Episode 68: Q&A Speed Round with Noah and Evan: $5M Bond Question, Private Credit, Whole Life Pitch, and More

August 3rd, 2026  |  30 mins 30 secs

concentration risk, financial independence, hsa receipts strategy, individual bonds vs bond funds, municipal bonds vs treasuries, portfolio rebalancing, private credit sleeve, private equity investment, retirement planning, tax planning, whole life insurance evaluation

Noah and Evan are back for another speed round, working through seven listener questions on portfolio construction and planning. They cover when individual bonds beat bond index funds at scale, whether to layer QQQ or MAGS on top of a VTI-heavy IRA, how to think about a private credit sleeve, the real math on HSA receipts, rebalancing and asset location across account types, municipal bonds at the top tax bracket, and how to evaluate a whole life sales pitch.

Episode 60: Buying a Business in the Era of Mass Retirement

June 8th, 2026  |  42 mins 42 secs

asset protection, business acquisitions, business exit strategy, business valuation, due diligence, family business, financial independence, mass retirement, private equity investment, seller discretionary earnings

Brandon Mendez, Ph.D., CPA, Professor of Finance at the Darla Moore School of Business and U.S. Navy veteran, joins Stephan in the studio for a full-episode conversation on what it actually takes to buy a business today. They cover how to read multiples and seller discretionary earnings, why private equity has a structural edge over individual buyers, what AI is doing to the talent side of acquisitions, and where the real red flags hide in a set of financial statements.

Episode 51: Rachel Cruze of The Ramsey Show on Raising Money-Smart Kids, DAFs vs. Private Foundations, and Getting Into Alternatives

April 6th, 2026  |  36 mins 25 secs

alternative investments, charitable giving, donor-advised funds, estate planning, family business, family philanthropy, financial literacy, generational wealth transfer, gifting strategies, inheritance planning, parenting and money, private equity investment, private foundations, real estate investing, rental property, tax planning, third-generation wealth, trust strategies

Rachel Cruze, author and co-host of The Ramsey Show, joins us to talk about how financial values are formed, passed down, and sometimes lost across generations. We also look at when a private foundation makes more sense than a donor-advised fund for a family giving $200,000 a year, and whether rental real estate is a smart entry point into alternatives — or just trading one set of risks for another.

Episode 50: PE Exit Prep, Offshore Account Reporting, and Protecting Collector Vehicles with Hagerty's Trent Abbott

March 30th, 2026  |  34 mins 50 secs

asset protection, business exit strategy, car insurance, expat tax planning, family business, financial literacy, foreign account compliance, international planning, liquidity event, pe sale preparation, physician finance, private equity investment, specialty asset coverage, tax planning

This week on the Scholar Wealth Podcast, Stephan walks through what a business owner should be doing in the years before entering a formal sale process, using the example of a regional physical therapy group fielding private equity interest. He then addresses the foreign account reporting obligations that can put returning expats out of compliance without realizing it. Finally, Trent Abbott, Vice President of Global Development at Hagerty, joins to discuss how families with significant vehicle collections should think about specialty insurance, agreed value coverage, and the unique risks that standard auto policies miss.

Episode 46: Evaluating PPLI, Investing in a Child’s Startup, and Cross-Border Tax Complexity

March 2nd, 2026  |  37 mins 32 secs

advanced tax strategies, complex wealth structures, cross-border planning, estate planning, family business, family capital decisions, international planning, private equity investment, tax planning, venture investing

In this episode, we examine three sophisticated planning decisions that sit at the intersection of tax efficiency, family dynamics, and global mobility. We break down how affluent families should evaluate Private Placement Life Insurance beyond the marketing pitch, how to thoughtfully approach investing in a child’s venture-backed startup without distorting incentives or relationships, and close with a From the Field conversation on the real tax and structural complexities of building a life across borders.

Episode 44: Oil Well Concentration Risk, Australian Superannuation, and Learning to Fly

February 16th, 2026  |  27 mins 48 secs

alternative investments, australian superannuation, concentration risk, cross-border tax planning, international planning, oil well investing, pilot licensing, private equity investment, tax planning

In this episode, we answer two listener questions that highlight how complexity shows up in both private investments and cross-border planning. We discuss concentration risk in private oil well investments and how to think about projected IRRs and illiquidity within an alternatives allocation, then examine how dual U.S.–Australian families should approach Australian superannuation when retiring in the United States. We close with a From the Field conversation on what pilot licensing actually looks like for busy professionals, from training timelines to the real costs and lifestyle flexibility of aviation.

Episode 43: Lean Family Office Builds, Trump Accounts, and Angel Investing

February 9th, 2026  |  32 mins 8 secs

angel investing, child savings, concentration risk, family business, family office, financial literacy, private equity investment, retirement planning, tax planning

In this episode, we answer two listener questions that highlight common decisions families face as financial structures and options expand. We discuss how to build a family office without overbuilding too early, how new Trump Accounts fit alongside existing child savings options, and close with a From the Field conversation on how angel investors evaluate risk and judgment when outcomes are uncertain.

Episode 40: Solar Tax Write-Offs, Franchise Investment Decisions, and the Scholar Big Picture

January 19th, 2026  |  38 mins 1 sec

commercial solar investing, concentration risk, financial literacy, franchise investing, inflation planning, investment due diligence, market timing, passive investment myths, private equity investment, real estate investing, tax driven investments, tax planning

In this episode of the Scholar Wealth Podcast, Stephan answers two listener questions focused on evaluating investments that look attractive on paper but require deeper analysis. We start with commercial solar investments and large tax write-offs, then turn to franchising and what investors should consider before committing meaningful capital. The episode closes with the Scholar Big Picture, a quarterly conversation with Dr. Deon Strickland on market behavior, economic uncertainty, and what to watch right now.

Episode 34: Buying a €450K Home Abroad, Planning Around Carried Interest, and Building a Wine Collection That Lasts

December 8th, 2025  |  34 mins 34 secs

carried interest, concentration risk, cross-border real estate, deferred compensation, estate planning, inheritance planning, international planning, legacy assets, private equity compensation, private equity investment, real estate investing, tax planning, vacation rental, wine collecting

Buying a €450K family home in Portugal often involves emotion, complex tax rules, and long-term management considerations.

Carried interest can be valuable, but payouts are uncertain. Planning should assume a base case of no carry and treat future distributions as upside.

Wine expert Walker Strangis explains how families can build and maintain collections with both personal meaning and financial value.

Episode 6: Corporate Cash, Market Timing, and Private Equity: Diversification Strategies for High Earners

May 26th, 2025  |  24 mins 39 secs

corporate cash strategy, market timing, private equity investment, qualified charitable distributions

Wondering what to do with excess cash in your business or portfolio? We cover diversification benefits, dollar cost averaging, and private equity basics, including how to protect yourself with an LLC vs. LP. Plus, a simple breakdown of Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) and when they make sense.