The Stacking Benjamins Show - podcast cover

The Stacking Benjamins Show

Joe Saul-Sehy and Josh ‘OG’ Bannerman, CFPart19.com

Named Best Personal Finance Podcast by Bankrate.com and Kiplinger — and the only podcast the Plutus Awards retired from competition after winning twice — The Stacking Benjamins Show is personal finance that doesn’t put you to sleep.

Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy (former 16-year financial advisor, ex-WXYZ-TV “Money Man”) and Josh “OG” Bannerman, CFP (Certified Financial Planner, Bannerman Wealth) sit around the card table in Joe’s mom’s half-finished basement in Texarkana and talk money with the smartest guests in personal finance, investing, and behavioral economics. As Fast Company wrote, the show “strikes a great balance of fun and functional.”

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: expert guests, real headlines, listener questions, and Doug’s trivia. Topics include investing, retirement planning, budgeting, real estate, behavioral finance, taxes, and financial independence — for anyone who wants to be smarter about money without being talked down to.

Subscribe to The 201 — the free newsletter that goes deeper than the show — at stackingbenjamins.com/201

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Episodes

The Roth 401K: The Cinderella Of Your Financial Plan (and Your Letters)

Why are some of the coolest financial tools rarely used? For example, people by-and-large avoid HSA accounts, when they're the Swiss-army knife of a healthcare plan. Today we'll shine a light on another type of plan that's not often used: the Roth 401K. A recent piece in a major publication predicted that Roth 401K plans will become bigger now that the SECURE Act has been enacted. What do Joe & OG think? Do THEY like the Roth 401K? You'll find out during today's episode! After that, we're al...

Feb 12, 20201 hr 15 min

Your Frugal Valentine's Day Dining Guide (plus Shannon Dougherty's latest issue)

Don't look now but Friday is Valentine's Day! You're probably wondering what a "chocolates and roses" holiday has to do with finances... and the answer is... A lot . As we'll find out today, many people don't hesitate about turning their wallets over and shaking out ALL their cash. But today we'll help you celebrate in style (or in jest) WITHOUT breaking the bank. Today we've invited Sara Skirboll from ReatilMeNot to share with us plenty of great advice on how to find great Valentine's day dinin...

Feb 10, 202049 min

When $250,000 Isn't Enough (plus an intro to Masterworks)

Would $250,000 a year be enough for you to "get by"? It wasn't for one early retiree. Today we're going to dive into income, expenses, priorities and bucket lists. Helping us today is a roundtable team of fantastic personalities. First, our special guest today comes from Revele Financial Group, Dawn Dahlby! From the Afford Anything podcast, we have Paula Pant, and Len Penzo joins in the fun from Len Penzo dot com! What is the most expensive piece of artwork you own? Do you think you could ever o...

Feb 07, 20201 hr 16 min

What If Your Retirement Math Doesn’t Work?

JT and Tamzon had a great start. After paternity leave from a fantastic job, JT thought he knew that with his burgeoning side-gig, he could quit his job and live happily ever after without going back to full-time work. Then, he found out that the math wasn't working. What would you do? We'll share one family's story of taking control of your goals and then rebooting when the math still doesn't make sense. On today's show early-retirees JT and Tamzon join us to talk about adding flexibility into ...

Feb 05, 20201 hr 2 min

Mastering Your Money (with Norm Champ)

Much of the game around managing money is in doing the little things...not being tripped up by the small mistakes and doing those little things that can turn failure into success in a hurry. Today, Norm Champ (formerly of the Securities and Exchange Commission), joins us to talk about mastering your money. What are some of the moves you can make to be a better money manager? We'll talk about controlling expenses (with some ideas to help you hone your budget), automating your money, and more on t...

Feb 03, 20201 hr 11 min

Navigating Awkward Money Moments (plus the Evil HR Lady)

So, how much money do you make? Could a borrow a big sum of cash? Ever had any of THOSE moments? What do you do? Well today we'll discuss some seriously awkward questions. To help us, we welcome from Afford Anything the amazing Paula Pant, the almost retired Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot com , and from this podcast the straight shooter OG! If you or anyone you know is in the job market, watch out! Recruiters are now corresponding more and more via text. What could go wrong with that? We'll dive i...

