The Confident Dollar Podcast

The stock market. We hear about it all the time—but what is it, really? In this clear and approachable episode, we’re breaking it all down so you can finally understand what the stock market is, how it works, and how you fit into it as an investor. Whether you’re brand new to investing or just want a refresher, this episode will give you the foundation you need to feel confident and informed. 💡 Y...

If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between index funds, mutual funds, and ETFs—you’re not alone! In this Investing 101 episode, I break down each type of investment in plain English so you can feel confident making choices that fit your financial goals. You’ll learn: ✔️ What each fund actually is ✔️ The pros and cons of mutual funds, index funds, and ETFs ✔️ Which type might work best...

The secret to wealth - paying yourself first!   ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selah_portfolios_and_planning/ 📧 Want to get in touch? Email me at lauren.gage@lpl.com Connect with Me: Website: www.selahportfoliosandplanning.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/...

There are so many options for getting retirement assets into ROTH. In this episode I walk through Roth IRAs, Roth Employer Plans, Backdoor Roth, Roth Conversions & Mega Backdoor Roths.  Disclosures:  Contributions to a Roth IRA are taxed in the contribution year. The Roth IRA offers tax deferral on any earnings in the account. Withdrawals from the account may be tax free, as long as they are c...

You did it, you quit your job & started your own business. But you're not sure what the best way to save for retirement is now that you don't have a 401k through work. In this episode, I discuss the two main options I use for self-employed clients.  SEP IRA vs Solo-K  Get the pros & cons and see what might be right for your business!    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate you...

Are you unsure about what step you should take next in your finances? It's important to have a game plan & a step by step process of how to get to financial freedom. In this episode, I walk through the Steps to Financial Confidence that I teach my clients.    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on...

According to estimates from Capitalize - about 1.65trillion in assets is in forgotten 401k accounts. That's insane! About 29 million accounts.  So what should you do with your old 401k? In this episode, I give you the 4 options that you have when it comes to old employer plans.  Let's not have you be one of those 29 million people. Retirement savings are important!!    ⭐️ Thanks for lis...

Contentment: Something that we have a hard time grabbing ahold of in this consumeristic culture.  What does it mean to be content & how can it help you make better and more financially sound decisions?  In this episode we talk about contentment and why it is good for your overall emotional & financial health. We will talk about some practical steps of helping build contentment.    ⭐️ Than...

In this episode, I discuss the main strategy I use to help clients pay off debt. I share insights on the importance of recognizing the weight of debt and the frustration that comes with it. I also provide steps and priorities for tackling debt, including building an emergency fund, prioritizing debt, and managing interest rates.  If you're looking for guidance on debt payoff strategies, this...

We all have been hearing about the important of money mindset lately. Basically - what are your views of money & its relationship to you, and do these beliefs impact your financial wellbeing?   If you are scarcity mindset vs abundance mindset - does that have an affect on your ability to manage money?  In this episode - we break down how to determine your mindset & a few ways you can help...

In this episode I give you my take on what is happening in the stock market. We discuss what's next after that November rally, Santa Claus Rallly's and what the election year can bring to the market.  Remember - past performance can't predict future results, but looking at historical markets can give us an idea of what to possibly expect.  You can see the charts here: https://www.ca...

We have been sold that student loans are good debt , but are they really? Or do they leave most people graduating with debt up to their eyeballs and working years to pay it off.  Do these companies take advantage of young people and their lack of understanding of debt?  In this episode - I give you 4 questions you need to ask yourself before you accept those loans.  These are good questions to fig...

So what steps should you be taking in your finances if you think there is a recession coming? In this episode - I give you my steps to take if you are in the accumulation phase or distribution phase of investing (because they are different!).  Wealthy people use recessions to increase their wealth - so why shouldn't you!  Don't be scared going into the recession - be prepared!    ⭐️ Tha...

I know - budgeting. Everyone just threw up in their mouth a little. But seriously, you need to reframe your mindset when it comes to budgeting. This is not telling you that you can't spend money - it is just making sure that you're spending your hard earned money where you want to spend it!  In this episode I talk about three different categories of spending & how it will help make s...

Roth IRAs & Roth Contributions are an important part of your retirement planning - in this episode I break down the different Roth options along with income limits, tax strategies, etc.  You want to make sure you are diversifying your retirement income for later in life - and a Roth is a great way to be able to do that. You want to understand these!    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate y...

The age old question - how much do I need to retire? In this episode, I walk you through a BASIC strategy to figure out what your retirement number is. We all know it doesn't matter what age you reach, you can't retire if you have no money.  I'll teach you about the rule of 72 & the 4% rule so you can get a rough draft idea of how much you'll need to save in order to retire...

There is a lot happening in the world! How do you balance staying informed while also blocking out the noise when it comes to your investments?  The purpose of these updates is to help digest everything that is happening & how it pertains to your portfolio.  This month we look at:  First year bull markets Impact of geopolitical events on stocks  Inflation losing its stickiness  To view the pre...

In this episode, we address the common misconceptions when it comes to getting started with investing. We want to debunk these misconceptions so you can feel more confident getting started with investing!    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selah_portfolios_and_pla...

My tips for all things money that you should be talking to your high schoolers about!    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selah_portfolios_and_planning/ 📧 Want to get in touch? Email me at lauren.gage@lpl.com Connect with Me: Website: www.selahportfoliosandplannin...

Here are some of my tips for what to be working on with your middle schoolers when it comes to teaching healthy money habits!    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selah_portfolios_and_planning/ 📧 Want to get in touch? Email me at lauren.gage@lpl.com Connect with Me...

This episode is meant to give you an understanding of what is happening in the current markets. I talk about what to expect from markets after rate hikes finish & what all the cash on the sidelines means. All charts that we look at can be found in the read only copy of the presentation here .    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5...

In this episode I give you four concepts to be working on with your elementary aged kids about money. This will help build the foundation for healthy money concepts as they get older. We will also be able to build on those concepts in later years so they are ready to launch & be money wise.    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 s...

Audio from July's webinar. Monthly webinars always include a market update + a behavioral financial topic. This month we tackled tips for how to teach your kids about money. As for the market update - can we look at the first half of the year and have an idea of what is coming in the second half? Let's take a look! Chart Book   ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - pleas...

This is an intro episode to the series about teaching your kids about money. We will be discussing the importance of teaching your kids about money, as well as what topics you should be focusing on and how.    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selah_portfolios_and_p...

In this episode I discuss the debt ceiling & why it is so important. Also, how does it affect you?    ⭐️ Thanks for listening! We appreciate your support - please subscribe to the show & leave a 5 star review! 🫶🏼 Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selah_portfolios_and_planning/ 📧 Want to get in touch? Email me at lauren.gage@lpl.com Connect with Me: Website: www.selahpor...