When a crisis hits the stock market, we tend to think that data, algorithms, and cold logic rule the day. But behind every major investment portfolio is a human being subject to the exact same psychological traps, behavioral blind spots, and emotional relationships that affect everyday investors. We sit down with Clare Flynn Levy, a…
Where should you park money that you’ll need in three years? It’s a question that forces you to balance safety with returns, and resist the temptation to gamble on the stock market just because it’s been going up for 17 years. In this Q&A episode, Joe and I answer three listener questions. Olivia is saving…
Three listeners, three very different financial dilemmas, but all connected by the same underlying question: What do I do when life doesn’t follow the plan? In this Q&A, we tackle three high-stakes money decisions. A post-divorce real estate leap overseas. A retiree with a suddenly swollen portfolio. And an investor questioning whether smarter returns cost…
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 families face: whether college is worth the investment. An immigrant mother asks how…
In this episode, I continue my conversation with Cullen Roche to explore the 10 fundamental principles every investor needs to understand before building their portfolio. Moving beyond which portfolio to choose, Cullen breaks down how to actually invest properly, covering everything from understanding what you’re really doing when you buy stocks, to managing costs, to…
After paying basic living expenses and maxing out their 401k’s and Roth IRAs, Caroline and her partner have $4,000 – $5,000 left each month. Where should they put this money if their goal is to simply have their money work harder for them?
Sanjay is torn between selling his townhome or renting it out. The rental numbers don’t work on his 15-year mortgage — should he refinance to a 30-year mortgage instead?
“Olivia” has two unrelated questions: what are our thoughts on the housing market in relation to the moratoriums on mortgage payments and emergency bans on evictions? What will happen when they go away? Additionally, what tools, questions, or resources do we recommend to have a productive financial conversation with your partner?
Kyle wants to construct a portfolio with the highest Sharpe ratios and wants to know: would the risk parity model work? What are the downsides?
“Priyanka” wants to know: do you need to submit receipts for the HSA contributions you make?
G is curious: does the stimulus check received for their children count as earned income for the kids? If so, can they put it toward the Roth IRAs they opened for their children?
My friend and former financial planner, Joe Saul-Sehy, joins me as usual to tackle these questions. Enjoy!
An anonymous listener, whom we call “Mary,” is curious about the auto-rebalancing feature offered by M1 Finance. Is it too good to be true?
J isn’t happy with the target date retirement fund she chose for her 401k. She has limited options and is wondering: should she move funds around? If so, is now a bad time, considering the market volatility?
Another anonymous listener, whom we call “Olivia,” is wondering how to choose the right mix of investments for a retirement portfolio. She also wants tips on rebalancing a portfolio. And when should she execute a Roth conversion?
Tami has $160,000 in a G fund in her TSP. Should she move this money to a Lifestyle fund to increase her earnings?
Andy and his wife contribute the maximum to their children’s 529 accounts, and they have three investment options to choose from. Should they continue with an aggressively managed portfolio, or choose something less risky?
My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these questions on today’s episode. Enjoy!
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!
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.