Afford Anything

#124: Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer five questions about investing, retirement, insurance, travel and selling an expensive car. Eliana is 25 and makes $63,000 per year, plus a little extra from freelance work. She holds $95,000 in cash, $67,000 in retirement investments, and no debt. She doesn't necessarily hold early retirement as a goal, but she'd like the option to access her funds before she's 59-and-a-half. She asks two questions: First, she's been spreading her money between a Roth IRA, pre-tax 403b, and taxable brokerage account to spread her risk. Should she not contribute so much to the taxable account? She's also paying $88 per month for a $25,000 life insurance policy for her mother, who is 57 years old. She likes the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing it'll be there to cover funeral expenses, if needed. But she recognizes that there's a huge opportunity cost that comes from paying for such an expensive plan. Should she drop it? Rudy's employer offers two options: a pension or a retirement plan that essentially functions as an annuity. He would need to contribute 3 percent of his income, regardless of which option he chooses. Which one should he pick? Nicole lives in Canada. She has a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), to which she contributes monthly. She's been with her employer for almost 10 years, but she's about to switch into a new field. She'll have about $45,000 in a pension plan from the employer that she's leaving. What should she do with this money? Julie is a frugal single mom of two. Four months ago, she purchased a brand-new vehicle for $39,000 and instantly regretted it. She'd like to sell it, but she could only recoup around $33,000 of value. She'd lose $6,000 from a car she's owned for 4 months. Should she take the hit? Or should she hang onto her car, since the damage has already been done? Finally, an anonymous caller wants to know more about long-term travel. How do you acquire visas that will let you stay in a country for many months? How do you find health insurance with overseas coverage? And what should you do with your snail mail? We tackle these questions in today's episode. Enjoy! ________ Resources Mentioned: Julie's question: Articles on selling a car, private party: https://www.edmunds.com/sell-car/10-steps-to-selling-your-car.html https://www.edmunds.com/sell-car/sell-your-car-safely.html https://www.edmunds.com/sell-car/how-to-close-a-used-car-sale.html Articles on buying a car, private party: https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/buying-a-car-sight-unseen.html https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/10-steps-to-buying-a-used-car.html Travel question: Overseas health insurance: - https://www.imglobal.com/travel-medical-insurance - https://www.gninsurance.com/international-travel-health-insurance-plans - https://www.geobluetravelinsurance.com/product_overview.cfm How to handle mail while overseas: https://www.earthclassmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#123: In the 1970's, a woman named Vicki Robin teamed up with a man named Joe Dominguez. They came from different backgrounds: she was an Ivy League graduate with a comfortable upbringing; he was raised in Spanish Harlem on "welfare cheese." But they shared one common thread: a commitment to financial independence, not just as a money management strategy, but as a philosophy on life. Vicki and Joe became partners in both work and life. They united over a definition of "FI" that expanded beyond paying your bills through your savings and investments. They saw FI as a lifestyle that exists in three dimensions: 1: Financial Intelligence -- Your ability to think about money in an objective, unbiased and non-emotional manner. 2: Financial Integrity -- Your ability to earn and spend in a manner that's consistent with your values, and to stay aware of the impact of your earning/spending choices on yourself, your family and your planet. 3: Financial Independence -- Your ability to break the shackles of paycheck dependence, and ALSO your ability to declare independence from limiting beliefs, fears, and the perception that money will solve your problems. In 1992, Vicki and Joe co-authored a book called Your Money or Your Life, outlining the FI philosophy. Their book became a mega-bestseller, selling more than one million copies. It landed on the New York Times bestseller list and spent more than 5 years on the BusinessWeek bestseller list. Oprah Winfrey said: "This is a wonderful book. It can really change your life." Vicki and Joe devoted the next five years to spreading the message of FI. They appeared on hundreds of TV and radio shows, including Oprah, Good Morning America, and NPR. They were written about in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and Newsweek. Joe passed away in 1997, and Vicki continued spreading the FI message for another five years, before her cancer diagnosis caused her to take a step back. Today, Vicki is 72, healthy, and still spreading the FI message. And she'd like to discuss a fourth dimension to FI: 4: Financial Interdepedence -- Your ability to live within a flow of giving and receiving. Interdependence comes from our relationship with our communities, our nation, and the natural world. In today's podcast episode, Vicki discusses how we can move from financial independence to financial interdependence. Enjoy! For more, go to http://affordanything.com/session123 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#122: Tony lives in Chicago, where the returns on rental properties are so-so. He's thinking about investing in Indianapolis, where he consistently finds rental properties with cap rates that are greater than 8 percent. Should he invest locally, so that he can get a primary residence mortgage and keep a closer eye on the space? Or should he invest out-of-state, where the returns are stronger? Dan lives in California. He's curious: where should he look for rental properties? And when should he buy? Dan holds $150,000 in a savings account and carries a mortgage and car loan with less-than-2-percent interest rates. Should he continue saving, or is he ready to take the plunge? Isaiah and his friends want to buy a plot of land and build two yurts, complete with internal bathrooms and kitchenettes. They estimate this will cost $120,000 and they can Airbnb the yurts for $100 per night. They'd like this to be a hybrid between an investment and a personal vacation spot. Should they do it? Evelyn lives in Brooklyn, where she's an Airbnb host within her primary residence. She'd like to sell her home and she expects to clear $1 million in equity. What should she do with this windfall? She holds $100,000 in a SEP-IRA and $10,000 in credit card debt, and she can't qualify for another mortgage. I tackle these questions on today's episode. Enjoy! For more information, visit the show notes at http://affordanything.com/episode122 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#121: After Liz Thames graduated from college, she couldn't find a job. "Nowhere would hire me," Thames says. "I had what I thought was this nice resume, and I sent out over 50 applications. Nowhere called me back." She took a temporary job at a document-scanning agency, then joined Americorps to serve as a full-time volunteer in a low-income neighborhood in Brooklyn. She lived on a stipend of $10,000 annually, plus food stamps and a transit pass. She saved $2,000 from her $10,000 stipend, while paying rent in New York. To say that Thames is a natural saver is an understatement. Her frugality stayed intact throughout her twenties. She got married, earned a free masters degree and advanced into higher-paying roles. But she and her husband, who was equally frugal, continued saving as much as possible -- at times pushing their savings rate to as high as 70 percent of their income. When they were 30, they decided to shoot for financial independence. They shared a dream of moving to a rural farm, where they could raise children and spend everyday outdoors. By age 32, they achieved financial independence. Their investment portfolio is robust enough that they could draw down, in perpetuity, for the rest of their lives. They rented out their home in Cambridge, quit their office jobs, and moved to a 66-acre farm in Vermont. These days, they live on a combination of their rental income and 'side hustle' income from their blog, Frugalwoods. They have two children. Today, Liz joins me on the Afford Anything podcast to share the story of how she and her husband achieved financial independence by age 32. Resources Mentioned: Book: Meet the Frugalwoods Website: Frugalwoods.com   For more information, visit the show notes at http://affordanything.com/episode121 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#120: Roger Whitney, age 51, calls himself The Retirement Answer Man. As a financial planner, investment analyst and podcast host, he focuses on helping Baby Boomers craft a traditional (past-age-60) retirement. Today, he joins me to answer two questions that come in from our community. Our first question is from Emily, who says: “I’m trying to help my mom decide if she should retire.” “My dad was a CPA and then a CFO, making great money, until 16 years ago when he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers. My mom never took care of their finances before, or knew anything them … she took a few years to get everything in order, but during that time, they burnt through their retirement savings.” Their house sold in fall 2009, for just enough money to cover their mortgage balance and keep another $75,000 to invest. Today, Emily’s mom is 64 and wants to retire. She’d like to use her small investment balance to buy a home outright, in cash, so she won’t have to worry about rent or mortgage in retirement. Emily’s recommendation is that her mom waits until she’s 65 so she gets Medicare. But what if market correction happens? Will they regret not cashing out the investment at the peak? Our second question is from Yvonne, who asks: I’m 52, and I’m going to retire at age 53-and-a-half. (Hooray!!) I’ve been getting notices from Social Security, telling me that “if I keep working” until age 62, or 65, my payment will be such-and-such amount. The key words, of course, are “if I keep working.” How will an early retirement affect my Social Security benefits? ___ After taking these two calls, Roger and I chat about his new book, Rock Retirement. We’re also GIVING AWAY 10 FREE COPIES of Rock Retirement. To enter the contest, go to http://Instagram.com/paulapant, follow the account, find the photo of the book cover, and like and comment on that photo. We’ll pick 10 lucky winners who will receive a free copy of the book in the mail. The contest entry deadline is Sunday, March 18th, 2018 at 5 pm Pacific. Winners will be notified by direct message (DM) on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Wade Pfau, a retirement income professor, shares intriguing insights on the complexities of retirement planning. He challenges the traditional 4% withdrawal rule, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and the potential need for part-time work. Pfau discusses the 'Four L's' of retirement—lifestyle, longevity, liquidity, and legacy—encouraging a fresh approach to risk management. He also introduces innovative strategies like the U-shaped stock allocation to navigate financial volatility, ensuring a more secure and fulfilling retirement.

#118: Questions -- I get questions! Today, I’m tackling four queries about real estate investing that come from the audience. Here are the details: Sam says: I work full-time and I’m not handy, so I definitely need a property manager. I’ve found an amazing property management company, but they only serve a small, specific neighborhood. Should I buy a property in this neighborhood so that I can use this fantastic property management company? Terri asks: I’ve heard that if you’re above a certain income level, you’re unable to carry-over losses from your income property. My accountant says it doesn’t make sense to buy a rental property if you can’t carry-over losses. Is this true? Anonymous asks: I’d like to buy my first rental property when I’m in graduate school. I’ll live in one room and rent out the other. What should I consider? Noelle says: We’d like to sell our home, and use the proceeds to pay cash for a foreclosure in the South. How do we find a foreclosure or short sale? We cover these questions in today’s episode. Enjoy! _____ Resources Mentioned: Amazon - nolo every landlord's tax deduction guide https://www.nar.realtor/rofindrealtor.nsf/pages/fs_sfrspec?OpenDocument Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#117: My friend and financial expert Farnoosh Torabi joins me to answer a relationship & money question from a listener named Janice.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Janice is engaged, and she calls to ask: Should she get married?⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ She earns double what her fiancé makes. She has no debt except her mortgage. Her retirement accounts are well-funded. He makes half of her salary. He’s carrying $20,000 in credit card and student loan debt. He has two children from a previous marriage and pays 25 percent of his income to child support. He has zero retirement savings other than his state-funded teachers pension. They’ve been together for 8 years and engaged for three. But she’s unsure about whether or not she should walk down the aisle. Should they get married? Is this a smart financial decision?⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Farnoosh and I both tackle this question together — and we disagree on some points, which makes this conversation better!! Farnoosh is the bestselling author of When She Makes More, a book that takes an in-depth look at households in which the woman earns more than the man. She hosted a primetime show on CNBC, makes regular appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America, and writes a monthly financial column for O, The Oprah Magazine. She’s a former reporter for Money Magazine. She's the perfect guest for a conversation about relationships, marriage, money, debt, family.⠀ Enjoy!⠀ For more information, visit the show notes at http://affordanything.com/episode117 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#116: Stacy and her boyfriend would like to downsize to one vehicle. But they're collectively $14,500 underwater on their car loans. 
 Stacy owes $11,000 on her car, but its trade-in value is $7,200. She's paying a 12.74% interest rate and her payoff date is 2021.  
 Her boyfriend is in worse shape. He owes $18,500 on his vehicle, but its trade-in value is $7,800. He's paying a 21.5% interest rate and his payoff date is 2022. 
 Theoretically, they could sell Stacy's car to a private party, and she could pay off the rest of her loan. But the boyfriend's car is not in great shape, and probably won't survive for the next couple of years. And neither of them have found better refinancing deals. 
 What should Stacy and her boyfriend do? 
 _____ 
 Rachel earns $65,000 per year. She’s 27 years old, contributes 20 percent to her retirement account, and holds $5,000 in savings.  
 She owes $19,000 on a car loan, at a 4 percent interest rate, and $170,000 on student loans, all with different interest rates, but the highest at 7.9 percent. 
 She’s hesitant to consolidate her student loans, because she’s currently on a government plan that gives her flexibility, and she doesn’t want to switch into a plan that requires her to make a fixed monthly payment. 
 She’d like to know if she should use her savings to invest, or repay her loans. 
 _____ 
 Misty is 40 and has no retirement savings. She lives overseas and is able to save about $20,000 per year. She plans on living overseas for a couple more years before returning to the United States. 
 Her employer doesn’t offer any retirement benefits or match, and her health insurance accounts are not HSA eligible. 
 She’d like to contribute to index funds. Is this a good strategy? Does the fact that she lives overseas change her considerations? 
 ____ 
 Nicole is from New York and is living in Abu Dhabi. She’s been living there for three-and-a-half years and makes good money. She’s repaid her student loans and has a lot of cash saved. She’s single. 
 She wants to become financially independent. What should she start doing now? 
 _____ 
 Karen is 32 and lives in Los Angeles. Her take-home pay is $4,300 per month. She supports her parents financially, which costs $1,200 per month; she also lives with them.  
 She paid off $60,000 in student loans in 5 years. She’s has $100k in a high-yield savings account and $100k in 403b. She holds $12k in student loan debt from graduate school. 
 She wants to make 20 percent downpayment on a home with the cash that she’s saved. She’d like to live there, but also have the potential to rent out this home if, at any point, she decides she doesn’t want the burden of a mortgage anymore. She’d like to keep her mortgage to $2,000 per month. 
 Given that the housing market is so high, should she buy a home? Or should she wait for a market crash and keep saving in the meantime? 
 ____ 
 Former financial advisor Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in this episode. Enjoy! For more information, visit the show notes at http://affordanything.com/episode116 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#115: Rachel Cruze was born the year her father, Dave Ramsey, filed for bankruptcy. During her childhood, she watched her parents transition from struggling and rebuilding from their bankruptcy, to becoming debt-free multimillionaires. Her dad went on to become the host of The Dave Ramsey Show, a money management radio show and podcast that reaches more than 12 million people per week. It’s central message is to budget carefully and avoid debt. Despite their success, the Ramseys committed to raising money-smart kids. They didn’t want their children to become lazy or entitled. Rachel paid for toys as a child. She partially paid for her car as a teenager. She worked throughout college. Rachel, now in her late 20’s, grew up to become an accomplished speaker and New York Times bestselling author. She and her father co-authored the book Smart Money, Smart Kids, which reached the number one spot on the NYTimes bestseller list. Her latest book, Love Your Life, Not Theirs, is also a mega-bestseller. In this episode, Rachel describes the lessons she learned about saving, spending, budgeting, debt and giving as the daughter of Dave Ramsey. We discuss “Instagram envy” -- the act of comparing your life to someone elses’ -- and how to avoid the traps of consumerism and materialism. Read the full show notes -- and download a FREE gratitude worksheet -- at http://affordanything.com/episode115 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices