Ask Paula: I Sold All My Stocks Last Year. Now I'm Kicking Myself
Aug 16, 2023
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Angie, who sold all her stocks last year, seeks advice on what to do with her $500,000 cash position. Christina wonders if she should refinance her student debt. A caller asks about how Paula and Joe handled their primary residences when moving out of state. Topics include panic selling, navigating financial news, paying off student loans, refinancing considerations, selling properties, living without possessions, and building towards financial independence.
Panic selling investments can have negative consequences and it's important to focus on long-term goals.
Trying to time the market is futile; ignore financial headlines and focus on your own financial goals and plans.
When deciding whether to refinance student loans, consider individual goals, risk tolerance, and financial stability.
Deep dives
Importance of Not Panic Selling Investments
The podcast episode emphasizes the importance of not panic selling investments, highlighting the negative consequences that can arise from succumbing to fear and making impulsive decisions. The speaker shares personal experiences as a financial advisor, witnessing the detrimental effects of panic selling on clients' portfolios. They emphasize the need to focus on long-term goals, ignore short-term market fluctuations, and strategically invest based on historical trends.
Timing the Market and Financial Headlines
The episode explores the futility of trying to time the market and the influence of financial headlines on investment decisions. The speaker dispels the myth that it's possible to predict market movements and highlights the biased nature of financial news, which tends to focus on negativity. They encourage listeners to ignore financial headlines, maintain a long-term perspective, and focus on their own financial goals and plans.
Refinancing Student Loans and Financial Decision-Making
The podcast episode addresses a listener's question about refinancing student loans and provides insights into effective financial decision-making. The speaker discusses the benefits of refinancing, such as lower interest rates and simplified management, while also considering the importance of maintaining federal loan benefits like payment pauses and forgiveness options. They emphasize the need to assess individual goals, risk tolerance, and financial stability when deciding whether to refinance. The importance of personally defined repayment goals and strategies is highlighted, focusing on minimizing total repayment while also achieving debt-free status.
Aggressively paying off student loans
The podcast discusses the importance of aggressively paying off student loans instead of opting for income-driven repayment programs. The speaker emphasizes the need to shovel money towards loan repayment, without relying on forgiveness at the end of a lengthy repayment period.
Creating a sample budget for future planning
The podcast advises creating a sample budget to determine how much money can be allocated towards student loan repayment each month. By doing this, individuals gain clarity on their financial commitments and can make informed decisions about other expenses, such as housing and transportation.
#457: Angie sold all the stocks in her retirement account last year. And now the market’s climbing. What should she do with her $500,000 cash position?
Christina will be graduating with six figures of student debt. Should she refinance out of a federally protected loan to lower her interest rate?
An anonymous caller wonders how Paula and Joe handled their primary residences when they moved out of state.
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these four questions in today’s episode.