Financial Decoder

Host Mark Riepe talks with Schwab experts to decode the cognitive and emotional biases that might cloud your judgment and impact your financial decisions. 

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Behavioral Finance

Your Inner Scorekeeper

How do mental scorecards shape your financial decisions? Professor Daniel Stone joins to unpack how reference points can shape risk, reward, and regret.

May 12, 2025 • Mark Riepe

Behavioral Finance

Did May Day Reshape Investing?

Mark Riepe explores the history of how investing has become more accessible, from key milestones like May Day to the various factors that have shaped who could participate through the last century.

May 05, 2025

Market Volatility

Proactive Moves in Volatile Markets

Market swings can shake any investor's confidence. Learn ways you can stay grounded, trust your financial plan, and take smart, long-term steps in uncertain times.

April 28, 2025

Retirement

Milestone Ages for Retirement

Retirement planning is tied to a series of milestone ages. Mark Riepe outlines which birthdays can shape decisions about your financial future.

April 14, 2025

Behavioral Finance

Common Car Buying Mistakes

Learn how to navigate the decision-making process of purchasing a vehicle by minding these common financial and psychological factors.

March 31, 2025

Bonds

7 Bond Market Basics

Mark Riepe is joined by Schwab's Chief Fixed Income Strategist Kathy Jones to walk through seven fundamentals investors should understand about the bond market.

March 17, 2025

Fraud Prevention

Steps to Avoid Cyber Fraud

Mark Riepe and his guest, Lisa Lang, break down emerging trends in the evolving world of cyber fraud and strategies for protecting your financial security.

March 03, 2025

Financial Planning

How to Set Financial Goals

Mark Riepe is joined by guest Cindy Scott to discuss ways you can align your vision for the future with your values and plan a path to long-term financial success.

February 17, 2025

Tax Planning

Year-End Tax Strategies

Mark Riepe highlights key updates to tax policy in 2024 and offers helpful year-end tax-planning moves.

December 09, 2024

Behavioral Finance

How Gratitude Can Improve Your Life

Host Mark Riepe, joined by his team and past guests of 2024, explores the impact of gratitude on our long-term perspective through personal stories and academic research.

November 25, 2024

Financial Planning

Do You Need a Wealth Advisor?

Host Mark Riepe is joined by Senior Wealth Advisor Stephanie Shadel to explain holistic wealth management and the importance of understanding clients' personal histories and preferences.

November 11, 2024

Government Policy

Gauging the Impact of Washington

Mark Riepe is joined by Michael Townsend to discuss the cognitive and emotional biases that influence political decision-making and unpack the gap between campaign promises and legislative realities.

October 28, 2024

Small Business

Planning a Business Succession

Austin Jarvis joins Mark Riepe to discuss succession planning for business owners and the unique challenges faced when keeping a business in the family or selling to a third party.

October 14, 2024

Behavioral Finance

How to Plan for a New Pet

Mark Riepe and Susan Hirshman discuss how to prepare for the responsibilities, costs, and emotional attachment that come with bringing home a pet.

September 30, 2024

Estate Planning

Estate Planning & Taxes

Austin Jarvis speaks with Mark Riepe about the complications of estate taxes—and what you can do if the estate tax exemptions change in 2026.

August 19, 2024

Social Security

When to Take Social Security

Mark Riepe is joined by Rob Williams and Susan Hirshman to examine one of the most critical retirement decisions: When should you take Social Security?

August 05, 2024

Behavioral Finance

What Can the Olympics Teach Us?

Mark Riepe explains the cognitive and emotional biases that show up across different Olympic choices and judgments and the lessons we can glean from them for our own financial decision-making.

July 22, 2024

Travel Planning

Saving for Vacations & Travel

Mark Riepe and Cindy Scott discuss how financial planning can help you save for short-term goals like travel and vacations without adding risk to your long-term financial future.

July 08, 2024

Annuities

What to Know About Annuities

A basic overview of annuities and how they can fit into an investor's retirement plan—with Rob Williams, a managing director and Retirement Income Certified Professional at Schwab.

June 24, 2024

Financial Planning

Declutter Your Portfolio

In the spirit of spring cleaning, Susan Hirshman returns for a bonus episode to share helpful methods for decluttering your portfolio.

April 29, 2024

Financial Planning

Making Buy and Sell Decisions

Alex Imas, professor of behavioral science and economics at Chicago Booth, visits to discuss new research into the effects of heuristic thinking on institutional investors' performance.

March 18, 2024

Financial Planning

How to Save for College

What financial tools and strategies are available to those planning for college expenses?

March 04, 2024

Equity Compensation

What to Do with Employee Stock

Whether it's stock options, restricted stock units, an employee stock purchase plan, or some other form of equity compensation, many companies offer this vital benefit to employees. But once you have it, what should you do with it?

February 19, 2024

Behavioral Finance

The Value of a Super Bowl Win

In this short bonus episode from Financial Decoder, host Mark Riepe connects the Super Bowl LVIII matchup to the concept of economic utility.

February 10, 2024

Trading

Popular Trading Proverbs

When navigating the world of stock trading, what kernels of truth can you take from some of the most ubiquitous trading proverbs?

February 05, 2024

Financial Planning

Retirement Account Rollovers

What options do you have when leaving a job where you hold an employer-sponsored retirement account?

December 18, 2023

Financial Planning

Retirement for Freelancers

What options do freelancers have to get the most benefit out of their retirement savings?

November 27, 2023

Financial Planning

Build Your Pre-Retirement Checklist

What do you need to take care of in the handful of years, months, and days before you retire?

November 13, 2023

Financial Planning

Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire?

If you are nearing retirement, does it make sense to pay off your mortgage in advance?

October 30, 2023

Behavioral Finance

Special Guest: Chuck Schwab (Rebroadcast)

Founder and Chairman of the Board Chuck Schwab joins Mark Riepe for a candid discussion about the decisions he made that disrupted the brokerage industry.

October 16, 2023

Financial Planning

Do You Need a Financial Advisor?

A financial advisor can help you navigate the complex world of investing. But how do you know which advisor is right for you?

August 21, 2023

Financial Planning

What If You or a Loved One Becomes Disabled?

If you or a family member has a disability, what dedicated tools and financial safeguards are available?

July 10, 2023

Portfolio Management

Think Like a Fund Manager

What lessons about portfolio management can we learn from two different types of fund managers?

April 17, 2023

Portfolio Management

Direct Indexing

How does direct indexing work?

April 03, 2023

Financial Planning

Jodi's Story

How one woman changed careers—and found a path that fit with her values.

March 20, 2023

Financial Planning

Wealth Management Watch List

It's easy to overlook some of the financial-planning and wealth management decisions made years ago. What can be done to ensure every aspect of your portfolio is properly maintained?

March 06, 2023

Financial Planning

Reboot Your Resolutions (Rebroadcast)

If you set New Year's resolutions, have you fallen off track? Were you too overwhelmed to set resolutions? In either case, we have some helpful strategies to reboot your New Year's resolutions or get started on some new goals.

January 30, 2023

Cryptocurrency

Investing in Crypto Indirectly

For investors looking to gain exposure to the crypto space, what are some alternatives to buying crypto directly?

December 12, 2022

Charitable Giving

Mary Anne's Story

How did one woman honor her twin sister through a charitable gift?

November 28, 2022

Taxes

Gift and Estate Taxes

Giving away assets in one's lifetime might make sense tax-wise, but the issue is deeply emotional and personal for most people.

November 14, 2022

Portfolio Management

Recession Strategies

What are some strategies that can help investors navigate a recession?

October 30, 2022

Retirement

Retirement Off Track?

Some people start to take unnecessary risks when their portfolio gets off track. What are other options?

September 19, 2022

Retirement

Drawing Down Your IRA

What's the best way to shift your mindset when it's time to withdraw from your IRA?

September 05, 2022

IRA

IRAs: Just Starting Out

What are some of the incentives for younger investors to start saving for retirement?

August 22, 2022

Financial Planning

When Interest Rates Rise

Bonds can play an important role in your portfolio, but how do rising interest rates affect fixed income?

August 08, 2022

Risk

How Much Risk Is Right for You?

Every investor wants to maximize return—but you must first consider how much risk you can stomach.

July 25, 2022

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Financial Planning Behavioral Finance Portfolio Management

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.

All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions.

Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed.

Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.

Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

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