In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench are joined by Frank Vasquez, host of the Risk Parity Radio Podcast. Frank introduces the concept of a risk parity portfolio. Rather than relying on traditional stock-heavy portfolios, Frank reveals how strategic diversification across asset classes can potentially support higher withdrawal rates while actually reducing your risk of running out of money. The conversation covers the nuances of structuring a por...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 658
What’s your financial independence number (FI/FIRE number)? Are you being too conservative, or are you cutting things close? Do you even have one? Today, we’re taking a deep dive into this hotly debated topic to help you build a nest egg that will support your early retirement! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! How much money do you actually need to retire? For years, the four-percent rule has been the “official” stance of the FI community. But why is it, then, that so many people...
Jul 11, 2025•40 min•Ep. 657
In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench discuss the order of operations for investing your money to achieve FIRE. They outline the steps for both traditional early retirees and those looking to invest in real estate (or start a business). If you’re a beginner in the FIRE movement, start here and work through these steps to FIRE the fastest. If you’re close to FIRE already or at a significant financial milestone, don’t worry. We have tips you can us...
Jul 08, 2025•35 min•Ep. 656
Want to access your IRA before turning 59½ without paying the brutal 10% early withdrawal penalty? You're not alone, and there are completely legal ways to do it that most people never learn about. In this comprehensive guide, John Bowens from Equity Trust will walk us through the exact strategies that allow you to tap into your IRA funds for early retirement, major expenses, or financial emergencies while staying on the right side of the IRS. This episode delves into the serious considerations ...
Jul 04, 2025•53 min•Ep. 655
The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has transformed how people think about work, money, and retirement. In this comprehensive episode, Mindy and Scott break down everything you need to know about achieving financial independence and potentially retiring decades earlier than traditional retirement age. We explore the mathematics behind FIRE, different approaches to the movement, and practical strategies for dramatically increasing your savings rate. From understanding the 4% ...
Jul 01, 2025•38 min•Ep. 654
In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Mindy and Scott speak with Victor Haghani, a seasoned financial expert whose journey from Wall Street titan to FIRE advocate will transform how you think about wealth building. Victor's path from Salomon Brothers and Long-Term Capital Management to founding Elm Wealth reveals the shocking truth: the complex strategies that made millions on Wall Street pale in comparison to simple index fund investing for achieving financial independence. What W...
Jun 27, 2025•43 min•Ep. 653
You're eager to build serious wealth, but the idea of managing tenants, fixing toilets, handling trash issues, and dealing with the endless headaches that come with real estate investing makes you cringe. Even though we're the world's largest platform for real estate investors, we totally understand that the landlord life isn't suited for everyone. The great news? Real estate is definitely not your only ticket to wealth. There are five other proven methods to accumulate serious money that won't ...
Jun 24, 2025•31 min•Ep. 652
Buying a house, maxing out your 401(k), and leveraging real estate are considered the gold standard for building wealth, but what if these strategies are actually sabotaging your early retirement? Today, we're diving into the controversial "middle-class trap" debate with Brad Barrett from the ChooseFI podcast! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Is your net worth locked up in home equity and retirement accounts you can't access? Brad, Mindy, and Scott are having a friendly but fierc...
Jun 20, 2025•56 min•Ep. 651
On this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast , hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench sit down with Dave Fleischer, a teacher who's proving that you don't need a six-figure salary to achieve financial independence. If you've ever felt discouraged because your FI number seems impossibly high or your current salary feels too small to build real wealth, this episode will completely shift your perspective by showing that financial independence isn't about how much you make, but how strategically ...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 650
On this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench sit down with John Bowens from Equity Trust. John is an expert on the often-overlooked 72(t)t rule that could be a game-changer for early retirees. This often misunderstood withdrawal strategy allows people under 59.5 to tap into their retirement accounts without facing the brutal 10% early withdrawal penalty that typically guards these funds. John breaks down the complex world of Substantially Equal Periodic...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 649
Katie Gatti Tassin from " Money with Katie " escaped the middle-class wealth trap of endless working and spending by having her "financial awakening" early. Through just a few years of self-education she more than doubled her income, built a profitable business, and mastered r etirement investing and passive income strategies. She's documented all of these wealth-building strategies in her new book " Rich Girl Nation: Taking Charge of Our Financial Futures ," which you can pre-order today . You'...
