By Paula Pant
The Federal Reserve is expected to cut rates. Inflation data is sending mixed signals. Social Security faces insolvency warnings. And the stock market looks both unstoppable and precarious.
What should investors and everyday savers do in this moment of uncertainty?
In this special bonus episode, we sit down with Rob Berger — former attorney, Forbes […]
By Paula Pant
Cristina has a $1.2 million portfolio and hopes to make work optional within the next decade. Is she invested in the right way? Or should she change up her asset allocation?
Anonymous and her husband plan to retire in 5 years. They have 10 rental properties and a $2.75 million portfolio. They dream of slow […]
By Paula Pant
Arielle’s head is spinning from the seemingly contradictory advice she hears about the best investments to hedge against inflation and a possible recession. What’s she missing?
Dave is curious about private investments after listening to a recent First Friday episode. What are they, and should he consider them for his portfolio?
Abbey is stoked about the raise she negotiated for her first job out of school. But she’s worried about liability risk related to her new position. How does she protect herself?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
By Paula Pant
What do you do when you’ve reached financial independence? JL Collins says it depends entirely on your spending rate, not just your net worth.
Collins joins us for part two of our conversation about what happens after you reach financial independence. He tackles the question of whether you should invest differently once you’ve “won the game.”
Someone with $5 million spending $100,000 per year sits in a completely different position than someone with the same amount spending $200,000 per year. The first person can afford to stay aggressive with stocks. The second person needs bonds to smooth the ride.
Collins walks through his withdrawal strategy using his daughter as an example. She stepped away from corporate life in her early thirties and now follows an 80-20 stock/bond allocation.
She pulls dividends from both funds into her checking account, covering about 2.5 percent of her target 4 percent withdrawal rate. Vanguard automatically sells shares to cover the remaining 1.5 percent.
We cover Collins’ thoughts on the 4 percent rule, which he calls extraordinarily conservative. He references Bill Bengen’s research showing that 5 percent withdrawals succeed 86 percent of the time.
Collins would take those odds to escape a soul-crushing job, especially since most financially independent people end up accidentally making money anyway.
We discuss the tension between frugal habits that build wealth – and learning to spend money once you have it. Collins flies first class, but he drives a basic car.
Collins explains why financially independent people often stay engaged with work — the problem was never work itself, but working without agency.
By Paula Pant
An anonymous caller feels trapped in a no-win situation with her financially reckless mother. She has the means to bail her out, but it doesn’t feel right. What should she do?
Shannon is excited about investing in several companies overseas. But she can only access them using American Depository Receipts. What are they, and how do they work?
Jennifer calls back with an update on putting a vacation on a credit card and playing the rewards game.
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Kimmy is worried that her mom’s retirement portfolio is invested too conservatively. Is she right to advise her to take on more risk?
Peyton has heard the financial advice about staying away from Whole Life Insurance as an investment, but what about as a savings account for children? Is there good a use case for this?
Jeff and his wife are in a great financial position, but they fear that their retirement savings are too heavily apportioned in traditional IRAs. Will they run into tax problems in the future?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Todd is in a real estate bind. He found out six days before closing on a new home that it wasn’t legally sellable. And renters are moving into his current home in two weeks. What should he do?
Anonymous is excited about expanding her real estate portfolio. Should she sell her $2.5 million rental property in the Bay Area to do this, or can she keep it and leverage the equity instead?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these two questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Kelsey is excited about investing along the efficient frontier, but it feels impossible with the lack of fund options in her employer-sponsored 401k. What’s the best way to deal with this problem?
Molly discovered that her rollover from a 401k to a traditional IRA hadn’t been invested in mutual funds and was still in a money market fund. Manually calculating her net worth helped her identify this oversight, and she shares her experience with us.
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle this in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
The world’s greatest investors have a secret: they’re weird.
When one young fund manager met Bill Miller for the first time, he refused to shake hands. Instead, he locked eyes and declared: “I’m going to beat you, man.”
William Green joins us to share what he’s learned from decades of conversations with investing legends — from the hyper-competitive to the deeply philosophical.
These conversations reveal that success isn’t just about strategy; it’s about understanding yourself and playing to your strengths.
The best investors are mavericks who think differently. They’re willing to look strange, be lonely, and diverge from the crowd.
Templeton demonstrated this during WWII. When Germany invaded France and markets crashed, he bought 104 stocks trading under $1 — including 37 bankrupt companies. His contrarian bet paid off 5x when markets recovered.
But Green emphasizes this isn’t just about getting rich.
His decades of interviews reveal deeper wisdom about building a good life:
— Great investors focus on what they can control. They can’t predict markets, but they can manage their behavior and emotions.
— They embrace simplicity. Jack Bogle advocated owning low-cost index funds rather than chasing complex strategies.
— They understand odds and risk. Howard Marks asks “What’s the consequence if I’m wrong?” before making decisions.
— They play to their strengths. Charlie Munger says if you’re 5’3″, don’t try to be a pro basketball player.
— They live below their means. As investor Tom Gaynor notes, “If you’re living within your means, you’re already rich.”
Green shares a practical framework called HALT PS — don’t make important decisions when Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, in Pain, or Stressed. This applies beyond investing to daily life.
The conversation explores how to build resilience before market crashes through healthy habits, self-awareness, and preparation. Green notes that many successful investors practice meditation and read widely across disciplines.
Even legends make mistakes. Bill Miller saw his assets drop from $77 billion to $800 million during the 2008 crisis. But he rebounded by staying true to his principles and learning from failure.
Green’s key message? Focus less on getting rich and more on building an “anti-fragile” life aligned with your values and strengths.
The best investors aren’t just good at making money — they’re skilled at creating lives of meaning and purpose.
Find more from William Green at williamgreenwrites.com or on his podcast Richer, Wiser, Happier, featured on the We Study Billionaires feed.
By Paula Pant
Krish is fascinated by cryptocurrency and its impact on global investing. What opportunities should he capitalize on, and how?
Apar’s income has more than doubled after he started his own business. His advisor recommends Roth contributions but he’s skeptical due to his high income. Who’s right?
Keith is frustrated by the conflicting advice he’s heard about Roth conversions. Is it better to do it while he’s young and earning a lower income, or should he wait until closer to retirement?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
