Personal Finance 101

New to personal finance and money management? Start here to learn about the basics like paying off debt, saving more, spending less, and budgeting.

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    #368: Ask Paula: Talk Crypto To Me

    ByPaula Pant

    Alex is curious about cryptocurrency. How should she analyze the returns promised by different platforms and where can she go to  learn more about crypto in general?

    Grace wants to buy a manufactured home for rental income. Should she calculate her returns differently for a manufactured home?

    Thomas and his wife have parallel goals of saving for a down payment and contributing to retirement accounts.  How should they balance both of these goals?

    In today’s episode, former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these tough questions.

    Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.

    Enjoy!

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    #366: Ask Paula: How Do I Invest For My Parents’ Retirement?

    ByPaula Pant

    Micheal’s parents just sold their home to pay off debt and fund their retirement. How should he invest the profits? Ryker would like to understand what it would take for cryptocurrency to be considered as a good investment option for a diversified portfolio. Megan has qualified for her employer’s 401k and needs help deciding between…

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    #364: Ask Paula: No Spouse, No Family, And Thinking About Getting Old – How Do I Prepare?

    ByPaula Pant

    Hypothetical from the Hampton Inn is curious about whether he should keep his 30 year term life insurance policy or let it lapse with 12 years left on the policy.

    Ramon asks us about the details behind infinite banking.

    Anonymous Emily is wondering which financial products would work best to cover care and expenses as she ages.

    Max is thinking through real estate and stock market returns as they relate to future population trends.

    Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.

    Enjoy!

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    #362: Ask Paula: Okay Seriously, Why Hasn’t Anyone Solved the Budgeting Issue?

    ByPaula Pant

    David is questioning how to better manage his spending. He’d like a stronger framework to think through budgeting challenges.

    Elisa and her husband bought a home, and now they’re saving extra income every month. She has a pension and her husband is an entrepreneur. How much should they be saving for retirement and how should they invest their extra money?

    Geoff invested primarily in taxable brokerage accounts for the last twenty years. He’s built a $6 million portfolio and reached financial independence. He wonders about the smartest strategy for withdrawing from those taxable brokerage accounts to efficiently manage capital gains?

    Jenna and her husband are planning on buying their next home in a few years. She wants to know if I-bonds are a good way to save for the down payment and closing costs.

    Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these four questions in today’s episode.

    Enjoy!

    P.S. Got a question? Leave it here.

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    #360: Ask Paula: I’m Worried My Parents Are Getting Ripped Off By Their Financial Advisor … Help!

    ByPaula Pant
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    I’m worried my parents are getting ripped off by their financial advisor. What should I do?

    My wife is trying to qualify for student loan forgiveness … but we might lose a bunch of tax benefits in the process. Is it worth the risk?                       

    I’m enrolling in grad school, and I want to optimize how to pay for rent and groceries. Should I use money from a 529 plan?

    Three callers. Three questions.

    In today’s episode, former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these tough Q’s.

    Enjoy!

    Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it here and we’ll answer them in a future episode. 

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    #359: The Four Quadrants of A Successful Life, with Andrew Hallam

    ByPaula Pant
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    Money, relationships, health and purpose: life is running smoothly when all four of these elements are working together in tandem, like wheels on a car.

    But how can we make spending and investing choices that facilitate stronger relationships, better health and a deeper sense of purpose?

    Andrew Hallam, who became a millionaire on a teacher’s salary, shares researched-backed, evidence-based insights into how to find balance, drawing from the worlds of behavioral finance and stock market history.

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    #358: Ask Paula: Should I Invest in Index Funds More Actively?

    ByPaula Pant
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    Where is the balance between the risks and potential returns of actively and passively investing in index funds?

    Where do you place your savings after you max out your retirement and HSA accounts?

    How do you finance building a rental unit when there’s already a home on the lot?

    Is it more beneficial to buy back pension time with post tax deductions or a 457b plan? Or should I not buy back pension time at all?

    In today’s episode, former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I discuss the purpose and practice of mindful money.

    Do you have a question on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing? Leave it here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.

    Enjoy!

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    #357: Practical Investing and the Efficient Frontier, with Joe Saul-Sehy

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/paulaandjaymoney/AA357.mp3" title="Practical Investing and the Efficient Frontier, with Joe Saul-Sehy" artist="Paula Pant" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_stumble="true" social_pinterest="true" social_email="true" ]

     Discussing advanced investing topics with me is former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy.

    You may recognize him from the Ask Paula episodes, but we discuss financial topics shared in his new book “STACKED: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management” – co-authored with Emily Guy Birken.

    Enjoy!

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    #356: Ask Paula: FIRE vs. FOMO — How Do You Balance Between These?

    ByPaula Pant
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    How do you find balance between smart money management vs. missing out on opportunities?

    Should you pile money into investments or take that dream trip to Tanzania?

    What should you do when your heart leads you to a decision that doesn’t make sense on paper?

    In today’s episode, former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I discuss the purpose and practice of mindful money.

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    #354: Ask Paula: How Do I Make Sure I Don’t Spend the Money I’ve Invested?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/paulaandjaymoney/AA354.mp3" title="Ask Paula: How Do I Make Sure I Don't Spend the Money I've Invested?" artist="Paula Pant" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_linkedin="true" social_stumble="true" social_pinterest="true" social_email="true" ]

    Charlie in Cali has enough money saved to pay cash for a house, but she and her husband decided to finance their home, instead. They’d rather invest the money and arbitrage the spread.

    But one problem: how can they keep themselves from touching this investment?

    Jay is choosing between Fidelity and M1 Finance and has questions about tax loss harvesting.

    Nicole and her siblings will be inheriting some properties that they eventually plan to sell. How should they set up or organize these properties among so many owners? Should one person take the lead? Do they need a shared business account? Also, how should they evaluate a property and make sure they get a good deal when they sell?

    Ed owns three homes, two of which he plans to sell in the next few years. He plans to live in them long enough to establish residence and take the capital gains exemption when they sell. Is his plan for handling the taxes solid?

    We answer these four questions in today’s episode.

    Enjoy!