ME and Money Podcast

Sometimes, what works for someone may not work for you. In this episode, Matt and Elliott dig through a few pieces of wisdom that may, or may not, work for you. Many times we call this the “grey area”, but this week we’re rolling with the color yellow instead. Have anything else you think we should have added to this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts about this episo...

Matt and Elliott are kicking off a mini-series of “things we should, shouldn’t, or may want to consider”. While nothing in this series should be deemed advice, they wanted to share a few items that they commonly see are “no-brainers”, or things you should run like h**l from! This week, they start with the positive things! Be sure to listen all the way to the end, and...

We see the statistics of low retirement savings all the time in the headlines, but what happens when you’re left holding the bag? Is it something you should do without a question? Not at all? Something in between? In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss some of the nuanced approaches you may want to consider before taking action. We’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode, re...

This week’s episode dives into what we hear a lot of… “I feel behind”. In this episode, we discuss a few things about what causes this feeling, where to start if you’re feeling it, and what you can do to get rid of the feeling. We’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode, reach out to us below. Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® ca...

Over the Spring, Madison WI was hit with some pretty heavy storms, causing a ton of hail and wind damage to cars, roofs, and there have been a lot of losses! In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss their thoughts (not advice) on when insurance could be used, versus when it may make more sense to just pay out of pocket. Also, a cautionary tale of Storm Chasers! We’d love to hear your though...

In this episode, Matt and Elliott have a light-hearted debate about whether or not a 529 Plan is really worth the hype it gets. Elliott highlights the tax advantages, the “flexibility”, and how the 529 Plan can be used for excellent generational planning opportunities. Matt on the other hand… isn’t so fond of these accounts. His stance highlights the limitations on 529 Plan...

A New Year, New Tax Code… simply not enough! Let’s add a new account to the mix! In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss their takes on the new “Trump” Account. You’ll learn: What better options may be available? How to get your $1,000 free money if eligible!? What to consider about using these accounts? Where the biggest opportunity could be? What we’d like t...

With a new conflict in the headlines, we’ve heard many people asking if this means we should be thinking about portfolio changes. In this episode, we will cover: Why rebalancing is important? What an Investment Policy Statement is, and why you should have one? What to do if you’re considering changes? How much change is acceptable in your portfolio? We’d love to hear your thought...

As the saying goes… “you can’t take it with you!”. Join Matt Fizell and Elliott Appel in this week’s episode to hear more about their thoughts on hoarding for the future, being a steward, and “sharing some of that leftover pizza with your friends and family”. We’d love to hear your thoughts about this episode, reach out to us below. Have a question f...

Save early, save often! That’s what we always here. Or “save more and you could be (insert your favorite cliche)!” Saving is great, but when is it enough? Is it ever “bad” to save? Find out on this week’s episode! Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at www.planwithharmony.com Elliott A...

Yes, yes… we know! We’ve already done an episode on Cybersecurity! And… we think it’s so important, we’re doing it again! There are always new schemes, scams, and things to be on the lookout for. Didn’t catch our original episode? Check out Episode 17 for all the Cybersecurity goodness! Have anything that you’ve seen, but we didn’t talk about here? W...

We all see the ads, the “savings”, and the luxurious benefits that can come with a Credit Card. But… are they worth it? Of course, we’re big fans of free money, but at what cost? Would a cash discount be better? Is the value of a point on a Credit Card going up or down? Is it worth the hassle of tracking? We answer all that and more in this episode! Have a question for a fu...

Headlines tell us that Social Security is doomed! But, what does that really mean for someone retiring this year, next year, or… 40 years from now? With a mountain of proposals to dig through, Matt and Elliott take a look at a few of the more intriguing options and discuss. Higher taxes? Reduced benefits? Changes to when “retirement age” is? Link to Social Security Proposals: htt...

With the new year just about here, we wanted to talk a bit about compensation as a whole. Many times, a new year can mean a “new me”, and many times goals are career related. But, before you make the leap…. we wanted to point out that in many cases, your benefits package can be a large percentage of your total earnings! You just don’t see it! Listen to this episode to learn...

Gold has been in the headlines quite a bit seeing it has had a fairly good year of returns. But, what is the investment thesis for gold? Is there one? Is there a difference between owning it physically and via an investment fund like a mutual fund or ETF? Hear all that, and more in this episode! Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharm...

It seems like there’s always a headline to talk about these days, and this one is a doozy! While generally speaking, we’re a big fan of making housing a more affordable choice, what complications could a 50-year mortgage come with? Higher rates? Skyrocketing prices? Something ELSE??? Tune in and hear our thoughts on the 50-Year Mortgage. Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fi...

ALL DEBT IS BAD! (Just kidding!) But, many times we here the constant pressure to pay down a mortgage “as fast as possible”? Does that mean you should do a 15-year loan? Is there another way? What are the pros and cons of that decision? Find out in this episode! Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at www.plan...

This week’s topic comes from a wedding Matt attended in the recent past. As is usual when we tell people we’re a Financial Planner, the questions come flowing! This time, the question was “Should I DIY my Roth IRA?”, which was interesting for a number of reasons. In this episode, Matt and Elliott highlight the pros and cons of DIY Investing. Is it bad? Is it for everyone? F...

With the job market looking a bit rocky, Matt and Elliott wanted to talk about liquidity… or more simply, what is your ability to pay your bills in tough times? While a Net Worth statement is a great tool, it only tells a partial story of your ability to actually pay for things. Many times, the assets on those Net Worth statements will either not be able to be used to pay bills, or will come...

Welcome to our Estate Planning finale! (For now… at least!) In this episode, Matt and Elliott share some stories of where they have seen issues arise in the past. Whether it’s forgetting (or not doing) the simple things like setting beneficiaries, not having proper control over your assets, or just organizational chaos… there are many things that can go wrong after someone passes...

We’re closing in on the end of our Estate Planning mini-series, and we’ve saved some of the most important topics for last! Healthcare decisions! While a Will and the other documents we’ve discussed up to this point will help you get money from A to B, or at least be able to have someone in charge of your finances… what about healthcare? Often, end-of-life events are health...

It’s time for Elliott’s FAVORITE Estate Planning document this week! We’re here to talk about Financial Power of Attorney… and in this episode we cover: Springing vs. Immediate Powers Effective implementation of a POA Understanding what you can grant, or choose to limit Why a POA is likely better than having Joint Accounts Resources: https://www.kitces.com/blog/power-of-att...

This week, we continue on our Estate Planning mini-series! In this episode, Matt and Elliott cover: Understanding the difference between a Will and Trust Why Trusts are not just for “rich people” Key aspects to think about when drafting your Will Best Practices when getting your documents drafted Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt...

Welcome to another episode of ME & Money! This week, we are kicking off a mini-series on Estate Planning. In this episode, we cover: The high-level basics of what an Estate Plan is, and what it does Why everyone has a need to either get, or monitor their Estate Plan Key documents and basic terminology of an Estate Plan Basic tools you can make use of to get started Resource: Estate Planning To...

Talking money with kids… it doesn’t happen enough and is probably second only to the “birds and the bees” conversation in terms of things parents dread talking to their kids about. Well, Gayle Reaume (https://www.instagram.com/gayleannreaume/ , https://moolahu.com/) has a solution for you! In this episode, Matt and Elliott talk with Gayle about: Teaching children how to cre...