Financially Well

The Financially Well podcast will be going on hiatus to start 2026 as I focus on other projects. In the meantime, I want to suggest a few other personal finance podcasts that you might enjoy and benefit from. Talk to you soon!

These personal stories from 5 fee-only wealth managers in Washington, DC show that there isn't one correct way to invest your family's money. Welcome to Financially Well, the  finance podcast for Millennials .

Parents often ask, "Is it too late?" For example, "My child is already three and I've heard that the first three years are the most important. Is it too late?" Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in  financial planning for Millennials , discusses why, in both parenting and personal finance, you can "recover, rebuild, and begin again." You may regret a few of your past financial choices. But it's...

Money is a tool. A means to an end. And this includes an inheritance. The only difference is that those dollars may carry more emotional weight for you. As the book  Die With Zero  frames it, "Having money helps you to achieve the goal of enjoying your life." Whether it involves a big house for your family or something else entirely. And isn't this what your loved one would want from the inheritan...

Many companies rely on complexity to make money. Because complexity enables them to misprice their offerings. Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in  financial planning for Millennials , discusses in this episode how complexity also exists in personal finance. Complex personal finance products, like whole life insurance, work for some people. But only for certain customers and under certain condi...

What do my best finance podcasts for Millennials picks have in common? During my research, I looked for the following three criteria: Empathy Clarity Sustainability With that in mind, here are what I consider to be the 5 best finance podcast for Millennials in 2025.

At one point, the U.S. stock market was up 27.49% in 2024. But you've probably never heard of the year's best-performing companies. Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in  financial planning for Millennials , discusses why effective investing doesn't require you to know these companies. When you invest in "passive" index funds, you're not here for entertainment. Instead, you're playing to win the...

Without an estate plan, probate can tie up your money for anywhere from three months to five years. Your family is too valuable to you to settle for that outcome. Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in  financial planning for Millennials , discusses how a professional will, trust, and medical directives can fit your unique circumstances. The right estate plan ensures that you leave a financial le...

Research suggests that, when you invest in a 401(k), the tax break earns you an extra 0.73% each year. But you also lock up that money until you're 59 and a half. Is that risk worth the benefit to you? Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in  financial planning for Millennials , discusses how we evaluate financial benefits and risks. We need to keep the big picture in mind. The connection between...

Over a 10-year period through 2022, the average investment fund returned 7.7%. But the average person invested in those funds earned only 6%. Why?  Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in  financial planning for Millennials , explains that the difference between  your  investment return and your index fund's return comes down to timing. And what if your investment mistakes merely reflect where els...

Compelling options to save for retirement, including the mega backdoor Roth, exist. But only if you have access.  Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , talks about how the opportunity to save $69,000 in a tax-advantaged account is no small thing. You should be adamant that you get access. Welcome to Financially Well, the finance podcast for Millennials .

We can't do much to prevent investment losses. But we have choices after an investment setback.   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , explains tax-loss harvesting in this episode. He compares tax-loss harvesting to a famous incident from the 1500s, and discusses how the strategy can help us to salvage tax savings from our frustration.   Welcome to Financial...

When your child makes a little money, the IRS will view the cash in their wallet as "earned income."   But for once, this isn't a tax headache.   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , talks about how these small paydays will create an opportunity for you to teach your child about investing. And they'll create an opportunity for them to experience compounding....

You'd probably love to save more money. What part of your finances would that break, though?   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , asks: what if you plan to work an extra 6-12 months before you retire? You may not want to choose that path. But the math at least gives you the option: that extra time at work is equivalent to saving 1% more of your salary over...

Our retirement feels so far in the future.   Yet, our retirement finances aren't a complete unknown. Even at young ages, we have data that can increase the chances we succeed.   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , talks about how, in most cases, we can withdraw 4% of our investments annually for 30 years without running out of money. But the specific amount...

You're probably not making the most of your health savings account (HSA). Most likely, no one taught you that your approach is too narrow.   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , explains the benefits of an HSA. But he also shares how, almost like breathing, HSAs demand awareness, intentionality, and patience from us.   Welcome to Financially Well, the financ...

Amid unfavorable circumstances, Claude Monet focused on what he could control. He and his Impressionist peers launched an independent, competing art exhibition that drew attention to their work.   But Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , explains that Monet also got a little lucky. And his story offers an example of why we shouldn't focus too much on outcome...

Joe Brumm knew his approach to children's television didn't conform to conventional ideas. But he didn't care. He created the show Bluey to meet his own desired outcomes.   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , discusses what we might learn from Joe Brumm and Bluey. The biggest lesson lies in a willingness to embrace flexibility over structure.   Welcome to F...

It's hard for anyone to figure out how and when we should actually use the money we've saved.   Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , explains how we can stick to our preferences. Even when short-term trends and distracting technology compete for our attention.   Welcome to Financially Well, the finance podcast for Millennials .

Have you ever felt stressed out when you're struggling with one particular aspect of your finances? Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , proposes a solution: stay focused on the aggregate. Welcome to Financially Well, the finance podcast for Millennials .

What would happen if we aimed to make the majority of our financial decisions within 15 minutes? Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , discusses how this is possible if you accept a simple premise: the most basic foundational financial decisions will determine whether you achieve the outcomes you seek. Welcome to Financially Well, the finance podcast for Mill...

Natural wine, which lacks the mysterious additives that most conventional wines contain, continues to grow in popularity. It's a response to winemaking moving too far away from its simple, transparent, and natural origins. In this episode, Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , discusses why, like winemakers, we have a choice to opt for simplicity over financi...

After we set an ambitious financial goal, such as retiring at a specific age, we often feel stuck.    In this episode, Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials ,  discusses why, with money, most of the time, a good-enough solution is fine. But by setting arbitrary stupid goals, we can experience more immediate, and enduring, benefits. And avoid that feeling of bei...

Taylor Swift's fourth studio album, Red, was the fastest-selling country music album ever. But one common critique of Red made Swift wince: it wasn't "sonically cohesive." The reason? Swift was stuck trying to please country music executives, despite her interests in pop music.   In this episode, Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , discusses how we become m...

In 1975, Pepsi announced the "Pepsi Challenge." The marketing idea involved a simple blind taste test to determine the best soda in the country.   In this episode, Kevin Mahoney, CFP®, who specializes in financial planning for Millennials , explains why we wish our financial decisions could work like the Pepsi Challenge. No context. No peer influence or status implications. Only one variable, like...