Scott and James discuss how to view your entire financial picture and how you can align it with your financial goals. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:30 - Gross Income v. Net Income 5:49 - What Percentage Are You Saving? 7:10 - How To Save For Your Different Goals 9:07 - What Is My Saving Rate? 12:18 - Living vs. Spending 14:47 - H...
Jun 30, 2021•18 min
Scott and James discuss different indexes, both what they mean and why they're important to you as an investor. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - What Makes Up The Global Market? 5:35 - What Does It Mean To Invest In "The Market"? 6:15 - How Is A Value Of A Company Determined? 10:11 - Russell 2000 vs. Russell 3000 - What's ...
Jun 23, 2021•22 min
Scott and James discuss how this political climate impacts our investments. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - How Should Politics Impact My Investment Strategy? 6:04 - Why Are We Investing? 8:35 - The Power of The S&P 500 12:18 - What Crises Tell Us About Investing 14:47 - What Is A Risk Premium? 16:54 - What Do I Need ...
Jun 16, 2021•20 min
Scott and James discuss whether or not you should be saving on taxes now or in the future. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Episodes Mentioned Episode 6: To Roth or Not to Roth? Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - Should I Invest In A Roth IRA? 5:45 - How Does A Traditional IRA Work? 7:36 - How Does A Roth IRA Work? 9:47 - How Should I Invest As Tax Brackets...
Jun 09, 2021•24 min
Scott and James discuss where you should save your extra income. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - Where Should I Save Extra Income? 5:45 - Long-Term v. Short-Term Savings 8:05 - Education Funding 9:47 - How To Think About "Liquidity" 12:21 - Should I Invest In A SEP IRA or Roth IRA? 13:00 - Flexibility v. Tax Benefits 19:2...
Jun 02, 2021•17 min
Scott and James discuss how to balance cash savings & long-term investing. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:40 - How To Allocate To Different Goals 7:15 - Should I Invest For Short-Term Goals? 8:24 - Importance of Different Accounts 13:58 - Portfolio Diversification 19:32 - How Do I Maximize Returns? 25:06 - Understanding Why We...
May 26, 2021•27 min
Scott and James reflect on the first 100 episodes of the Real Personal Finance Podcast. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Episodes Mentioned: Episode 83: 4 Things You Can Invest In Episode 16: Budgeting Sucks, Do This Instead Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 4:15 - The Magic of Compounding 5:45 - Which Episode Received The Most Downloads? 7:20 - Understanding Your Vis...
May 19, 2021•17 min
Scott and James discuss how to save for a home in this crazy real estate market. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - Retirement Accounts 5:25 - Cost Basis Example 7:50 - Diversification of Investing 10:20 - Cash v. Bonds 13:00 - Diversification Benefits 15:10 - Understanding Costs of Home Ownership 17:50 - What Mortgage Can Y...
May 12, 2021•21 min
Scott and James discuss the pros and cons of moving to another state to save money in order to retire early. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 2:25 - Savings Rates 3:30 - Moving For Financial Reasons 7:00 - Longevity v. Financial Impacts (short-term) 9:50 - What Do You Really Want? 11:31 - Aligning Your Financial Goals 12:45 - Building Financial Habits 13:3...
May 05, 2021•16 min
Scott and James discuss how best to balance debt paydown, savings, and long-term investing. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Episodes mentioned: Episode 72: Better Investor Series: Understanding Asset Allocation Episode 93: Should I Front Load Retirement Accounts When I'm Young? Timestamps: 2:30 - Listener Question 3:41 - Managing Debt 6:20 - How To Pay Off Debt 8:22 - Investing For Your Goal...
Apr 28, 2021•21 min
Scott and James discuss whether or not you should give your 4 year old a credit card. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:05 - Determining Your Credit Score 6:20 - Credit Utilization 7:00 - 10 years vs. 34 years of Saving 9:24 - Why Credit Matters 11:11 - How To Teach Kids About Money 12:45 - Building Financial Habits 13:00 - Usin...
