Our guest on the podcast today is Don Phillips. Don is a managing director for Morningstar. He joined the company in 1986 as its first mutual fund analyst and soon became editor of the flagship print publication Morningstar Mutual Funds, establishing the editorial voice for which the company is best known. He helped to develop the Morningstar Style Box, the Morningstar Rating, and other distinctive proprietary Morningstar innovations that have become industry standards. Don has served in a variety of leadership roles at Morningstar, most recently head of global research, before paring back his schedule to take on a part-time nonmanagement role. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

• 00:01:57 Viewing Investing From 100,000 Feet Up
• 00:08:20 The Role of the Manager, From Salesmanship to Stewardship
• 00:11:18 What Indexing and AI Make Easier—and What They Risk
• 00:17:50 Private Credit and Private Equity Risks for Retail Investors
• 00:28:01 Finding the Unmet Needs in Asset Management
• 00:35:47 Fixed-Income Funds as the Industry’s Achilles’ Heel
• 00:43:42 The Value of a Liberal Arts Education and the Power of Storytelling

Morningstar’s Why

Don Phillips: We’re All in the Behavior Modification Business

Private Equity Funds Step Into the Spotlight

If you have a comment or a guest idea, please email us at TheLongView@Morningstar.com.

Follow Christine Benz (@christine_benz) and Ben Johnson (@MstarBenJohnson) on X, and Christine Benz, Amy Arnott, and Ben Johnson on LinkedIn. Visit Morningstar.com for new research and insights from Christine, Ben, and Amy. Subscribe to Christine’s weekly newsletter, Improving Your Finances.

If you want more Morningstar podcasts, check out The Morning Filter and Investing Insights.

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Our guest on the podcast today is Adam Grossman. Adam’s the founder of Mayport, a fixed-fee wealth management firm. He’s also a regular contributor to Humble Dollar, the website founded by late financial writer Jonathan Clements. Before founding Mayport, Adam worked as an investment advisor or analyst at several firms, including Middleton & Company, Ballentine Partners, and MFS Investment Management. He also founded About Face Software, a social networking software firm. Adam received his undergraduate degree from Williams College and his MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, and he’s also a CFA charterholder.

• Writing for Humble Dollar and Jonathan Clements (00:01:16)
• How Flat‑Fee Advice Beats AUM Pricing (00:05:15)
• Helping Investors Stay Calm in Market Stress (00:10:29)
• Simple Stock/Bond Portfolios Still Work (00:17:30)
• How to Protect Your Portfolio Before Retirement (00:22:58)
• Social Security Timing: Math Versus Emotions (00:27:20)
• How AI Is Changing Financial Advice (00:34:19)

Bill Bengen: ‘Inflation Is the Greatest Enemy of Retirees’

Jim O’Shaughnessy: Investing Lessons From a Lifelong Learner

Harry Margolis: How to Confront Aging Challenges Head-On

If you have a comment or a guest idea, please email us at TheLongView@Morningstar.com.

Follow Christine Benz (@christine_benz) and Ben Johnson (@MstarBenJohnson) on X, and Christine Benz, Amy Arnott, and Ben Johnson on LinkedIn. Visit Morningstar.com for new research and insights from Christine, Ben, and Amy. Subscribe to Christine’s weekly newsletter, Improving Your Finances.

If you want more Morningstar podcasts, check out The Morning Filter and Investing Insights.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Our guest on the podcast today is William Bengen. Bill has been a prolific researcher of retirement planning matters over his career, and he pioneered the exploration of safe withdrawal rates with his groundbreaking 1994 research that gave birth to what’s now called the 4% rule. His new book, A Richer Retirement: Supercharging the 4% Rule to Spend More and Enjoy More was published in August 2025. Bill is the former owner of Bengen Financial Services, an independent registered investment advisor that he launched in 1989 after his family sold the soda bottling business that he had helped manage. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT. Bill retired from his financial planning practice in 2013 but continues to conduct research on retirement planning and withdrawal rates.

• Why the 4% Rule Needed a Rethink
• Inflation as the Biggest Retirement Risk
• Different Approaches to Finding Your Withdrawal Rate
• Factoring in Longevity, Taxes, and Legacy
• Managing Your Asset Allocations, and Outsourcing the Rebalancing Process
• The 4% Rule Is Not for Everyone

Bill Bengen: Revisiting Safe Withdrawal Rates

How to Find Your Perfect Withdrawal Rate Strategy

How Much Should You Allocate to Safer Assets?

If you have a comment or a guest idea, please email us at TheLongView@Morningstar.com.

Follow Christine Benz (@christine_benz) and Ben Johnson (@MstarBenJohnson) on X, and Christine Benz, Amy Arnott, and Ben Johnson on LinkedIn. Visit Morningstar.com for new research and insights from Christine, Ben, and Amy. Subscribe to Christine’s weekly newsletter, Improving Your Finances.

If you want more Morningstar podcasts, check out The Morning Filter and Investing Insights.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.