- Gary Zimmerman shares his path from aspiring biochemist to investment banker and ultimately founder of Max.
- Gary describes how Max helps advisors and clients earn higher yields on cash while staying fully FDIC-insured.
- The conversation highlights the structural differences between broker-dealers and fiduciary RIAs in how they treat cash.
- Cash is both the “worst” asset class (low returns) and the “best” (strategic flexibility and optionality).
- Gary emphasizes that many advisors are unaware of large “held-away” cash balances clients keep at big banks.
- Research shows high-net-worth households keep roughly 25% of their liquid assets in cash—far above portfolio models.
- Behavioral finance plays a major role as clients publicly want risk but privately hoard cash for emotional comfort.
- Cash helps investors sleep better, reduce loss-aversion anxiety, and feel less trapped in work or life decisions.
- Gary explains that deposit pricing inefficiency exists because large banks don’t need or want more deposits.
- The system also keeps client deposits below insurance limits by spreading funds across multiple banks.
- They explore how most households either have no emergency reserve or keep excessive idle cash earning too little.
- Cash reserve needs vary dramatically by life stage, career stability, and complexity of financial obligations.
- Senior professionals may need years of cash cushion because job searches take longer at higher levels.
- Behavioral mistakes in downturns often stem from being over-invested relative to one’s psychological risk capacity.
- Gary argues that post-pandemic money-supply expansion suggests more inflation is still embedded in the system.
Breaking News… HUGE Opportunities in Latin America, Silver and Biotechnology
Money Tree Investing
There are financial opportunities in Latin America, silver and more and today we are going to share them with you! We also talk holiday shopping trends and the struggles of retailers in our current economy. We also dive into “confuse-opoly” industries like furniture, mattresses, and healthcare where pricing is intentionally opaque, share personal experiences with overpriced goods, and discuss how margins, supply, and consumer behavior shape retail dynamics. Today we discuss... Barbara Friedberg | Phil Weiss | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more...
info_outline
The Bull Market In Cash Is Coming...
Money Tree Investing
A bull market in cash is coming! Gary Zimmerman, founder and CEO of Max, explains how he discovered major inefficiencies in the cash-deposit market and built a platform that helps clients earn higher yields while staying fully FDIC-insured. We explore how broker-dealer incentives shaped the “always be invested” mindset, why RIAs take a more fiduciary approach to cash, and how most advisors dramatically underestimate how much cash clients actually hold in outside bank accounts. We also dive into the strategic role of cash in portfolios, the psychology and behavioral finance behind loss...
info_outline
More Shocking Signs... The Economy Is Breaking
Money Tree Investing
The economy is breaking, and today we discuss the signs. We explore the challenges of navigating today’s markets, highlighting the volatility and skepticism around AI-driven companies, overinflated stock valuations, and earnings season dynamics where “beating expectations” often masks underlying realities. It's important to be cautious investors over high P/E ratios, unsustainable growth, and market timing. You need to focus on risk management over speculation. Critical thinking is also imperative while evaluating data and it's important to question assumptions and focus on market...
info_outline
How AI will Transform the Future of Trading with John Bartleman
Money Tree Investing
Barbara Friedberg | Diana Perkins | Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at
info_outline
The Stock Market Is Broken… K Shaped Economy
Money Tree Investing
The stock market is broken! Today we talk about a broad range of economic, market, and behavioral topics, beginning with the cognitive bias of sunk costs and how it affects personal decisions, investing, and business choices, emphasizing the importance of recognizing losses and cutting them early. We also explore recent market signals, including distress in the credit and auto-loan markets, and the K-shaped economy. We also critique media and policy narratives, pointing to propaganda around climate change and the pivot to nuclear energy. It's important to be aware and prudent in your...
info_outline
Secrets To Spending Less On The Cost Of College
Money Tree Investing
Mark Salisbury shares the secrets to spending less on the cost of college! As the founder of TuitionFit, explains how the college pricing and financial aid system is designed to favor schools over families. He describes how emotional marketing, opaque pricing, and complex financial aid forms create confusion and limit families’ leverage. he outlines how students and parents can regain control by defining their price range first, using resources like TuitionFit and net price calculators, and strategically managing assets, timing, and financial disclosures. He also covers how income, savings,...
info_outline
Should The S&P 500 Go Higher?
Money Tree Investing
Follow on Facebook: Follow LinkedIn: Follow on Twitter/X: For more information, visit the show notes at
info_outline
Using AI to Transform Long-Term Care with Lily Vittayarukskul
Money Tree Investing
Lily Vittayarukskul shares her remarkable journey from working at NASA in her teens to founding a company that innovates with AI to transform long-term care planning. We explore why long-term care remains one of the most misunderstood and underserved areas in wealth management, despite being one of the biggest retirement risks. We break down how long-term care works, who needs it most, the pros and cons of self-funding versus insurance products, and why many families fail to plan until it’s too late. We discuss... Barbara Friedberg | Douglas Heagren | Follow on...
info_outline
The Stock Market Bubble Is Getting Bigger... This Is When It Will Pop
Money Tree Investing
The stock market bubble is going to pop! And we're going to tell you when. In today's episode we discuss that price is the ultimate indicator of market truth. Charts, narratives, and data often distort reality, while price alone reflects what investors truly believe. Don't overcomplicate investing with speculative indicators, fear-based “chart crimes,” and emotional herd behavior, especially in areas like AI stocks that echo the dot-com bubble. Fundamentals and narratives often mislead, while disciplined attention to price direction and risk management yields better results. We...
info_outline
Investing Into Space is No Longer Science Fiction
Money Tree Investing
Have you thought about investing into space? Mark Boggett, CEO of Seraphim, shares the investment opportunities in the rapidly expanding space industry. He explains how innovations led by SpaceX dramatically lowered launch costs and increased access to space, catalyzing growth in satellite constellations and data-driven applications for defense, climate, and communications. He emphasizes that near-term investment potential lies in defense and climate-related uses of satellite data, rather than speculative ventures like space travel or asteroid mining. He also highlights the growing importance...
info_outlineA bull market in cash is coming! Gary Zimmerman, founder and CEO of Max, explains how he discovered major inefficiencies in the cash-deposit market and built a platform that helps clients earn higher yields while staying fully FDIC-insured. We explore how broker-dealer incentives shaped the “always be invested” mindset, why RIAs take a more fiduciary approach to cash, and how most advisors dramatically underestimate how much cash clients actually hold in outside bank accounts.
We also dive into the strategic role of cash in portfolios, the psychology and behavioral finance behind loss aversion, and why many investors keep cash in low-yield big banks despite far better options.
We discuss...
Today's Panelists:
- Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth
- Diana Perkins | Trading With Diana
Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast
Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast
Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast
For more information, visit the show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/bull-market-in-cash-gary-zimmerman-768