13% to an 11-year low on China weaknessAverage tax refund up 11% from a year ago — IRS data and what it means for inflationFree resource: Email us with "Charitable Giving Booklet" in the subject and we'll send our charitable giving guide.Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  5. The Railroads of Quantum Computing: The Next Trillion-Dollar Bet + Milestone Show

    May 18

    The Railroads of Quantum Computing: The Next Trillion-Dollar Bet + Milestone Show

    🎉 Welcome to the 400th episode of Money On Tap. Nine years. Four hundred conversations. To celebrate, the first four callers to 855-226-8551 each get their pick from four pieces of MOT swag. Phone calls only — email won't count.This week, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon close The Railroads of… trilogy with the one that may make all the rest run faster: quantum computing.What you'll learn: What a qubit actually is — and why "both 0 and 1 at once" changes everythingThe three investable layers: cloud platforms · hardware (semis & cryogenics) · softwareThe four pure-play names: Rigetti (RGTI), IonQ (IONQ), D-Wave (QBTS), Quantum Computing Inc. (QUBT) — and what their +250% to +5,700% trailing moves really meanThe four big-tech quantum plays: IBM, Alphabet, Microsoft, AmazonThe four ETFs to research: QTUM, ARKQ, BOTZ, ROBOThe barbell approach for taking speculative exposure without betting the farmWhy the honest timeline says mid-2030s — and the energy problem nobody's talking aboutHow space, robotics, and quantum intersect — and why the railroads series matteredPlus Money In The News: Spotify and Peloton team up on a global fitness content hubThe AI splurge is costing big tech its workforce — Oracle plans to cut 40% of its workforceHave software stocks reached the extreme washout yet? (And what the "SaaS-pocalypse" means for the next 12 months)Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  6. The Railroads of Robotics: Investing in Physical AI, Cobots, and the Reshoring Boom

    May 12

    The Railroads of Robotics: Investing in Physical AI, Cobots, and the Reshoring Boom

    4.3 million industrial robots are already deployed globally. Robot costs have dropped 50% in 30 years. Payback periods are now 1 to 3 years. The reshoring of American manufacturing isn't a forecast — it's a buy order.This week on Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon continue the series with The Railroads of Robotics — the picks-and-shovels playbook for physical AI and the next great industrial build-out.What you'll learn: Why three forces — reshoring, labor shortage, and 1–3 year robot payback — make automation inevitableThe four investable layers: robots · AI systems · software · hardwareA walk-through of the public names: Rockwell Automation, Teradyne, Emerson Electric, NVIDIA, Tesla (Optimus), AeroVironment, Applied Materials, AutodeskHow cobots are reshaping skilled-trades work — and what the NVIDIA CEO's "three-day work week" prediction really meansFive robotics-themed ETFs walked through: ROBO, BOTZ, IBOT, ARKQ, ROBTWhat to tell the kids and grandkids about which jobs will actually exist in 10 yearsThe geopolitical risk that could shelve this entire build-out overnightPlus Money In The News: United Airlines hikes fares up to 20% — CEO admits passing 100% of jet-fuel cost to consumersMusk vs. Altman: a $134B suit heading to court while SpaceX ($1.25T) and OpenAI ($850B) IPOs loomAdobe announces a $25B buyback (25% of market cap) while Big Tech keeps laying off — and the buyback nuance most investors missRead the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  7. The Railroads of Space: SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and How to Invest the New Space Economy

    May 3

    The Railroads of Space: SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and How to Invest the New Space Economy

    Space just became an asset class. Q1 2026 alone saw $36 billion deployed — and the SpaceX IPO could be the first trillion-dollar offering in history.This week on Money On Tap, Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon walk through what they're calling the railroads of space — the picks-and-shovels companies quietly building the rails that everything else will ride on.What you'll learn: Why the SpaceX IPO is the single biggest catalyst hanging over the entire sectorThe three investable layers: access · infrastructure · application & dataA walk-through of the public names already in motion — RKLB, ASTS, IRDM, PL, RDWWhere robotics fits — and why Honeybee Robotics and Redwire matter more than people thinkThe four real risks: capital intensity, government dependence, boom-bust speculation, and SpaceX disruptionWhy an actively managed space-themed ETF may be the most prudent way for retail investors to participatePlus Money In The News: Active ETFs cross $1 trillion — and why the cost trade-off is worth it for many investorsRound Hill's DRAM ETF pulls $1B in 10 days, giving U.S. investors backdoor access to Samsung and SK Hynix$4 gas drives consumer confidence to a record-low 47.6% — lower than 2008 — and inflation expectations climb toward 4.8%Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
  8. Tax Filing Is History, Tax Planning Is Control: How to Stop Overpaying the IRS Every April

    Apr 24

    Tax Filing Is History, Tax Planning Is Control: How to Stop Overpaying the IRS Every April

    Tax filing reports what already happened. Tax planning is what puts you back in control.If you just finished paying your 2025 taxes and you're wondering how the bill got that big, this week's Money On Tap is for you.Ben Brayshaw and Dan Michelon walk through the year-round tax strategies most investors — and most financial advisors — are quietly missing. From bracket management and income engineering to real estate depreciation, solo 401(k) contributions, charitable trusts, and the often-overlooked Augusta Rule, this is a working playbook for keeping more of what you earn.What you'll learn: Why tax planning beats tax filing every year — and what most advisors skipHow to engineer your income to stay in a lower bracket without changing your lifestyleThe difference between one-off Roth conversions and a real 10-year Roth strategyReal estate deductions, cost segregation, and the Augusta Rule explainedSolo 401(k) vs SEP IRA — and why business owners routinely leave $30K+ on the tableCharitable remainder trusts: the tax strategy almost nobody talks aboutWhy today's 37% top federal bracket is historically low — and what that means for your retirement planPlus Money In The News: Google's $10M commitment to train American manufacturing workers on AIThe cost to raise a child in the US now tops $300,000South Hadley, MA rejects a 50% property tax hike by a 2-to-1 voteRead the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com What is the retirement red zone, and why does it matter? The retirement red zone is the roughly ten-year window covering the five years before and the five years after your retirement date. It matters more than almost any other period because of sequence-of-returns risk: a major market downturn while you’re beginning to withdraw income can permanently damage the plan, even if the market later recovers. Two people who invest identically but retire a few years apart can end up with opposite outcomes based solely on timing. Navigating the red zone means shifting from maximizing gains to mitigating losses — stress-testing the plan, building a cash runway, rebalancing, diversifying, and adding guardrails like buffered ETFs and guaranteed income.

    56 min
5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Hi, and welcome to "Money on Tap", your personal finance headquarters where we bring out the professionals, experience, and some fun in what we call 3 dimensional investing; utilizing insurance, brokerage, and fee-based planning. We believe all investments have merit, all investments have relevance and all investments have their time and place, depending on your goals and appetite for risk. On a weekly basis "Money on Tap" airs live in New England and is rebroadcast multiple times, as well as available on podcast. Our goal is to educate and debate the current relevant financial issues facing today's investors. As planners with Brayshaw Financial Group, LLC, we have over a century of experience among our planners, and find that many people simply cannot engage in healthy and constructive financial planning relationships due to the magnitude of the industry as a whole. As we educate and debate current topics and relate them to everyday concerns, we will help empower you to feel more confident and more aware as an investor. Mentioned on air: Our short sequence-of-returns risk video — watch it at brayshawfinancial.com.Read the companion blog: brayshawfinancial.com/blog Schedule a free consultation: app.greminders.com/t/9f3ce72e/initialconsulta Full Money On Tap episode library: brayshawfinancial.com/money-on-tapContact Us Phone: 855-226-8551 Email: info@yourmoneyontap.com Office: 116 South River Road, Bedford, NH 03110 Web: brayshawfinancial.com

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