Jan 31, 20201 hr 27 min

The Life of an Accountant Spy (with Tracy Coenen)

She'll tell you over and over that her job isn't interesting. But if you're a money nerd, do we have a treat for you today, because accountant Tracy Coenen spends her time chasing down bad guys using spreadsheets and bank statements (I'll stop if you need a moment). Today she'll tell us stories of two stories where she helped catch perpetrators by using financial records (and some amazing ingenuity) to help bring "bad guys" to bear. Plus, are you interviewing soon? Even if you aren't we'll talk ...

Jan 29, 20201 hr 14 min

Tales Of The Founding Fortunes (with Tom Schachtman)

How did America get its start? Of course, by relying on the financial fortunes of a few of our founding fathers. Today we're rolling back the clock to look at how some founding fortunes helped launch our country. We'll dive into the topic with Tom Shachtman, the author behind the Founding Fortunes , to discuss the roll of money in uniting revolutionaries, both rich and poor. Plus, should we be paying more attention to sustainability while investing? During our headlines we'll cover one report fr...

Jan 27, 20201 hr 7 min

Why's The FIRE Movement Getting More Heat? (plus an intro to Pillar)

If the FIRE movement is so inspirational, why is it constantly under attack? More heat was lobbed at the early retirement movement last week by a couple of industry insiders on Twitter. To help us, we welcome the FIRE-y woman behind the Fiery Millennials blog, Gwen Merz, Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot com, and the wonderful Doc G from the What's Up Next podcast! These intelligent, retirement-focused people will be discussing the tweet that started quite the firestorm. If you or anyone you know has...

Jan 24, 20201 hr 16 min

Retirement 101 (with Michele Cagan)

Let's get back to the basics. Everyone talks about retirement tools, projections, timelines, and tax strategies...what about answering, "How do I begin?" If that's you, we've got you covered on today's show because we're talking to CPA Michele Cagan about Retirement 101. We'll start off with how you fare against other savers (or non-savers), and then discuss how you should frame retirement. Is it one long process? Should you begin with picking investments? We'll cover all of that and more on tod...

Jan 22, 20201 hr 10 min

From BIG Debt to Around the World (with Reshawn Lee)

Is debt crushing your dreams? Are your relationships affected by students loans or credit card problems? You NEED to hear today's guest, Reshawn Lee, talk about her situation. Reshawn and her husband Rob had horrible credit card debt, student loans, and couldn't ever seem to begin saving...until they took some drastic actions and everything turned out (spoiler!) not just great, but with a trip around the world! Today we'll talk about the work they do on their Learn Hustle Grow blog and YouTube c...

Jan 20, 20201 hr 20 min

Would You Walk Away From a Six-Figure Job? (plus an intro to our new SB course!)

Happy Birthday to our namesake Benjamin Franklin!! Today we'll celebrate by talking about one of our favorite topics, leaving your 9-5 job early. To help us, we welcome the woman behind the new EconoMe Conference, Diania Merriam, Len Penzo from Len Penzo dot com, and the wonderful OG from our very own podcast! This piece, written by Jessica Garbarino for her Every Single Dollar blog, is titled Why I Walked Away from a Six-Figure Job , and goes over some very good reasons to leave a "good" job AN...

Jan 17, 20201 hr 29 min

Navigating the SECURE Act

Your retirement options just became more robust. A new law called The SECURE Act passed late last year and today we're sharing ALL of the information you need to know to change your plan to take advantage of this new, exciting legislation. If this is new to you, don't worry, we've got you covered. We'll begin the show with Joe & OG bringing you up to speed on the details. But if you're wondering how to use it well, we have something even better. Joining us on today's show we'll have Aimee Kw...

Jan 15, 20201 hr 18 min

You CAN Have It All (with Romi Neustadt)

Are you frustrated that your average day doesn't start out chasing your goals but instead reacting to everything else going on? Between kids, spouse or friends, and co-workers, how are you supposed to get ahead on YOUR agenda? Good news, today we chat with Romi Neustadt, the bestselling author of You Can Have It All ...just not at the same damned time! We'll have an amazing conversation focusing on how to REALLY set goals that stick (hint: you don't start with goal setting), how to keep your pri...

Jan 13, 20201 hr 10 min

Your Smartest 2019 Money Moves (plus an intro to Gradifi)

What money moves are you planning for 2019? From creating an emergency fund and increasing your 401k contributions, to downsizing and starting a side hustle, there are plenty of smart financial steps you can take to make this year your best one yet. Joining our roundtable discussion about your best money moves today, we welcome Paula Pant from Afford Anything and OG from our very own podcast. Halfway through the roundtable we'll take a break for our Friday Fintech segment and talk to David Chang...

Jan 11, 20201 hr 6 min

Giving When You Don’t Think You Can (plus an intro to Round)

For many of us, "charity begins at home" is our constant refrain. But you have to admit, it feels good to give and to be a part of a community. Not only are you helping those around you, but you're also working together with your family or friends on a higher purpose. That's why we're thrilled today to talk with our friends, Scott Maderer from Inspired Stewardship , our good friend Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, and the wonderful OG from our very own podcast about how they give! We...

Jan 10, 20201 hr 23 min

Finding Your Tribe of Millionaires (with Tim Rhode)

What goals do you want to achieve? It's easier to reach any destination with the right people around you. To help YOU find your best route toward your goals, today we welcome Tim Rhode, author of Tribe of Millionaires, and founder of nonprofit 1 Life Fully Lived, to talk about building your network to reach your ultimate potential. Plus, during our headlines, we'll cover a piece from Bloomberg about how credit card debt has hit an 10-year high, and what that means to you. Spend too much money th...

Jan 08, 20201 hr 8 min

Digging Out: How To Kickstart Your 2020 Debt Cleanse (with Brian Karimzad)

Wake up January 1 with a hangover? Even if you didn't "over-imbibe" on alcohol, there's another hangover people suffer from: excess spending. Let's make January a reset month if you overspent last year. As many financial gurus say, "Tomorrow is a new day" and you can decide that you want to grab the reins and control not just your debt but your money in general. Today we sit down with Brian Karimzad, CEO of Magnify Money, on all of the things you can do to make your debt cleanse a success. Durin...

Jan 06, 20201 hr 6 min

Our Magic 8 Ball Predicts The Future! (plus the future of FinTech with Ryan Falvey)

Where is the market going to go in 2020? Who will win the election? What did we learn from the Magic 8 Ball predictions of 2019? We'll start by looking at ALL of our last year's predictions and discuss LOTS of financial planning themes. Between emerging markets, individual stocks, playing the lottery, and more, we'll cover a wide range of money topics that you (gasp) might learn from. Calling in today to help out is our good friend, Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, plus Len Penzo fro...

Jan 03, 20202 hr 12 min

You'll Be AWESOME in 2020! (with Neil Pasricha)

While everyone else fights over whether this year or next is the beginning of a new decade, we'll help you focus your attention on the REAL issue: how awesome you'll plan to be in 2020 and beyond. Bestselling author and TED speaker Neil Pasricha joins us today to tell us stories about his amazing mother's search for awesome, his own lessons from past failures, and best of all, the history of the ellipses. They're hopefully the inspiration you'll need to kick off the Roaring 20's with a bang. Wha...

Jan 01, 20201 hr 10 min

Countdown to 2020: Building GREAT Habits For the Next Decade (Holiday Special)

We're ending 2019 with a fantastic look back at our interview with James Clear, author of Atomic Habits . One of the best thing you can do for yourself this next decade is building great habits and STICKING to them. Whether it's in your career, finances, relationships, or otherwise personal life, you'll find that developing great habits will be the best present you can give yourself moving forward. It's been a blast this past week, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Happy New Year! Learn ...

