Scott and James discuss if you should save to a Deferred Compensation Plan after maxing out everything else. Listener Question My question is about non-qualified deferred compensation plans. I already max out my 401(k), megaback door (while we still can), Roth backdoor conversations, HSA, FSA, ESPP plan and my wife's SEP IRA and Roth. For the remaining cash I've typically invested in taxable accounts in dividend stocks for future income, but most recently have started using my company NCDC plan ...
Jan 26, 2022•22 min
Scott and James discuss what to expect when you're expecting. Listener Question My wife and I are expecting, and I want to start planning from a financial perspective. I'm considering a 529; if I remember from a previous episode, you guys said you can start funding that before the child is born? I'm also looking into dependent care FSAs for child care expenses. If a kid is due in July, does it make sense to wait and enroll in the dependent care FSA then? Are there any other investment vehicle op...
Jan 19, 2022•22 min
Scott and James discuss how to know if you're on track to retire. Listener Question I am 26 years old and have a TSP account valued at 20k, and a variety of stock/bold portfolios that are earmarked for different priorities that total to about 40k. I get a company match of up to 5% which I utilize up to that. I currently contribute 300 in addition to maxing out my Roth IRA that is valued around 12k. Now, assuming I continue this pace what would you say is the likelihood that I’ll be able to retir...
Jan 12, 2022•25 min
Scott and James discuss how to start the new year right. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 3:57 - Life's Considerations 6:02 - Intentional Living 9:30 - Retirement Goals 15:01 - Dream Lifestyle 16:55 - Assets 19:24 - Saving & Investing 21:22 - Aligning Your Financial Goals LET'S CONNECT! James Facebook LinkedIn Website Scott Facebook Twitter Website E...
Jan 05, 2022•23 min
Scott and James discuss how to protect against inflation. Listener Question Can y'all do an episode about inflation? Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 4:08 - Bond Returns 7:05 - Timing the Market 10:12 - Historical Inflation 13:34 - Bond Risk 16:23 - Downturns are Inevitable 19:04 - When should I have cash/bonds? 20:35 - Aligning Your Financial Goals LET'...
Dec 29, 2021•22 min
Scott and James discuss what to know about IRA eligibility. Listener Question Question 1: I am wondering if I should open an IRA in addition to my 401k through work. My employer match in my 401k caps at $9,000. The only benefit I see of having an IRA is being able to direct the investments, but we are currently happy with the options offered by our employers. We prefer investing in ETFs and have a majority of our money in the S&P 500, with some diversification globally and in small/mid cap f...
Dec 22, 2021•25 min
Scott and James discuss if you should do Roth Conversions in years where income is relatively low. Listener Question I am currently single and maxing out my 401k. In two more years I'll have been doing this and my Roth IRA for four years total. I plan on going back to training for one year and at that point it will drop me from the 37% tax bracket to 22%. My question is I currently contribute to a Roth 401(k) and I plan to stop doing that and just contribute fully to my 401(k), but in the year I...
Dec 15, 2021•23 min
Scott and James discuss if you should cancel your existing whole life policy and buy term life insurance. Listener Question I have listened to your episodes about life insurance and whether or not it’s advisable to purchase a whole life policy. However, I’d be curious to hear what you think about a whole life policy that I bought about 5 years ago. It costs me a fixed $100/ month for a $100,000 policy. I am 36 years old, single and have no children. I would like to have a family one day, but I’m...
Dec 08, 2021•18 min
Scott and James discuss the new contributions limits (2022) and how that impacts our taxes. Listener Question Can I unwind a non- deductible IRA and revert it to a retail account? My CPA suggested I put 7k aside each year (I did it once) and then put it into a backdoor Roth. My income is high (we paid 51% in effective taxes last year) and I max out my 401k (no match) at work. But here is where it gets complicated- I have an IRA, Roth, SEP IRA (from a side consulting business) and now also the no...
