Bonus Episode 1 — Investment Scams: The Red Flags

Bonus Episode 1 — Investment Scams: The Red Flags

This is a bonus episode. It sits outside the series — but it is not optional. Everything we have built together — the time, the compounding, the platform, the tax wrapper — can be undone in a single moment of misplaced trust. This episode is about making sure that never happens. In 2024, investment fraud was the single most reported category of cyber crime in the United States. Nearly 48,000 complaints. $6.5 billion in losses. In Europe, Europol has identified investment fraud as one of the most prolific online crime threats on the continent. And in 2025, complaints about investment group scams increased by 300% in a single year.The people running these operations are not amateurs. They are organized, sophisticated, and growing. In this episode, I walk through how these scams actually work — the mechanics, the psychology, and two real cases from the US and Europe that show exactly who gets targeted and how. Then I give you the red flags: guaranteed returns, urgency tactics, requests for secrecy, unverifiable platforms, deepfake celebrity endorsements, social media investment groups, and unusual payment methods.I also cover what to do if you think you have been targeted — and why reporting matters more than most people realise.The most sophisticated scams do not target the uninformed. They target the motivated. The people trying to do the right thing for their families. Being smart does not protect you. Knowing the red flags does.

Episode 12 — The Platform

The engine is built. Now it needs a home. Choosing a platform feels like a small administrative step. It is not. The platform you choose determines what instruments you can access, the fee structure that will quietly compound against or in favor of your returns for the next 20 years, and the regulatory protections covering your assets if something goes wrong. In this episode, I give you the framework. I cover the legal structures protecting investors across the EU, Switzerland, the UK and the US. I walk through the five types of platform — and which fits a deliberate low-cost passive strategy. I break down every fee component most parents overlook when comparing options: transaction commissions, custody fees, inactivity fees, and currency conversion costs. And I share a five-step decision process you can apply to any platform, anywhere. At the end, I tell you what I personally use — not as a recommendation, but as an example of how this framework plays out in practice. I'm Jorge and I'm here because your child deserves the advantage we never had. We are done hoping for the best. We are building it. Subscribe to Beyond PiggyBanks on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. The clock is ticking.

Episode 11 — The Tax Layer

The recipe is built. But every portfolio exists inside a tax environment — and that environment can quietly take a meaningful portion of everything you have built, or barely touch it at all. In this episode, I give you the map. Four questions every parent needs to answer for their own country: How are capital gains and income taxed? Does your country have a tax wrapper for children or long-term investing? Should you choose accumulating or distributing funds given your tax situation? And what reporting obligations apply to foreign holdings? I also cover tax loss harvesting — what it is, when it is worth considering, and when it is irrelevant. Tax rules vary by country and change over time. This episode does not give you the local roads — it gives you the map so you know exactly what to look for and what questions to bring to a local advisor. Beyond PiggyBanks is a podcast helping parents build long-term wealth for their children through simple, practical strategies. No jargon. No products. Just the knowledge you need to give your child the financial advantage we never had.

Episode 10 — Building the Portfolio: The Recipe

Nine episodes of preparation. Today, everything comes together. In this episode, I walk through how to actually build a portfolio for your child — turning the theory into real percentages, real allocations, and a real engine. Before you can build, you need to answer three questions: What is your objective? How long do you have? What is your risk tolerance? Everything follows from there. I walk through two real examples. A five-year-old with a 15-year engine handover goal, and a thirteen-year-old with a seven-year target amount goal. Same ingredients, different proportions, different recipes — and I explain exactly why each choice was made. I also cover how often to review, how the allocation shifts gradually as your child grows, and what the whole system actually looks like in practice once it is running. The allies are in place. The dangers are named. The ingredients are understood. The vehicle is chosen. Now we build. Beyond PiggyBanks is a podcast helping parents build long-term wealth for their children through simple, practical strategies. No jargon. No products. Just the knowledge you need to give your child the financial advantage we never had.

Episode 09 — The Currency Question

Your basket grew 8%. The market went up. And you still lost money. That is currency risk — and it is one of the most underestimated forces in long-term investing. Not because it is complicated. Because it is invisible. In this episode I explain the difference between transaction currency and base currency, why the same basket can produce very different results for investors in different countries, and what two tools are available to manage the risk. Including hedged ETFs — what they are, how they work, and whether the cost is always worth it. Plus — why the US dollar is almost unavoidable in a globally diversified portfolio, and what that means for you. The ingredients are known. The basket is understood. The currency question has been addressed. I'm Jorge. I'm here because your child deserves the advantage we never had.