Apr 21, 2021•18 min
Scott and James discuss what to do when you have "too much cash". Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Celebration of 100,000 downloads 3:30 - Rationality of Investing 5:45 - What's The Right Solution For You? 7:50 - Determining Your Emergency fund 9:33 - When Is Cash "Too Much Cash"? 12:24 - Assigning Ideas To Your Cash 14:00 - How Would I Feel If My...
Apr 14, 2021•18 min
Scott and James discuss when it's best for people to consider hiring a financial planner. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Tax Planning Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Episodes Mentioned Episode 56: What Is The Value Of Working With A Financial Planner? Episode 57: What Questions Should I Ask When Hiring A Financial Planner? Timestamps: 2:00 - Why Hire A Financial Planner? 6:00 - How Advisors Are Different 9:30 - Tax Planni...
Apr 07, 2021•27 min
Scott and James discuss whether or not you should front load retirement accounts while you're young. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - Retirement Accounts 5:45 - Front-Loading Retirement Accounts 7:00 - 10 years vs. 34 years of Saving 10:10 - Non-Financial Compounding 12:05 - Aligning Your Financial Goals 13:00 - Overview o...
Mar 31, 2021•17 min
Listener Question: I'm a US citizen living abroad. I started listening to your podcast when I hit 30. Alas, it was time to get my ducks in a row. I've followed your advice to open an IRA and a few online CDs, I appreciate the gentle mindset shift your podcast has on me. Recently, when I told a friend I planned to contribute to my IRA, he warned me not to do that. He warned that if I contributed to my IRA with income earned and taxed overseas - income protected from double taxation by the foreign...
Mar 24, 2021•19 min
Listener Question How do immigrants should strategize investing when there is a real possibility of going back to home country because of work visa denial? Should we continue to invest in the states or invest offshore where we would retire? Thank you. I have been living in the United States for 11 plus years now. Because I am an immigrant, I did not invest in 401k until 2015. But again, I was just contributing 6% to get employer match. I started my financial independence journey a year back. I m...
Mar 17, 2021•30 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss how to determine taxes owed on RSUs and ESPPs. Questions discussed: What are the tax implications of my stock options? When is the best time to exercise my options? How do I maximize my options? What is the best approach for my individual situation? Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Retirement Planning Portfolio Management Aligning Your Investments with Financial Goals Timestamps: 2:30 - RSUs & ESPPs 3:25 - Vesting Period 5:32 - How Best To Naviga...
Mar 10, 2021•23 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss whether or not it's possible to overfund retirement, and what you can do to avoid doing so. Questions discussed: How much is enough when it comes to funding for retirement? When can I stop funding for retirement? What is the best approach for my individual situation? Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Retirement Planning Portfolio Management Aligning Your Investments with Financial Goals Timestamps: 2:30 - Listener Question 4:00 - Should I Max Out My R...
Mar 03, 2021•19 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss whether or not an MBA is worth it and how best to prepare financially. Questions discussed: Is an MBA worth it? What's the best way to prepare financially for an MBA? What are the benefits of an MBA? What do I want my MBA to do for me? Planning Points Discussed Personal Development Portfolio Management Aligning Your Investments with Financial Goals Timestamps: 2:30 - Listener Question 4:02 - Investing In Personal Education 5:00 - Is an MBA a Worthy Investm...
Feb 24, 2021•14 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss whether or not you should invest all at once (lump-sum) or invest smaller amounts over a period of time (dollar-cost average). Questions discussed: Should I invest when the market is at all-time highs? When is the best time to invest? What is the best approach for my individual situation? Articles Mentioned: Article Reference- Dollar-Cost Averaging vs. Lump-Sum (Of Dollars & Data) Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Retirement Planning Portfolio Man...
Feb 17, 2021•17 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss whether or not you should apply extra cash to paying down the mortgage. Questions discussed: What should I do with extra cash? Should I apply extra cash to my mortgage or should I invest the cash? Is paying down the principal of my mortgage the most wise use of extra cash? How does paying down my mortgage impact my overall financial situation? Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Retirement Planning Real Estate Aligning Your Investments with Financial Go...
Feb 10, 2021•19 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss Gamestop Stock, AMC, Reddit, Hedge Funds, and how to think about "hot" stocks as an investor. Questions discussed: Should I invest in GameStop, AMC, etc.? When do I know it's best to buy or sell? What does the halt of trading in Robinhood mean for the financial services industry? How much of my portfolio should I allocate to investing in individual stocks? Planning Points Discussed Investment Planning Retirement Planning Tax Strategies Aligning Your Invest...
Feb 03, 2021•21 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss the difference between a Traditional IRA & Roth IRA and which may be ideal for you based on your individual situation. Questions discussed: Are you hoping to lower your taxable income today? Do you think your income will rise over the course of your lifetime? When does it make most sense to use a Roth IRA vs. Traditional IRA? How should I invest in my Roth IRA or Traditional IRA? Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Retirement Planning Roth IRA vs. T...
Jan 27, 2021•20 min
Scott and James discuss 4 things you can do to invest in your personal and financial growth and outline the steps involved to reach them. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 3:35 - Investing: Time Horizon 5:54 - Timeblocking 8:30 - Time & Financial Journey 11:41 - Investing In Yourself 15:00 - Personal & Financial Goals 17:47 - Aligning Your Financi...
Jan 20, 2021•20 min
What is a sustainable withdrawal rate in retirement? To put it in simple terms, it depends. Today we explain where the 4% withdrawal rate comes from and how it may apply to you and your ability to retire without worry. From new investors to those more well-seasoned, we discuss which factors you should consider when deciding what withdrawal rate will ensure you have a comfortable retirement. Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Retirement Planning Capital Preservation Rule Purchasing Power Othe...
Jan 13, 2021•23 min
In this episode of the podcast, we have a listener question: I am about to come into a decent sum of money from selling a rental property. I’m 30 years old, invest 22 percent into my 401k (that has a balance of 45k currently). My plan was to invest this money in a total market index fund and an international index fund. Is this my best option? I also have a house that I owe about 215k on. Thank you in advance! Planning Points Discussed Tax Planning Investment Strategy Real Estate Asset Allocatio...
Jan 06, 2021•15 min
In this episode of the podcast, we have a listener question: Just heard your podcast on the target date funds and really appreciate the insight as I'd just rebalanced my 401k and pulled out of them because of the fees and my level of attention to my portfolio. From a financial management perspective, I'm a DIY-er with a blend of Boglehead and FIRE, philosophically. Currently 1/3 of my wealth is concentrated in RSU/stock options from my company as part of my annual compensation package. Is there ...
Dec 30, 2020•26 min
In this episode James and Scott discuss their thoughts on how they implement change in both their personal and financial lives. It’s well known that just because something is simple doesn’t mean it will be easy. There are four questions to ask yourself when it comes to achieving your goals, both personally and financially. 1) What can you do? 2) How will you do it? 3) When will you do it? 4) Who can hold you accountable along the way? Planning Points Discussed Accountability Partners Prioritizin...
Dec 23, 2020•14 min
In this podcast episode, we have a listener question: Since interest rates are so low and the bond market is so much bigger than the equity market, what are a good mix of bonds for a portfolio with a lot of bonds? Should it only be high quality corporate or should it be some TIPS, CMO, or anything else? There are a lot of options for bonds. Planning Points Discussed Interest Rates, Credit Rating & Terms of Bonds Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities Government Bonds vs. Corporate Bonds vs....
Dec 16, 2020•22 min
In this podcast episode, we have a listener question: I just recently found your podcast when I was looking for some info on mega-backdoor roths. Thanks for all the info, you guys really are a wealth of knowledge. In an older episode, where you guys were talking about asset locations, one of you mentioned that if you have dividend-paying stocks, you should hold them in a retirement account, so you don't get messed up with paying taxes on the dividends. I have been of the understanding that inves...
Dec 09, 2020•18 min•Ep. 77
