Dollars and Hops

On this episode we discuss what a bear market is, if we think a bear market is coming, and what you need to do to prepare for the next bear market. Headline of the week:  Robinhood trader may face $800,000 tax bill A bear market is when a stock market index experiences a decline in prices of at least 20 %.  As we know from previous episodes, an index is basically just a bunch of stocks t...

On this episode we do a deep dive on how much you should be saving for retirement. We’ve even built out a google spreadsheet for our listeners that will allow you to plug in your exact situation right now to figure out how much you will need. Headline of the week: Bitcoin IRA: Clients Invested over $100M into interest earning program in just 30 days.  The problem with the general rules of thu...

This episode we have a discussion with an EXPERT when it comes to tax law and everything you need to know about the IRS and how to reduce what you pay in taxes to Uncle Sam - all Legally of course! Headline of the week: The IRS wants to know all about your Bitcoin holdings — and this court summons is a reminder **Not official legal or tax advice, this is for entertainment purposes only - please co...

On this podcast we do a deep dive on what is the S&P 500 and how it works. Headline of the week: IRS postpones April 15 U.S. tax deadline to May 17 What is the S&P 500? A weighted market index that measures the stock performance of the 500 largest US companies on the stock exchanges within the United States.  The S&P 500 also includes EVERY component of the Dow Jones Industrial Av...

In this episode we are going to be doing a deep dive on insurance.  What insurance you need, why you need it, and how to best protect yourself, your family, and the assets you own. Headline of the week: More than 1 in 3 cryptocurrency investors know little to nothing about it, survey finds. Websites mentioned during the podcast: https://www.policygenius.com/ Insurance Overview What’s the poin...

This pod is all about NFT’s - what they are, how they can be used, and whether or not we think NFT’s could be a good investment opportunity. What is an NFT? NFT stands for non-fungible token - which is a special type of cryptographic token which represents something specific and unique. Using blockchain technology, NFT’s designate an official copy of digital media, which can then be sold by artist...

On this episode we talk about everything related to college, college savings, 529’s, scholarships and student loans Whether you’re in college now, about to attend, or are thinking about starting college for your kids, this is the episode for you. Headline of the week: How the coronavirus, the internet and tons of money unexpectedly fueled sports cards' biggest boom How much it costs for college: T...

Headline of the week: How A 1% Investment Fee Can Wreck Your Retirement Why you cannot beat the market Last few shows we have talked about Gamestop, AMC, Blackberry, Bitcoin.  A bunch of different assets that people have hopped into in hopes of striking it rich. Things you have to get right when “trading the market” Time the buy right - need to find a stock that’s undervalued - purchase at th...

On this show we did a deep dive on credit scores, how the credit scoring model works. Headline of the week: Here’s a budget breakdown of a couple that makes $500,000 a year and still feels average What is a Credit Score? Credit Scores help lenders to make decisions about risk as it relates to how YOU handle YOUR money.  Scores can range from 300 - 850 on the FICO scale. This show is not inten...

Intro: In this episode we discuss why we hate bonds so much.  We teased this in an episode prior and I’m excited to take a deep dive and talk about our rationale behind the show title. Headline of the week: https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/reddit-and-elon-musk-sent-gamestop-stock-soaring-why-amc-and-blackberry-are-next/ Reddit and Elon Musk sent GameStop stock soaring. Why AMC and BlackB...

Episode 14: Bitcoin - Time to Jump In? The guys discuss Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency. Should you be investing in bitcoin?  What you need to know to make smart decisions with cryptocurrency. Headline of the week: Comcast to impose home internet data cap of 1.2 TB in more than a dozen US States next year  Check www.highspeedinternet.com to see what other options you have for broadband in you...

Episode 13: Goal Setting and Tracking On this show we discuss goal setting and tracking as we head into the new year.  Some tools and tips we use in our own lives that will hopefully help each of you to optimize your financial future. Dollars and Hops goals sheet: 2021 Dollars and Hops Goals Sheet Goal setting and tracking: Why is this important? Many of us have big goals, but we don’t know h...

Episode 12: Why You Should FIRE Your Financial Advisor | Money Saving Life Hacks In this episode we will be discussing why we think most people should FIRE their financial advisors. Why do we say to fire your financial advisor? Well, oftentimes financial advisors are holding you back from achieving financial success faster. What do we mean by this? Financial advisors typically charge anywhere from...

Episode 11: What can 4% do for you? | The 4% rule  On this show the guys discuss the 4% rule and what it means as it relates to your retirement planning. Websites mentioned on the podcast: From Fox Business: 5 Student Loan Refinancing mistakes to avoid  Main Topic - 4% Rule Introduction to the 4% rule: So you have worked hard, saved a bunch of money for retirement.  How can you figu...

Episode 010: New Car or Net Worth? | How to Buy a Car In this episode we discussed all things cars. How to buy them, what percentage of your budget they should be, used versus new, and if you should buy them or lease them. Websites mentioned during the podcast: Average new vehicle prices up 2% year over year in July 2020 according to KBB  Average cost of a new car in 2020 is 20,000 Figure out...

009 | Housing - Should You Rent Forever? The guys discuss renting vs buying a house.  Which is superior from a financial standpoint? Websites mentioned during the podcast: Headline: They lived paycheck to paycheck before the pandemic. Then their worst nightmare came true. Renting VS buying a house When is renting a good thing? When you are unsure of your career and could have to move for a ca...

Episode 8: Roth IRA & Compound Interest Deep Dive On this episode the guys discuss Roth IRA’s and the power of compound interest.  We explore who can invest in a Roth IRA, what are the limits that exist with Roth IRA's and how to use compound interest to help you reach new financial heights. Websites mentioned during the podcast: Headline of the week: Social Security Trust Fund Expected T...

Episode 7- The Great Debate On this episode the guys discuss the pros and cons of paying down lower interest debt over investing for your future. Websites Mentioned on the podcast: Headline of the week: Trading activity climbs ahead of presidential election Compound interest calculator  https://www.coachcarson.com/blog/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/ The Great Debate: Pay down low interest de...

Episode 6: Credit Cards - Make 140k with credit cards? Discussion about credit cards and our thoughts around responsibly using credit cards as part of your financial plan.  We also discuss the dangers and pitfalls that credit cards present. Websites mentioned during podcast: Headline of the week: 3 Reasons the stock market will continue to rise no matter who wins the presidential election Fid...

Episode 005 | The Power of Index Funds and The DIY Investor Intro: Discussion about Index fund investing, Why they’re so powerful and which index funds we use for our portfolios.  We discuss what expense ratios are and why they’re so important. Our Favorite Index Funds: Schwab: https://www.schwab.com/etfs/invest-in-etfs SCHB: Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF  0.03% E/R SCHF: Schwab International Broad...

Episode 004 - The Financial Playbook, Part 2 Continuation on our discussion about how we think you should prioritize your finances. Good framework as you work toward your financial goals and optimize your financial future. Headline of the week : Less than 11% of people with federal student loans are paying during COVID 19 Dollars and Hops Financial Playbook Step #1 - Establish and fund an emergenc...

Episode 003: Dollars and Hops - The Financial Playbook, Part 1 The guys discuss how we all ought to prioritize our finances - beyond living and giving, what do we do with any extra money? The Dollars and Hops Financial Playbook is a good framework to answer this question as you work toward your financial goals. Headline of the week : Near-Zero Interest rates may be needed for up 3 years, says Dall...

Episode #002: The Dreaded and Beloved Monthly Budget Scott and Lance dive into some headlines, explore the topic of monthly budgeting and why it is important, and answer some listener questions. Content: What is a budget? Why is it important?  How should we budget and track our budget? Headline of the week: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/05/29/us-savings-rate-hits-record-33perc...

Episode #001: First ever episode!  Lance and Scott introduce themselves and cast a vision for the podcast: help coach, motivate, and provide financial education to help others achieve financial success. Hops (Craft Beer): Lance: Brewery: Edmunds Oast Brewery, Charleston, SC Beer: The Dark Stuff  (Oatmeal Stout) Scott: Brewery: Slate Brewery, Whiteford, MD Beer: Hawaiian Dream (Blonde Ale...