The Stacking Benjamins Show

Griffin the Intern (the "FinTern") rewinds the tape to when we invited featured guest Edward G. Brown down to the basement. Family, friends, coworkers, and even our bosses can steal about half of our day away. The question is, how do we get that time back? This is a rewind episode that originally aired in 2014. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Griffin the Intern (the "FinTern") rewinds the tape to when we had former FDIC Chairmain Sheila Bair. What happened behind closed doors in the 2007 housing and banking crisis? How do we ensure that doesn't happen again? We covered that and more on today's rewind... and we had special co-host Josh Dorkin, founder of BiggerPockets. You can check out the original show notes from when the show aired here. Of course, it's a full episode of the show....so there's much, much more! Enjoy! Original show notes from 17 June, 2015: How do we ensure that the huge mistakes people made leading up to the 2007 housing and banking crisis don't happen again? Former FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair joins us in the basement to discuss banking, mortgages, the crisis and her new book that brings it home for high school and college age students (and financial geeks like me!). Josh Dorkin, founder of the awesome real estate community BiggerPockets (and host of the BiggerPockets podcast) sits in the co-pilot seat this week. We discuss landscaping, job searches, diversifying your portfolio and more. Show notes with links coming in the morning! (I was traveling all day Tuesday.....check back before noon!) Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com and SoFi for sponsoring our podcast! SHOW NOTES <> Open Our co-host today is Josh Dorkin, founder of Bigger Pockets. Check out the Bigger Pockets podcast also! <> MagnifyMoney - Use StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney when it's time (now!) to evaluate your checking, savings or credit cards against those that are best-in-class. <> Headlines How the lack of good jobs, pay for millennials fouls up the economy (MarketWatch) Consumer watchdog weighs in on reverse mortgages (CNBC) <> Sheila Bair - The Bullies of Wall Street <> Suzanne Lucas - The Evil HR Lady Check out Suzanne's Site: The Evil HR Lady.org The latest: Someday My Raise Will Come -- Won't It? <> Letters <> End Show/Movies Josh reviews the film Two Guns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should you do with a small windfall? Today we ask, if you had $1,000, how should you best use it? We have an article that gives us eight great options, but we ask our panel which of those is best...and why? THAT alone gets rolling a fanstastic discussion between OG, Len Penzo, and special guest from the Money Nerds podcast, Whitney Hansen. We'll also turn our eye on FinTech. We talk to FinTech company founders most weeks on this show, but from the near-outside looking in, where's the ball headed? Rory Holland from CSTMR has a front row seat at the FinTech party, and answers the questions...what's the problem, how's it being solved, and what's next for FinTech? You'll see LOTS of possible directions for FinTech (and...psst....your money) after you hear this interview. We also answer Carolyn's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. Her 21 year old son is graduating from college and she's concerned about claiming him. Can she claim him as a dependent still? 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

Think you know networking? Scott Gerber is a superconnector who's spent his entire life learning the ins and outs of successful business relationships. Today he's in the basement sharing with us the tools you need to become a superconnector yourself. Networking 1.0 no longer works (or even is something you want to be associated with). He'll share tips, tricks, and stories from people at the top of the networking field on today's show. Plus, in headlines we'll tackle how one celebrity spiraled into a life of debt. What does that have to do with your money? If you're depressed or love retail therapy, maybe more than you think. Also, does access to retirement planning tools actually make people plan more often? Not shockingly, the answer is yes, but the amount by which the answer is "yes" might surprise you. We'll throw out the Haven Life line to Brenda who has a bunch of 0% debts she wants to pay off. Should she pay them down or just pay the minimum because she isn't paying interest? Of course, we'll also answer some listener mail and if you're lucky, I might top it off with my trivia. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you think you make the best decisions under most circumstances? Today's guest will tell you that if you don't have all of the information, the more adamant you are about your point of view, the easier you are to "beat." Annie Duke was a professional poker player for 20 years, winning many top tier professional tournaments and taking on the best decision makers alive. Equally as important, she brings her academic career in cognitive psychology to bear on decision making that can help you with everything from your investments to your career and more. In our headlines segment, parents are spending TONS of money on their children's extracurricular activities. Beyond avoiding vacations or planning vacations around some of our people, some parents are stopping contributions to their retirement and not putting money in college funds...just for extracurriculars. We'll talk about what harm this does (and maybe have some surprising points of view) on today's show. Plus, it looks like 5% interest rates on mortgages may be right around the corner. Currently, the average interest rate stands at 4.5%. What would a 5% rate do to the financial markets and to your debt load? A recent piece discusses all the different ways we'd be affected overall by higher and higher rates. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Ethan, who wonders about market cap weightings for indexes. Why do people invest in indexes that are weighted heavily toward the biggest components? We also answer a letter from John, who asks about our favorite financial books. What are they? 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 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 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

