Bob and Carlos discuss a recent Mercatus Policy Brief that documents how rising interest rates have caused the Fed to lose a trillion dollars in the value of its assets, and is now technically insolvent. Does it matter?By The Lara-Murphy Report

Prompted by an email, Bob and Carlos acknowledge that yes, things look pretty bleak right now, both financially and culturally. But there is still cause for hope. The worst thing to do right now would be to give up.By The Lara-Murphy Report

Bob and Carlos discuss the oddities in the official numbers, which show low unemployment but also low labor participation, and how the statistics don't match their personal observations.By The Lara-Murphy Report

Bob and Carlos discuss a recent article in The Hill, which explains that rising interest rates have rendered the Fed technically insolvent.By The Lara-Murphy Report

Bob asks Carlos to recount his own financial struggles as a young businessman in the late 1970s, when price inflation and interest rates skyrocketed. This painful episode ultimately led Carlos to discover Austrian economics.By The Lara-Murphy Report

Carlos and Bob discuss the views of some prominent economists on whether a recession is baked into the cake. Contrary to even free-market members of the Chicago School, the Austrians know it's not just a matter of money supply growth. During the boom, there were real malinvestments, and these must be liquidated in a bust. Mentioned in this episode …

Carlos and Bob discuss inflation and whether it spells the doom of life insurance, and thereby ruins the case for IBC. They conclude that rising interest rates per se don't adversely impact life carriers, because of asset-liability matching. Moreover, when you practice IBC, you're not "investing in life insurance."…

Carlos and Bob revisit their September 2016 video presentation in which they lay out a 3-prong strategy to protect your household from economic calamity.By The Lara-Murphy Report

After a long hiatus, the Lara-Murphy Show is back! Bob and Carlos relay what's been happening in their personal lives and the world of IBC, and discuss the spiritual war that is currently ramping up.By The Lara-Murphy Report

In their monthly publication the Lara-Murphy Report, Carlos and Bob have each started a series investigating the history of certain groups operating behind the scenes to influence social and political trends.Mentioned in this episode and other links of interest: Information on the Lara-Murphy Report. Bob's college essay on the origins of the US pub…

In the wake of the coronavirus, the Federal Reserve has engaged in unprecedented actions, pumping $2.5 trillion into the financial system in just two months. Many readers ask: Does this make IBC a bad idea? After all, it relies on a dollar-denominated asset (life insurance). Bob and Carlos discuss the economic outlook and this particular issue.Ment…

Carlos and Bob critically assess the Fed's $1.5 trillion repo operations, allegedly designed to stem market panic over the coronavirus. Bob observes that even Walter Bagehot's famous dictum said central banks should lend freely *at a high rate of discount*.Mentioned in this episode and other links of interest: Carlos and Bob's September 2016 presen…

Carlos and Bob end their hiatus and return to the airwaves, fresh from the 2020 IBC Think Tank in Birmingham. They summarize the talks they gave at the event, including some exciting news about the Nelson Nash Institute's forthcoming project.Mentioned in this episode: The CBO's 2019 Long Term Budget Outlook. The documentary This Is Nelson Nash. Bob…

Bob and Carlos discuss the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act's impact--especially because of the boost in the standard deduction--on incentives to make charitable contributions. Then they discuss Beto O'Rourke's pledge to remove the tax exempt status of churches and other organizations that don't endorse gay marriage.Mentioned in this episode: AEI's Alex B…

As the U.S. authorities once again pivot to begin another round of cheap credit, Carlos and Bob reflect on the deception--both deliberate and unwitting--involved. Part of the problem is that younger investors haven't lived through a crash, but even the old timers are caught flat-footed if they think past crashes were an "act of God." This is why it…

Bob and Carlos return from their summer hiatus to bring listeners up to speed. Carlos had a medical issue that occurred in June, which he explains in the episode. After describing what happened, Carlos ties his experience to the broader condition of medical care in the United States: it's top-notch, but very expensive.Mentioned in this episode: Bob…

While this was an interview Murphy conducted on his own podcast, it is relevant to Lara-Murphy Show listeners. Keith Smith is an anesthesiologist and founder of the Oklahoma Surgery Center and the Free Market Medical Association. His group is doing for health care what the Nelson Nash Institute is doing for the financial sector.Mentioned in this ep…

Bob asks Carlos to elaborate on the changing estate tax laws and how that could affect long-term planning, even with the excellent tax advantages of IBC.Mentioned in this episode: The IBC Practitioner Finder.The audio production for this episode was provided by Podsworth Media.By The Lara-Murphy Show