Dec 01, 2021•19 min
Scott and James discuss the new contributions limits (2022) and how that impacts our taxes. Listener Question My wife and I have two homes. One is our primary and the other is a weekend/getaway home. We have mortgages on each (each are 30-year fixed and below 3%). Our total monthly mortgage payment for both homes is 15.5% of our gross income. Does it make sense to take our extra cash and pay down the mortgages or to use that cash where it could earn more such as investments? Planning Points Disc...
Nov 24, 2021•21 min
Scott and James discuss how to invest at market all-time highs. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 3:12 - Negative Headlines 5:21 - Market Performance 8:53 - Example of Growth 11:01 - How Can We Position Our Investments Now? 13:01 - Time Horizon of Investments 17:09 - Why We Invest 18:54 - Aligning Your Financial Goals LET'S CONNECT! James Facebook LinkedI...
Nov 17, 2021•20 min
Scott and James discuss where to invest for a Home, CD Ladders, and Contribution Rules. Listener Questions Can I max out both my Roth 401k contribution and my Roth IRA contribution in the same year? Example: I’m 57. 26 thousand plus 7 thousand = 33 thousand. Can I contribute 33 thousand to Roth retirement accounts in 2021? You have talked about saving vs investing based on time horizon and risk appetite. Im hoping you can talk more about savings options. I heard about the concept of CD ladders a...
Nov 10, 2021•25 min
Scott and James discuss the new contributions limits (2022) and how that impacts our taxes. Listener Question I am a new small business owner and have just begun a 401k, I have a roth ira, 529 for my child, and my own investment portfolio. I am still confused on how I should vary my allocation based on the type of fund- such as my roth versus traditional versus normal investments, in order to maximize the benefits of each separate account. I also was hoping you could do an episode solely on how ...
Nov 03, 2021•24 min
Scott and James discuss if you should invest in Whole Life insurance after maxing out your 401(k). Listener Question I was recently advised to get a life insurance retirement plan by my adviser. I currently max out my IRA contribution, FSA, 401k to ~56k and have extra money left over. I’m single and don’t have kids to warrant a life insurance plan per se but it sounded intriguing with the extra cash i have leftover. I comfortably have an extra 3-4 k every month leftover. I’m a bit skeptical of t...
Oct 27, 2021•22 min
Scott and James discuss when it makes sense to start redirecting retirement savings to other account types. Listener Question 1. Currently, I'm 47 and I have been maxing out my retirement accounts. I believe that I am in good position for when I retire with the amount I have and the amount it will grow in next 15 years. My question is if it is foolish to now build up a non retirement account instead of continuing to pour money into the retirement account. I realize I'd be giving up tax benefits,...
Oct 20, 2021•19 min
Scott and James discuss the important milestones you should be aware of. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 2:00 - Introduction 4:29 - Dependent Care 5:50 - Tax Credits 6:58 - Investing v. Gambling 8:02 - UGMA / UTMA 10:25 - Kiddie Tax 12:47 - Catch-up Contributions 15:40 - Social Security Benefits 17:55 - Qualified Charitable Distributions 19:00 - Charita...
Oct 13, 2021•23 min
Scott and James discuss how to make sure you aren't leaving free money on the table during open enrollment. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:57 - Health Insurance Considerations 6:15 - HSA v. FSA 7:25 - Life Insurance 10:06 - Disability Insurance 11:48 - 401(k) Considerations 14:53 - RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) 16:35 - Tax Strateg...
Oct 07, 2021•23 min
Scott and James discuss what you should do when you have large unrealized gains in a concentrated stock holding. Listener Question 1. My wife and I have been blessed with good fortune through our ESPP and RSU programs across 4 different employers. Having always been a buy-and-hold investor, these companies now have significant unrealized capital gains and represent almost 50% of portfolio value and a strong dividend cash flow that could provide income during a job loss. We live in CA and are in ...
Sep 29, 2021•26 min
Scott and James discuss how you can take advantage of tax loss and tax gain harvesting. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Scott's eldest son scores a goal & James surfs! 2:42 - When Should I Start Saving / Investing? 4:10 - Tax Loss Harvesting 6:13 - Taking Advantage of Losses 6:26 - What is a Wash Sale? 8:41 - Capital Gains v. Ordinary Income ...
Sep 22, 2021•18 min
Scott and James discuss if you should pursue a dividend and sector investment strategy. Listener Question 1. Can we talk about dividends and dividend stocks? Is it a wise strategy to invest in those stocks that pay out dividends to shareholders? 2. I have been looking at investing in ETFs and I have seen number of ETFs under the label of Sector and Specialty ETFs (that is how Vanguard labels them). Could we talk more about these? I would be interested in investing in some of these- but I am not ...
Sep 15, 2021•23 min
Scott and James discuss what the key things are to focus on when you're just getting started. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:42 - When Should I Start Saving / Investing? 4:30 - Why All Debt Isn't Equal 8:37 - Paying Yourself First 10:16 - Taking Advantage of Free Money (Employer Match) 12:18 - Loan Forgiveness 14:04 - Life Insuran...
Sep 08, 2021•18 min
Scott and James discuss multiple listener questions regarding tracking 401k contributions, ESPP savings, and investing after getting a late start. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:49 - Listener Question 2:57 - Tax Implications of Retirement Accounts 4:05 - Rollovers: 401(k)s to IRAs (and Roth!) 7:40 - ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan) 10:47 - Risk &a...
Sep 01, 2021•25 min
Scott and James discuss how to upsize homes before selling your current home. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:28 - Finding Your Dream Home 4:43 - What Information Does A Bank Want? 9:14 - What Funds Should I Use For A Down Payment? 10:30 - Understanding Margin Calls 11:48 - What is a Mortgage Recast? 13:05 - Should I Do A Cash-Out ...
Aug 25, 2021•25 min
Scott and James discuss how to balance retirement income and legacy goals. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:51 - Rebalancing 6:05 - Legacy Planning 8:41 - Balancing Cash Preserves 12:19 - Asset Class Variations 18:48 - Estate Planning Opportunities 22:23 - Utilizing Leverage of Time 26:07 - Estate Tax & Gift Tax Penalties 18:54 ...
Aug 18, 2021•31 min
Scott and James discuss how to incorporate real estate as part of your retirement plan. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:22 - Costs of Real Estate 5:42 - Quantifying Your Real Estate Asset 8:30 - How To Determine If You Should Incorporate Real Estate 10:50 - What Are My Expenses With Real Estate? 13:14 - Alternative Real Estate Owne...
Aug 11, 2021•21 min
Scott and James discuss the best way to invest your portfolio throughout retirement. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:45 - Target-Date Funds 4:37 - Bucket Strategy v. Total Return 8:21 - What is a Sustainable Withdrawal Rate? 11:54 - Retirement Funds Aren't All Created Equal 14:36 - What Portfolio Mix Is Right For Me? 16:25 - Benefi...
Aug 04, 2021•20 min
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 - Understanding Your Net Worth 6:45 - Stock Market Volatility 9:07 - What Metrics Should I Focus On? 11:18 - Should I Decrease My Net Worth Intentionally? 13:40 - Utilizing Debt 14...
Jul 28, 2021•19 min
Scott and James discuss how to prioritize conflicting financial strategies. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:02 - Asset Location v. Asset Allocation 5:38 - International Investments 8:21 - Taxation of Retirement Accounts 11:04 - Retirement Account Penalties 14:36 - Focusing On Your Goals 17:31 - Municipal Bond Taxation 20:06 - Impor...
Jul 21, 2021•23 min
Scott and James discuss how to invest after maxing everything else out. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:52 - Investing In Real Estate 4:45 - How To Use Your Balance Sheet To Achieve Your Goals 8:30 - What Is A Great Rate of Return? 12:15 - What Is Passive Real Estate Investing? 14:30 - Aspects of Real Estate Investing 16:00 - Using...
Jul 14, 2021•27 min
Scott and James discuss how how to plan for your goals when you got a late start. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 4:53 - Investing In The Market 6:20 - What Is My Time-Horizon? 7:20 - The Power of Consistent Saving 12:34 - Am I Too Old To Invest Aggressively? 15:35 - What Other Assets Can I Use To Retire? 19:00 - Retirement Expe...
Jul 07, 2021•23 min
