By Paula Pant
As an entrepreneur, Bob Lotich loves growing and expanding. But after a particularly stressful year, he realized he had burned out.
He woke up one Monday morning and, for the first time since he’d started self-employment, he realized he didn’t want to go to work. This was a new and uncomfortable feeling.
He decided to take a mini-retirement.
By Paula Pant
Does my employer match count against my 401k contribution limits? Should I invest in a Traditional or Roth TSP? Should I invest more aggressively in stocks right now, or should I hold cash and bonds until the next downturn? Should I get a mortgage or keep renting until I can buy a home in cash? Do you think index investing will dramatically change in the coming decades?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these five questions in today’s episode.
By Paula Pant
How will artificial intelligence, AI, impact jobs?
Former Harvard president and leading economist Larry Summers predicts that one-third of men will be out of work by 2050. Finance guru Suze Orman says not to be surprised if we see 25 percent unemployment by 2030. And major research institutions predict anywhere from 14 percent to 50 percent unemployment.
Even if we take the most optimistic prediction, that’s huge. Fourteen percent job loss would have massive ramifications on the economy, the stock market, the housing market, and every facet of our lives. Heck, even half of the most optimistic prediction would be an enormous game-changer.
By Paula Pant
In today’s episode, I answer two questions about financial independence and the FIRE movement, followed by four questions about rental property investing.
By Paula Pant
When Jonathan Mendonsa was 18, he researched which college degrees lead to the highest income.
Pharmacy was near the top of the list of high-paying degrees, so Jonathan decided to become a pharmacist. He wasn’t motivated by passion or calling. His decision was purely tactical. He wanted to make money.
He spent four years in college, followed by another four years of graduate school. By age 28, he held a Doctorate in Pharmacy and an astounding $168,000 in debt.
This debt burden might have been bearable if Jonathan loved his chosen profession. For people who love their fields, tuition is the price of being able to enjoy a lifetime of work they love.
By Paula Pant
Should a 36-year-old father of three invest primarily in Traditional or Roth retirement accounts? Should Rose, a grandmother of four, open a Vanguard account for each of her grandchildren?
Should Nancy, who lives overseas and is the sole breadwinner in her family, invest in a Traditional or Roth TSP?
Should Scott’s wife rollover her 403(b) from her former employer into an IRA?
Should Patrick, age 35, cancel his life insurance plan?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these five questions in today’s episode.
By Paula Pant
Clark Howard loves the FIRE movement. That’s because he’s one of us.
Clark began investing in real estate at age 22, started a travel agency at age 25, and retired at age 31.
He sold his travel agency, moved to the beach and relaxed for four years; then he started a second career as the […]
By Paula Pant
We’re back with another Ask Paula – Real Estate Edition of the show!
In this episode, we cover down payments, cash flow, investing in condo hotels, building a rental on the side of your own house, selling your properties, and whether it’s better to buy actual properties or REITs.
Erin asks:
Would you ever put […]
By Paula Pant
James Clear wanted to start flossing, but he never managed to follow through. Despite his best intentions, his dental floss sat unused in a bathroom drawer.
Fortunately, James had learned a thing or two about human behavior and habit formation. As a self-improvement writer, he’d spent hours pouring over scientific data about behavior changes. He […]
By Paula Pant
How can a schoolteacher dad and stay-at-home mom send their four kids to college? Where should a 23-year-old keep the savings that she’s accumulating to buy a home by the time she’s 27 or 28?
What should a listener know about retirement planning if he has a pension? And should a listener rollover his 401k […]