Bob asks Carlos to discuss his April 2019 article for the Lara-Murphy Report. Carlos explains how "shadow banking" has become the dominant source of mortgage lending in the United States. He explains this trend and its implications for real estate investors.Mentioned in this episode: The business owner seminar in Nashville, TN on May 10, 2019. Samp…

Carlos and Bob finish their 3-part series explaining Austrian economics and IBC specifically for the business owner. The series is tied to the upcoming IBC Business Owner Seminar to be held on May 10, 2019, in Nashville, TN. In this episode, they discuss Carlos' typical approach to helping a business in distress. They also discuss Carlos' research …

Carlos and Bob continue with their 3-part series explaining Austrian economics and IBC specifically for the business owner. The series is tied to the upcoming IBC Business Owner Seminar to be held on May 10, 2019, in Nashville, TN. In this episode, Bob explains the significance of the inverted yield curve, and ties it to standard Austrian business …

Carlos and Bob begin a 3-part series explaining Austrian economics and IBC specifically for the business owner. The series is tied to the upcoming IBC Business Owner Seminar to be held on May 10, 2019, in Nashville, TN. In this episode, Bob and Carlos discuss the Fed's recent guidance on its bond roll off schedule. They also explain entrepreneurshi…

Carlos and Bob discuss the economic outlook for 2019, from the perspective of Austrian business cycle theory. The yield curve is close to inverting, and if it continues we should expect a recession by the end of 2019 or, failing that, almost certainly in 2020. There are two types of Fed tightening during this recovery, namely interest rate hikes an…

Carlos and Bob discuss the Fed's actions with interest rates and its balance sheet, and how they are behind the recent stock market volatility. They also use media reports to get inside the minds of Bernanke, Yellen, and Powell.Mentioned in this episode: “How to Weather the Coming Financial Storms.” (Carlos and Bob video.) Bob's pushback against th…

Carlos and Bob tackle a friendly bet that two listeners submitted. The controversy concerns two apparently conflicting goals: On the one hand, Nelson Nash says in BYOB that you should pay more against your policy loans than the insurance company requires, effectively buying more paid-up life insurance. But on the other hand, shouldn't you aggressiv…

Carlos and Bob reiterate their longstanding critique of Fed policy to help frame the recent plunges in the stock market. They explain that the Fed has painted itself into a corner and will have no choice but to continue with rate hikes.Mentioned in this episode: "How to Weather the Coming Financial Storms" video. Bob Murphy Show ep. 2 interview of …

Carlos and Bob explain to the average listener why it's important to learn at least the basics of Austrian economics. It's not the same as other free-market schools, and it's not the boring curves you remember from college.Mentioned in this episode: The next IBC Seminar for the General Public on October 13, 2018 in Fort Worth, TX. Details at IBCSem…

Carlos and Bob tackle a question from Twitter: Why is using IBC preferable to just "paying cash" for large purchases? This seemingly simple question actually raises many issues.Mentioned in this episode: The next IBC Seminar for the General Public on October 13, 2018 in Fort Worth, TX. Details at IBCSeminar.com. The Practitioner finder. The Case fo…

Carlos and Bob discuss some of the misconceptions or difficulties they had early on, which made them reluctant to embrace IBC.Mentioned in this episode: The next IBC Seminar for the General Public on October 13, 2018 in Fort Worth, TX. Details at IBCSeminar.com. Lara-Murphy Show episode 51. The Practitioner finder. The Case for IBC.The sound engine…

Nelson Nash joins Bob and Carlos to explain why he encourages IBC users to establish a system of policies (rather than just one). The discussion covers several nuances of policy design.The sound engineer for this episode was Chris Williams. Learn more about his work at ChrisWilliamsAudio.com.By The Lara-Murphy Show

This is the talk Bob gave at the "Mises Caucus" event held on June 30, 2018, to coincide with the kickoff of the Libertarian Party's national convention, held in New Orleans this time.Mentioned in this episode: Tom Woods' speech to the Mises Caucus. Scott Horton's speech to the Mises Caucus.The sound engineer for this episode was Chris Williams. Le…

Carlos and Bob review the status of the three leading central banks and rely on a report from the Treasury Secretary to help interpret and anticipate Trump Administration actions on bank regulation.Mentioned in this episode: Lara-Murphy Show episode 42: "Do the Feds Have a Plan to Unload the Fed's Bonds?" Treasury Secretary Mnuchin's report on the …

Carlos and Bob explain the mechanics of policy loans and then emphasize the importance of keeping track of them. Yes, you have the FREEDOM to never pay your loans back, but that might not be a WISE thing to do. Nelson Nash always stressed that you "play honest banker" when practicing IBC.The sound engineer for this episode was Chris Williams. Learn…

Carlos and Bob finish their series, summarizing some of the material in Chapter 7 of their new book (co-authored with Nelson Nash). In this episode, they address a hypothetical business owner who loves IBC but thinks he doesn't have the cashflow to make it work. By cleverly using an already existing payment, the business owner can effectively build…

Carlos and Bob continue their series, summarizing some of the material in Chapter 6 of their new book (co-authored with Nelson Nash). In this episode, they explain why Whole Life used to be a staple of the average American's financial plan, but then fell out of favor. They also describe how Congress had to put on the brakes in the 1980s since too m…

Carlos and Bob continue their series, summarizing some of the material in Chapter 5 of their new book (co-authored with Nelson Nash). In this episode, they address typical questions such as, "If you guys are worried about a dollar crash, why would I put my money in life insurance?"Mentioned in this episode: The Case For IBC IBC Seminar for the Gene…

Carlos and Bob continue their series, summarizing some of the material in Chapter 5 of their new book (co-authored with Nelson Nash). However, because Chapter 5 contains so much material, they are breaking the treatment up into two separate episodes. In this Part I, they address questions such as, "Can only certain people practice IBC?" and, "Shoul…

In this special episode, Nelson Nash himself joins Carlos and Bob, to discuss the chapter from their jointly-authored book--The Case for IBC--that draws directly on the material that Nash used in his live presentations to the public. Even for those who are quite familiar with Nash's work, you'll glean juicy nuggets from this interview.Mentioned in …

Carlos and Bob continue the series covering their new book (co-authored with Nelson Nash). This chapter explains how the process of Infinite Banking rests on the platform of a dividend-paying Whole Life insurance policy. They also mention the standard features of a WL policy that make IBC possible.Mentioned in this episode: The Case For IBC IBC Sem…

On February 27, 2018, Bob was the guest at the student-led Yale Political Union, debating the resolution, "The free market can solve climate change." A member of the audience captured the audio on his phone; we are presenting here Bob's opening statement, his Q&A, and his summary statement. (We are editing out the brief speeches given by the studen…

Carlos and Bob continue the series covering their new book (co-authored with Nelson Nash). This chapter lists the attributes of a hypothetical "perfect investment," and explains how various assets fare.Mentioned in this episode: The Case For IBCThe sound engineer for this episode was Chris Williams. Learn more about his work at ChrisWilliamsAudio.c…

Carlos and Bob begin their series of going through their new book (with Nelson Nash), chapter by chapter.Mentioned in this episode: The Case For IBCThe sound engineer for this episode was Chris Williams. Learn more about his work at ChrisWilliamsAudio.com.By The Lara-Murphy Show

Carlos and Bob discuss their presentations at the recent IBC Think Tank. Plus they have a big announcement!Mentioned in this episode: The Case For IBCThe sound engineer for this episode was Chris Williams. Learn more about his work at ChrisWilliamsAudio.com.By The Lara-Murphy Show

Description: In this episode, Bob flies solo to explain the controversy over solving the congestion problem in Bitcoin.Mentioned in this episode: The IBC Seminar for the general public, Feb. 10, in Birmingham Bob Murphy's co-authored guide to Bitcoin Bitcoin vs. Bitcoin Cash debate on Tom Woods Show Hayek's proposal to denationalize money Satoshi N…

Carlos and Bob discuss the basic logic of "tax reform," and then critically analyze the GOP proposals. They cover some important differences between the House and Senate bills, and point out that Democrats railing against "tax giveaways to the rich" might have a point.By The Lara-Murphy Show

Carlos and Bob extend their warnings about "loose" monetary policy to the real estate market. Remember, the Austrians warned about the last housing bubble in real-time. There are several reasons to think that the "hot" market right now is in trouble.By The Lara-Murphy Show

Carlos and Bob reiterate the advantages of "becoming your own banker" through the use of policy loans, but they also point out the importance of paying back the loans (in most circumstances). In particular, they warn about the potential tax implications that occur if you surrender a policy.Mentioned in this episode: IRS definition of a "life insura…

Bob talks to Carlos about his research on the Federal Reserve's plans to shrink its balance sheet, and the possible connection to proposed regulatory changes that would encourage financial institutions to take on Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities.Mentioned in this episode: How Privatized Banking Really Works (ebook)…

Bob talks to Carlos about his research on "positive thinking," motivational speakers, self-help gurus, and other related themes. There is much truth and value in this movement, but there's also a potential dark side.Information on the July Nashville Events: http://www.threeccorp.com/Home.aspxBy The Lara-Murphy Show

Bob asks Carlos to discuss his findings regarding the new Department of Labor regulations on financial professionals that kick in on June 9, which concern those who act as a "fiduciary" for clients.By The Lara-Murphy Show