Real Personal Finance

Scott and James discuss where to invest for a Home, CD Ladders, and Contribution Rules. Listener Questions Can I max out both my Roth 401k contribution and my Roth IRA contribution in the same year? Example: I’m 57. 26 thousand plus 7 thousand = 33 thousand. Can I contribute 33 thousand to Roth retirement accounts in 2021? You have talked about saving vs investing based on time horizon and risk ap...

Scott and James discuss the new contributions limits (2022) and how that impacts our taxes. Listener Question I am a new small business owner and have just begun a 401k, I have a roth ira, 529 for my child, and my own investment portfolio. I am still confused on how I should vary my allocation based on the type of fund- such as my roth versus traditional versus normal investments, in order to maxi...

Scott and James discuss if you should invest in Whole Life insurance after maxing out your 401(k). Listener Question I was recently advised to get a life insurance retirement plan by my adviser. I currently max out my IRA contribution, FSA, 401k to ~56k and have extra money left over. I’m single and don’t have kids to warrant a life insurance plan per se but it sounded intriguing with the extra ca...

Scott and James discuss when it makes sense to start redirecting retirement savings to other account types. Listener Question 1. Currently, I'm 47 and I have been maxing out my retirement accounts. I believe that I am in good position for when I retire with the amount I have and the amount it will grow in next 15 years. My question is if it is foolish to now build up a non retirement account...

Scott and James discuss the important milestones you should be aware of. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 2:00 - Introduction 4:29 - Dependent Care 5:50 - Tax Credits 6:58 - Investing v. Gambling 8:02 - UGMA / UTMA 10:25 - Kiddie Tax 12:47 - Catch-up Contr...

Scott and James discuss how to make sure you aren't leaving free money on the table during open enrollment. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:57 - Health Insurance Considerations 6:15 - HSA v. FSA 7:25 - Life Insurance 10:06 - Dis...

Scott and James discuss what you should do when you have large unrealized gains in a concentrated stock holding. Listener Question 1. My wife and I have been blessed with good fortune through our ESPP and RSU programs across 4 different employers. Having always been a buy-and-hold investor, these companies now have significant unrealized capital gains and represent almost 50% of portfolio value an...

Scott and James discuss how you can take advantage of tax loss and tax gain harvesting. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Scott's eldest son scores a goal & James surfs! 2:42 - When Should I Start Saving / Investing? 4:10 - Tax Loss Harvesti...

Scott and James discuss if you should pursue a dividend and sector investment strategy. Listener Question 1. Can we talk about dividends and dividend stocks? Is it a wise strategy to invest in those stocks that pay out dividends to shareholders? 2. I have been looking at investing in ETFs and I have seen number of ETFs under the label of Sector and Specialty ETFs (that is how Vanguard labels them)...

Scott and James discuss what the key things are to focus on when you're just getting started. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:42 - When Should I Start Saving / Investing? 4:30 - Why All Debt Isn't Equal 8:37 - Paying Yourse...

Scott and James discuss multiple listener questions regarding tracking 401k contributions, ESPP savings, and investing after getting a late start. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:49 - Listener Question 2:57 - Tax Implications of Retirement Accounts 4:05...

Scott and James discuss how to upsize homes before selling your current home. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:28 - Finding Your Dream Home 4:43 - What Information Does A Bank Want? 9:14 - What Funds Should I Use For A Down Payment? 1...

Scott and James discuss how to balance retirement income and legacy goals. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:51 - Rebalancing 6:05 - Legacy Planning 8:41 - Balancing Cash Preserves 12:19 - Asset Class Variations 18:48 - Estate Planning...

Scott and James discuss how to incorporate real estate as part of your retirement plan. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:22 - Costs of Real Estate 5:42 - Quantifying Your Real Estate Asset 8:30 - How To Determine If You Should Incorpo...

Scott and James discuss the best way to invest your portfolio throughout retirement. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:45 - Target-Date Funds 4:37 - Bucket Strategy v. Total Return 8:21 - What is a Sustainable Withdrawal Rate? 11:54 -...

Scott and James discuss how to view your entire financial picture and how you can align it with your financial goals. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:30 - Understanding Your Net Worth 6:45 - Stock Market Volatility 9:07 - What Metric...

Scott and James discuss how to prioritize conflicting financial strategies. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:02 - Asset Location v. Asset Allocation 5:38 - International Investments 8:21 - Taxation of Retirement Accounts 11:04 - Retir...

Scott and James discuss how to invest after maxing everything else out. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:52 - Investing In Real Estate 4:45 - How To Use Your Balance Sheet To Achieve Your Goals 8:30 - What Is A Great Rate of Return? 1...

Scott and James discuss how how to plan for your goals when you got a late start. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 4:53 - Investing In The Market 6:20 - What Is My Time-Horizon? 7:20 - The Power of Consistent Saving  12:34 - Am I T...

Scott and James discuss how to view your entire financial picture and how you can align it with your financial goals. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 2:30 - Gross Income v. Net Income 5:49 - What Percentage Are You Saving? 7:10 - How T...

Scott and James discuss different indexes, both what they mean and why they're important to you as an investor.  Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - What Makes Up The Global Market? 5:35 - What Does It Mean To Invest In &q...

Scott and James discuss how this political climate impacts our investments. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - How Should Politics Impact My Investment Strategy? 6:04 - Why Are We Investing? 8:35 - The Power of The S&P 500...

Scott and James discuss whether or not you should be saving on taxes now or in the future. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Episodes Mentioned Episode 6: To Roth or Not to Roth? Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - Should I Invest In A Roth IRA? 5:45 - How Does...

Scott and James discuss where you should save your extra income. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Listener Question 3:30 - Where Should I Save Extra Income? 5:45 - Long-Term v. Short-Term Savings 8:05 -  Education Funding 9:47 - How To Think About &...

Scott and James discuss how to balance cash savings & long-term investing. Planning Points Discussed Retirement Planning Utilizing Time Efficiently Capital Appreciation Purchasing Power Other issues (IRAs, Inflation, Financial Goals, etc.) Timestamps: 1:30 - Introduction 3:40 - How To Allocate To Different Goals 7:15 - Should I Invest For Short-Term Goals? 8:24 - Importance of Different Accoun...