Stacking Benjamins: Your Gateway To Money And Personal Finance

Kiné Corder joins us to tackle some of the biggest money issues...our own money personality. Mom says all the time to "know yourself," and Kine will help you dive into your money traits so that you can rely more on your strengths and cover your weaknesses. We'll discuss spenders, blamers, artists, presidents and more on today's show! In our headlines segment, how would you feel if you had to skip important medical care due to high costs? That's what almost HALF the diabetics in the USA are facing, according to one publication. What should someone do in this situation? In our second headline, brokerage firm Merrill Lynch is re-evaluating their commission ban inside retirement accounts. What does that mean for your money? Will other firms follow suit? We'll also tackle that today. Of course we'll still throw out the Haven Life line to Eric and Amy. While their neighborhood is great, the school district isn't. Should Eric and Amy start looking at another neighborhood or consider private school? Of course, we'll

New York Times bestselling author Nicole Lapin is someone (maybe like you, and definitely like me) who wasn't taught money lessons growing up. However, different than many people, she's been able to create and stick to a money plan. She's been recognized two years running as the #1 money guru at site GoBankingRates.com, and now she's with us teaching YOU how to stick to the plan. Even if it's difficult. Even if you don't think you can...she'll talk about money myths, truths, and probably more than a few board games. In our headlines segment we're taking a special look at annuities. Could they be a better option than bonds? One popular financial piece says they are. Plus, in our second headline we're looking at what's going on with the fiduciary rule. Is it dead...or could new rules be on the horizon? Then, after a small break for Doug's trivia we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Jenny, who wants to know what type of investments she should use to live on before the normal retirement age. Similarly, in our l

Do you know any kids already bored with summer? Know someone who needs some help breaking down basic finance for the kiddos? You're in luck because today we're talking kids and money. Joining us today, from the National Bank of Mom, is our new friend Maggie. ...and back for another round, from FamZoo, we welcome Bill Dwight. And rounding out our roundtable, from ConnieAlbers.com, we welcome Connie Albers. They'll talk about many ideas to brighten your summer and help your children grasp money concepts at the same time. It'll make a better summer for both them AND you. Don't have children? We thought about you, too, and invited Kate Ryan from TIAA to join us to share tips for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and money savvy friends. We'll talk about everything from sharing money stories to helping a child start a summer business or save a few dollars. Of course, we'll answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline.  Nicole wants to take her family on a vacation. What are the best places to be consider, and

Mail call! Today we're ripping open your letters and answering tons of your questions. We'll share our thoughts on 401k loans, improving your credit, saving money... and much, much more. And during out headlines segment we're looking at Vanguard's 401k changes and... an article about millennial saving habits. It appears that many millennials think they're either going to retire early or not at all. As Joe's mom would say, "that doesn't sound good." It isn't...and bigger problems lie in the details of this story.  Plus we're throwing out the Haven Life line to Heather. With the possibility of Student Loan Forgiveness on the horizon, how much money should Heather be putting towards her loan? And with debt to pay off, what's some good advice for getting on track for retirement? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking, savings and more. Check out Mag

Invest there, save here, charge this, spend that... what's behind our financial decision making? We might not personally have all of those answer, but we know someone who does. Coming down to the basement is the head of behavioral science at Morningstar, Steve Wendel. Morningstar has some alarming statistics about retirement, and Dr. Wendel will present eight different ways to solve some potentially big problems in your future. And in our headlines segment... is the market about to take a tumble? We'll discuss why analysts think the market is about to endure a shake-up, and what you should be doing about it. In our second headline we're turning our attention to cryptocurrency. If only 2% of planners seeing the crypto as a viable investment option, should we be paying any attention to it? Then, after Doug's trivia, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Blake who's asking about "play" money. After someone uses a "sandbox" account, do they replenish the fund? And in our letters segment we answer the question: W

On Wednesday we talked about what goes into picking the right financial advisor. You'd want to be sure of the person your entrusting with your financials, after all. But would you trust a financial advisor who's a couple of decades younger than you? We're asking that same question to our wonderful panel of contributors: special guest Shannon Mclay (from Financially-Blonde.com), Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com), and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. PLUS, in a second Friday headline, living next to a lottery winner makes YOU more likely to go broke. What's up with that? And halfway through the show we're taking a break to talk to Matt Reiner from Wela, the all-in-one budget app. Wela can track your daily spending, group transactions, and the app's AI, Benjamin, can answer any questions you may have about your money. Of course, we'll answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline.  Julianne works on commission... how can she make a useful budget on a variable income? Also, should we be waiting on the market

The hardest part of hiring a financial planner? Making sure you pick the right one! That's why today we're welcoming the CEO of Sofia Financial, Stephanie McCullough. She's not only sharing her insider tips on what to look for with the right financial planner, but what to look out for from potentially the WRONG financial planner. In our headlines segment, one start-up blockchain CEO is claiming that Bitcoin isn't the holy grail that people may hope. BUT, he does think that bitcoin, along with their own digital currency, each have their own niche where they're needed. What should you do with your own crypto strategy? We'll tackle that today. Plus, we'll feature a new investment that promises a steady 7% annual distribution rate... what's the catch? We'll dive in during our headlines. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Lee who recently left his job to work for himself. How does that impact his retirement and investment plans? What should he be doing with his 401k now? Of course, we'll also have time fo

