joe saul-sehy

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    #205: Ask Paula – Am I On-Track for Retirement?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA205.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Am I On-Track for Retirement?" 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" ]

    Is it ever a good idea to use your 401(k) as an emergency fund?

    What’s the best way to break up with your financial advisor so that you can move all of your funds to Vanguard?

    Should you put all of your Roth IRA money into index funds, or is there a better option for your money?

    A listener has a job offer working less hours for more money, but without a retirement plan. Is this a good move?

    When running a small business as a sole proprietor, are there tax advantages to incorporating or forming an LLC? If so, what should you consider?

    What’s the best way to maximize the earnings on a large amount of savings while keeping the savings liquid? Can a robo-advisor help with this?

    Myself and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy tackle these six questions in today’s episode. Enjoy!

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    #203: Ask Paula – Early Retirement and The Four Percent Rule

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA203.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Which House Should I Pay Off First?" 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" ]

    Many people in their 50’s or 60’s warn us about catastrophic or ‘black swan’ events. But what’s the likelihood that this will actually happen?

    How can you use the 4 percent withdrawal rule for early retirement planning, given that your portfolio will be split among accounts with different tax treatments? How do you adjust your retirement plan for future taxes?

    Should a couple in their 30’s switch from term life to whole life insurance?

    Should a couple in their 50’s with adult children bother buying life insurance in the first place?

    Is it okay to keep all your assets at one investment brokerage, like Vanguard or Fidelity?

    And can you deduct rental losses if your income is over $150,000?

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

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    #197: Ask Paula – Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA — What Should I Choose?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA197.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA -- What Should I Choose?" 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" ]

    Should Bret invest in a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA?

    If Amanda gets married, how will her child support be affected? What about her student loan forgiveness?

    Joe is investing in bonds, which average a rate of return that’s equal to the interest rate on his mortgage. Should he switch to all-equities and redirect his bond investments into mortgage payoff, instead?

    Taunia has a car loan, a 401k loan, a home improvement loan, a primary mortgage, and a second mortgage. She also has an emergency fund that only covers two months of expenses, and she’s trying to save for college for her two children. What should she prioritize?

    Mickey has a six-month emergency fund. Should he leave it in a savings account or invest in bond ladders?

    David made $10,000 from a side hustle last year. Can he open a Solo 401k or SEP-IRA for his side hustle business? If so, which one should he choose?

    Should Andy invest in a Target Retirement Date fund, or should he split his money between a U.S. index fund and an international index fund?

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

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

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA193.mp3" title="Ask Paula - I Spent Ten Years in School, and Now I'm Behind on Retirement Savings" 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" ]

    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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    #185: Ask Paula: How Do I Talk to Friends who Ridicule the Idea of FIRE?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA185.mp3" title="Ask Paula: How Do I Talk to Friends who Ridicule the Idea of FIRE?" 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" ]

    Hello from Austin, Texas! I’m living in an Airbnb here for the next 5 weeks. Listen to the end of today’s episode to find out why … and discover how these next 5 weeks, for me, exemplify the “why” of financial independence.

    In the meantime, though, the show must go on! Here are the questions that we’re answering in today’s episode.

    An anonymous listener named Seeking FIRE wants to know how she can talk about financial independence with people who ridicule the topic. What do you say to those who laugh at the very idea?

    Russell owns a landscaping company and is also a part-time student. He’d like to earn more money on the side, but his schedule is overbooked. What can he do?

    Nick and his family are moving to the Washington D.C. area for approximately two to six years. They own two rental properties free-and-clear, and would like to buy a personal residence when they move. How should he save for the downpayment?

    Gerardo lives in Mexico and wants to retire on his investment portfolio, using the 4 percent withdrawal rule. How should he invest, given currency fluctuations and other international factors?

    Anonymous left her job and wants to know if she should roll over her 401k from her old employer.

    We tackle these five questions in today’s episode. We also answer a comment from a listener who says that individual stock-picking and active management doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

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    #172: Ask Paula – Should I Buy a Nice Car or Save My Money?

    ByPaula Pant

    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA172.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Should I Buy a Nice Car or Save My Money?" 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" ]
    Should a 25-year-old homeowner with healthy savings and no debt (other than his mortgage) upgrade his car? Should he make this choice if his current car is fine, and upgrading puts him into new debt?

    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!

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    #167: Ask Paula – Should I Pay Off Student Loans While in School?

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.cast.plus/57b04b389655d0cb71d77f6c/traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA167.mp3" title="Ask Paula - Should I Pay Off Student Loans While in 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" ]

    Angelisa is a college senior with $30,000 in student loans. She has a part-time job, from which she’s saved $2,500. Should she keep saving money, or should she get a headstart on paying down her student loans while she’s in school?

    Mackenzie is also a college senior with some student loans. She recently received a settlement from a car accident. Should she invest this money? If so, how?

    Franchesca is 35 and is carrying $212,000 in debt, mostly student loans. Could she reach financial independence, even with a late start?

    Erica wants to make environmentally-friendly investments. How should she approach this?

    Caroline is 42 and has started making after-tax (non-Roth) 401k contributions. Is this a good idea?

    An anonymous listener is curious about podcasting. How did I get started?

    I answer these six questions on today’s podcast episode, alongside former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy. Enjoy!

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    #163: Ask Paula – The Future of Index Fund Investing

    ByPaula Pant
    [smart_track_player url="https://traffic.cast.plus/57b04b389655d0cb71d77f6c/traffic.libsyn.com/paulaandjaymoney/AA163.mp3" title="Ask Paula - The Future of Index Fund Investing" 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" ]

    Does my employer match count against my 401k contribution limits? Should I invest in a Traditional or Roth TSP? Should I invest more aggressively in stocks right now, or should I hold cash and bonds until the next downturn? Should I get a mortgage or keep renting until I can buy a home in cash? Do you think index investing will dramatically change in the coming decades?

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