The Stacking Benjamins Show

Today we welcome the two-time Emmy award-winning host of Travelscope, Joseph Rosendo to the show to share travel tips as we dust off the suitcases and hopefully get ready to hit the road during the latter part of the year. What should we plan to see? Should we try for more or see less? What does he think about travel groups, packing, and learning the language? We'll discuss FOMO, getting to know diverse people, and even having the right mindset on today's show.Plus, anyone who's ever tried to receive an insurance payout knows how much these companies can drag their feet: the tourism and hospitality industry is discovering their pandemic-related claims aren't going the way they'd hoped in many cases. During our headlines, we'll cover what's been going on behind the scenes, and hopefully, leave you with an urge to go recheck your policies for sneaky language from your insurers.During our Haven Life Line, Stacker Steve left us a Stacking Benjamin's BINGO card worth of trigger points, but we didn't let that stop us! Between automatic contributions, NOT getting caught up in a Robinhood rant (only the second time we passed on that opportunity), and pensions - we definitely took the high road on this one.That's not all! Doug shares his own tips on travel points, shares some trivia, and more. It's just another day in the basement! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Harris has had a front row seat to stress. Over a 10 year career in the National Football League and 4 years as a starting lineman at Notre Dame, he played in plenty of "this is the most important play of all" situations. Now on a quest to help empower people to embrace better financial habits, the former Super Bowl 50 winner joins us today to talk about how to fight stress and how to live with doubt. He'll also share his own story of making plenty of money but still not possessing the systems to hold on to cash.Should this week's changes on Capitol Hill have you worried for your wallet? I won't even make you wait on this one - THE ANSWER IS NO! During today's headline segment we'll tackle a piece stirring up some unfounded fears that your personal finance "hangs in the balance" over the government change in Washington. You should never stick your head in the sand, and ghost the financial markets over the (D) or (R) in your politician's name. Don't take my word for it... just wait for Joe's rant. We'll also share our thoughts on Tesla reaching a 2 TRILLION dollar valuation in two years, and all the reasons that shouldn't matter at all for your portfolio, even if your friends say otherwise.Plus, not sure if you should pay off your home early? During our Haven Life Line we'll answer a voicemail from one listener weighing the pro and cons of paying off a mortgage on a house they'll only live in for another five years. They ask, should they instead save their extra Benjamins for the next move? Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're all tired of hearing about what a "dumpster fire" 2020 was. How do we reboot the computer, restart the machine, refresh the situation, and re-fire our financial engine? That's our topic today, and OG, Paula Pant (AffordAnything), and special guest Roger Whitney (Retirement Answer Man) all have helpful ideas about getting back on track.Halfway through the show we're excited to talk to our old friend (and Joe's co-host on the Money Tree podcast), Doug Goldstein. Doug's created a constant happiness journal. If you've been waiting for the perfect journal to have a more happy 2021 and beyond, Doug will share with you why he created this, how to best use a journal, and why journaling works for so many people.Finally, on our MagnifyMoney.com question of the episode: Jon is thinking about college costs for his four kids. He's heard the Stacking Benjamins expert, Pam Andrews (the Scholarship Shar), say that a HELOC, or equity in the home, can't be factored into the FASFA. Jon's kids are in private school and have to do something like FAFSA. Jon has $60,000 in savings and is thinking about putting two-thirds of the savings into a HELOC, to possibly get financial aid. Thoughts? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former CEO of Honeywell, David Cote, discusses balancing present and future goals. The hosts share personal experiences with cryptocurrencies and answer a listener's question about taxes. They also talk about improving credit and gaming the system, while highlighting the importance of fixing credit. The podcast emphasizes clear financial planning goals, focusing on Satya Nadella's success at Microsoft. They discuss the impact of fuzzy thinking and setting specific goals, as well as paying taxes on unemployment benefits. The chapter also warns about the unpredictable nature of the cryptocurrency market.

Know those people who say you need a 4-year university degree to reach success and financial independence? Our guest, Myra Oliver, has a thing or two to say about that. She's worked as a hairstylist, real estate broker, and now is our resident financial coach on today's show. Myra knew she didn't need a degree to reach her goals of financial freedom. Today Myra will share her story about working hard toward success. She shares stories about how she learned quickly how to bring in more money, how she manages real estate, surrounding herself with the right people, and how she and her husband were able to retire from their traditional jobs by age 33."You have to do what others won't, to get what you want." - Myra Oliver's mantra.Plan on leaving something behind for your loved ones? Get your financial house in order first. We recently covered how former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh passed away without a will, but you may remember Prince also didn't have a will. (Yes, we also talked about Prince way back in 2016). It turns out, that case is still ongoing, and the IRS believes Prince's estate owes over $32 million in federal taxes, based on a new valuation. During our headlines, we'll give you plenty of reasons to get your legacy in order today.Plus, can you make 2020 Roth IRA contributions until Tax Day 2021 if you're already paying taxes for the new year? Stacker Josh calls in today with a voicemail for the Haven Life Line telling us he'd rather get it right now than have to deal with the IRS later... can't fault him on that logic.As always, we'll also save some time for Doug's trivia, and much, much more. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we stay focused on goal setting. We're turning our attention to our group of financial media members and asking them how THEY are achieving their own goals. They'll share how they communicate, hold family members accountable, and stay on track. Joining us today is special guest and host of the Seven Figures podcast, Sandy Waters; Paula pant from the Afford Anything podcast, and Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com.Halfway through the show, we'll give our contributors a break while we sit down with health and wellness expert Angelo Poli from MetPro.co. With the holidays over and the new year here, Angelo has some great tips to fatten up your wallet while you trim down the waistline. How are you going to grow your net worth without a healthy body to keep you focused on the prize? We'll share how.Plus, how can early retirees make sure they have enough reserves in the bank to take care of emergencies down the road? During the MagnifyMoney segment, our contributors drop some knowledge for Laura, who called in asking about preparing for early retirement with a preexisting condition.Plus we'll save time for all-new game show trivia from the big man himself, Doug. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rules. When things go wrong we think, "We should make some more guidelines. That'll help people keep things moving." However, Netflix decided that rules might be the problem, so they eliminated many of them. Study after study shows that Netflix employees report high satisfaction with their jobs and perform at a highly productive rate. So how do they do it? Today we'll talk to Erin Meyer, co-author (with co-founder Reed Hastings), of a new book on the topic. Whether you manage a family, a department, or are an entrepreneur, today's interview will help you earn more and manage tasks (and people) more effectively.Plus, in our headlines segment, we'll detail a different way of gifting money. MacKenzie Scott gave away $6 billion in 2020 without asking for buildings to be named after her. She gave it quickly and effectively, many say. But if you're giving away money, what oversight should YOU employ before turning over your hard-earned money? We'll share what you need to know, plus in our second headline, we'll review a recent Securities and Exchange Commission ruling approving testimonials in advisor's advertising. How will that change marketing? Possibly, a lot. We'll explain.Of course, we'll also throw out the Haven Life line to Brad, who's retiring but still wants to max out his HSA contributions for the year. Are there any rules he needs to be aware of? In, fact, there are! OG will explain. Don't worry! We'll also save time for Doug's trivia question.Mom says hello! Enjoy the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us start each year looking at external goals, such as "What can I gain," or "How can I achieve...", but after the dumpster fire we just experienced last year, we think the best place to begin 2021 is to look INWARD. If you know yourself better, you'll be able to address your strengths and cover your weaknesses. On today's show, Rachel Cruze joins us to tackle your money history and how your family, upbringing, and past mistakes can help you become a more powerful saver, spender and earner this year and beyond. It's a powerful interview and we're excited to help you avoid the shame, remorse, and guilt that many of us feel around our financial lives."You can change yourself and you can change your habits." - Rachel CruzeIn our headlines segment, we'll discuss the tremendous pressure many students feel to go to college, by tackling one star who just emerged from her prison sentence. We'll also tackle the new Social Security rules for 2021. While there are lots of changes, even if you aren't yet receiving Social Security benefits, we'll widen this topic to share some best practices when it's your turn to apply.During the Haven Life Line we'll take an answer from Eric, who has questions on HSA contribution limits. While his wife has an FSA, Eric has an HSA for him and his son. Eric asks: does he fall under the single contribution limit, or is he covered by the family limits?Of course, Doug will share another fantastic trivia question, and there's much, much more.Happy New Year! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wish you knew what the future held? Us too! While we can only foresee the future as well as the next guy, our brilliant, all-knowing device is all fired up and ready to go to kick off your 2021. That's right, this is our annual Magic 8-Ball episode, where we look back on the events of 2020 and ask a plastic, Walmart-purchased kid's toy what it thinks will happen over the next 12 months. For those of you stumbling onto this show for the first time you're in for a treat: each January for the last many, many years, we've asked Len Penzo's Magic 8-ball to predict what's in store, and during the early years, this little ball was EERILY accurate. BUT, not only will we take a look back to see how well the 8-ball predicated 2020's events (and really, who could have guessed this year?), we'll also implore the 8-ball to reveal the secrets of the upcoming year.Plus, for those of you getting serious about your personal finance resolutions, we'll ask the headmaster of the Stacking Benjamins Money Club, Aaron Velky for his best advice during today's fintech segment. One thing we already know: having accountability makes achieving your goals that much easier.Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to our final show of 2020! We're finishing our the year that seemed like it would never end with another classic episode from 2014. Long-time listeners may remember our interview with one-half of the two man Cannonball Run crew, and new listeners will appreciate this one. Just remember, the show format was a little different back then.Make sure to tune in tomorrow for our very first (brand new!) episode of 2021: our Magic 8-ball show with Len Penzo. Long time fans love this show year after year, and with all the madness that was 2020, you'll definitely want to see how the 8-ball's predictions have stood against the test of time.You can read our original show notes for today's episode below:While OG is moving across country, we thought we’d bring you a cross country adventure episode!Ed Bolian did something you wish you’d also done – he drove coast to coast in a modified Mercedes…..in just over 28 hours. How did he do it? Ed shares his crazy story on this week’s episode.Suzanne Lucas, the Evil HR Lady, is BACK with a horror story about 401k loans.Sandy Smith (Yes, I Am Cheap!) joins Len and Paula on the roundtable to discuss 33 reasons your finances are a mess, plus Len and Joe read and answer your letters and discuss a couple movies.Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices