Don't Retire...Graduate!

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Our guest today did what nobody thought was possible: left Eric speechless. Sharita Humphrey has a remarkable story of grit and resilience. From a homeless mother of two living out of a motel, Sharita promised her sons that she would change their situation and did not rest until she did. The now award-winning financial educator is here to share that story...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Mark's question: "if you won the lottery and had the option of $30 million upfront or a million dollars a year for 30 years, which is actually the better option?" Unfortunately this is not a circumstance many of us will see ourselves in, but let's talk about it anyway. What are the realities of winning the lottery? Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPl...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! We have a very fun episode today and couldn’t be more excited to have Emily Guy Birken here. She is a lifelong money nerd, award-winning writer, and the co-author of STACKED: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management, written with longtime DRG friend, Joe Saul-Sehy. Emily joined us to talk about how to look at your money like a game of Tetris, th...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Felix's question: what is the most valuable employee benefit I should take advantage of? This is a great question and the answer varies by person, but there are a few employee benefit options that most people underutilize and even ignore. Find a full transcript of this episode at dontretiregraduate.com. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or po...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! We have two guests today, Steven and Lauren Keys, who did something pretty incredible: retired before they turned 30. They came on the podcast to talk about how they reached financial independence at a young age, how they saved their nest egg without large salaries, and their plan for the rest of their retirement.  In this episode we’ll talk about: • Cutti...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Gary's question: Are all financial advisors and planners fiduciaries? This is a great question and the simple answer is no. Listen to hear Eric explain what a fiduciary is, why it's important to know if your advisor is a fiduciary, and how you can tell. Have a question? Post it in the comments, tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning, or post it on our Facebook and...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Today’s guest is the most educated individual we know in this industry. Dr. Mary Bell Carlson is a financial behavioral expert who has worked with the government, military, and financial educational organizations, is an adjunct professor of financial planning, and is the founder of Chief Financial Moms. She’s here to talk about gender differences in person...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Alex's question: As a financial advisor, what is the most common mistake you see people making with their personal finances? This was a hard question to answer because there are a LOT of mistakes people make. The common factor for all of them? Emotions. Have a question? Post it in the comments, tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning, or post it on our Facebook and...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Today’s guest came ready for a debate and didn’t disappoint. Andrew Hallam, best-selling author and educator, is here to talk about his latest book, Balance, and investment techniques and ideologies that don’t necessarily match ours. If you’re interested in learning about index funds, passive asset management, and the true meaning of success in retirement...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers George's question: I keep hearing about inflation. Is there anything I can be doing to protect my finances? We're seeing inflation in a way we haven't for generations, and there are things you can do to be better prepared. 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! Visi...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! We have a very special episode in honor of International Women’s Week. Kara Perez, the founder of Bravely Go, joins us to talk about financial feminism and how we can start breaking down the gender roles and inequalities we see in our culture.  In this episode we’ll talk about: The meaning of financial feminism. The difference in financial power between me...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Yazan's question: What are the pros and cons of using a robo-advisor for investing? A robo-advisor has its place, and Eric explores this question from two perspectives: simple investment management and comprehensive financial planning. 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 Offic...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Today’s guest has had an amazing journey that led to retiring at age 27. Rachel Richards is the best-selling author of Money Honey and Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement and is here to tell her story and share her tips on how you can create your own passive income streams.  In this episode we’ll talk about: How Rachel retired at 27 with $20,000 of month...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Jonathan's question: What are some realistic lifestyle changes that save money? There are two ways to look at this question, and this episode covers both. How do you create the habit itself, and what are those changes?  Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning and it may be answered in a future episode of Office Hours! For a full transcript of this...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Today’s guest is podcast royalty: the host of the Stacking Benjamins podcast Joe Saul-Sehy! Joe is here to talk about his latest book, Stacked, his take on the real estate and cryptocurrency crazes, and share his top tip for stacking your wealth. In this episode we’ll talk about: Joe’s journey from financial advisor to teacher to writer to podcaster Buildi...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Sara's question: Should I be trying to pay off my mortgage early with extra payments or put that money to a different use? Of course, this is another case of "it depends." Listen to Eric explain when it may be a good idea to invest that extra money and when it's okay to make that mortgage number start falling. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlannin...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Today’s guest is a comedian, best-selling author, and activist who turned being told they are bad with money into a success career in finance media. Gaby Dunn hosts the Bad with Money podcast, which talks about money in a way that is raw and honest, and the author of Bad with Money: The Imperfect Art of Getting Your S*** Together. We are so excited to have...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Robert's question: If your close friend is a financial advisor and keeps telling you how to manage your money, how do you get them to stop? This can be an uncomfortable situation and sometimes you don't want to mix business and friendships. And it goes both ways. Are you an advisor constantly being pestered for free advice on your time off? Here's how to handl...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! This is our first full episode of 2022 and we’re kicking off the new year with an amazing guest. Marcus Garrett is the host of the Marcus Garrett Show and author of Debt Free or Die Trying. He dug himself out of $30,000 in debt and is here to share his experience and debt reduction process with you.   In this episode we’ll talk about: Being social media-ri...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Ken's question: What are some common expenses we don't think to budget and save for? This is a great question and a perfect time to ask it. Spoiler alert: the holiday season is on the list! Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning and it may be answered in a future episode of Office Hours! Find a full transcript of this episode on our website. Learn...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! This is our final episode of 2021, and our guest is a mentor, coach, and accomplished artist. Peleg Top uses art and creativity to guide others in their journey towards finding their purpose, and his mantra around abundance, love, and gratitude is the perfect way to end the year.   In this episode we’ll talk about: How the stories we grow up with around mo...

In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Matt's question: How do you effectively balance between savings, retirement, and expenses? Of course, this is different for everyone, but listen to Eric explain how to determine a balance that may work for you, and adds a fourth category into the conversation: debt. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning and it may be answered in a future episode...

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Our guest on today’s episode has been teaching retirees and pre-retirees how to preserve their assets and increase their income for twenty years. Patrick Strubbe is the author of Save Your Retirement from Mass Destruction by the 7 Retirement Villains. He’s here to talk about those villains and how we can stop them from thwarting our retirement plans. In th...

On today’s episode of Office Hours, Eric answers Nate's question: What would you consider a red flag when talking to a financial advisor?    Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning and it may be answered in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Don’t Retire... Graduate! Our guest on today’s episode is not a Grammy Award-winning singer songwriter, but he is a highly experienced investor who educates others on passive and alternative investing. Brian Adams is the president of Excelsior Capital and is joining us today to talk about how he’s using commercial real estate and private equity to reach his financial independence g...