How do you take control of your money and start investing? Danielle Town had a famous dad in the investing world, Phil Town, and didn't want anything to do with her father....to the point that she didn't want to invest money the way he did. Instead, she decided to stick her money in a savings account and hopefully grow it. Today we're happy to have Phil Town with us, to discuss not only the biographical parts of the early book, but about getting brave with your money and learning how to invest. We'll ask about Dave Ramsey's 12% rule, investing like Warren Buffett, and more. In our headlines segment, we'll talk about one expert who has been repeatedly quoted by media outlets. How many times have we heard about what's going to happen to the economy next week according to the experts? As it turns out, one expert in particular has a big secret: he doesn't even exist. What's that all about? We'll dive into what it all means during our headlines. And in lieu of a second headline, we're taking an inside look into wh

What was your big money epiphany? Was it realizing you were paying for a car that was way too expensive? Or that even though you're cashing in with a nice job you're still living paycheck to paycheck? Maybe, if you're like Doug, you're still waiting on your big money epiphany. Joining us to share their own money epiphanies are our time-tested contributors: Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com), Paula Pant from Afford Anything, and our very own OG. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to Majd Maksad from Status Money. It's only natural you'll be curious about how other people like you are handling their money, or how far along the financial independence path they are. Status Money will let you compare your finances to millions of people like you. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Dustin has his annual review coming up and wants to provide a solid case on why he should be getting mo-money. Are there any good resources out there he can use? We'll share at least one resour

Would you move your family to the rough part of Chicago to pay down debt and improve the neighborhood? Coming down to the basement is one woman who did just that...Aja McClanahan. After making the difficult decision to take drastic action, Aja and her family paid off a whopping $120,000 in debt. Think you could do the same? Aja will share her inspiring story about how her family took action and wiped out their debt. In our headlines segment, we'll share one crazy headline about a woman who paid $7,000 for toilet paper. She's gotten her refund... two months later, but how in the world do we make sure that doesn't happen to us? And if it does, what do we do? PLUS, we'll get a special visit from our close friend at Buzz Indexes, Jamie Wise. We'll also throw out the Haven Life lineto Tony. Tony's wife is teaching some classes at the local rec center this summer. How should they handle their extra income? Do they need to set up an LLC? We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, an

Ever thought about getting into real estate, but didn't know what to expect? Our featured guest, Dana Bull, has seen just about everything when it comes to acquiring, rehabbing, and renting properties as a real estate investor. She's acquired dozens of properties before reaching the age of 28. We invited Dana down to the basement so she could share all the highs and lows she's experienced along the way. Plus in our headlines segment, we turn our attention to a challenge women face when changing jobs. It turns out, when it comes to small 401k balances, women are much more likely to cash out than man. And in our second headline we're talking to Laura Boylan from Haven Life about the state of the life-insurance industry. The industry is facing challenges in enrolling more families in life insurance, what's the deal? After we get through Doug's trivia question, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Rob who wants to share his own financial book recommendations. And today we saved the best for last with a letter f

Are you frazzled because you still have debt to pay off? Is it because your debt is spiraling out of control, or maybe because it's at a high interest rate? We'll talk about approaching debt on today's podcast. Plus, during our second headline we're packing into a van and hitting the open road. That's exactly what retired NFL player Joe Hawley decided to do after he left the league earlier this year. What's your big plan for retirement? Helping us tackle these headlines, from TheWealthHound.com, is our new friend Jason. Also joining the discussion today are our regular contributors, Len Penzo (from LenPenzo.com) and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to David Fanger from Swell. Yes, we need to save and invest for our retirement, but does that mean we have to turn a blind eye to the impact we're making? We'll talk to David about not only investing in ourselves, but investing in companies that are being socially responsible and making an impact. Plus we ans

She struggled with credit card debt, student loans, and more, but now Michelle Bobrow's not only a money ninja...she'll help teach you how to manage your money better on today's episode. We'll talk about Michelle's early days of spending mistakes (that may sound like mistakes many of us have made), plus lessons she learned while working on Wall Street.  Our first headline covers the one fifteen minute hack one publication says you should implement if you want to manage your money better. Wonder what it is? You won't be disappointed, although it may not be what you think. Also, we'll tackle news that everything is getting more expensive more quickly than before. Ever wonder how inflation actually works? We'll explain that and more on today's show. Plus, we're throw out the Haven Life line to Mollie, who's wondering which insurance plan is better: should they use her plan which has smaller premiums, or her husbands, which has smaller deductibles when you use the coverage? We'll also another listener letter, thr

Ever think about bringing some exciting new concept to the world, but you're turned off by the seemingly all-consuming WIN WIN WIN attitude some full time business people exude? Today's guest is perfect for you, because Tom Hodgkinson (owner and operator of The Idler) loves the idea of a bohemian business, and will tell us the bare minimum that a lifestyle business owner needs to know to make sure that you can enjoy your life, your art, and also maybe family and friends. In our headlines segment, we turn our attention to a new study that shows female advisors are growing their businesses faster than their male counterparts. Are women better advisors? We'll talk about what people REALLY want from their advisor on today's podcast. Plus, Amazon is offering $5,000 for employees to quit their job. Why would a company offer money for employees to leave? We'll have your answer and what it means for your money on today's show! After Doug's Memorial Day trivia question, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Michael a

Looking forward to retirement? We make plans so we CAN retire, but have you ever thought about what you'll be doing once you actually get there? We'll discuss how your relationships, and marriage, can be impacted in your post-work life. In a rare second Friday headline, we're continuing the retirement discussion with a look at finding new hobbies and passions during your retired life. When Joe Hawley retired from the NFL he moved into a van and hit the open road, what's going to be your story? Joining us today to share his thoughts on retirement, from YourMoneyGeek.com, is special guest Michael Dinich. Michael will be joined by our (fantastic) regular contributors, Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com and Paula Pant from Afford Anything. And halfway through the show we'll take a break and talk to Bobby Matson from PayItOff. Still paying off your student loans? Wish you could pay the loans off faster? Make sure to check out today's Fintech segment because you'll love our interview with Bobby. Plus we answer a three-oh

It's officially summer for us when Robert Niles (from Theme Park Insider) drops by for our annual look at theme parks around the country. Going on vacation this summer? We'll have all the answers about fantastic deals, making the most of your money, the best new rides... and of course, rides and locations that you would do best to avoid. Our first headline may give you second thoughts before you decide to "take advantage" of company benefits. We'll cover how 200 workers were fired from Fidelity for abusing company benefits. Ouch. In our second headline we're asking the question: "How would you like to slash the length of your 30-year mortgage?" We'll tackle one writer's (convoluted) idea. Plus, we're throw out the Haven Life line to Alan, who wants to know the pros and of cons of having a simple IRA over a solo 401k. Should he switch? We'll also another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on

Think you have enough money? If you ask our featured guest Matt Manero, lots of people are walking around assuming they have enough (or enough for now) and they couldn't be more wrong. He says there's a good chance that you NEED more money. On today's show we're talking to Matt about protecting your downside, growing your income why you do NOT have to be the boss to get ahead, and more. In our headlines segment, we turn our eyes to Tori Spelling's financial woes. Are you building good money habits? It turns out that no amount of money will ever be "enough" if you don't have a plan behind your money. In our second headline, we're talking to Stuart Ritter of T. Rowe Price. Do people that work in the gig economy pay more attention to their money than people working for "the man?" We'll have the answer to that question and more on today's headlines. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and answer a Haven Life Line (plus have a bunch of fun while were at it) on today's show.

Ever think about moving? What if someone PAID you to move? Would you do it? ...and how about having more time in the day? Today we'll discuss cities and towns that'll pay you to relocate AND the secret behind having enough time in your day. We're joined by Rocky Lalvani (from the Richer Soul podcast) along with our Monday/Wednesday co-shot OG. Halfway through the show we'll take a break from our discussion and talk to Dave from Tomorrow. Have you ever got around to creating a will for your family? Tomorrow enables you to create a plan for your family... all through your phone. Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Spencer is starting a graduate program later this year. Should he put his extra summer income towards his Roth as usual, or save it and put it towards his loans? Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins as well. MagnifyMoney.com saves users on average $450 when they compare, ditch, switch and save on credit cards, student loan refinancing, checking,

We're welcoming to the basement the author of "Bozos, monsters and whiz-bangs," Lorraine Ell. Do you have a bad financial advisor story? On today's show Lorraine shares some absolute horror stories with us. Advisors churning accounts? Counselors telling you to sell when the market is in the tank? We'll talk about these and more on today's show (plus what to do if your advisor is dishing out some of this horrible advice!). In our headlines segment, things are getting a wild in the basement. We'll talk about a guy who discovered a bank glitch. Think he did the right thing? We'll talk about how he exploited the glitch to the tune of a few million dollars...and eventually might have learned a valuable lesson (or not). Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Bill, who is trying to figure out the various contribution limits for him and his wife. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Waive your $99 activatio

Mail Call! Today we're answering your questions about IRAs, tackle how to calculate a rate of return, dive in to Vanguard's new factor based funds.... and much, much more. In our headlines segment we turn out heads to secret millionaires. Why do people keep their millionaire status a secret? Would you? In our first headline we'll talk about how one secretary (and others) hunkered down and kept their investments a secret. Plus, are HSA enrollments stalling? We'll talk numbers and the big takeaways on today's podcast. Thanks to CollegeBacker for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Sign up at CollegeBacker.com/sb and get a $10 match when you start a college fund for your own family or send a gift to kickoff someone else’s college fund. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices