The Stacking Benjamins Show

It's back-to-school season and with as much joy as that brings for parents (free babysitting, anyone? Just kidding. Okay, not really.), we are also bringing you back to school with your finances. Certified Financial Planner Eric Brotman joins us to break down your financial journey using the schoolyard analogy of freshman, sophomore, junior and senior year. What do you need to think about and what can you tactically do at each step of your financial journey to ensure success? Each year builds upon the previous and he helps us break it down. During our headline, we'll talk about communication strategies between advisors and clients. FINRA may allow text messaging in the future; what does that mean for you? And how else can advisors effectively communicate with clients? We'll give you all the details. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line and talk about how to talk to family members about money concerns. And Doug will enlighten us with his soft drink trivia. Is it pop or soda? Hmm, maybe I don't want to start that debate too! (but we all know the right answer is soda). Enjoy! Find show notes at StackingBenjamins.com Subcribe to our FREE guide to the podcast at StackingBenjamins.com/stacker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We hear a ton about "intergenerational wealth" lately, and a cornerstone of building a dynasty of Benjamin-stackers is knowing how to pass on your assets. But even if you don't have any assets yet, not having a good plan can still wreck your plans. On today's show, we'll dive into Estate Planning 101 with author Amy Blacklock, and begin with the bazillion dollar question, "Why do I need an estate plan if I have nothing?" You'll be surprised. We'll also answer basic questions, like, "Who would you want to handle your estate and who do you want to give your sweet super soaker collection to?" We'll tackle wills, trusts, estate planning for young people, and more. During our headline, we take a look at asset allocation and rebalancing. Rebalancing is important at any stage of your investing life, but why does it matter more during retirement? We'll find out and offer our thoughts on how and when to rebalance. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Joanne who asked a question in our Facebook group about an annuity she was pitched. We have (sometimes strong) opinions on annuities but we break this down and explain the red flags we see. Don't worry, we won't forget about Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are two types of people who travel: those who meticulously plan every detail and spend hours strategizing so they can save every last penny, and on the other hand, there are those who buy whatever last-minute plane ticket they can find and stumbles into the first hotel they see. Which one are you? Our regular roundtable guests are all back together today to compete head-to-head to guess which top travel hacks a recent Kiplinger post references. Len, Paula, and OG not only go head-to-head to see who can guess which travel hacks are listed...they also share some great money-savers that didn't make the Kiplinger list. The show wouldn't be complete without some of Doug's trivia and he tries to throw off our roundtable with his radio-themed question today. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You don't have to be wealthy to build wealth. That's the theme that kicks off today with our amazing panel, live from Podcast Movement in Nashville! Joe meets up with Mindy Jensen from BiggerPockets Money, Ben Brandt from Retirement Starts Today and Jennifer Grimson from Micro Empires to talk about what's impacting their audience most right now and the financial topics that seem to be top-of-mind. What money topics are most concerning in your life right now? We talk about the crazy real estate market and prices, FOMO, taxes, imposter syndrome, and more. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How well do you share feedback, ask for what you want, or set expectations? Do you find that people aren't where you expect, doing what you'd hoped, or disappointing your expectations? If you need help with any of these, today's show is for you. Anyone can be a manager, but being a great communicator takes skill, time, and practice. From micromanaging to the sandwich feedback method, there's lots of improvement that can be made if you're managing anything, which will improve your team/family/partner's morale and success. Management expert, consultant, and Wharton professor Rachel Pacheco joins us today to talk about the management skills she's learned--and now teaches--to others. Frequent communication, effective feedback, and setting clear expectations are just a few of the points she discusses with us that you'll also find in her new book, Bringing Up the Boss. For our headline, we talk about all of the recent news on the #FreeBritney front, and just how hard it is to regain control from a conservatorship. We'll start with Britney Spears' troubles with her developing situation, how she's trying to set herself free, and the estate planning lessons we can all learn from it. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Frank who is getting a raise at work and wants to know what type of account he should save the additional funds to. And Doug's trivia is about one of the best shows on television, The Office. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do we, as humans, feel like we never have enough? Enough money, enough time, enough resources. How can we overcome the limiting belief that we just need a little more for life to be perfect and instead live with internal and external security? Today we're LIVE on the Fireside app diving into this topic in maybe the most fun way you've ever heard. Don't take that the wrong way: we'll still cover the deep stuff, but in between a lot of laughs and interesting asides from the whole team. Financial planner Dawn Dahlby joins Len and OG on our roundtable today and they discuss a piece about human behavior in personal finance and having "enough". It's Friday the 13th and Doug lets us know his thoughts about popular superstitions on this day before giving us his magician-related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does rich mean to you? Lamborghinis and mansions? Well for Shannon Hayes, it meant something completely different, and she hit the reset button on the common view of "wealth" and achieved something that many may think is a greater form of richness. Shannon joins us today to tell the story of how she and her husband pivoted away from their careers and went back to the farm in search of the life they dreamed of. She talks about redefining what rich means to her and how we can all tune in to our goals and dreams a bit more. During our headline, the CFP Board is cracking down and proposing stricter punishment for CFP® professionals that do not report ethics violations. We discuss the importance of this and what it means to hire a CFP® professional versus another advisor. We also help Scott during our Haven Life line call and give him advice to keep moving toward his financial goals. And of course, Doug will enlighten us all with his gardening trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think inflation is boring? Think again, because today we're asking the simple question (and a far more fun question than "what's up with inflation..."), "How much does a sandwich cost?" We wouldn't be asking that question if Len Penzo wasn't back for his annual sandwich survey! That's right, Len joins us today to walk through the findings of his annual survey of the cost of the 10 most popular brown bag sandwiches. Bologna is usually the cheapest and BLT is usually the most expensive. With the rising cost of some ingredients this year, do you think the results will be the same? Len describes his survey method and results with us and also shares the story of why he started the sandwich survey 13 years ago. During our headline, we take a look at Sylvester Stallone's rise to fame and he recounts his days as a struggling, broke actor. How did he beat the odds and become successful? In this news piece, he talks about his struggles early in life and how he overcame them. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Anna who has a question about IRA contributions, and specifically a backdoor Roth IRA. And Doug will share some of his Vatican trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you enjoy spending more money on? Maybe you like to stay at top-rated resorts when you travel? Or, you enjoy the experience of a nice dinner out? And what things do you spend less on because your experience isn't an better when you spend more? Generic vs. name brands at the grocery store? Or taking public transportation when you travel? Today our roundtable discusses a blog post about spending more on what you value and being frugal in other areas of spending and your life. Cody Berman from The FI Show and Gwen Merz from Fiery Millennials join our roundtable with Len Penzo to talk about mindset and what they value as it relates to financial independence. And you don't want to miss the guesses our roundtable has for Doug's Houdini-related trivia today! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much does the truth matter when telling your money story? What about if you were telling the story of a new nation? Turns out, this happens more than most of us realize and today we talk about a famous story from the American Revolution that may be different than you remember. Jeff Lantos joins us to talk about why the true story of Paul Revere's ride might not be what we remember. We dive into how and why the story was altered and how it relates to the modern-day. The themes of embellishment, advocating for yourself and community are discussed as it relates to Paul Revere and modern-day. We are including two headlines today because one just isn't enough for the stories we found! First, we look at a study done by the University of Chicago that charts your attractiveness to the opposite sex based on your height. AND, they tell you how much more you need to earn if you are shorter to be as attractive as someone taller. Yep, you heard that right! For our second headline, crypto is in the news again...and not for good reason. Tether is being investigated for bank fraud and we share all our opinions on that and crypto in general! We'll also throw out the Haven Life line and Joe gives a behind-the-scenes look at how we choose our guests for the show. And we can't forget about Doug and his cookie-related trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine fleeing your hometown with nothing but the hope and will to survive. Or risking your life to gather information needed to incriminate some of the worst players in history. We are declaring this week "history week" here at Stacking Benjamins and we're delivering quite the suite of guests for you! Today, Retired U.S. Army Major General Mari Eder joins us to share stories of some brave women of World War II and the impact they had on their communities. What does this have to do with money? Today's stories have a much larger scope than money, but bravery, persistence, focus, willpower, and more, in the face of long odds, will all be discussed on today's episode. During our headline, we talk about tapping your home equity for cash. Nothing has ever gone wrong with the housing market before, right? Sure, leverage can be used to your advantage but not at the detriment to the rest of your financial plan. Joe and OG give us their opinions and you know they are going to be candid! Speaking of leverage, our TikTok video is a hilarious example of this. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line and answer a caller's question about retirement contributions. And since it's history week here, Doug will include some history related trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How rigid are your money habits? What will happen when your "optimized" financial situation comes crashing down because you didn't think about what could possibly go wrong in the future? Beyond that, does the stuff we own, own us or set us free? How can we strive to be more financially flexible and what strategies can we use to get there? Those are some great questions and today we'll answer them all, because today our roundtable discusses a piece about financial flexibility, both philosophically and practically. Andy Hill from Marriage Kids and Money joins Paula and OG to share their favorite tips and hacks to help you become more financially flexible. We'll also hear some of Doug's book related trivia, and it's all from our live recording from the Fireside app! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What would be your first step in the right direction when life isn't going your way? How would you move forward and make the most important change ever? Brandy Mabra journeyed from bankruptcy to successful CEO coach and today shares her journey. She knew she needed to take every opportunity available (and even moved to another state!) to make a better life for her and her son. After a few crucial and well-thought pivots in her career, she started her coaching and consulting business and shares tips we can all use when faced with hurdles, however big or small. During our headline segment, did you know that Olympic athletes earned money when they won medals? Neither did we, and at one point IRS taxed that income. It's hard to believe that you can rep the USA brand and Uncle Sam could still find you! After that eye-popper, we'll finish the show with a Haven Life line call from Julie who has questions about saving for her kids' future. And Doug will throw in some Madonna themed trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A financial setback could hit any of us at any time. How will you rebound? What steps should you take first and what financial changes should you make? Managing money in a crisis if FAR different than following the normal rules, and today's guest, Michele Cagan, knows first-hand what it's like to experience a major financial setback. Today she'll share her journey and advice for you if you've suffered a health crisis, divorce, death in the family, disability, or any other of life's crises. During our headline segment, we dive into a piece about life expectancy in the U.S. and how it could impact your financial plan. Assuming a life expectancy that is too short or too long can both lead to problems with your plan. We also listen to a TikTok video about real estate investing and the power it could have on your financial freedom (but don't worry, we'll give you our brutally honest opinion on that and share some of our own stories). We also help answer Scottie's question about rolling over an old 401k during our Haven Life line call. Scotties a proud Iowan! ...and we'll be sure to include Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you know if your trading strategies are helping or hurting your overall portfolio goals? Maybe you're chasing the market or trading based on what your friends and family are trading? Lucky for you, our roundtable today talks about six trading habits that might be keeping you poor and they offer lots of sound advice on how to avoid these mistakes. Whether you're a long time investor or a trader, we'll cover the gamut of tips for you on this episode. Rosetta Bryson from Simple Trader Pro joins our roundtable with Len and OG today to discuss these trading habits. And we'll also have Doug share some of his sports related trivia, on this live show performed on the Fireside app. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

F is for Fun. And we have a ton of fun today talking to Rob Phelan about his new children's book M is for Money. He was inspired by reading with his own son and realizing there weren't any books on the market that teach basic personal finance to kids. Even if you don't have kids yourself, this book might be a great gift for a kid in your family. We also dive into financial literacy in general and why so few programs are successful. If you have any interest in improving the money habits of the people around you, we've got you covered. During our headline segment, IRA and tax expert Ed Slott joins us to talk about a five billion dollar Roth IRA! That's right, Peter Thiel's Roth IRA balance is over a cool five b's at this point. Ed helps explain how it happened and what changes Congress might make to prevent this in the future. For many who dream about crypto riches, can you replicate Thiel's feat (or score a measly 2-3 million) in YOUR Roth IRA? We'll ask Ed about that as well. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Justin who wrote in to our basement Facebook group to ask about how much to gift his niece for graduation (we have some great ideas and alternatives to monetary gifts!). And of course we'll leave time for Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14 minutes. Today we talk to Chris Field about changing the world using only 1% of your time (14 minutes a day). Chris will share why "charity begins at home" is a misguided approach to life...not for the world around you, but for your own return on investment. The work he's done has made an impact on the world and he shares how you can make a difference too (and it's much easier than you may think!) We also share some bad news during our headline segment. The new inflation numbers are in and they're ugly with a capital "ugh." What does this mean though, really, for you? It turns out...a lot. We'll walk through inflation with regard to your job, your savings, your spending, and more. We'll also share why experts say that inflation isn't as ugly as the numbers may suggest. Speaking of ugly...we'll also share a TikTok video that's gone viral recently about a job interview...or at least the "promise" of one. Somebody named Chuck might be cleaning out his desk now that this video's out. And, there's no better way to round out the show than by talking about franchise businesses during our Haven Life line call. Doug's trivia? Well that's just the cherry on top, isn't it? Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you buy second-hand clothes instead of new? How about waiting to buy that special something until there's an awesome deal? Dumpster dive? Argue with clerks for a discount? There's a ton of frugal living tips out there but when does frugal cross the line and you're just being cheap? Today our roundtable team discusses the five times one blogger says that being frugal goes too far. Plus, we're performing this episode LIVE on the new Fireside app, so you'll hear from several members of our live audience, too (we've also linked their information below)! Joining us for this special episode we welcome half of the Frugal Friends podcast duo, Jen Smith. Plus, OG and Paula Pant (Afford Anything) pitch in to make this a wide-ranging, fun conversation with more than several takeaways. We discuss the value of our time as it relates to purchases, the tendency to overconsume when we see a deal, and we'll all share some great stories about our own frugal living. Of course, what would a Friday episode be like without our trivia challenge? Diania Merriam (EconoMe Conference) takes over the "Doug" duties today and dishes a great question for our contestants. Enjoy! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do homemade ice cream and financial education go together? You're about to find out, because today we interview two of our fellow Stackers, Lisa and Tom, and one of them shares how they began making homemade ice cream for family and friends and teaching them finance basis! The other recently retired and gives us tips and advice that helped them make the exciting decision to retire. During our headline segment, we talk about Wells Fargo and their recent decision to close all existing personal lines of credit. They've been in the news a lot over the years (mostly negative!) and we offer our thoughts. We'll also hear from Will Rhind, CEO of GraniteShares, who shares all the details about what's going on in the current precious metals market. We'll finish it out with our Haven Life line call from Nick and answer his questions about 529 contributions. And of course we'll include some of Doug's trivia! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Richards achieved financial independence at the young age of 27. How did she do it? The now 29 year old joins us today to talk about lessons, strategies, and more on today's show. Plus, we'll share a headline about the current job climate. It seems that everyone is quitting their job! What should you think about before telling your boss adios? We'll share a few tips on today's show....plus throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky listener and share some of Doug's amazing trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With summer in full swing, do you need ideas for things to do with your kids? Before they start their first lemonade stand, listen to today’s episode about teaching kids about money. Even if you don’t have kids, we have Kate Ryan from TIAA join us to share money tips and stories that you’ll enjoy. To finish out our rewind week, this episode aired in 2018, so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you ready to win with your money? You've trained hard and now it's showtime. You're in luck because, just in time for the Olympics, we dig into all the money tips from Olympic sprinter, bobsledder, financial planner and host of the Worth Listening podcast, Lauryn Williams, on today's episode. This episode aired in 2018 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Tax laws and changes are hard enough to keep up with and we originally had a headline segment talking about 2017 tax filing that has been omitted in this rewind episode. Take a look at our original show notes, here. We'll round out our rewind week on Friday. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While the first person to tell you that nothing good happens while you're using drugs will be today's guest Michael Brody-Waite, he WILL insist that the skills he learned in recovery are the same skills we all need for success with life and money. He should know. As a man who's walked the journey from drug addict to CEO and success coach, Michael funnels his darkest experiences into powerful lessons he'll share with you. Today, Michael will teach you how to rebalance your priorities, reclaim your energy, and thrive in both work and life. A new bond has arrived! The Treasury announced a 20-year note to help offset the massive spending lately in Washington. We'll discuss how that works and may impact your wallet in our headlines segment. Also, we'll cover the results of a recent Morningstar study that shows why it is more important than you might thank to have a thorough financial plan and an (emotional) support network in place. It turns out that it's easy to stay the financial course when everything is going right. The problem is when panic starts to set in, not pressing that big, red "sell everything" button. Today we'll throw out the Haven Life line to a caller a not-quite-usual question about loan repayment. Due to COVID-19 reasons, Vanessa was laid off from work. However, she was building up her savings beforehand. Vanessa also receives unemployment and severance pay. She wonders, "Should I use savings to pay off student loans? Or, would it be better to keep making minimum payments and keep her cash buffer?" Of course, Joe and OG have an opinion. One last thing: Happy Twilight Zone Day! Doug has a special treat in store for you in celebration. Enjoy! (This is a rewind episode from the summer of 2020, so there will be references to events and days that aren't current. Please keep this in mind as you listen.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wish that saving money and spending less were easier? Today we've got your back because Chris Hutchins, Mr. Hack himself and host of the All The Hacks podcast, joins us to discuss a delicious list pulled from the popular Inspired Budget blog that lists a whopping 30 money hacks you should try in 2021. What hacks do you love that are missing from this list? On today's show recorded live on the new Fireside app, we're joined not only by Chris Hutchins but also Paula Pant (Afford Anything podcast) and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot com) as they dive into their favorites (and also skewer one or two that they aren't as fond of). At the end of the discussion we'll ditch the list and this crack team will even add a few of their own. Before we're done we'll also magnify Tom's money, who asks what we think about popular trading app Robinhood. You know us...this is going to be good! And of course we can't forget about Doug's trivia! He has a heart-wrenching question today. Literally. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alan Corey had a small goal: he just wanted to pay his internet bill automatically, and in the process stumbled upon a strategy that would lead him to wealth in real estate at an early age. Today he joins us to share his journey to financial independence, from moving to NYC and realizing he couldn't control his income in the corporate world, to purchasing real estate with a goal of purchasing one property a year for five years. Fast forward and he's now buying five properties in a month! His unique thought process of using rental income to offset fixed costs in his life helped propel his real estate success. You'll also never guess who he sold his first property to in NYC! For our headline, we'll look at a piece from Morningstar that talks about cryptocurrency in retirement plans. Would you want the option to invest in crypto in your 401k? We'll share the results of the survey and you might be surprised by the results. We'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Bill who has questions about rebalancing his portfolio. And of course we'll also throw in some of Doug's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you aware of all the benefits your company offers? Beyond a retirement plan, do they offer other perks? You might be surprised to learn about some hidden benefits your company offers and The Evil HR Lady, Suzanne Lucas, joins us today to give us some examples. We also talk about company culture, training, employee satisfaction, and how these all play a role in our work lives. Would you take a lower-paying job if it meant you had more fun at work? We'll let you know what percentage of people say they would. We'll also look at a piece from Investment News on municipal bonds and the recent inflow of funds to these bonds. Ever heard of the latte factor? Our TikTok minute shows us just how many lattes we need to give up to own our dream home! What's your guess? Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Jess who wants advice about buying real estate with family members. And we can't forget Doug's trivia. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices