J. David Stein used to manage billions of dollars. As the Chief Investment Strategist at Fund Evaluation Group, LLC, a $33 billon investment advisory firm, Stein developed the group’s investment philosophy and process. He guided investments for major universities and nonprofits, including the Texas A&M University System and the Sierra Club. He retired at age…
Early retirement? Yes please. This week, I answer questions from the audience around early retirement planning, health savings and debt pay-off. Question #1: How can I avoid early-withdrawal penalties? Our first caller is Christianna, who asks two questions: I’m interested in early retirement. How can I avoid early withdrawal penalties? How does early retirement impact the…
Do you enjoy spending time alone? Does your inner monologue chatter constantly? When you were a student, did you sometimes stay quiet even when you knew the correct answer? Do you avoid confrontation? Does small talk bore you? Have people told you that you’re “too intense” or that you “get deep quickly?” Do you live…
If you’re interested in real estate investing, and if you’ve wondered how to assemble an all-star team, today’s episode is for you. I’m hosting another edition of Ask Paula, in which I tackle three audience-submitted questions about building a team as a real estate investor. Salome from Cincinnati asks: Who are the people I’ll need…
Oh my goodness. I’ve done the unthinkable. I’ve written a blog post, after a many-month absence. I realize this comes as a shock. If you need a moment to process, take your time. Okay. Here we go. So. I’ve been quiet around here, so first I want to let you know I’m still alive. (Mostly.)…
In today’s episode, we’re focusing on how you can grow the gap between what you earn and what you spend. Many people in the personal finance space argue about whether it’s more important to earn more vs. save more. This argument is like chocolate vs. vanilla. Cats vs. dogs. Pepsi vs. coke. You get the…
Curious about real estate investing? I’m rocking the microphone solo on today’s episode, tackling the rental property questions that you — the listeners — have asked. Rachel from the Ozarks asks: I’m inspired to start investing in real estate. I live in the Ozarks region, and the cap rates around here are fantastic. However, the…
Imagine you’re financially secure. You have enough money to support your family and pursue your dreams. You enjoy fulfilling work with a reasonable schedule. What would you do with both your time and money? Next, imagine you’re financially independent. Your investments create enough money to support yourself and your family. What would you do? Okay,…
This week, former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer 4 questions from the Afford Anything community. We chat about how to control lifestyle inflation, how to break up with a financial planner, how to invest your first $10,000, and whether or not sector-specific or theme-specific funds are a good idea. #1: Laura is transitioning…
A week and a half ago, I flew to Portland for the World Domination Summit — a conference with an admittedly eyebrow-raising title. The conference is hosted by Chris Guillebeau, the New York Times best-selling author of multiple books, including The Art of Non-Conformity. He was also a previous guest on this podcast. I’ve wanted…