5 wealth decisions that take 5 minutes each—multiply your money faster Transform your financial future with five simple wealth-building decisions you can implement today. In this episode of Wealth Decisions by Brian, discover the exact strategies that separate the wealthy from everyone else—and none of them require complex budgets or constant monitoring. Learn why allocating beats budgeting, how a 3% annual increase can add hundreds of thousands to your retirement, and the asset location strategy most investors completely miss. Plus, find out which “smart” investment move actually destroys wealth (and what to do instead).
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction: Transform Your Financial Future
01:15 Decision 1: Allocate, Don't Budget
02:16 Decision 2: Increase Contributions Annually
03:00 Decision 3: Asset Location Strategies
04:30 Decision 4: Avoid Following the Crowd
05:40 Decision 5: Diversify Globally
07:00 Action Plan and Recap
In this episode, you’ll discover: • Why budgeting keeps you broke and what the wealthy do instead • The automatic contribution strategy that builds wealth while you sleep • Asset location tactics that can boost returns by 0.5% annually • How chasing top-performing funds actually costs you money • Why American investors miss 60% of global opportunities • Three memorable Wealth Decision Principles for smarter money moves • A step-by-step action plan you can start in the next 10 minutes About Brian: Brian has been a financial advisor for 25 years, helping clients build lasting wealth through smart, simple decisions. The Wealth Decisions podcast cuts through financial noise to deliver actionable strategies you can use today. Subscribe for weekly episodes on building wealth, retirement planning, and making smarter financial decisions.
What if five simple decisions could completely transform your financial future?
Speaker A:
Most people never build real wealth.
Speaker A:
Not because they don't earn enough, not because they're bad with money.
Speaker A:
They simply don't know which decisions actually matter the most.
Speaker A:
I've watched clients struggle for years.
Speaker A:
They're saving or budgeting, but they're still stuck.
Speaker A:
Then I've seen others make five specific choices and their wealth multiplied.
Speaker A:
Same income, different decisions, wildly different results.
Speaker A:
In the next five minutes, I'm going to show you exactly how to multiply your wealth using five decisions that take less than five minutes each.
Speaker A:
Here's what's interesting.
Speaker A:
One of these decisions seems completely backwards.
Speaker A:
It goes against everything you've been taught about money.
Speaker A:
But it might be the most powerful wealth builder on this list.
Speaker A:
But before we get into it, this is Brian.
Speaker A:
I've been a financial Advisor for over 25 years.
Speaker A:
I'm also an author and certified health and life coach.
Speaker A:
And my goal is to help you save smarter, invest better, and keep more.
Speaker A:
In this episode, you're going to learn three wealth decision principles to remember to become smarter with money and an action plan to help you make better wealth decisions, starting right now.
Speaker A:
So decision number one is allocate don't budget.
Speaker A:
Budgeting focuses on restriction.
Speaker A:
Don't spend this.
Speaker A:
Cut back on that Allocation focuses on intention.
Speaker A:
Direct money toward what matters most.
Speaker A:
Think of your income as employees.
Speaker A:
Where do you want them to work?
Speaker A:
20% goes to future you.
Speaker A:
Investments, retirement.
Speaker A:
50% handles your necessities, your housing, food, transportation.
Speaker A:
30% goes to life.
Speaker A:
Enjoyment, travel, dining, hobbies.
Speaker A:
Set it up once automate the transfers done.
Speaker A:
You're not tracking every coffee.
Speaker A:
You're assigning jobs to your dollars.
Speaker A:
So this leads me to wealth decision principle number one.
Speaker A:
Don't count pennies, Command dollars.
Speaker A:
When you shift your restriction to direction, money stops feeling scarce.
Speaker A:
It starts working for you.
Speaker A:
Quick question for you.
Speaker A:
What percentage of your income goes to the future you right now?
Speaker A:
Drop the number in the comments.
Speaker A:
I'm curious where everyone's starting from.
Speaker A:
So decision number two is increase contributions by 3% per year.
Speaker A:
Not 3% of your portfolio.
Speaker A:
3% of your salary.
Speaker A:
Here's why this works.
Speaker A:
Most people get raises maybe 2 to 4% annually.
Speaker A:
That money disappears.
Speaker A:
Lifestyle inflation usually eats it.
Speaker A:
Instead, capture it before you see it.
Speaker A:
Automate a 3% increase to your 401k each January.
Speaker A:
You won't miss it.
Speaker A:
And your future self is going to thank you.
Speaker A:
Over 20 years, this single decision could add hundreds of thousands of dollars to your retirement.
Speaker A:
Coming up in decision four, I'm Going to share what most investors completely get wrong.
Speaker A:
It costs them decades of growth.
Speaker A:
So stick around for that one.
Speaker A:
Decision number three is asset location strategies, not asset allocation.
Speaker A:
Location where you hold investments matters as much as what you hold.
Speaker A:
Tax inefficient investments go in tax advantage accounts.
Speaker A:
Think bonds, real estate, investment trust, Tax efficient investments go into taxable accounts.
Speaker A:
Think index funds and growth stocks.
Speaker A:
Put your aggressive growth investments, your actively managed mutual funds, your growth ETFs, small cap, emerging markets and international.
Speaker A:
In your Roth accounts.
Speaker A:
You do this because in Roth accounts you have tax free growth and you want to maximize that growth over your lifetime.
Speaker A:
So why does this matter?
Speaker A:
Proper asset location can add 1 to 2% to your annual returns.
Speaker A:
That might not sound like much.
Speaker A:
Over 30 years, we're talking an extra 20% to your total wealth.
Speaker A:
Same investments, different placement, more money.
Speaker A:
Most people never think about this.
Speaker A:
Now you will.
Speaker A:
So this leads me to wealth decision principle number two.
Speaker A:
It's not just what you own, it's where you own it.
Speaker A:
Location strategy turns good portfolios into great ones.
Speaker A:
This takes 10 minutes to set up.
Speaker A:
Pays dividends forever.
Speaker A:
All right, we're halfway through the next decision I'm going to share.
Speaker A:
This is the one most people get backwards.
Speaker A:
It feels right, but destroys well, and I'll explain it in just a moment.
Speaker A:
So decision number four.
Speaker A:
Avoid following the crowd.
Speaker A:
Stop chasing performance.
Speaker A:
This is the backwards one I mentioned.
Speaker A:
Here's what most investors do.
Speaker A:
They check what which funds did best last year.
Speaker A:
Then they buy those funds this year.
Speaker A:
It seems logical because you whip a winning horse right, it's actually a wealth killer.
Speaker A:
Studies show top performing funds rarely repeat.
Speaker A:
Last year's winners often become this year's losers.
Speaker A:
When you chase performance, you buy high, then you sell low.
Speaker A:
When it disappoints, you're always one step behind.
Speaker A:
Instead, pick a solid diversified portfolio strategy.
Speaker A:
Stick with it for decades and ignore the noise.
Speaker A:
The crowd panics and pivots.
Speaker A:
You stay steady and grow.
Speaker A:
This is how real wealth compounds.
Speaker A:
So this leads me to wealth decision principle number three.
Speaker A:
Wealth is built by staying not.
Speaker A:
Chasing the boring path is the profitable path.
Speaker A:
Remember that when everyone else is jumping ship.
Speaker A:
Before I move on.
Speaker A:
If you're finding any value in this episode, hit the subscribe button and by the end of this video, you're going to have a step by step action plan that'll help you stop giving, guessing and start building real lasting wealth.
Speaker A:
So decision number five is diversify.
Speaker A:
Globally, most American investors have 80, 90 or 100% of their portfolio in US stocks.
Speaker A:
The US represents only about 40% of global markets.
Speaker A:
You're missing out on huge opportunities.
Speaker A:
That's a huge blind spot.
Speaker A:
International markets sometimes outperform the U.S. for years at a time.
Speaker A:
International is up 25 to 30, 30%.
Speaker A:
Emerging markets up 28%.
Speaker A:
But nobody's talking about it.
Speaker A:
And I don't think that is just a fluke year of performance.
Speaker A:
When you look back at the:
Speaker A:
If you were only invested in America, you missed those gains entirely.
Speaker A:
Global diversification isn't just about chasing returns, though.
Speaker A:
It's about protection.
Speaker A:
It's about strategy and diversification globally.
Speaker A:
When one region struggles, another thrives.
Speaker A:
You smooth out the ride.
Speaker A:
You Capture more opportunities.
Speaker A:
20 to 40% in international investments is what I generally suggest.
Speaker A:
That's a reasonable target.
Speaker A:
Your portfolio shouldn't just have a driver's license in the US it should have a passport and a world map.
Speaker A:
Here's my pin comment question for you.
Speaker A:
What percentage of your portfolio is invested internationally right now?
Speaker A:
Reply below.
Speaker A:
Let's see where everyone stands.
Speaker A:
All right, so here's my five minute challenge for you right now, today.
Speaker A:
Do this.
Speaker A:
Log into your retirement account.
Speaker A:
Set up an automatic 3% annual increase.
Speaker A:
That's it, five minutes.
Speaker A:
Then set one more automation direct 20% of your paycheck to investments before you ever see it.
Speaker A:
Two actions, 10 minutes total.
Speaker A:
You're already ahead of 90% of most people.
Speaker A:
So let's recap.
Speaker A:
Five decisions, five minutes each.
Speaker A:
The potential to five extra wealth over time.
Speaker A:
Add allocate instead of budget increase contributions by 3% annually.
Speaker A:
Use smart asset location, stop chasing performance and diversify globally.
Speaker A:
These aren't complex and they work to accelerate your wealth building over time if you stay disciplined and follow a plan.
Speaker A:
If this episode helped you hit the like button, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway and subscribe so you don't miss what's coming up in future episodes.
Speaker A:
Once again, this is Brian, the Wealth Decisions guy, and I hope to see you next week.