On today's show we're pulling out all the stops for Joe's 50th birthday! We spend most of the podcast discussing 18 products people shouldn't buy if they want to stop wasting money. Think you can save a few bucks? Then today's show is for your! We also answer Marissa's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. She's wondering about buying a house today vs waiting until the current housing bubble pops? What should she do? On top of that, we'll also share Doug's 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. 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

Eliot Weisman was the manager for stars like Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. He also oversaw Frank Sinatra's estate after the crooner died, which was reportedly worth over $100 million. We'll talk to Eliot about managing celebrities and handling large sums for celebrities, and more. In our headlines segment, we'll compare two pieces, one reporting that robo advisors experienced big outages during one of the market's most volatile days. Meanwhile, in our second piece, Fidelity reports that there were no outages and generally, more people were buying than selling. Is OG buying that? We'll see. Of course we'll have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener David, who wonders about the income limits to make Roth IRA contributions. We'll also answer a listener letter from the mailbag and 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. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring today's show. Compare, ditch, switch and save on student loans, auto loans and more at StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Surprise! How about an introduction to a great new podcast from Wondery? Say hello to Business Wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We don't think much about our past when investing, but our money story until this point is a HUGE driver on how we make decisions with our spending, our cash, our budget, and our saving. Jen Hemphill (Her Money Matters podcast) joins us to talk about the importance of retelling your past money stories, reviewing your current money story, and developing a future money story. What are those? She'll explain all of that on today's show. In our headlines segment, why the heck has the market been so volatile? Experts have been weighing in and we review the reasons ONE big expert provides. Plus, it appears millennials are saving record amounts of money. What does that mean? How does their savings compare with yours? We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Michael, who wonders about his health savings account. If he doesn't have one with any investing options, can he move that money? 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

You've done well with your money. Should you tell people online how well you've done? Maybe even show your 401k balance or your savings account? One piece in today's headlines segment has an opinion, our roundtable team will share theirs on today's podcast! Today Len and Paula are joined by CFP Katie Brewer, who helps us dig into another topic: One millionaire received some FANTASTIC money advice at age 18. We'll ask Katie and our team what the best advice is they received growing up about money. You'll be surprised by their answers. We also answer Scott's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. His parents and in-laws are asking him for money advice. Should he give them advice or send them to a financial planner? On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's 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. 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 does it take to make it to the podium with your pocketbook? Olympic silver medalist Lauryn Williams knows. She's not only the host of the Worth Listening podcast, but also a financial planner...and more important for today's specific pre-Olympics show, silver medalist in the two woman bobsleigh. She'll talk about the keys to winning with your money on today's show! In our headlines segment, it's tax time, and CPA Craig Cody joins us to help you get organized for this year's tax-prep fest. What are the areas most people miss? How do you make sure all the "I"'s are dotted and "T"s crossed? He's got you covered. We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Johnny, who wonders about rolling his old retirement fund into his new pension. We'll also answer a listener letter from the mailbag and score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Thanks to Harry’s for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get your Free Trial Set – go to Harrys.com/SB Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring today's show. Compare, ditch, switch and save on student loans, auto loans and more at StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the FIRE movement dying? One blogger says that it might be, so we bring in our crack team of Paula Pant, Len Penzo and The Other Guy...and well, you'll have to listen to hear whether they agree, won't you? Plus, some bad news out of Bank of America. A popular free checking account is going away. Our contributors may give you some better options if you're looking for a new home for your banking. Speaking of better, we're excited to introduce you to a FinTech company called Better. This mortgage company simplifies the mortgage process. CEO Vishal Garg will not only share his story, but he'll also walk us through how it works. We'll answer someone's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from the mail bag, share Doug's groundhog related 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

The basics of finance ain't easy...at first, but once you jump on and learn them, it's just like riding a bicycle (as mom says). Today we welcome CPA Michele Cagan, whose written a clever Infographic Guide to Personal Finance. She'll take us through a few lessons, from compounding interest to earning more money and spending less. It's a fun interview and a great way to either learn if you're just getting started OR to dust off your knowledge if you're an old finance pro. In our headlines segment, we discuss investors going crazy for stocks--which never ends well. Plus, we talk about active investing. What's the future of active investments? Is it really going to be all robots and automation? One recent piece in the popular press thinks so. We'll discuss it. Of course we'll still throw out the Haven Life line to a lucky listener. This time Bobby asks about 401k management fees. Should he pay a company .6% to manage his stash? We'll also answer a listener letter AND still have time for Doug's trivia. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.com/SB. Thanks also to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring today's show. Compare, ditch, switch and save on student loans, auto loans and more at StackingBenjamins.com/MagnifyMoney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest statistics on romance money scams are out, and oh boy, is mom upset. A whopping 20 percent more people were ripped off last year than the year before, so how do you protect your loved ones? If someone seems like the perfect match but they need money before they agree to meet you...maybe it turns out that they aren't the perfect fit. Today we call Sandra Bernado from Experian on dad's shortwave, and she drops a ton of great ideas for all of us. Plus, in our headlines segment, we'll cover a fishing trip gone bad. How does fishing affect your money? We'll explain. We'll also tackle a recent study showing the perfect retirement strategy. What is it? I don't think the study is, in the words of a classic Princess Bride line, "what you think it is." We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Kirk, who wonders about his debt. They owe money to a few different loans...which should they pay first? Of course, we'll still score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Check out this week’s menu and get $30 OFF —WITH FREE SHIPPING—by going to BlueApron.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

Looking for a new financial show that's fifteen minutes or less? Back from the basement...the same team that brings you Stacking Benjamins debuts a new show...Money in the Morning. Joe Saul-Sehy records two financial headlines daily in front of a Facebook live audience. On today's sample episode: airline prices may soon rise AND the IRS begins accepting tax returns. What do you need to know? We'll talk shopping flights, credit card rewards, tax document organization, and who should help you finish your taxes. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should you pay down your debt or invest? Chris has a very specific question on this topic, and our roundtable team comes charging to the rescue! Also, in our headline segment, we tackle a similar topic...should people focus on early retirement? Not only that...we'll throw in some travel tips to make your next vacation less expensive. We also answer someone's three-oh call for help to the Blooom hotline. On top of that, we'll also answer a letter from another listener, share Doug's 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. 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

Every year we ask Len Penzo's magic 8 ball how the market's going to perform...and more. Today we rewind to our episode a year ago to review the events of 2016 and then make predictions for 2017. If you've never heard our annual "magic 8 ball" episodes, this is a great starting point. On Friday, January 5 we'll be revisiting the eight ball again to see if these predictions came true. How good is the eight ball? You'll have to listen to find out. Happy New Year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We head back in time to 2012, when we asked friends of ours AND top HR writer Laurie Reuttiman what lessons we should have learned from that year. What's funny about this list? It could have been 2017.... Hope you're all having a happy holiday week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do YOU define a "rich" life? Certified Financial Planner Michael F. Kay joined us to talk about his definition, and it's probably MUCH different than yours. This rewind show is from 2016. Hope you enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think your 401k rocks? In our headlines segment today we'll share a story from an author who thinks your retirement plan isn't all that it can be. Should you stop investing? Reduce the amount you save into it? We'll tackle both of those questions with Paula Pant from Afford Anything and Andrew Wang from the new podcast Inspired Money. They'll also help us cap off 2017 with a discussion about 2018. Fewer people are making money-based resolutions. Does that mean our finances are going to be a mess next year? We'll also answer two questions from listeners, share Doug's trivia, and more. Today we'll also introduce you to CollegeBacker. Co-founder Abby Chao joins us to detail the frustrations people have saving for college and how they're working at making 529 plan savings easy. Think it's difficult to save for college? You'll want to listen to today's interview. Can't wait for you to hear all about it. Thanks to HelloFresh and MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

n our MONSTER recap of 2017, Today show money editor Jean Chatzky joins in the fun to share five lessons we should have learned from some of the biggest events of the year. She'll talk about the stock market, data hacks, and...well...we don't want to give them all away, so you'll just have to listen, won't you? Plus, in our headlines segment, our social media correspondent, Jamie Wise from the BUZZ Index, shares news from the crowds of people talking about investing online. He'll share thoughts on the Disney/Fox deal, discuss Target, Valient, and more. We'll also tackle a headline about delegation and wealthy people. How much do wealthy people delegate, and what does that have to do with your money? We'll share details 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 Teddy from Brooklyn, who wonders about switching from a mutual fund from an ETF that tracks the S&P500, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia (who swears he hasn't been NEAR the North Pole lately), and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database AND their SPECIAL DEAL through 12/31) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many people call finding more cash the name of the game, but today's guest, rapper Dee-1, goes further, discussing how passion, courage, and confidence can give you the strength to find your purpose...and then find more money. He'll also talk about mentoring, his new album, and more, on today's show. Bitcoin is back in our headline segment again, as people are financing their house to jump into the deep end on block chain investments. Should you cash in everything and put it in bitcoin? We'll discuss. Plus, we'll tackle how a "min-Madoff" escaped from prison, and also how you can protect yourself from a Madoff-like scandal. Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line, share some amazing trivia from Steve, who's filling in for a mysteriously (and suspiciously) missing Doug. Special thanks to M1Finance for supporting our show. M1Finance is now FREE! Congrats to the team at M1 for that big announcement last week. Thanks also to our friends at HelloFresh for sponsoring the podcast. Receive $30 off your first week of deliveries when you go to HelloFresh.com and use the offer code stacking30. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wait, who? Why is Madonna flying coach? Why would YOU fly coach if you had the money to afford better? We'll talk about that on today's show! Plus, we'll also discuss We also talk to Eddie Lim from Point. What happens if you need money, but all you have available is the equity from your home? Point was created to try and solve that problem. Eddie today comes down to the basement to tell us why in an age when 50% of homeowners can't get government loans, they still can access the money in their homes to solve financial issues. That's not all....we also ship you some free trivia from Doug, ship some answers to your questions on our wrong number voicemail AND also ship you some answers to letters.... Thanks to MagnifyMoney.com for sponsoring Stacking Benjamins! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Taylor Schulte, CFP and his spouse saved over six figures for their dream home, only to find that all of their hard work nearly meant nothing. What went wrong with their real estate transaction? What could you learn from their situation? Taylor shares not only the painful details of his transaction but also important lessons on today's show. Of course, this is a Stacking Benjamins podcast episode, so that ain't all. In our headlines segment, we'll talk about a BIG mistake made by a popular celebrity. Lessons from John Cena being reportedly sued by Ford? We'll share how it affects your money. Plus, we'll also detail how much money parents spend on adult children. Is it enough? We podcast from our mom's basement, so we'll let you decide.... We'll of course have more from the world of financial planning, throw out the Haven Life line to lucky listener Anon, who wonders how to get out of a sticky situation involving a 401k loan, score with some of Doug's delightful trivia, and more. Huge thanks to Roofstock (check out their massive real estate database AND their SPECIAL DEAL through 12/31) and MagnifyMoney.com (when you're comparing financial tools like credit cards and savings accounts) for helping us with today's show. They're awesome companies and if you're not using them, I'm not sure you know what you're missing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today the star of the show is YOU! We're answering your questions about the right way to invest in bonds (that'll go well), goal setting, retirement plan over-contributions, and more! Plus, we'll answer a call from Leo, who tried to play OG and Joe against each other (that'll ALSO go well), with questions about real estate and investing. We'll share tips on networking, bond mutual funds, equations to determine your risk tolerance and long term goals, and more. In our headlines segment, we discuss Green Monday (we didn't even know what the hell green Monday WAS until we read this piece....), plus share some tips from FICO to keep your identity safe while you're shopping, using ATMs, and generally banking. Plus, with the HUGE run up in Bitcoin we detail news about the IRS focusing attention on Bitcoin profits. Just cash in on the big Bitcoin craze? You'll want to listen to today's episode. Plus we'll throw out the Haven Life line, share some amazing trivia from Doug, and more. Special thanks to M1Finance for supporting our show. Use code "stackingbenjamins" and your first year's fee is waived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices