Full Show: Is Inflation Good or Bad for the Market? and the $5 Million Dollar American Dream

The market loves a "Goldilocks" environment, but what is the magic number for inflation that delivers the highest stock returns? Wes dives into the data to show how inflation rates directly impact your portfolio. Also, Investopedia put a price tag on the American Dream, but Wes has a reality check. Find out what you need to earn over your working career to afford a home, raise kids, pay for college, and reach the "Green Zone" in retirement.

Plus, Christa shares your #AskWes questions and Wes gives his take. All this and more on the October 7, 2025, Ask an Advisor episode of the Clark Howard podcast. Submit your questions: https://clark.com/ask

00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Is Inflation Good or Bad for the Market?
07:40 - Ask an Advisor - How can someone transition into becoming a CFP while working full-time, and what’s the best way to gain the required experience hours part-time? (Jassen in Georgia)
12:12 - Ask an Advisor - Is there a benefit to adding a low-cost high-yield bond ETF to a portfolio that already includes a total bond fund? (David in Texas)
15:27 - Ask an Advisor - For couples with an age gap, should retirement benchmarks like Fidelity’s savings multiples be based on individual or combined income and savings? (Chris in Washington)
21:01 - The $5 Million Dollar American Dream
30:24 - Ask an Advisor - At age 58, is it still worth paying for large life insurance policies, or should those premiums be redirected to retirement investing? (Joe in Georgia)
34:06 - Ask an Advisor - Does it make sense to fund 529 plans with the goal of later rolling the money into Roth IRAs for kids under the SECURE 2.0 rules? (Steve in Missouri)
38:39 - Ask an Advisor - How can a family invest disposable income to balance enjoying money now while growing wealth to boost their lifestyle before retirement? (McKay in Georgia)


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