How do the top 1% of Americans invest their money, and how do your investments compare? We’re breaking down the data, showing what the wealthiest Americans are invested in and how to copy their 1% portfolio so you can invest like the ultra-wealthy. To be in the top 1% of Americans, you must have at least eight figures. And while that’s a Fat FIRE number, most of us don’t need tens of millions to retire early. But copying some of the tactics of the top 1% could get you there faster. One thing sli...
Mar 11, 2025•45 min
If there’s an issue that keeps aspiring early retirees up at night, it’s the dreaded middle-class trap. At just 28 years old, this financially savvy couple is already looking for ways to avoid this issue. Whether you’re just starting your FIRE journey or approaching early retirement, we’ll show you how to do the same in today’s episode! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! So far, Leah and Zach Landis are doing everything right. They earn high incomes, they spend very little, and the...
Mar 07, 2025•56 min
The wealthy are using one unique retirement account to build their fortunes tax-free. You may have never heard of it, but knowing about it can change the course of your retirement planning, allowing you to invest in much more than stocks, index funds, and bonds in your retirement accounts. We’re talking about making passive real estate income tax-deferred, flipping houses and sheltering the profits for when you retire, or having a rental property portfolio producing massive passive income, all w...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 6 min
How has Scott achieved so much financial success already in his early 30s? He’s got a secret weapon nobody else has: Virginia Trench! That’s right, the woman behind half of the puns you hear on this podcast is coming on the show! She's sharing her view on Scott’s early (and extreme) frugality, massively successful financial planning dates, goal setting as a couple, prenuptial agreements, and the Trenches’ recent decision to sell a solid chunk of their index fund portfolio. Virginia met Scott bef...
Feb 28, 2025•44 min
Teachers aren’t known for their high salaries, so how did this one reach early retirement and FIRE at just 45 years old? Through “aggressive” saving and smart cost-of-living choices, Amy Minkley was able to quit her demanding international teaching job only three years after finding out about the FIRE movement. Now, she spends her days living in paradise and hosting “FI Freedom Retreats” once or twice a year for like-minded FIRE-chasers. To reach FIRE in your 40s, you must make some strategic mo...
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr
Is something stopping your FIRE? Today’s guest wants to retire early at 35, but with a shaky budget, extra expenses, and a problematic rental property, her path to early retirement isn’t clear. In today’s episode, we’ll break down her finances and help her get back on track! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Sarah earns a great salary and diligently saves for retirement each month. You’d think she’s on pace to leave her W2 job in a few years, but there’s one problem—she has more e...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min
2024 may be long gone, but it’s NOT too late to lower your taxes for the previous year. If you have real estate or retirement accounts, you already hold the key to minimizing your taxable income and owing less to Uncle Sam. But how do you do it? We’re sharing 2024 and 2025 top tax reduction strategies in today’s show with expert CPA and real estate investor Amanda Han! Do you know about the real estate tax “loophole” that helps everyday investors cut their taxable income by tens of thousands? Go...
Feb 18, 2025•48 min•Ep. 608
Is a 100% index fund portfolio no longer the FIRE formula? The market has changed, and maybe your portfolio allocation needs to change with it. With index funds at all-time-high prices and price-to-earnings ratios at an eye-watering 29, you might be feeling a bit worried about whether your FIRE will last or you’ll even make it to FIRE in the first place. You’re not crazy; Scott is feeling the same way, too. Recently, Scott decided to make a move much of the FIRE community would protest—he sold 4...
Feb 14, 2025•39 min•Ep. 607
Travel hacking allows you to fly and travel for free, often in luxury, without spending tens of thousands of dollars on flights or hotels. So, how do you do it without managing thirty different credit cards in your wallet? Brian Kelly, AKA The Points Guy, world-renowned travel hacking expert and author of the new book How to Win at Travel, is here to show you as we rapid-fire our top credit card rewards questions at him. In this show, you’ll learn how to fly to Europe, Asia, and beyond for FREE,...
Feb 11, 2025•49 min•Ep. 606
Does the four-percent rule actually work? On paper, yes. So why don’t more people put it to the test? Today’s guest retired at forty-seven years old and is living proof that the math really does check out. Stay tuned to find out how! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Bobby Beck has done what so many in the FIRE community are seemingly unable to do—he actually retired on the four-percent rule! What’s more? He did it while living in the Bay Area, one of the most expensive markets in...
