Build a Better Life

With Paula Pant

Don't Miss An Episode

By

#463: Ask Paula: Student Loan Deferment HACK – How Christina Saved $60,000 in Interest

Christina recently slayed her debt and put herself on track for financial success. But now she’s bored. How can auto-investing be more exciting?

Speaking of debt, Christina shares a creative HACK to SAVE $60,000 in student loan interest payments. 

Mary is struggling to compare two job offers: one from a large corporation and another from a tiny business. How should she decide?

An anonymous caller wants to buy a different home, and convert his current home into a rental. How should he finance this move?

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

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#462: Cracking the Code of the Rich, with Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

As a society, we’re fascinated by stories of the rich. We hear news, see social media posts, and read books about how others become wealthy, how to maintain that status, and what their lifestyles look like.

But what if the media we’re consuming is misleading us?

Dr. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz’s research shows that the stories about the rich that dominate the popular press are misleading.

Stephens-Davidowitz holds a PhD in economics from Harvard University. He’s a data scientist and a New York Times bestselling author.

In today’s episode, we discuss the misleading stories around the rich. We unearth the truth behind those stories, using data rather than narrative.

We explore the types of businesses that quietly make people millionaires. We describe the ages, occupations and locations of people that become rich, and the unexpected paths they take to achieve this. And we share actionable takeaways that will help you do the same.

Keep reading...

By

#461: Ask Paula: A Year Off Work, a Career Change, and a Divorce: How to Make It Work

Today we’re featuring a special episode recorded LIVE in front of an audience at Podcast Movement, an industry conference in Denver.
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle two questions in today’s episode. Our first question comes from a soon-to-be-single-mother on the precipice of divorce. How should she navigate this financially?
Our second question comes from the spouse of a Purple Heart veteran of the war in Afghanistan. She and her husband would like to take a one-year sabbatical from work when they turn 40, which is in five years. They’d also like to pivot into lower-paying but more enjoyable careers. How should they map out their money for this transition?
Joe and I dedicate this episode, recorded live on stage, to answering these two questions. Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#460: The Mental Toughness and Confidence Blueprint, with Dr. Nate Zinsser

Mental toughness is the bedrock of starting a business, growing a multimillion-dollar portfolio, investing in real estate, crushing your debt, retiring early. 

Today’s guest, Dr. Nate Zinsser, mentors elite athletes, soldiers and executives in confidence and mental toughness. He is the sports psychology mentor for two-time Superbowl MVP Eli Manning and the Director of the Performance Psychology Program at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. 

He’s mentored the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and NCAA teams, and has been a consultant for the FBI Academy, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, and the NYC Fire Department. He holds a PhD in sports psychology from the University of Virginia.

In today’s episode, we discuss how to develop the type of mental toughness and confidence that can help you grow your investments, start a business, take risks in your career, make offers on houses, and overall master your financial life.

Keep reading...

By

#459: Ask Paula | 10-Year-Old Asks: How Do I Save for My First Car?

Andrey is a savvy 10-year-old wondering what’s the best way to save up for his first car.

Ingrid wants to know if her parents’ preference for Retiring on Dividends is a better approach compared to the 4 Percent Rule.

Erica’s part-time work schedule will place her in an unusually low tax bracket this year. Should she take this rare chance to execute a Roth conversion? Or is it better to prioritize debt payoff?

Chloe is worried about the end of student loan forbearance. Should she pull back from making retirement contributions to focus on debt payoff?

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

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#458: The Reality Behind High Home Prices, with BiggerPockets CEO Scott Trench

Today we chat with Scott Trench, the CEO and President of BiggerPockets, a real estate investing education company with more than 2 million members.

He joins us to share cutting-edge insights on today’s real estate market. We discuss economic trends, demographic shifts, and talk about how interest rates impact home buyers.

Whether you’re a potential homebuyer, an investor, or simply curious about the housing market, this conversation will shield light on what’s REALLY happening in today’s confusing real estate market.

Keep reading...

By

#457: Ask Paula: I Sold All My Stocks Last Year. Now I’m Kicking Myself.

Angie sold all the stocks in her retirement account last year. And now the market’s climbing. What should she do with her $500,000 cash position?

Christina will be graduating with six figures of student debt. Should she refinance out of a federally protected loan to lower her interest rate?

An anonymous caller wonders how Paula and Joe handled their primary residences when they moved out of state.

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.

Keep reading...

By

#456: The Empathy Advantage in Business and Leadership, with Stanford Professor Jamil Zaki

Today, Stanford psychology professor Jamil Zaki shares his research and findings around the science of empathy – and how we can apply this to improving our relationships with colleagues, clients, customers, co-founders, and business and investing cohorts.
Zaki is the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, and the author of “The War For Kindness.”
We’ll break down the science. We talk about why empathy matters in business, investments, and in career growth, and we’ll discuss its digital age dynamics. How does AI impact the way in which we relate to others?
If you want to learn the science of emotional intelligence, and how to apply this to your career and business interactions, you’ll learn a lot from today’s episode.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#455: Ask Paula: I’m Recently Retired. Do I Pay Off My Rentals Or Buy More Real Estate?

Yvette recently retired with the goal of reaching a $10,000 monthly income from her real estate investments. Should she put her money toward debt payoff or portfolio expansion?

Carly wants to buy a second home and convert her current home to a rental. What are the pros and cons of tapping into existing equity versus saving cash for a down payment?

An anonymous caller plans to move back to her touristy hometown in six to seven years. Is it smart to buy something now and take advantage of a thriving Airbnb market?

I tackle these three questions in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

Keep reading...

By

#454: Ask Paula: Financial Disaster? How to Get Help Before It’s Too Late

Amy says she hit “rock bottom” with her finances. She says she struggled to ask for help before her situation became an emergency. How can others ask for help sooner?

Rebecca is a mother of four, which means she’s juggling four distinct college timelines and 529 plans. How does she make a withdrawal plan when there are so many unknowns?

Anne Marie switched jobs. What should she do with her old retirement accounts?

And Dylan wonders if the IRS Rule of 55 applies to Roth 401k accounts.

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

Enjoy!

Keep reading...