By Paula Pant
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported in 2022 that medical debt is the most common reason to get a debt collector call. A Census Bureau study in 2021 found nearly 1 in 5 households (19%) couldn’t pay for medical care when it was needed.
These statistics underscore the fact that the potential for unforeseen medical […]
By Paula Pant
Anonymous and her husband have set themselves on the path of saving for retirement. But an old mistake haunts them: a financial planner convinced them to buy a mix of whole and term life insurance, which costs them $700 per month. Do they need whole life insurance, and where else can they save their money?
Mike has $60,000 in cash earning one percent interest. He has plans to buy a home and get married in three to five years. Where else can he put his cash to earn a little more? Is the stock market too risky for such a short time horizon?
Anonymous and her future husband are wondering: what’s a realistic amount to spend on a wedding?
My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer these questions on today’s episode. 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.
By Paula Pant
Chris bought Tesla a few years ago and Jinko Solar eight months ago. Both of these have gone up in value by a lot. What tax strategies can he use to sell these shares?
Holly and her three sisters stand to inherit two side-by-side duplexes. How can they structure the ownership of these properties in a fair way?
Eric feels hopeless about health insurance as a self-employed business owner. Are DPCs or healthshares the way to go?
Frank and his wife have a nine-year retirement plan that involves selling their home and moving to Costa Rica. How can they maximize their savings and existing investments to set themselves up for success?
My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer these four questions on today’s episode. Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Three Kids, FI has an all-equities broad stock market index portfolio that he’s held for years. He’s confident he can handle maximum volatility, so what investments can he lean into to that will provide him with great long-term returns?
Sarah is concerned: a financial advisor told her that investing in VTSAX over-indexes her in large cap funds and technology stocks. Is this true, and what should she do about it?
Alex’s wife lost her job due to the pandemic. They live in Washington state and are married filing separately due to his wife’s student loans. Can he use half of his income to qualify her for Roth IRA contributions?
Jordan is a new listener and he has three questions: should he use $100,000 to buy more rental properties or invest in a brokerage account? Should he and his wife upgrade their home and buy a property that’s worth double their current home? And finally, how can self-employed individuals who earn more lower the cost of health insurance?
I answer these four questions on today’s episode. Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Lauren is 26 and earns $48,000 per year after taxes.
She saves $12,000 annually in retirement accounts, and an additional $18,000 per year for a downpayment on a home.
She wants to buy a home in the next five years. Where should she keep her savings in the meantime?
Sawyer has a five-year financial independence plan. She owns two high-end condos in a NYC suburb. She lives in one unit and rents out the other, but she’s bothered by the fact that she’s forgoing collecting rent on the other unit. Should she move?
Katie’s husband is going back to grad school and they want to pull money out of a retirement account to help fund this cost. Are they able to do that? Or is there a better option for short-term investments that they should use?
Cassie is in the process of finalizing a divorce. She and her daughter will receive between $80,000 – $116,000. Should they use the funds to buy a home with a 20 percent down payment or pay off their $30,000 debt?
Andy is curious: should you re-adjust the 4 percent withdrawal rule if your investment portfolio grows?
Joe wants to become self-employed but is concerned about health insurance. What are some affordable options?
Laura is close to pulling the FIRE alarm but her fiance wants to keep working. She wants to know what will change once they get married. Should they file taxes jointly or separately?
Doug is interested in learning more about equity sharing programs. Are these safe to invest in?
Tania wants to know: can you open and fund a Roth IRA if you haven’t worked in the past two decades, but earn alimony?
Brian took out a 401k loan to purchase a new car and regrets his decision. Would it be a wise move for him to take out a personal loan to pay back the 401k loan?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
Should a couple without access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan put their savings into a taxable account, or should they save for a downpayment on a rental property?
The market is fluctuating like mad; if someone has a lump-sum of cash, should they invest it now or should they slowly meter it in?
Should someone without an emergency fund enroll in an HSA-qualified health insurance plan? Or should they stick with a plan that has a smaller deductible?
How should a husband-and-wife team that’s self-employed and running a company together handle their health insurance?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these five questions on today’s podcast. Enjoy!
By Paula Pant
This week, my buddy Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer another round of listener-submitted questions.
Our first question comes from Hillary:
She’s a recent college graduate in an entry level job. She’s saved up an emergency fund, but keeps depleting it as things pop up. She’s also going to law school in a year and […]
By Paula Pant
This week, my friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me for another round of Q&A in our (newly!) biweekly segment called Ask Paula!
Kicking off today’s episode, Nicky asks:
I’m young and healthy. My car is old and not-worth-much. And my personal property isn’t exactly fancy-pants.
Do I *really* need health, auto and […]
By Paula Pant
Mark, a 55-year-old listener, has no savings.
He’s been listening to personal finance podcasts. He recently read Tony Robbins’ Money: Master the Game. He called this podcast to tell us that he’s feeling overwhelmed by the scope of what’s ahead of him. He doesn’t know how to apply this information — and he’s afraid of needing […]
By Paula Pant
Welcome to our first “Ask Us Anything” episode.
Jay and I tackle your most pressing money and business questions, including:
Q1: I need expensive prescription medication for a chronic condition. If I retire early, I’ll lose my health insurance. Help!
Q2: I’d like to invest in REITs. Are these worthwhile?
Q3: How […]
