529 plans

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    #641: Q&A: ChatGPT Built Her $1.2M Portfolio … But Should You Trust It?

    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…

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    #487: Ask Paula: “Should I Put My Dreams on Hold … and Buy a House Instead?”

    Luis’s wife is killing it at her side hustle. The unexpected income has led Luis to YouTube for hacks to capitalize on their surplus. Can a 529 plan double as long-term care savings?

    Elizabeth is frustrated with the housing market. She’s been saving for years but isn’t anywhere near her goal. Should she give up and spend it on a dream pottery course instead?

    Steve has a dilemma. He doesn’t borrow money on principle. And his wife doesn’t want to sell their current house until they’ve closed on the next one. How is he going to make this work?

    Greta wants to “reverse” rollover an IRA into a 401k to avoid the pro-rata rule. Is that a thing?

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

    Enjoy!

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    #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!

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    #387: Ask Paula: Is A Crash Coming??

    Lila is concerned about inflation and the risk of a recession. Should she invest in the stock market, despite the scary headlines? Or should she pay off her primary residence or her investment properties?

    Linda invested in a 529 for her son’s college, and he’ll be starting in the fall. But, the value of the plan dropped right before she was planning on using it and she is wondering how to keep from losing more money.

    Jen and her husband want to retire in 8 years. They’re hoping to have paid off their mortgage AND hit their net worth goals when they stop working. How should they prioritize between these two goals?

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

    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/paulaandjaymoney/AA360.mp3" title="Ask Paula: I’m Worried My Parents Are Getting Ripped Off By Their Financial Advisor … Help! " 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" ]

    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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    #326: Ask Paula – The Dangers of Frugality

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    Photo of Paula Pant crouching down in the middle of woods“Hetty” is struggling with being too frugal, possibly to the detriment of her health. I mentioned in a previous episode that I struggled with frugality for a long time. She wants to know: in what ways was frugality a hindrance or an asset, and how did I get myself out of such a frugal mindset?

    John and his wife aren’t sure how much they should contribute to their daughter’s Ohio 529 plan. They want her to graduate from undergrad debt-free, but they imagine she’ll get help from scholarships and that she’ll work as a teenager. How much is enough?

    Rafael just got a job as a 1099 sales associate and is wondering how the heck to calculate what he’ll owe in taxes.

    Rafael has a second question: he opened an account at Vanguard in December 2020 and noticed that he could still contribute to that account for the first few months of 2021. Which year should he have focused on contributing to?

    Elizabeth has two rental properties: one that’s paid off and profitable, the other which shows a loss. If she put her profitable rental into an LLC, could she still combine the rent from both properties?

    My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer another round of questions.

    By the way, if you have questions on business, money, trade-offs, financial independence strategies, travel, or investing, be sure to leave them here and we’ll answer them in a future episode.

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    #193: Ask Paula – I Spent Ten Years in School, and Now I’m Behind on Retirement Savings

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    Lori is behind on retirement savings, as a result of being a full-time student for more than a decade. She makes good money and lives frugally, but she’s aware that she’s behind for her age. What should she do?

    Sierra wonders whether she should apply her savings towards paying off her mortgage or building investments.

    Jenessa plans to retire at age 35, and she’s wondering if the 4 percent withdrawal rule applies for such a long time horizon. Her friend swears that it’s designed to cover a 30-year retirement, not a 60+ year retirement. Is that correct?

    Jacqui is 24 and recently married. She’d like to open a 529 College Savings Plan for her future children, which she doesn’t plan on having for another 8 to 10 years. Should she do this?

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    #142: Ask Paula – How Can We Downsize from Two Incomes to One?

    How can a family of four shift from earning two incomes to one, while still pursuing financial independence? How would a 55-year-old couple with $2 million saved know if they’re ready to retire? Can parents use leftover money in their 529 plan to help their daughter with her college loans? If you start a job…