Catching Up to FI

Join Captain FI, an Australian blogger and podcaster, as he co-hosts live from Bali's FI Freedom Retreat. He shares his awe-inspiring FIRE journey and why community matters in the journey to financial independence. Meet Claire, who learned to trust her gut after a major life reset, and Michael, who chose a nomadic lifestyle, embracing experiences over perfection. Val reflects on her transformative gap year from Hong Kong, encouraging listeners to seize life experiences now rather than later. It's a celebration of shared global FI stories, insights, and connections!

Dr. Brad Klontz, a financial psychologist and bestselling author, shares insights on the psychology of money and its impact on behavior. He explains why many financial issues stem from mindset rather than math skills. Klontz highlights four money scripts—avoidance, worship, status, and vigilance—and discusses how they affect our financial health. He emphasizes the power of an internal locus of control for wealth building and encourages listeners to redefine their relationship with money. Visualizing financial goals can lead to better savings, offering a no-nonsense roadmap to financial freedom.

On July 4th, 2025 an 870-page tax bill called the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' (OBBBA) was signed into to law. Some parts have been heavily discussed and others not so much. So we dug around ourselves and pulled out some hidden messages you may have missed that could have major implications to your FI (Financial Independence) journey. 👉🏽 Updates to 2017 'Tax Cuts and Jobs Act' Makes permanent the lowered individual tax brackets established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and keeps the larger standard deduction in place. Also makes permanent the higher lifetime estate gift tax exemption and increases it to $15 million for single & $30 million for married couples in 2026 (indexed to Inflation). 👉🏽 Updates to 2021 'American Rescue Plan' Expiration of the Enhanced ACA premium subsidies (not directly in the bill, it's just not being extended). The lowered premiums will expire and revert back to pre-covid levels. The Subsidy Cliff will be back in play starting 1/1/26. This is a major part of the negotiation with the current federal government shutdown so may be subject to change. We cover these topics in the new law: Increased Standard Deduction Extra Senior Deduction SALT (State And Local Tax) Deduction Cap Raised Changes with HSA (Health Savings Account) qualifications Child Tax Credit, Dependent Care FSAs, & Dependent Tax Credit Introduction of Child Savings Accounts 529 College Savings Plan Enhancements Deduction for Charitable Contributions Deduction (even if you take the standard deduction) New Temporary Deductions (2025–2028), Even for those who don't itemize Overhaul of Student Loans 📩 Sign up for our newsletter (NEW!) 🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website 🔗Connect with us ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee" 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question ===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS=== 🆕NEW PARTNER: Alloy The Alloy Market offers a seamless and efficient way to sell your gold, silver, and platinum jewelry, regardless of its condition. They are committed to transparency and fairness, ensuring you get the best possible value for your items. Use this special Link and enter code CUTOFI15 to get a $15 bonus when you sell items over $199 (limited time offer). For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) 🌐Full Text of the Bill signed into law on 7/4/25 Newsletter with OBBBA Tax Law Toolkit Includes additional content from trusted resources & experts) IRS Factsheet for OBBBA Key Elements: 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' from CFP Board Newsletter with OBBBA Tax Law Toolkit (Includes additional content from trusted resources and experts) ⏰ 'Catching Up to FI' Episodes Banishing The Burden of Student Loan Debt | Travis Hornsby | 122 A Hero's Journey: Krista & Ed, The Mother of All Case Studies! | Krista and Ed Kim | 97 Millennial Revolution is in The House! | Kristy Shen, Bryce Leung & Little Matchstick | 93 If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! ⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

Jackie joins our friends to the north in Canada for a live taping of TD Direct Investing's 'Inside Investing', turning her late-starter playbook into a friendly masterclass for Canadians and Americans alike. Host Rob Moysey tees up her arc—divorce in her 30s with ~$20k in retirement savings, millionaire a decade later, retired at 49. Jackie fills in the human bits: purpose after FI, why 'precision is not required,' and how a BetterInvesting club cured her market fear. She also walks through: The simple engine that did the work: Maxing out an employer retirement plan, Roth IRA, and HSA in low-cost index funds The math behind her Financial Independence target (25× annual expenses ≈ $1M on ~$40k/yr) How she kept joy in the journey while saving ~$3k/month The kicker: despite five years of withdrawals in retirement, her net worth rose from $1.3M (Dec 2019) to ~$2.1M (July 2025). The message lands like a hug and a nudge—know your numbers, automate the boring stuff, and retire TO something. 📩 Sign up for our newsletter (NEW!) 🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website 🔗Connect with us ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee" 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question ===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial. 👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started: Go.boldin.com/catchingup For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) 🌐Jackie's website FInomenalWoman.com 📕F.I.R.E. For Dummies 📘Money Letters 2 My Daughter 📈Jackie's Investment Club through BetterInvesting.org 📺 TD Direct Investing YouTube ⏰ 'Catching Up to FI' Episodes From Poverty to Wealth and Early Retirement | Jackie Cummings Koski | 007 If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! ⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

In a groundbreaking episode, Jane Collins, a former dance teacher, and her daughter Jessica, a fitness entrepreneur and ex-tech sales pro, share their unique insights on financial independence. They reveal how growing up with JL Collins shaped their money habits, emphasizing the importance of experiences over material goods. Jessica recounts her youthful financial lessons and the challenge of delayed car ownership. They also discuss charitable values, early investing habits, and their family's dedication to debt-free living, illustrating how financial education fosters a legacy.

Dana Anspach, a CFP and founder of Sensible Money, and Fritz Gilbert, creator of The Retirement Manifesto, delve into the nuances of transitioning from saving to spending in retirement. They explore the intricacies of drawdown strategies and emphasize that success hinges on a hundred small financial decisions. Key discussions include managing taxes, understanding social security's impact, and avoiding common pitfalls that lead to underspending. Their big takeaway? Document your plan, automate cash flow, and enjoy life’s ‘go-go’ years.

Carl Richards, a CFP and visual artist known for his Sketch Guy column in The New York Times, delves into the emotional aspects of money. He reveals how we unintentionally structure our lives around finances, often sidelining health and relationships. Discussing the concept of 'enough,' he emphasizes it's about mindset, not a figure. The conversation explores how money can't fulfill our deeper needs like love or self-worth, and introduces his book, filled with sketches that foster meaningful discussions about finances and life.

In this enlightening discussion, Bill Bengen, a renowned retirement researcher and creator of the original 4% rule, shares insights from his new book, A Richer Retirement. Joined by his wife, Barbara, they reveal their love story before diving into essential strategies for managing a successful retirement withdrawal plan. Bill explains the evolution of the 4% rule to 4.7%, discusses the impact of valuation and inflation, and offers guidance for late starters on how to balance saving and enjoying life. A must-listen for future retirees!

The average financial planner is about 56 years old, but 25-year-old Emma Von Weise got a running start learning about money as a teenager and is now one of the youngest CFP professionals in the US. She shares how she became money savvy so early and what influences impacted her the most. She isn't here to judge the rest of us who started late, but to help us make up for lost time—with humor, heart, and practical advice that meets you exactly where you are. In this episode, we discuss: Emma's money story and early financial literacy The spark that led to a career in financial planning at such a young age Why she is an old soul that just loves working with retirees Modern day Continuing-Care Retirement Communities 📩 Sign up for our newsletter (NEW!) 🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website 🔗Connect with us ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee" 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question ===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS=== 🆕Big changes with student loans in the new budget bill that just passed. Get help from the experts at Student Loan Planner, all CFP®, CFA and CSLP® professionals. They charge a one-time fee for their thorough review. Our listeners receive $100 off a 1:1 consult using the link below. Flat fee is normally $595, but after your $100 off 'Catching Up to FI' discount, it's $495. 👉🏼 Be sure to use this link: studentloanplanner.com/catchingup For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) Charity: 3rd Decade 🌐 Focus Partners Wealth If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! ⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

Darrow Kirkpatrick retired from a 29-year career in civil and software engineering in April 2011 at the age of 50 and started the blog 'Can I Retire Yet' that same year. The Blog was one of the first in the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) space and focuses on the personal finance needs of anyone who is thinking about retirement or early retirement. He joins us for a deeply human masterclass on retiring, drawing down without drama, and pursuing hard goals the slow, sane way. In this episode, Darrow shares with us: The origins of his blog 'Can I Retire Yet?' How a nervous breakdown derailed his career His six-year, section-by-section completion of the Colorado Trail on forearm crutches The inspiration behind his new book 'Two Sticks One Path' 📩 Sign up for our newsletter (NEW!) 🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website 🔗Connect with us ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee" 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) Charities: National Alliance on Mental Illness The Colorado Trail 🌐 Can I Retire Yet? 🌐Trail Memoir 📗 Two Sticks, One Path 📘 Can I Retire Yet? 📕 Retiring Sooner Critique circle (Online Writing Workshop) Lessons Learned from Writing a Book Pralana- Personal Financial Modeling ⏰ 'Catching Up to FI' Episodes The Powers of Starting Late, Retirement Calculators, and More | Chris Mamula | 086 Sustainable FIlosophy with Mr. Money Mustache | Pete Adeney | 073 ===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial. 👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started: Go.boldin.com/catchingup Personal Finance Club: Use code CUTOFI to get $30 OFF any course or PFC investing course only Nectarine: Advice-Only and Flat-Fee Hourly Fiduciary Financial Advisors (Catching Up to FI will be compensated by Nectarine if you use our affiliate link, which creates an incentive and conflict of interest. We are not current clients or employees of Nectarine.) For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! ⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.