The Rob Berger Show

With the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I've received a lot of questions about FDIC insurance. In this video, we'll cover the basics of how FDIC insurance works. I'll also show you a free tool from the FDIC you can use to calculate your FDIC coverage.Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...FDIC FAQ: https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/reso...FDIC Calculator (EDIE): https://edie.fdic.gov/

In December 2020, Vanguard made some changes to its Target Date Funds. The changes benefits large, institutional investors by lowering costs. But it hurt small, retail investors who held target funds in taxable accounts. The result was that in 2021, these small investors got hit with massive capital gains.In response, a class action lawsuit was filed against Vanguard and related parties. The defendants moved to dismiss the case. They argued that the plaintiffs didn't have standing to sue, meaning they hadn't been harmed. Vanguard even went so far as to claim that the capital gains hit benefited the small investors because, theoretically, they may have to pay even more at some point in the future.Vanguard also moved to dismiss the case, arguing that it hadn't breached any duties of care or loyalty to the investors.The judge in the case has ruled largely in favor of the plaintiffs. The case will be forward to the next phase--discovery.Here's a copy of the judge's ruling: https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/d...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

A viewer asked me a series of questions about the nuts and bolts of using the 4% Rule. I do my best to respond to his questions in this episode. Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Many things change when we retire. There’s the obvious change–we stop working. And there’s a less obvious change–how we approach cash.Before retirement, we might have an emergency fund of three to six months’ worth of living expenses. After retirement, we need cash for so much more. The ideal cash reserve depends on individual circumstances, including income stability, potential emergencies, and comfort level during market volatility.In this episode, I’ll walk through the seven main reasons retirees hold cash. For each, we’ll look at how much cash one should have for each reason and the type of account best suited to hold the cash.

You enter your income, expenses, investments, and liabilities into your favorite retirement planner. You click a button, the software does some kind of calculation, and out pops a single number.It may be 87%. Maybe it’s 72%. Or it could be 15%. Whatever the number, you’re told it represents your retirement plan’s “Chance of Success.”What exactly does that mean? How is it calculated? And what “Chance of Success” should you aim for? We’ll tackle these and other questions in this video.You'll find my article on this topic as well as links to the tools I use in this video in this article: https://robberger.com/decoding-the-ch...

The treasury department released the new I Bond rates today. They came in at 4.28%, which included a fixed rate of 1.30%, unchanged from the previous six months. https://treasurydirect.gov/savings-bo...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Several years ago, I stumbled upon a quote from Dave Ramsey about credit card rewards. I’ll never forget those 11 words. :“No one ever says they got rich off of credit card points.”As I read his words, I knew immediately that he was wrong. One could build wealth through credit card rewards. In this sense, credit card rewards aren’t special. Saving and investing small amounts of money from any source over time will turn into piles of cash. We just need to allow compounding to work its magic.It was then that the idea of Rewards Stacking was born. Over the past four years, we’ve saved and invested all our credit card rewards. Our balance now stands at $37,834.55.While that doesn’t make us rich (yet), it’s an impressive sum, particularly when you consider that it required no sacrifice on our part. It wasn’t about cutting back or working harder—just saving and investing the free money credit card issuers send us every month.In this video, I’ll share exactly how we did it and, more importantly, how you can do it, too.Rewards Stacking: https://www.allcards.com/rewards-stac...Robinhood Gold Card (Referral Link): https://robinhood.com/creditcard/?ref...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

The discussion compares three major investing platforms: Fidelity, Vanguard, and Schwab, based on over 20 years of experience. Fidelity excels in usability, offering top-notch website and app features. Cash management setups differ significantly, with Fidelity providing attractive options. Customer service shows Fidelity and Schwab outperforming Vanguard. Fidelity also leads in account types, especially for HSAs. Ultimately, Fidelity comes highly recommended, with Schwab as a close second, while Vanguard lags behind in tech and support.

Robinhood is promoting up to a 3% match on IRA contributions, and for a limited time, a 3% match on IRA transfers. A viewer asked me if I thought this was a good deal. In this video I'll share my thoughts on the program, some of the things to look out for, and why I ultimately decided not to transfer my IRAs to Robinhood.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

Retirement isn't always a sunny walk in the park. While I have no regrets that I retired in my 50s, it hasn't been without its challenges. Here are 7 lessons learned after four years of retirement.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...