The Stacking Benjamins Show

One of our most frequently asked questions revolves around the Roth IRA. Should I invest in it? How much should I invest? Why should I invest in a Roth vs. a traditional IRA? That's just ONE of the many questions we answer on today's show, including questions about investing, buying a house, spiking your interest rates on short term goals, and more. In our headlines segment we'll talk about how financial advisors market their services. Can you tell from an advisor's method of pitching (and her pitch) whether they'll be a good fit for you? Absolutely...and we'll explain on today's show, as we talk about seminars, workshops, Facebook ads, radio shows, and more. Plus, we'll tackle a piece about remodeling your house. Which improvements improve your home's value the most? We'll share all of those on today's podcast. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Eric, who's contributing to a target date fund and wonders if he could do a better job on his own. Can he? Do we like his target date fund? We'll also throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Looking to have your financial product questions answered? Head to MagnifyMoney.com for your credit, savings, student, and auto loan needs. Thanks to Slack for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Slack: Where work happens. Go to slack.com to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lillain Karabaic has done everything. From bicycle valet to bookkeeping to radio, she's had just about every job you could imagine (she held over 40 jobs during her 20's!). Today she's sharing advice and stories about grabbing the reins. Think you aren't saving enough money? She'll inspire you with her work ethic. Think you have trouble getting money in the right place? She'll share her favorite tips... and more. In our headlines segment, we'll share some statistics from Transferwise about banking fees. It turns out that many people are surprised by the fees their bank charges. Overdraft fees? Sure, banks charge those, but how about returned mail fees? We'll share the whole list and ways to reduce fees. We'll also debate a new media piece about retirement planning. Is it time to share the old planning practices out the window? We'll share the authors' tips and also those that OG and Joe advocate, on today's podcast. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Abbey, who wonders about starting a financial coaching business. As a financial planner, is there room to expand into coaching people who don't yet need full-on CFP level support? We'll share some of the reasons you don't see more of these businesses and also ideas for starting one on today's show. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and more. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do your friends control your fate when it comes to your money? One recent piece contends that your community (including friends) is a HUGE piece in the puzzle toward financial success. Does our panel agree? Here to answer that question we welcome Jen Hemphill, author of the new hit financial book Her Money Matters. She'll join OG on today's show for that AND Doug's amazing trivia (we know you can barely wait....). Plus we answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Daniel wonders about life insurance. How much should he and his spouse plan on for life insurance for his children? Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Waive your $99 activation fee by going to HousecallPro.com/SB. 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are you saving money? How much joy are you receiving from that "stuff" you own? You may rethink your financial plan after today's show, because our guest is the co-author of the HUGE bestselling book, Your Money or Your Life. Vicki Robin helped shape the financial independence/retire early movement, and she's on her way down to the basement today to talk to us about re-examining your beliefs around your life and your money. Your money or your life, indeed. In our headlines segment we'll talk about student loans with Robert Farrington from The College Investor. He'll talk about how over 3,000 people just took part in an event to pay off a TON of student loan debt. We'll share best practices, how best to apply to lower interest rates on your debt, and how to pay them down in a way that makes sense for your situation. We'll also discuss the new SEC proposed fiduciary rule. Is THIS finally the rule we've been looking for? Will it replace the mostly knocked-down rule from the Department of Labor? We'll review the rule and discuss what you need to know about it on today's show. Plus, we throw out the Haven Life line to Karen, who's contributing to a brand spankin' new health savings account. How should she best use it? We'll share how these plans work on today's show. We'll also answer another listener letter, throw out Doug's trivia question, and watch him try to juggle....one ball. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when you're booted from your company? Jordan Harbinger found out firsthand. The former host of popular and award winning Art of Charm podcast tells us his story and then we talk about building YOUR network so it's available when you need it. We'll discuss the right (and horribly wrong) ideas, tools, and strategies to use when taking on the challenge of expanding your circle of influence. Plus, in headlines, we'll tackle a recent headline about a big financial company that may have stepping in the same BIG problem twice. What's the problem and how do YOU avoid being a victim of this company? We'll unravel all of that plus another headline about risk. Where do you run from stocks if you've had enough...international bonds? We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Dom, who wonders what stocks he should buy in his "sandbox" portfolio. How do you evaluate individual stocks and where is the the best place to purchase them? Both Joe and OG chime in with their answers. But....that's not all! We'll answer answer a letter from the mailbag, serve up some JP Morgan trivia, and more! Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Thanks to Housecall Pro for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Waive your $99 activation fee by going to HousecallPro.com/SB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's nearly tax time and we're hearing lots of rumors about tax strategies that just don't work. So we were relieved to read a headline that walked us through several rumors that weren't true. We'll go over them in detail on today's podcast! Plus we get serious about sexism in the financial press. Do pieces aimed at women speak to them differently than pieces aimed at men? Our roundtable will weigh in on men, women, and the differences in the way we talk about money. To talk about these topics, we're joined by our crack regular team of contributors: Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot com), along with our very own OG. We also answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Steve wants to know if there's any reason NOT to consolidate his many accounts spread all over the place. What's the downside he might not be seeing? Thanks to TurboTax Live for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA backed with a one-hundred percent Accuracy Guarantee. Connect with a TurboTax Live expert at TurboTaxLive.com/SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when a bestselling money author teams up with an SNL star to talk about financial literacy? You end up with some awesome videos featuring Kate McKinnon and Beth Kobliner! Beth joins us in the basement today to talk about the making of the videos and to share some much-needed financial literacy tips for children. How do you teach kids (or other adults) about money when you don't feel like YOU'RE a whiz with your cash? Beth shares some great tips that you'll be able to use today. In our headlines segment we'll talk about a recent lawsuit about "reverse churning." What does that even mean? We'll talk about why it's important most of the time to do absolutely nothing with your money, and we'll also discuss when you should expect to pay for advice and exactly what you're paying for when you work with an advisor. If you're in a fee-based account, are you paying for trades or for advice from the advisor? We'll debate that question on today's show. In our second headline we'll talk to Mike Foy from JD Power and Associates. They have a new customer satisfaction survey that also shares LOTS of information about millennials. It appears that millennials are ditching their advisors in droves. Why is that happening? What are advisors missing? We'll ask Mike to dig into the JD Power survey findings on today's podcast...including which firms scored highest in customer satisfaction this year. Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to Tanaya, who's contributing to her state pension plan and her Roth every year. What's are some other considerations of places she should be contributing? We'll also, we pull out the stops and answer several letters in an effort to get caught up. We'll tackle minimum volatility funds, a confusing advisor recommendation, a listener who actually gets what we're doing with this podcast, and more. Thanks to Blue Apron for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder whether individual stock investing is for you? Chuck Jaffe, host of Money Life with Chuck Jaffe, joins us to talk about the differences between investing in individual companies and in indexes or actively traded funds. We'll discuss diversification, learning about companies, the impact of fees, and more. Plus, in headlines, we'll tackle a recent headline about a big financial company possibly faced with a billion dollar judgment. What does it have to do with your money? You may learn a lot about estate planning on today's show. We'll also follow one writer who's decided to go cashless. Is it a good idea to dive into the empty wallet-end of the pool? We'll discuss upsides and downsides on today's show. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Melissa, who wants some advice on how her and her husband should structure their funds inside of their accounts. Without fully knowing their situation, can the guys still give her ideas for her investment strategy? We'll also answer a letter from another listener, score some of Doug's vampire-rich trivia, and more. Support for Stacking Benjamins comes from TurboTax Live, new from TurboTax. Now you can get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA right on your screen. Talk live with a tax expert as often as you need for tax advice to help you file with confidence. Go to turbotaxlive.com/SB. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get special savings by going to legalzoom.com and use SB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've snared a HOT topic! Bloggers online are talking about a recent piece written by Miles Howard, entitled "Is Frugality For The Rich?" It asks many questions about bloggers online and the transparency of how they earn their money. We talk to our roundtable about whether the frugality that's made to sound awesome by bloggers is really something we can all attain. Is any of it real? To talk about that topic, plus a recent study that explores the differences between rich and poor kids, we welcome our special guest Jonathan Mendonza from the awesome Choose FI podcast to the show! Jonathan is joined by our crack regular team of contributors: Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and Len Penzo (Len Penzo dot com). We'll also bring you some cool Friday FinTech on today's show. Thomas Beattie from Voleo.com stops by to tell us how they help investors turn their love of stocks and (sometimes wild) opinions into better informed decisions. The wisdom of the crowd wins again on today's show! We also answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. What should Curtis do with his three HSA accounts? Is there a way to combine them? We'll ask our team that question, and also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to TurboTax Live for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA backed with a one-hundred percent Accuracy Guarantee. Connect with a TurboTax Live expert at TurboTaxLive.com/SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why haven't you scored a raise recently or grabbed that next bar on the better job rung? Well, your wait is over, because Gary Burnison, author of Lose the Resume, Land the Job, joins us to help you increase your income potential, enjoy your career more, and rock your next raise! We'll talk about how a skunk helped Gary realize many of the dilemmas facing people, and how NOT to answer questions during your next interview...and of course, much more. In our headlines segment we'll throw a surprise your way. An age group you don't expect is conned more often on the phone than any other...and it isn't the group you think. How do you make sure you aren't taken advantage of by scammers? Jonathan Sasse from First Orion joins us to talk about how to figure out that someone is really secretly after your wallet instead of the person they pretend to be. We'll also cover a recent spring cleaning story. While you're cleaning out the attic and the garage...what about your wallet? What should you clean and what should you keep? We'll discuss that on today's show. Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to Talha, who wonders about the best ways to start investing if you just entered the workforce? Should you diversify or crank up the risk since you're just starting out? Also, we answer a letter from Shawn, who wonders about moving money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA? What are the rules? Of course, we'll have Doug's trivia and more fun on today's show. Thanks to Blue Apron for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever had that time in your life when you just couldn't get ahead? You'd come home after payday, think that you could maybe relax and spend a dollar or two, and then realize, "Oh, $%#!" Kristin Wong has been through that cycle before herself, and she also knows how to dig your way out. She's coming down to the basement today to share her own story and tips to help you better manage your budget. In our headlines segment, we talk about your brokerage account. Do you keep your cash reserve in the cash portion of your brokerage account? A new Wall Street Journal piece tells us that you might be losing lots of money. We'll also discuss guaranteed income strategies. A recent study shows that people want to hear from their advisor about guaranteed income. We'll talk about why people want advice on this issue and why most advisors don't spend a lot of time on this area. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Andy, who's worried about cashing out of his retirement plans. Should he sell off some of his money all at once and leave it on the sideline or should he reverse dollar cost average out of his long term savings and into cash? We'll also answer a letter from another listener, score some of Doug's vampire-rich trivia, and more. Support for Stacking Benjamins comes from TurboTax Live, new from TurboTax. Now you can get a personal review of your tax return with a CPA or EA right on your screen. Talk live with a tax expert as often as you need for tax advice to help you file with confidence. Go to turbotaxlive.com/SB. Thanks to LegalZoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get special savings by going to legalzoom.com and use SB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you say goodbye to a long term advisor? Whether it's a financial advisor, CPA, financial coach, or someone in another field, we'll talk about the common practice of "ghosting" advisors. Is it okay to just leave your advisors and not tell them that you're going? If you decide to tell them that you're leaving, what should you say? We'll ask our crack team, including not only OG and Len Penzo, but special guest Mrs. Groovy from FreedomIsGroovy.com. Plus, we'll also talk about taking time off from your job to begin constructing your ultimate life. How do you begin taking time away? We'll not only review a piece on this topic but also ask our panel for tips on today's podcast. We also answer a three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. What should our listener expect from tax preparation help? How do the fees work? We'll ask our team that question, and also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to Lexington Law for supporting Stacking Benjamins. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thinking about placing some of your hard earned Benjamins into investments in China? So have many American investors, yet lots of them don't know how much trouble they might be inadvertently be walking into. Jed Rothstein, Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award winning director) joins us to discuss his new documentary, the China Hustle. How do people get swindled out of millions of dollars while trying to buy Chinese stocks listed on American stock exchanges? We'll hear how the game works and also show you how deceptive it is even though it was all legal. In headlines today we hear a gut-wrenching story about how an NBA star went from a $61 million fortune to being six figures in debt. We'll also discuss a headline about buying insurance online. There are many questions people should ask when purchasing anything online, and we ask Haven Life CEO Yaron Ben-Zvi to share some tips with us. As always, he gives us lots of ideas to make sure you know what you're buying. Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to a listener. Today Win is wondering why her tax refund check is so low. Is it because she recently paid off her student loan? Also, we answer a letter from Nate who wonders about depositing a refund from an HSA expense back into his account even though he's no longer eligible? Of course, we'll have Doug's trivia and more fun on today's show. Thanks Lexington Law for supporting our show. For a free credit report summary and credit repair consultation go to lexingtonlaw.com/sb Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Women's History Month draws to a close we suddenly realized....we've done nothing to celebrate! Today on the show we make up for that ('in spades," as mom says) by inviting professor Woody Holton down to the basement. He's the author of the book Abigail Adams, for which he won the Bambridge Award and more. He'll describe the amazing prowess of Adams in a time when many women not only weren't investing, but weren't even allowed to participate in their family's financial plan. He'll describe which investments she preferred, why she decided largely against real estate for her portfolio, and how she created an estate plan for herself in a time when many women didn't have that luxury. If you love to learn from historical figures, Abigail Adams is a great role model and Dr. Holton gives us many revealing stories about her prowess on today's show. In our headlines segment, we'll talk to Jamie Wise from the BUZZ Index (ticker BUZ). He'll describe why his strategy and those of some of his algorithm-based competitors seem to be winning in this time of volatility. He'll also share some of the names that the crowds on social media are focusing on to ride the choppy market. Also, with the financial markets all over the place, we'll review a story from Marketwatch that asks whether the market will crash, and if it will, what you should do to buckle up. The advice might surprise you, if you're looking for ways to exit stage left, or are looking for advice that tells you how to exit stage left....or right. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Nelson, who's worried about his parents' financial plan. They have an insurance-company based financial advisor, so Nelson thinks that they should move to different advice. How does he approach the topic with his parents? We also answer a letter from another listener, score some of Doug's spinach-based trivia, and more. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do YOU have what it takes to be a millionaire? We pair three of our listeners with our panelists on today's show for a game show style discussion on the habits of millionaires. We'll talk about whether people are more likely to be a millionaire if they're self-made or come from money, what type of car millionaires drive, their level of education, and more. We also answer Joe's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. He's getting married and wants to change his health insurance, but his human resources department says he can't change. What's up? We'll give him our thoughts, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to RXBAR for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 25% off your first order at RXbar.com/sb, Promo Code: SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're talking money and movies on today's show, as Kiplinger financial writer Tom Blanton joins us in the basement to discuss lessons from ten Oscar nominated films. We'll not only tackle a few films from this year, but many from the back catalog that you maybe haven't yet seen. Whether you're a film buff looking for a walk down memory lane or someone hoping to find some entertaining films that also talk about your wallet, we have you covered on today's podcast. In headlines today we high five the writer of a new piece who says that the bull market might run another 20 years. Do we agree? We'll share our feelings on today's show. Plus, we dive into a piece that lists all of the financial moves you should make if you die young. What should you make sure is covered now and what can wait? We'll go over all of that and more on today's show! Plus, as always, we throw out the Haven Life line to a listener. Nick asks about variable annuities. Should he keep his annuity, buy another one, or rip the money out of annuities altogether? Also, we answer a letter from a listener who wonders about holding or selling a property that he and his spouse own. Of course, we'll have Doug's trivia and more fun on today's show. Thanks to Upstart for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Looking beyond just a FICO score, Upstart also looks at your job experience and education when determining your rate. Checking your rate will only take two minutes and doesn't after your credit. Get your rate now at Upstart.com/SB Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for the keys to wealth and happiness? While many of us search books, social media, or outside groups, today’s guest, Derek Rydall, has a different solution which he shares on today’s podcast. We’ll talk about the laws of abundance and how to have more “more” in your life, plus the true meanings of common financial ideas such as currency, cash flow, and salary. Plus, in our headlines segment, we'll ask the question, "What are some of the biggest issues you should think about as you approach retirement?" The answers may surprise you. We'll also take a look at volatility. Now that the market has gotten...um....bumpy, we'll discuss how to fortify yourself for the increasing possibility of a down market. We’ll also throw out the Haven Life line to an anonymous caller who lays down the law with Joe, and answer a letter from our friend Win, who asks about starting her own 401k plan since her job doesn’t have one. How does she get her own plan? We’ll help Win (and maybe you) get rolling down the right track. Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Thanks to Upstart for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Looking beyond just a FICO score, Upstart also looks at your job experience and education when determining your rate. Checking your rate will only take two minutes and doesn't after your credit. Get your rate now at Upstart.com/SB Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you save more money? Today we present one simple trick shared by a popular financial blogger. But does our team of experts think this is REALLY the secret? We'll ask them all, this week featuring from the awesome and brand spankin' new Pour Not Poor podcast, Joel Larsgaard. Plus, we'll also share a headline about your tax refund. There are LOTS of swirling myths about your return, and today we'll try and set the record straight so you're able to file your taxes in peace. We'll also turn our eye on FinTech...and this week specifically real estate. Charles Clinton is the CEO of Equity Multiple. They're a firm helping smaller investors dive into bigger real estate projects by pooling their money with other investors. We'll get the scoop about how it works today directly from Charles. We also answer Lauren's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. She's feeling the pressure from family to start her own family, but when is the right time to start? How will she know when she's financially ready? We'll ask our team that question, and also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to Legal Zoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your SPECIAL savings by going to LegalZoom.com and entering SB at checkout. LegalZoom, where life meets legal. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, another star is down to only a few Benjamins, but we have bigger news: ever since we met Susan Hodges we've been telling her cautionary tales to everyone we know...and today, that's YOU! After graduating from college where she learned to manage nursing homes, she was hired by a facility used by some of the poorest people in Fort Worth, Texas. She'll talk about her personal story, choosing good help for your elders, and ensuring that your children don't take advantage of you when you're least able to protect yourself. Plus, in headlines we'll tackle the news that Lisa Marie Presley has run out of money. We'll discuss budgets, estate planning, and personal money expectations. Also, if you missed it, the Lipper Fund Awards just occurred. We'll talk winners in many different categories, and have fun discussing just how amazing attending an award show like this one must be. We'll throw out the Haven Life line to Stacy, who wonders when she should start putting money in a taxable brokerage account instead of her 401k and a Roth IRA? She's read that you should fill tax shelters first, and the Stacking Benjamins team comments on whether this "rule of thumb" is worth following. Of course, we'll also answer some listener mail and if you're lucky, I might top it off with my trivia. Thanks to Blue Apron for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wish you had a second chance with your money? Billy B. hoped he'd get one. After being convicted and sent to prison after the death of his friend, Billy went through some serious soul searching, and the end result of that is on display on today's show. Not taking any opportunity for granted, working hard to find solid financial (and life) footing, and the value of surrounding yourself with good friends and mentors are just three of many themes we'll talk about in this fantastic discussion with Billy (who now also blogs at WealthWellDone.com). In our headlines segment, a new software program means that some of your advisors may be expendable....or maybe not. We'll discuss the hot topic of humans versus AI on today's show. Plus, Warren Buffet just wrote his annual letter to investors. What are some of the takeaways? One publication listed their favorites and we'll review and discuss them. As always, Mr. Buffet doesn't fail to use the English language as a weapon while talking about investing, value, and evaluating risk. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Luke, who wonders about investing to beat inflation without taking too much risk. For a five year goal, what investment works best? Are stocks too risky? Should he use junk bonds? We'll shine a light on that topic (and maybe one we can't talk about here), as well. We also answer a letter from Jon, who asks about asset allocation. What is a great way to manage your money and diversify correctly? You'll have to listen to find out! Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Thanks to Legal Zoom for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your SPECIAL saving by going to LegalZoom.com and entering SB at checkout. LegalZoom, where life meets legal. Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sure, you think of yourself as frugal, but do your friends think of you that way? If you're a little tight with money, or know someone who's maybe...just a tad too tight with money, today's discussion is for you! We're excited that today the creator of the new Financial Grown Up podcast and former Reuters TV anchor Bobbi Rebell joins us. Not only will we talk about penny pinching habits, but we'll also swing around to the other side of the financial spectrum...how do banks and financial institutions get you to part with more money? Partly it's by bestowing titles like "private banker" on the people who help you. We'll also turn our eye on FinTech, and this week discuss with Blueprint Income's Lauren Minches about the work they're doing with private pension programs. What if you could create a stable income stream for your retirement that didn't rely on stock market performance? Lauren and the Blueprint team are working hard at turning the world of annuities on their head, and today she'll walk us through the world of pensions, 401k's and the future of stable retirement income streams. If you aren't a fan of annuities, today's discussion about innovation in that area is exactly what you want to hear. We also answer Justin's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. He's wondering what to do (hypothetically) with some money that he'd like to gamble with? What would our crack panel suggest? We'll get great ideas from Afford Anything's Paula Pant and our very own OG, as well as from Bobbi Rebell. On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's trivia, and more. Thanks to Blue Apron for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks 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, savings and more. Check out MagnifyMoney.com for your savings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wondering how to turn a small idea into a big stack of Benjamins? Better yet, how about teaching your kids to do it for you? Never fear, because Jeannine Glista from BizKids joins the fun on today's show, sharing case studies of young entrepreneurs who've built big businesses from little ideas. Whether you're looking for activities for your children or inspiration on how to start your own business, Jeannine will have tips for you today! Plus, in headlines a Kansas woman is accused by her bank of stealing LOTS of money, $5 at a time. We'll explain how that spiraled out of hand. Also, do you think that working longer is a better idea for your portfolio and your life? One publication thinks so, and we'll explain their argument on today's podcast. We'll throw out the Haven Life line to Tan who is about to switch jobs. Should he dollar cost average back into the market when he rolls his money into his new plan or invest it all at once? Of course, we'll also answer some listener mail and if you're lucky, I might top it off with my trivia. Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/SB and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Compare checking, savings, credit cards, and loans before switching. MagnifyMoney.com makes it super easy to compare, switch and save. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder what it would be like to ditch the rat race and move to a farm in the country? That's exactly what Elizabeth Thames (aka Mrs. Frugalwoods) and her husband did, after a series of events, some of which you'll hear about on today's show! If you're at all interested in rethinking consumerism, today's show is for you. We'll of course have headlines from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Nathan, who wonders about making a house down payment. Should he go for a loan where he can put down less or save up for a full twenty percent? We also answer a letter from Rita, who asks about investing. If her 401k doesn't have a match, where should she invest first? You'll have to listen to find out! Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Thanks to LinkedIn for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Go to LinkedIn.com/SB and get a $50 credit toward your first job post. Why compromise with investments when you can use an intuitive, easy-to-use, robust platform? M1Finance combines the power of automated investing platforms with the flexibility of do-it-yourself but more expensive brokers. ...and now, it's FREE! Be Invested. Check out M1Finance . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Griffin the Intern (the "FinTern") is bringing the party on today's rewind episode. This roundtable show originally aired February 2017, and featured Paula Pant, Len Penzo, and Greg McFarlane trying to guess if different forms of income are taxable or not. Of course, in true 2017 roundtable fashion, there's also a FinTech segment and some fun topics that gang goes over too. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices