joe saul-sehy

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    #260: Ask Paula – Should I Fire My Financial Advisor During a Pandemic?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA260.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Should I Fire My Financial Advisor During a Pandemic?" 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" ]

    Katelyn wants to fire her financial advisor and move her investments from mutual funds into Vanguard index funds. Should she do this during the pandemic? Or should she wait?

    Marisa asks: can you invest in a Roth IRA if your income is inconsistent and might exceed the cap?

    Anonymous “Flo” had a Simple IRA at her old job that she can no longer contribute to. She also can’t contribute to a 401k until she’s been at her new job for a year. Where should she put her money in the meantime?

    Mary received an $80,000 grant of RSUs from her employer when she started. These RSUs began to vest after one year, and the price per share has increased 44 percent. What should she do with the shares?

    Anonymous “Olivia” is interested in a Roth conversion ladder, but wants to know: does the pro-rata rule apply here as it does with a backdoor Roth conversion?

    My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!

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    #256: Ask Paula: Bonds Are Tanking. Should I Switch to Real Estate Instead?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA256.mp3" title="Ask Paula: Bonds Are Tanking. Should I Switch to Real Estate Instead?" 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" ]

    Jon is wondering if now is a good time to move his RRSP into a tax-free savings account, given the market downturn. He knows you can’t time the market, but the opportunity is tempting. What should he do?

    Laurel’s question revolves around the CARE Act and early withdrawal from a 401k. She needs to rebalance her 401k and wants to buy a rental. Instead of selling stocks, should she sell bonds as a form of rebalancing and to withdraw for a rental property?

    After seeing so many businesses experience financial hardship, Rebecca and her husband are curious: why don’t companies have emergency funds?

    Salome sees the stock market downturn as an opportunity for tax-loss harvesting, but does this hold if you’ve held stocks for less than a year?

    Josh and his wife have funds in Vanguard and Betterment, and they own their apartment in Queens, NY. Does the equity they have in their apartment count as real estate, or should they invest in something else for more diversification?

    Jenny and her husband earn $220,000, max out their 403b and HSA, and have an extra $4,000 per month to invest. Where should they put this money?

    Sheena has the option to purchase company stock at a 15 percent discount through an Employer Stock Purchasing Plan. However, it’s volatile right now. Should she contribute the maximum amount, or nothing?

    My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me to answer these questions. Enjoy!

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    #252: Ask Paula – Will the Stimulus Cause Massive Inflation?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA252.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Will the Stimulus Cause Massive Inflation?" 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" ]

    The government issued a $2 trillion stimulus. How will that affect the economy? Could we endure massive inflation or hyperinflation?

    Bradley kicks off today’s Ask Paula episode with this timely question. What inflation rate will we see in 2020, and how can we prepare? How should we hedge against hyperinflation?

    Anonymous Retiree (whom we call Sequencing Sally) is 64 and retired last year. She lives off of monthly withdrawals from a Vanguard portfolio. Given the bear market, should she leave her portfolio alone and spend from an emergency fund?

    Additionally, her target allocation is off-kilter. Should she rebalance now or later?

    Jay wants to reach financial independence in five years, but she’s in a job that will pay her $270,000 student loan balance if she stays there for another 17 years. Should she stay, or quit and face the balance?

    Jan has $500,000 in a managed fund with a three percent annual fee. He wants to move his funds into his Vanguard personal brokerage account, without incurring a ton of taxes from the sales of his holdings. How can he accomplish this?

    My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!

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    #248: Covid-19 and the Bear Market

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA248.mp3" title="Covid-19 and the Bear Market" 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" ]

    We are living in a time of extreme uncertainty.

    Many of us are questioning how we can best use the funds we have to survive it.

    “Should I sell the funds I have invested in the market, or keep contributing?”

    “Should I continue with my plans to invest in real estate?”

    “Should I hoard all of my cash in case this gets worse?!”

    My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me on today’s show to shed light on the answers and how to handle the stock market collapse.

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    #241: Ask Paula – Should I Raid My Retirement Savings to Pay for School?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA241.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Should I Raid My Retirement Savings to Pay for School?" 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" ]

    Anton wants to accelerate his flight training so he can get hired within two to three months, rather than two to three years. He has to raid his retirement savings to achieve this. Should he?

    Linda and her husband have their eyes on early retirement, but they aren’t sure what their post-retirement lifestyle will cost. How can they budget for unknown expenses that include travel?

    Joseph contributes 15 percent of his income to both a Roth 457b and Roth IRA. He wants to retire before age 59.5. Given his early retirement goal, should he focus solely on his Roth 457b?

    Henry wants to know how rebalancing and dollar cost averaging interact with each other. Should he rebalance his all-equities portfolio? If so, what approach should he take?

    Joe maxes out his 401k and IRA each year. He can make after-tax 401k contributions, or fund his Vanguard taxable brokerage account. Which should he prioritize?

    As usual, my friend and former financial advisor, Joe Saul-Sehy, joins me on the show to answer these five listener questions. Enjoy!

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    #237: Ask Paula and Joe – Should I BUY a Business, Instead of Starting One?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA237.mp3" title="Ask Paula and Joe - Should I BUY a Business, Instead of Starting One?" 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" ]

    Katie wants to know how to purchase a business that’s already cash-flow positive. What indicators can she look for?

    Rob will retire from the military with an inflation-adjusted pension. Does he need a bond allocation in his investment portfolio?

    Brian conquered a large sum of credit card debt, but still has student loan debt and a mortgage. Should he pay off his student loans, refinance them, or refinance his mortgage?

    Jeff is curious about the pros and cons of investment apps. When should you use them?

    Another Kati (without an e!) wants to live a healthy and wealthy life before she’s 70. Where should she allocate her savings so she can retire early?

    We answer these five questions in today’s episode.

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    #233: Ask Paula – How Can I Retire in 12 Years?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA233.mp3" title="Ask Paula - How Can I Retire in 12 Years?" 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" ]

    Deepak is considering downsizing his family’s home, but wants to know if the savings are worth the transaction costs he’ll have to pay.

    Anonymous and her husband hold $900,000 worth of privately-owned company stock. How should they plan for handling this money?

    Shelby is 25 years old and works for a company that awarded her restricted stock units. What should she do with these? Additionally, she traded in a 2013 Prius for a 2018 Subaru, for which she now owes $19,000. Should she sell it for a used vehicle or stick it out?

    Katelyn is interested in learning more about annuities. What should she know in order to make an informed decision?

    Max FI and his wife want to retire in 12 years. How should they invest to achieve this?

    Anonymous’s former employer offered a Roth and Traditional 401k, and his new employer only offers a Traditional option. How should he rollover his former Roth 401k?

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    #229: Ask Paula – Help! My Mom or Dad Took Out a Credit Card in My Name. Am I On the Hook?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA229.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Help! My Mom or Dad Took Out a Credit Card in My Name. Am I On the Hook? " 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" ]

    Helen discovered that her mother fraudulently opened credit card accounts in her name. Eek! How can she protect herself? What will happen to these accounts once her mother passes away?

    Amelia and her husband cannot fire their financial advisor. How can they minimize the damage and maximize the benefit they receive from him in the meantime?

    Anonymous asks if she should live off an inheritance and max out her 401k contributions during her first year of working full-time. She wants to reduce her taxable income. Is this a good idea?

    A different anonymous caller read a USA Today article claiming that “index funds are in a bubble.” How true is this? How can index funds be in a bubble?

    Shawn is self-employed. He invests in a Solo 401k that features both a Roth and Traditional component. How should he manage this account?

    Another anonymous listener is thinking about downshifting to part-time work. He holds around $278,000 in home equity. How can he capitalize on this?

    Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these questions on today’s episode. Enjoy!

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    #225: Ask Paula – How to Invest for the Next Five Years

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA225.mp3" title="Ask Paula - How to Invest for the Next Five Years" 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" ]

    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!