In this episode of Money Made Simple, Mike and Nick Lockwood tackle one of the most common—and most damaging—challenges people face with their finances: confusion. When there’s no clear direction or understanding, progress stalls. Confusion leads to inaction, inaction leads to messy outcomes, and before long, people lose focus on what truly matters for their families and their future.

The conversation explores why so many individuals feel overwhelmed by financial decisions and why having a coach or teacher is often the missing piece. Mike and Nick discuss how poor experiences—such as being sold products that weren’t fully explained or receiving advice that felt overly complex—can create frustration, distrust, and long-term paralysis. They also address a common refrain they hear from clients: “I don’t understand my advisor.” When conversations move too fast or focus only on investments instead of goals, clarity is lost.

A central theme of the episode is the power of simplicity. While comprehensive financial plans are important, they’re only effective if people can follow through. Mike explains why Oakwood emphasizes breaking plans down into clear, digestible action steps—because a simple plan that gets executed is far more valuable than a complex one that sits on a shelf.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

1:06 - What keeps you up at night?

8:24 - Making sense of your data and developing a plan

14:42 - Inaction typically stems from a lack of a coach

19:35 - "I can't understand my financial advisor"

25:58 - First steps you can take towards financial clarity

29:27 - Have key financial discussions with your spouse

33:00 - Closing remarks