By Paula Pant
What happens when you look at a $862,000 portfolio and realize early retirement might actually be out of reach?
When a mountain of ticker symbols, account balances, and unexpected life updates come hitting you all at once, your money plan can quickly start to look like a complete mess.
By Paula Pant
When it comes to our money, the things we feel most certain about are often the exact blind spots that quietly derail our long-term plans.
We hold onto financial beliefs as if they’re religion or politics, rarely checking if they actually serve our long-term legacy goals.
Veteran […]
By Paula Pant
The U.S. economy added 115,000 new jobs in April, far exceeding general expectations.
But beneath that headline number lies a tale of two economies.
While sectors like healthcare, transportation, and retail are surging, the information technology sector is experiencing what can only be described as a “bloodbath.”
In this special bonus episode, we’re […]
By Paula Pant
What do student loans, early retirement, and Airbnb have in common?
They’re the three questions we’re tackling in today’s episode, and each one forces you to think about uncertainty, flexibility, and whether the “right” financial move on paper is actually the right move for your life.
Joe and I answer three listener questions. KJ […]
By Paula Pant
What’s the real value of a college degree in 2026? Is it just about the paycheck, or is there something deeper we’re missing in the ROI calculation?
In this Q&A episode, Joe and I tackle one of the most consequential financial decisions […]
By Paula Pant
Welcome to Greatest Hits Week – five days, five episodes from our vault, spelling out F-I-I-R-E.
Today’s letter R stands for Real Estate. This episode originally aired in May 2022, but the insights on long-distance investing remain just as relevant for anyone feeling priced out of their local market.
We tackle the five biggest […]
By Paula Pant
Home prices have outpaced wages for more than a decade, and first-time buyers are stretching further every year. Now a new idea is entering the conversation, the 50-year mortgage. It promises lower monthly payments, yet it reshapes everything from equity growth to long-term risk.
In this episode we sit down with Karsten Jeske, PhD, CFA […]
By Paula Pant
What happens when we actually check our predictions? In this episode we play clips from our 2023 conversation with Scott Trench from BiggerPockets and ask the uncomfortable question: were we right?
Two years ago we made some big calls about the housing market. Mortgage rates had doubled. Prices hadn’t crashed. Inventory was vanishing. Everyone had […]
Written By Paula Pant
I paid rent today. I also collected rent today.
Ever since I moved to New York City, I’ve had this uncommon experience on the first of every month. It flies in the face of how society teaches us to adult.
The conventional thinking is that a person graduates from college, gets a […]
By Paula Pant
George is a worried baby boomer, wondering if today’s generation is drowning in the noise of today’s financial landscape. How does one find a balance between information and overload?
Heather is stunned by the notion that renting could make more financial sense than buying. Where she’s from, the numbers seem to always swing in favor of owning. What’s she missing?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
