Don't Retire...Graduate!

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Ben's question: "Is it better to pay in cash for daily purchases or use a credit card?” This answer can vary based on your spending habits, so Eric is here to outline who may benefit from each option. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about your ad c...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! With Veterans Day coming up, we have a very special guest to talk about how she uses her own experience with finance and military service to serve the Veteran community. Dr. Ann James is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a Certified Financial Coach, and the CEO of Financial Freedom Battle Buddies, and is on a mission to help fellow veterans transform their fi...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Michelle's question: “what's one big purchase you've made and regretted later?" Everyone experiences buyer's remorse at some point in their life, and Eric is no different. Hear what he has regretted purchasing in his life, and send us a message about your biggest spending regrets. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook a...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is Tiffany Grant, a financial counselor and the host of the Money Talk with Tiff podcast.  Tiffany is a fantastic content creator within the personal finance space—except for her online quiz that must be broken if Eric did not get a perfect score—and is one of the many money nerds making financial literacy accessible to the public.  Listen to h...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Emily's question: “how does the 2022 market correction compare to prior market corrections and what should investors do?" The factors causing the current market conditions are unique, but there is a common factor that exists between all the corrections we've seen in the past: fear. This episode will explain what is happening in the markets right now and what i...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is Natalie Torres-Haddad MPA, AWA, a two-time TEDx speaker, award-winning author, and the host of Financially Savvy in 20 Minutes. Natalie’s story of being raised by immigrants during the LA Riots, experiencing the cultural differences between the rich and poor, and learning about money the same way she learned a second language should serve as...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Tony's question: “What's the easiest way for a beginner investor to get started?” The first step of any journey can be difficult, but in this case we think education is a great place to start. After that, it can depend on your goals and will take practice. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning, or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a f...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is Joseph Hogue, CFA®, the host of Let’s Talk Money! With Joseph Hogue, joining us to break down the art and science of investing and share his rules for making money in the stock market.  Investing has become entertainment media and everyone wants to be slinging stocks, but Joseph shares his ideas about why very few people should really own in...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Julia's question: “I'm getting divorced. How do I know if I'm getting a fair split of marital assets?” This can be a hard situation to navigate, but bringing in a financial professional is a great way to start. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about...

Season 5 is here and Don’t Retire… Graduate! is back to share more actionable strategies for reaching financial independence and talk to more money nerds about what they want to be when they grow up.  And your eyes are not deceiving you—this season we’re recording in VIDEO! If you’re on an audio-only player, thank you so much for listening. If you’re watching our first time doing this on camera, t...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Jesse's question: "What advice do you have for someone interested in a career in finance or as an advisor?” The career path for a financial advisor is not well-defined, but there are several ways to get into the industry for a successful career.  Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episo...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! As part of our summer throwback series, we’re bringing back some of our favorite episodes from seasons passed. This episode, originally released in season 3, features Heidi Herman, author of On with the Butter: Spread More Living onto Everyday Life. At 93 years old, Heidi’s mother made a list of 93 new experiences she wanted to try before she turned 94—from...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Ryan's question: “When and how do you come with a hard figure goal for your retirement savings?” Setting a savings goal for retirement is trying to hit a moving target, so you should be revisiting this question regularly. But if you're trying to do the math, this episode can help.  Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! As part of our summer throwback series, we’re bringing back some of our favorite episodes from seasons passed. Today, we’re welcoming back Kristy Schiano, Yogi and owner of the Mindful Movement Center, to tell her story of tragedy, loss, strength, and resilience. While training for a triathlon, Kristy was hit by a truck and suffered severe physical and menta...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Brianna's question: “What is the real reason that financial advisors have asset minimums?” Take a look under the hood to understand how financial advisors generate revenue, what asset minimums are for, and how BFG is doing things differently with Financial Planning for All.  Have a question? Post it in the comments, tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning, or post...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! As part of our summer throwback series, we’re bringing back some of our favorite episodes from seasons passed. Today, we’re welcoming back our very own Yanni Niebuhr, CFP®, Chief Investment Officer here at BFG Financial Advisors. Originally released way back in our first season, this episode is still as relevant as ever and covers the financial planning from...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers April's question: “Why do some advisors say that taking 5% or more of your retirement nestegg out every year is dangerous?” Determining a reasonable withdrawal rate depends on factors including your asset level, retirement timeline, and age. Eric explains three different asset structuring strategies that can help you avoid outliving your money.  Have a questio...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! As part of our summer throwback series, we’re bringing back our very own Lena Nebel, CFP®, Chief Operating Officer here at BFG Financial Advisors. This episode, originally released in Season 3, dives into the topics around marriage that people don’t necessarily want to talk about, like how much to spend on the engagement ring, how to ask for a prenup, and...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Shelby's question: “what do you think every student should know before taking out student loans?” Student loans can be confusing and there is a lot to know. We're talking about a few different factors including return on investment and whether or not the loan is subsidized.  Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it...

Summer is in session but we’re not taking off! Throughout the season, we’ll be bringing back listeners’ favorite episodes from past seasons and answering brand new Office Hours questions! Today’s episode from season 2 (originally released at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic) features Cait Lockwood (formerly Caitlin Pyle), founder of Work-at-Home School and Proofread Anywhere, talking about how...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Jenna's question: “how much should I have in an emergency fund?” This can vary based on a lot of factors, and emergency funds don't need to just be in the form of savings accounts. Eric explores the different layers that can make up your emergency fund and the rules of thumb for how much money is safe.  Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or po...

Welcome to the season four finale of Don’t Retire... Graduate! We’ve had amazing guests this season and couldn’t be more excited to finish with today’s guest. Dr. Daniel Crosby is a psychologist and behavioral finance expert who helps organizations understand the intersection of mind and markets and explores the way our brains affect our choices when it comes to money. He is here to talk about the...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Jason's question: “what are a few basic aspects of a financial plan that I can create myself?” The truth is, you can do it all yourself or with the help of a few vendors. A financial planner is not necessarily needed. But which way is right for you? Have a question? Post it in the comments, tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning, or post it on our Facebook and it...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Today we’re going back to school with Rob Phelan, a high school math and personal finance teacher and author of the children’s book M is for Money. Rob is here, live from his classroom, to talk about money and the roadblocks we’re facing while advocating for personal finance education for kids.  In this episode we’ll talk about: •The difference between mat...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Matthew's question: “is it better to pay over the asking price for a house or just rent?" There is so much going on in the market right now that is making purchasing a home -- especially your first home -- particularly difficult and expensive. Do you go for it or wait it out? Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it...