Jun 10, 2025•56 min•Ep. 648
The 4% rule just got a major update! Bill Bengen , the creator of the famous 4% withdrawal rule , returns to share his latest research that's changing retirement planning forever. Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Discover why he's now recommending a 4.7% withdrawal rate and what this means for YOUR retirement strategy. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Bill Bengen updated his iconic 4% rule after decades of research The psychology behind why retirees struggle to actually spend ...
Jun 06, 2025•50 min
Do you really need an LLC for rentals ? What kind of insurance should you get? With so many questions (and confusion) surrounding asset protection for real estate investors , we’ve brought on an expert to set the record straight so you can protect your assets—without going overboard or breaking the bank! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Today, we’re chatting with real estate attorney and fellow investor Bonnie Galam about the nuances of asset protection. The truth is that there ...
Jun 03, 2025•51 min•Ep. 646
If you invest consistently, reaching FIRE (financial independence, retire early) by your mid-40s is absolutely possible. These two financial-freedom -chasing twins are proof of it! Only in their 20s , both Andy and Oliver from Twin Finances have six-figure net worths , rental properties, and fully-loaded stock accounts ! Conveniently, right after getting their first jobs, they found out about the FIRE movement , and have been quickly approaching their FIRE numbers ever since! Andy and Oliver hav...
May 30, 2025•36 min
For many of us, FI (financial independence) isn’t just about having the biggest bank account . Growing wealth is one thing, but getting rich isn’t the goal. Freedom, time with loved ones, and giving back to your community are. So, when he reached the millionaire mark and achieved Coast FI , Ryan Brennan knew it was time to leave his new director role and focus on something that fueled his FIRE in a non-financial way. But, how did he get to a seven-figure net worth in his mid-30s anyway? A few ve...
May 27, 2025•51 min
Most people assume the “safe withdrawal rate” for retirement (or early retirement) is 4%. But, if that’s the case, why is it SO hard to find anyone who’s gotten to their FIRE number , quit their job, and lived entirely off of the 4% rule ? If the 4% rule is so safe and backed by solid math, why are so few FIRE followers confident enough to actually use it? We don’t know. So we asked Karsten, AKA “Big Ern,” from Early Retirement Now to help answer! Karsten has done the math, and the 4% rule check...
May 23, 2025•58 min
No, Taxes Won’t Derail Your FIRE: Here’s What You’ll Really Pay in Retirement Podcast Description Taxes in retirement have been called a “silent wealth killer” for those pursuing FIRE —but does the data tell a different story? If you’re worried about a ticking tax bomb wiping out a huge chunk of your investment portfolio or even delaying early retirement , you won’t want to miss this one! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Today, we’re joined by fellow investor and self-proclaimed...
May 20, 2025•43 min
BiggerPockets’ CEO Scott Trench announces his decision to step down as CEO, and focus full-time efforts on personal finance content with BiggerPockets Money . We also welcome BiggerPockets’ new CEO, Ale Ayestaran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 16, 2025•45 min
The Simple Path to Wealth is arguably the most influential book in the FIRE movement . JL Collins , its author, is revered among early retirees as one of the trailblazers for FIRE, showing that anyone, with the right investing consistency, can reach financial independence WITHOUT complicated investing strategies, risky alternative assets, or individual stock picking. This is THE simplest way to wealth, but does it still work in 2025? To see, we had to ask the man himself. So, back again, is JL C...
May 13, 2025•55 min
Paying for college is one of the biggest financial hurdles families face—even as you’re chasing or approaching FIRE . What’s the smartest way to save for higher education while also securing your financial future ? Scott, Mindy, and Amberly are breaking it all down on today’s episode! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! There are several ways to fund your child’s education, and if you’re actively building wealth , you likely have even more options at your disposal. We’ll show you h...
May 09, 2025•50 min
You CAN retire early in just ten years IF you save and invest enough. Fortunately, your retirement expenses may be less than you think. Chris Luger , from Heavy Metal Money, didn’t think about retiring early until a divorce made him take control of his finances. He realized that the path to early retirement was only ten years away, so he started saving —a lot. Chris managed to save and invest 70% of his income for seven years , and just last year, he pulled the trigger and retired! And here’s th...
May 07, 2025•34 min
For decades, the 4% rule has been the calculation every FIRE chaser has used to determine when they can retire early —risk-free . The math is simple: have a portfolio big enough to withdraw 4% per year to fund your lifestyle. But there’s one BIG problem with the 4% rule that nobody is talking about—a problem that could force you to work longer , ruin your retirement lifestyle, and put your portfolio in jeopardy if you don’t plan carefully. Tyler Gardner , former portfolio manager and financial a...
May 06, 2025•1 hr 8 min
What if you reached financial independence …before knowing what it was? That’s what happened to Chris Rusin . After discovering the FIRE movement and stumbling across Mindy and Carl’s blog, he realized he was already at his goal. Then, early retirement unlocked a new life full of wild adventures, creative rebirth, and deeper purpose! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Chris had been hustling, saving money , and chasing financial freedom for years before experiencing a big wake-up ...
May 02, 2025•26 min
You’re part of the FIRE movement (financial independence, retire early) so you can quit your job , have complete time freedom , and truly enjoy your life. But what if early retirement isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be? What if you grind for years or decades, reach your FIRE number, quit your job, and realize… you’re bored? Your schedule is wide open, but what do you fill it with? You start asking yourself, “Did I pursue FIRE for financial freedom —or to escape something else entirely?” Tyler ...
Apr 29, 2025•49 min
Fear that early retirement is out of the question because you have too much debt? It’s not game over. Whether you’re debt-free or still chipping away at your student loans, today’s guests are proof that FIRE is never too far out of reach—even if you’ve got half a million dollars in debt! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Amirra and Mazi Condelee’s first date was an all-timer. While many consider personal finance a taboo topic, they cut right to the money talk—specifically, debt. A...
Apr 25, 2025•55 min
Wealth and health are closely intertwined, especially here in the US, where the high cost of healthcare can put significant financial pressure on families. But is there a remedy to these exorbitant expenses that Americans are missing? Stay tuned and we’ll show you how to negotiate your medical bills—even if you’ve reached FIRE ! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast! Unpredictable healthcare costs keep many would-be retirees tethered to their nine-to-five jobs, but today’s guest has a ...
Apr 22, 2025•36 min
Most people chasing FIRE (financial independence, retire early) are doing it all out of order, and it’s costing them years of financial freedom. So, we thought, “What’s the fastest way to achieve FIRE, and which steps would you take if you were starting from scratch?” Today, we’re bringing you a supercharged financial independence plan, sharing the exact financial order of operations that’ll take you from a $1,000 emergency fund to fully-fledged early retirement. We know the steps because we’re ...
Apr 18, 2025•37 min
We’re coming off one of the wildest weeks in stock market history. How are retirees reacting to these massive swings? How should you adjust your FIRE portfolio in case there are even more turbulent times ahead? We’re chatting with someone who’s in the loop! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! Today, Emma von Weise , certified financial planner (CFP) , returns to the show to give her perspective on the recent stock market volatility . She’ll share what her clients are doing and the ...
Apr 16, 2025•33 min
Early retirement in your 50s is a dream for most Americans, but today’s guest is sharing how she could have retired in her 40s, a decade earlier, if she had avoided these FIRE “traps.” Yes, it IS possible to FIRE in your 40s even with much of your money in retirement accounts. “But I thought you couldn’t take out that money until you’re 59.5?” That’s where you’re wrong, and today, Diana Hummel is showing YOU how to withdraw from your retirement accounts even earlier. In her mid-30s, Diana had a ...
Apr 15, 2025•40 min
Is it possible to reach FIRE by 45 , even on a teacher’s salary or an average income ? Today’s guest is proving that, yes, you can retire early , regardless of your paycheck. It may be a little harder than it is for high-income earners , but with frugality , discipline , and smart investments , regular people can achieve FIRE! Welcome back to the BiggerPockets Money podcast ! At just 31 years old , Kat has been diligently maxing out her retirement accounts , saving a ton of cash , and making eno...
Apr 11, 2025•53 min