Feb 07, 2025•48 min•Ep. 605
Do we focus too much on just one type of wealth? What if the key to a happy life isn’t retiring early, ascending the corporate ladder, or having more money than you know what to do with? Serial entrepreneur Sahil Bloom spent years chasing money, only to find that it didn’t provide happiness—it robbed him of it. Find yourself in the same boat? This episode is for you! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, Sahil joins the show to discuss the core concepts from his latest book, Th...
Feb 04, 2025•59 min•Ep. 604
How can you use your retirement accounts to reach FIRE faster? We’ve talked a lot about the “middle-class trap”—having too much of your net worth trapped in your retirement accounts and home equity—and we may have the secret weapon to help you escape it. Not only that, this strategy allows you to keep more of what you earn, take control of your investments, and build a (relatively) passive real estate portfolio while you get closer and closer to FIRE. Of course, we’re talking about self-directed...
Jan 31, 2025•56 min•Ep. 603
Buying a house, maxing out your 401(k), and leveraging real estate can help you achieve financial independence. But suppose your goal is to retire early. Could relying too heavily on these principles actually delay early retirement? Today, we’re going to show you how to break free from the “middle-class trap” that stops so many from retiring early! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Is most of your net worth “stuck” in home equity and retirement accounts? This is a widespread issue...
Jan 28, 2025•42 min•Ep. 602
Why do so many in early retirement struggle with happiness? We know you’ve told yourself, “Once I hit FIRE, I’ll be living the dream! Every day will be like a vacation.” This is what Mindy was telling herself for years before becoming financially independent, and once she hit her goal, she realized life’s same problems still exist. If you’re FI already, this may sound familiar. So, how do you enjoy the path to early retirement so that when you reach your financial goal, the party doesn’t stop? J...
Jan 24, 2025•47 min•Ep. 601
Are you building wealth but feel like you can never enjoy it? Do you struggle with money, fearing you carry the same poor financial habits as your parents? Whether you’ve got a lot of money or a little, many of us face the same mental financial challenges—anxiety, shame, and stress—but it doesn’t have to stay this way. Today’s guest is living proof that change is possible. After completely turning his financial life around, from maxed-out credit cards, a rock-bottom credit score, repossessions, ...
Jan 21, 2025•47 min•Ep. 600
Is it a good time to invest in real estate? Yes, and we have proof that real estate may be underpriced, even as we hover around the most expensive average home prices in history. How can real estate be undervalued when prices are at historic highs? Dave is sitting down with Scott Trench, CEO of BiggerPockets, who has condensed ten hours' worth of research into one episode to prove to you that, without a doubt, real estate will be winning over the next few years. Plus, he’s about to make a BIG fi...
Jan 17, 2025•54 min•Ep. 599
From over $300,000 in debt to a millionaire in just eight years?! No matter where you’re at, it’s never too late to get on the path to financial freedom. This entrepreneur is proof that a little discipline, frugality, and creativity can radically change your financial trajectory! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Today, we’re speaking with Bernadette Joy, founder of Crush Your Money Goals. In 2016, Bernadette had dug herself a six-figure hole—a combination of student loans, credit...
Jan 14, 2025•50 min•Ep. 598
“Do I have enough to retire?” is a question most people in the FIRE community grapple with, but today, we’re sharing a FREE tool that will help you put this issue to bed! If you’re concerned about running out of money later in life or developing “One More Year Syndrome,” you won’t want to miss this episode! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Software engineer Lauren Boland has developed a FIRE calculator that predicts whether your nest egg will be able to support you in retirement....
Jan 10, 2025•58 min•Ep. 597
Ramit Sethi, the money and couples’ finances expert, is back! This time, he’s teaching you how to have life-changing money conversations with your partner so you can build a “rich life” together and even FIRE faster! You may know Ramit from his popular book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich, or his Netflix series How to Get Rich, but today, he’s sharing brand new insights, techniques, and lessons from his newest book, Money for Couples! If you’re a FIRE freak like us, you may have a partner who’s hav...
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 596
Want to know how to make $100 a day in 2025, all while working from home? We brought the queen of side hustles, Jackie Mitchell, back on the show to share how her money-making journey has been going. Jackie set a goal to make $100 a day to save up for a down payment. She did just that, making close to $11,000 in total in her one-hundred-day side hustling stretch. Now, she’s bought a house, still side hustling, and saving a TON of money. How’s she doing it? Jackie reveals the easiest and most pro...
Jan 03, 2025•45 min•Ep. 595
Calling all couples! You and your partner may be on the same page financially or off in two different directions; regardless of where you’re at, it’s a great time to start having money dates! In this episode, Mindy and Scott are going solo, talking through why money dates are such a crucial part of any healthy relationship. This isn’t just talk, both Mindy and Scott are adamant about money dates, they do them often with their partners as well! If you’re an individual listening to this episode, y...
Dec 31, 2024•58 min•Ep. 594
Got debt to pay off? You might relate to Leo, a personal finance journalist who’s focused on financial stability over FIRE—at least for now. With six figures in student loans and credit card debt, Leo found themselves in a tough spot after being laid off with no safety net. Determined never to end up in that position again, they began chipping away at their debt, working toward financial peace of mind instead of a relentless grind to early retirement. Leo shares why their approach to financial f...
Dec 27, 2024•34 min•Ep. 593
If you want to retire early, the Mad Fientist is your guide. For over a decade, Brandon, more commonly known as the “Mad Fientist,” has been running simulations, experiments, and exercises to discover which road to early retirement is the fastest. Now, in his forties, Brandon has time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and his regrets on the sprint to early retirement and financial freedom. And he’s also got a new update that’ll make your early retirement journey smoother. After tinkering w...
Dec 24, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 592
Are you worried you won’t be able to retire at sixty-five? Feeling financially limited in your fifties and need a retirement plan so you can finally stop working? Well, we made this episode just for you. Today, we’re teaching you how to retire on time at age sixty-five (or even retire early!) if you’re starting from zero with no money to your name. We spell out exactly what we would do to go from a zero-dollar net worth to a million dollars in retirement! This is a step-by-step plan that anyone ...
Dec 20, 2024•44 min•Ep. 591
Do you want to know how to save $1,000 a month (or more!) with simple spending and saving tweaks? Today, we’re giving you the BEST money hacks for 2025 from the expert, Chris Hutchins of All the Hacks! Some of these smart money moves will save Chris over $20,000 just next year, and that’s not even including all the other hacks he shared in this episode. The best part? These money hacks can help you retire early by substantially reducing your cost of living. Chris starts by sharing one of the mos...
Dec 17, 2024•58 min•Ep. 590
Alex Preziosi wants to reach financial independence by the age of forty-five, and with several hundred thousand dollars in retirement accounts, brokerage accounts, and savings, she’s on pace to do just that. But now, she’s thinking about quitting her W2 job. Can she still hit her FI goal? Today’s guest has good problems, but problems, nonetheless! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Since we last spoke with Alex, she has made two major leaps on her journey to financial independence....
Dec 13, 2024•54 min•Ep. 589
Many people struggle with money anxiety, even those in the FIRE community. Your money fears could keep you on the sidelines, or it could have the opposite effect, making you ultra-conservative with your retirement savings. Today, we’re diving into five of the most common financial fears, whether they’re worth fretting about, and what to do about them! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Do you ever worry about your finances? You’re not alone! Maybe you’re concerned about your FIRE n...
Dec 10, 2024•42 min•Ep. 588
Dion McNeeley retired in just ten years after starting from not just zero but NEGATIVE. He was forty years old with $89,000 in debt, had no assets, a low-paying job, and zero investing experience. Thanks to his “lazy” method of building wealth, he was able to amass millions of dollars in assets, create over $200,000 per year in passive income streams, and retire just ten years after starting his journey to FIRE. Can you do it, too, even in today’s markets? Yes! Dion did what most people aren’t w...
Dec 06, 2024•35 min•Ep. 587
Are you beating the average American in personal finances? Today, we’re sharing the average net worth by age to see where exactly you stack up. Whether you’re in your twenties, thirties, forties, or fifties, we have the data showing whether you’re behind (or ahead of) the norm. What do you do if you feel like you’re falling behind? Don’t worry; we’re also giving tips on how every age bracket can improve its net worth. Don’t know how to calculate your net worth? It’s easy, and you can do it in mi...
Dec 03, 2024•54 min•Ep. 586
There’s a “middle-class trap” that can keep anyone from FIRE—yes, even high-income earners. Today’s guest has a sizable nest egg that should allow her to retire early, but there are a few roadblocks in her way! At forty-seven, Allie has already built a net worth of $3,800,000. She would like to retire, and most people would assume she has enough to retire, but there are two problems. First, she lives in Orange County, California, one of the most expensive areas in the U.S., and has no plans to l...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 583
