The Stacking Benjamins Show

"Hi there, I'm just calling to let you know that the extended warranty on your car...blah, blah, blah..." There are thousands of very real and sophisticated scams that rope people in every day. Nev Schulman is all too familiar with catfishing, experiencing it firsthand when he thought he was talking to a woman online but realized she wasn't who she said she was when they met in person. Now, he's partnered with Zelle to help others avoid financial scams. Today he shares red flags and helpful tips when dealing with financial transactions online. In our headline, we're talking about gold and silver under the mattress and how it turned into big trouble for one couple to the tune of a $300k IRS penalty. It turns out, storing gold and silver in your house is a no-no in this situation and we break down why, exactly what happened, and how you can avoid making similar costly mistakes. We'll also help Rina, who has a question about fees within mutual funds. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been asked by a coworker or friend how much you make or how much money you have? It can be an awkward conversation if you aren't expecting it! Or have you had someone openly tell you about their net worth or income? Our background with money, and even our career, can shape how we talk about money with others. Should we be sharing our salary information with coworkers and sharing our net worth with our friends and family? While it might seem awkward, there might also be a lot of good that can come from those conversations. Our roundtable panel today is talking about this topic of stealth wealth. Hassan Thomas from FYI FLI, Paula Pant and OG share their thoughts on talking about wealth and income. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our good friend Ben Franklin said the only things certain in life are death and taxes. Since we are coming up on year-end, we'll tackle one of those certainties (you're on your own with the other). To help us, tax expert Ed Slott is back! He'll help you get your finances in order before year-end to avoid any tax surprises in April. Should you convert your IRA to a Roth? What's the contribution deadline for retirement accounts? What changes might be coming in future legislation? Ed's commenting on it all with us today. We'll also talk about regulation in cryptocurrency during our headline segment. One of the main benefits of cryptocurrency has been the idea that it is unregulated, but the U.S. government is trying to change that. Although the SEC can't agree, will they consider crypto a security and therefore have regulation over it? We'll share the latest details! We'll also tackle 529 and college saving plans during our Haven Lifeline. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Getting started on your personal financial journey is the hardest part. Where do you start and how do you get that first Benjamin stacked? And then how do you make sure to keep those Benjamins safe and make them work for you? Lucky for us, Emily Guy Birken and our very own Joe Saul-Sehy wrote a book that dives into personal finance and offers real, practical tips and strategies to help you be successful. Humor and easy-to-follow action items make it a great way to jump into your own journey. They are here today and were interviewed by Doc G from the Earn & Invest podcast to share behind the scenes stories of how the book was written and some of the points they dive into in the book. During our headline we'll talk about those old sales tactics of playing rounds of golf and going out for extravagant dinners to get clients and why some millennials aren't buying it. Financial advisors have more responsibility than just investing your money but some young people are choosing to manage their own investments and explain why. Plus, Doug will share some trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a special Saturday episode! Community plays a big role in our lives and the community you surround yourself with can make all the difference on the path you are on. We are lucky to be part of a pretty badass community here and are lucky to have such great people to lean on. We are live today from the2021 EconoMe conference in Cincinnati with special guests Piggy and Kitty from Bitches Get Riches. They share thoughts on some stats about what we do (and don't) share with others about our finances and how we can all help each other reach that next level of greatness. We'll also discuss a current headline about Zillow dumping homes. Zillow is selling houses across the country after realizing flipping homes isn't as easy as they make it look on HGTV (not their story, but that's our take). Is Zillow selling in your state? And what does this mean for the real estate market as a whole? We'll share our thoughts! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s peak shopping season and many of us are also getting ready to attend or host holiday parties, which means money may be quickly shuffling out of your wallet. Since money doesn’t grow on trees, today we’ll share our best money-saving tips for this holiday season. Maybe pass out your homemade lasagna to family and friends or just say no to gifts altogether this year? While those are good, we may share even better tips today! Our long-time friend Bobbi Rebell joins Len Penzo and OG to share how they are getting through the holidays with the least amount of stress and wasted money. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The holidays can be overwhelming for lots of reasons (family, too many parties, not enough time) and that stress can run even deeper for introverts. Have you ever RSVP'd to something then immediately regretted it, preferring to stay cozy under a blanket on the couch? Yep, we've been there. Luckily, there's lots of introverts in the world and Nick Shelton is an expert in helping people out of their comfort zone to make the most of any situation. He's here today to give tips and pointers to surviving any party. Not an introvert? These tips will help you, too! We're talking fees during our headline, and specifically retirement plan fees. There's a new-ish investment vehicle out there called collective investment trusts (CIT) and they are gaining popularity fast. We'll give our take and add in some additional thoughts. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not sure how to best use your 401k plan to stack some B's? Today the man many call the "father of the 401k," Ted Benna, joins us to share not just how he created the first 401k plan, but he'll also share some great tips for ensuring you are getting the maximum benefit from every contribution. During our headline, we talk about the wild ride that is NFTs. Who has the right to create and sell an NFT? Apparently not Quentin Tarantino. Listen to find out why he is being sued. Then we'll answer Nathan's question about his commercial mortgages. He wants to pay off one of them but which one should he pay first? Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's your favorite game to play with family and friends? If you don't have a favorite, or if you're looking for a new game, we have good news for you. It's our annual board game episode and we talk to two great guests, Jamey Stegmaier and Shane Newell. Jamey gives us his list of favorites and Shane introduces us to his game Franklin's Fortune and we have links to all of them below so you can find a new game to play! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Monday we gave you a list of top Black Friday deals and today we are continuing the deals with all things tech! Bridget Carey from CNET joins us again this year to share the hottest tech items and deals you can find. Everything from TVs to Fisher-Price phones (yes, like the one a lot of us had as kids). During our headline, we talk about Theranos and its founder Elizabeth Holmes. She is currently on trial for fraud and we break down what we can all learn from her company's downfall. Then we'll throw out the Haven Life line to Doug who wants to know where to invest his funds. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's on your holiday wish list this year? Are you planning on running out on Black Friday to snag some deals? Lucky for you, we are making your holiday shopping a little easier. Regina Conway is back to share insights and deals for this Black Friday. She shares all the hottest deals and biggest discounts she is seeing to help narrow down your list. Do you have an FSA account? Here's your reminder to spend those funds before the December 31st deadline (but that could be changing for some). Shawna Hausman from FSAstore.com helps us during our headline segment by breaking down the changes coming to FSA accounts and give tips to help spend those funds wisely. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever received money advice that made you scratch your head in confusion? I was once told that I should buy a new car every few years because it would save on maintenance costs....I think the person giving me that advice forgot how much it costs to buy a car. Good news for you, our roundtable today discusses top money myths and how you can avoid making these same mistakes. Our regular contributors, Paula Pant, Len Penzo, and OG give their take on these top myths and share some of their own as well. And you don't want to miss Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much thought do you put into where your food comes from and how the employees at your favorite restaurant are treated? If you're like most of us, probably not much. Corey Mintz is a former cook turned food writer and he is pulling back the curtain on some of the most pressing issues facing your waistline, your wallet, and the health and wallets of restaurant employees. How can we be more informed and spend our money more wisely by choosing restaurants that align with our values? Corey is here to help point us in the right direction! Good news for some savers! During our headline, we'll give you the deets on retirement plan contribution limits for 2022. The IRS updated some, but not all, contribution limits and we'll break it down. We'll also answer Tabitha's question about selling items on Ebay. Will she be taxed on the gains from the sale? We'll share! And Doug will enlighten us with his trivia question. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Change. It's something most of us struggle with, but when it comes to money and building your plan, change will always be necessary. James Conklin is an author and consultant in organizational change and joins us today to share some of the most effective ways to navigate change that we've ever heard. How can we better adapt to change personally and professionally? And how can people and organizations affect change in a productive way? He shares it all with us today. But before that, during our headline segment, we talk about federal student loans with Amanda Hahnel from Fidelity Investments. Federal student loan payments will resume in 2022 and she shares some tips on how to be prepared. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Stan who has a question about real estate and Doug will share his trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we're packing the show full of holiday survival tips! From shopping to family gatherings, our roundtable shares their favorite tips and tricks for not just surviving, but surviving without completely emptying your wallet. This episode originally aired in 2019 so check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zillow is in the headlines recently, because they're real estate purchase program hasn't worked as expected and they're dumping properties purchased only months ago. Many of these properties are selling for less than the purchase price. Is this a sign of another real estate crash or just a bad business move on Zillow's part? The next few weeks will be telling, but if you are thinking of buying more real estate, we have a great show for you today. David Greene from BiggerPockets is here to help you grow your real estate empire. This episode originally aired in 2019 and you can see our original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Man, that time change is always hard. It's getting dark earlier and starting to feel more and more like winter. There's nothing the time change blues can't fix like an episode on managing time and how to make our days feel longer and more efficient. Ashley Whillans joins us to help us work through that never-ending feeling of not having enough time during our day. Where is your time really going? She will help work through that! Today's episode kicks off another rewind week and you can see our original show notes from 2020, here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be? Maybe it's to take more chances or say adios to the boss that treats you horrible or maybe it's just to live life to the fullest and not worry about what others think. Today our roundtable discusses a blog piece from Ryan Holiday about mistakes he's made and advice he would give himself. Caleb Gulliams (Better Wealth), Paula Pant (Afford Anything), and Doc G (Earn & Invest) join our roundtable and talk about advice they'd give their younger self and the mistakes they've made. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our brains are complex and in charge of our emotions, memories and behaviors but just how connected are our brains and decisions about money? Maybe more than you realize. Dr. Paul Zak joins us to talk about our brains and money. Studies have shown that different parts of our brain light up on MRI scans when faced with different money decisions and purchases and this research can be used to predict how people will spend their money or feel about money. Using that knowledge and gamification, we can build better money habits. Video games and even games on our phones can help build better habits by encouraging saving and investing. During our headline, we talk about company retirement plans and savings rates in the U.S. Many companies don't offer 401k plans for employees, but should they? Joe and OG will give you their take but the real problem facing many Americans is that savings rates aren't nearly where they need to be. We'll break down those numbers too. Then we'll throw out the Haven Life line to William who is getting ready to sell a rental property and has questions about the capital gains tax due. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Board games date back almost 5,000 years to the Egyptians but our games today look very different. Modern board games and video games have exploded in popularity and one of the most popular games in history is Dungeons & Dragons. Its history is long and full of success and turmoil as the founders faced legal and personal struggles. Jon Peterson is an expert in gaming and joins us today to share the story of D&D and how it became the game that nearly 50 million fans around the world know and love. During our headline, we are back with more cryptocurrency news as the first bitcoin ETF was approved recently. What do you need to know and how does it differ from buying bitcoin directly? We have all the details! Then we'll hear from Matt who wants our advice on his investing strategy. When is the best time to buy and what should he do? We'll let you know our thoughts! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us have made mistakes with money in our lives. What's your money horror story? Ever gotten caught up in a Venmo scam or been asked to pay the IRS in gift cards for taxes due? Sounds fishy but it happens to the best of us. Our roundtable today shares their scary money stories before the Halloween weekend. Our regular contributors, Paula Pant, Len Penzo, and OG share times they or someone they know has been caught in a sticky situation with money. Halfway through, Doug will share some of his toothbrush (?) related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might retire, but how do you retire happy? How do you imagine spending your time in retirement and does pre-planning make you happier? The host of the nation's longest-running financial radio call-in show, Wes Moss joins us to share his research on what makes for the happiest retirees. He'll share many secrets including those about hobbies, kids, and what workout even is best, on today's show During our headline, we welcome back Chuck Jaffe for his annual Halloween trick-or-treat money lessons. He's known in his neighborhood for a crazy personal finance game where he offers kids candy or a chance at some money when they trick-or-treat at his house. What will he do this year?! He'll share and give you tips on organizing your own game. Then we'll Magnify Steve's money and answer his question about retirement contributions and debt payoff. Should he save or eliminate the bills? And Doug will also share some beer-related trivia since today is, of all things, National beer day. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you find success? Today, we'll help..."shine a light" on the path to a better work life (we're so, so clever!). Chesapeake Bay Candle has seen tremendous success and today founder Mei Xu joins us to share her secrets. Whether you're looking to climb the corporate ladder or create your own company, there's something for everyone in today's interview. During our headline, we welcome back Steve Kerber to share fire safety tips with us since October is fire safety awareness month. Fire spreads fast and seconds make all the difference when the flames are blazing. Then we'll magnify Dave's money who wants to know when you have enough for retirement. We deep dive into the idea of "enough," and you won't want to miss it. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mummies, pineapples, and board games (Joe's favorite!). What do these all have in common? They've all been seen as status symbols at some point in time. Today's status symbols might be fancy strollers, nice cars, or how many followers you have on Instagram. We see these everywhere and it's hard to ignore and not spend money on the same things. Our roundtable today discusses a piece about strange status symbols throughout time and how status symbols in general influence our spending. Paul Ollinger (Crazy Money podcast), Paula Pant (Afford Anything), and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot Com) join our roundtable to talk about status symbols they've noticed and the impacts on our finances and life. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We went campin' (well, Joe and Doc G did) and dug up some inspiring and amazing money stories from fellow campers. We are live today from Camp FI (financial independence) and Joe and special guest co-host Doc G (Earn and Invest) hear from four people about their journey to financial independence. One couple didn't start saving for retirement until age 50 and retired at age 60, one woman has been living abroad for 20 years after initially thinking she'd be there for 1 or 2, and two women share their massive debt payoff stories. These are sure to inspire and motivate you in your own journey and it was a blast talking to each of them. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices