#655: What would you do if, at the age of 23, you found yourself with $70,000 a year leftover after expenses? Would you pour everything into retirement and coast to financial independence, or stockpile a down payment before life gets pricier with kids, a mortgage, and maintenance costs?

This week, we dive into that real-life dilemma and explore how to strike the perfect balance between freedom now and security later.

Along the way, we question whether a 0.40% fee for automated tax-loss harvesting is really worth it, and debate if the rise of mega-corporations means small-cap value investing is dead.

Listener Questions in This Episode

“Julio” asks: How should we split savings between Coast FI and a future down payment, and where should that down payment sit? (01:48)
Lindsay asks: Is 0.40 percent worth it for Fidelity’s tax loss harvesting and how do we unwind back to self managed index funds? (32:31)
Greg asks: If a handful of giants dominate, should we ignore history and tilt to only the top companies instead of broad markets and small cap value? (50:51)

Key Takeaways

The right savings balance may depend less on math and more on clarity about what “home” really means to you
Building a down payment might be the fastest way to reach Coast FI, but not for the reason you’d expect
Parking cash safely is trickier than it sounds, especially when the market tempts you with higher returns
That 0.40 percent fee could be either a silent drag or a smart trade-off, depending on one often-overlooked detail
The rise of mega-caps might look unstoppable, yet history has a way of surprising even the biggest players
True diversification isn’t about predicting winners, it’s about protecting future you from overconfidence today

Chapters

Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising segments. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths.

(00:00) Are we headed for a dystopian future

(01:48) A 23-year-old with a $125k income and a big savings gap

08:52) House price, down payment size, and the numbers that drive the split

(10:47) The savings snowball case, match protection, and timeline trade-offs

(25:14) Where to park the down payment, why cash beats stocks for readiness

(32:31) Is 0.40 percent worth it for tax-loss harvesting

(36:24) Fees versus claimed tax savings, turnover, and exit options

(50:51) Should dystopia change our portfolio

(54:36) Small-cap value beyond tech, acquisitions, and global opportunity

(1:11:02) Optimism, innovation, and why investing still assumes progress

P.S. Got a question? Leave it at https://affordanything.com/voicemail

For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode655

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