Dec 31, 20191 hr 9 min

Countdown to 2020: What Did 2018 Teach Us About Money? (with Jill Schlesinger)

Jill Schlesinger gave us her top money lessons at the end of 2018, and we still think they're pretty great lessons to keep in mind a year later. We'll start the episode with a special open, and then dive into our show with Jill. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Dec 30, 20191 hr 27 min

Countdown to 2020: What Should We Have Learned In 2017 (with Jean Chatzky)

Jean Chatzky gave us some fantastic lessons that we should've learned in 2017. Those financial lessons are still applicable two years later. We'll give the show a special open featuring Joe and OG, and then take a listen to our show with Jean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Dec 29, 20191 hr 20 min

Countdown to 2020: What Should We Have Learned in 2016 (with David Bach)

Back in 2016 we sat down with NYT Bestselling author David Bach to ask, "What should we have learned in 2016?" He had some great answers that still apply here at the end of 2019. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Dec 28, 20191 hr 11 min

Countdown to 2020: What Should We Have Learned in 2015 (with Jill Schlesinger)

CBS Business Analyst and host of the wildly popular Jill On Money Show, Jill Schlesinger joins us in the basement to recap 2015. What should we have learned? She'll have five lessons from events of the past twelve months. Joe & OG share headlines and take your letters, including one asking about "too big to fail" and another asking about multi-level marketing schemes. Should our listener take a "free" plan from an MLM company rep? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...

Dec 27, 20191 hr 25 min

Countdown to 2020: What Did We Learn In 2014? With Rod Griffin (Special)

Welcome to day 2 of our look back at the lessons we've learned from the past decade. This year we took a special look at credit and family finances, take a look at our original show description below: There are TONS of takeaways from 2014, and Rod Griffin from Experian joins us in the basement to tackle his top five that had to do with your credit and family finances. You'll be surprised how easily Rod takes current events and shows you what impact they have on your financial picture. Fidelity m...

Dec 26, 20191 hr 19 min

Countdown to 2020: What Did We Learn In 2013? With Scott Tiras (Special)

With the end of the decade quickly approaching, we decided to mix things up a bit. Leading up to our first brand new show of the year on January 1st, we'll be releasing each of our special "what should we have learned" episodes. It's not only a look at how our financial focus has changed since 2013, but also how much our show has changed! You can read the original show notes below: Top advisor Scott Tiras (Barrons top 100 independent advisor list) joins us with five lessons we should have learne...

Dec 25, 20191 hr 12 min

What Should We Have Learned in 2019? (with Liz Weston)

We've got the best linens out and mom's favorite table settings because Liz Weston is FINALLY headed down to the basement today to help us put a cap on all of the lessons we should have been learning this year. We'll say a HUGE welcome to our last Monday show of the year, as we wrap up another year of podcasting. We'd like to thank you for joining us in what we consider our biggest year yet. We've made some big changes to how we put this show together, and we'll continue to do so as we continue ...

Dec 23, 20191 hr 19 min

Our Biggest Lessons From The Last Decade (plus an intro to RocketDollar)

What have you learned from the past 10 years? We'll do a deeper dive on today's show with our roundtable gang...who (not surprisingly) have some takeaways from the last ten years that we can all learn from. On today's show we welcome special guest Doc G from the What's Up Next podcast, Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast, plus from Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com ! Plus, at the halfway mark of today's episode we'll talk about a FinTech company who's figured out a more cost-effective and quic...

Dec 20, 20191 hr 18 min

Takeaways from 2019's Best Interviews

What were your favorite moments of 2019? Today we'll lay our cards on the table and show you ours, plus what we learned from each of these stellar guests. From composers to chefs, and from iconic investors to artists, today we're going to actually learn something...and from LOTS of different types of personalities. We're very proud of the wide range of topics we covered in 2019, and today we'll take a glimpse of just a few of them with you. That's not all...of course, we'll leave time for Doug's...

Dec 18, 20191 hr 14 min
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