Teach and Retire Rich

Scott fields questions on: 1) "normal" timeframe between payroll deduction and contribution showing up in account; 2) Managing an Equitable to Vanguard transfer; 3) Fidelity direct or through Aspire?; 4) Roth 403(b) vs. Roth 457(b)?; 5) Can you contribute maximum to a 403(b) over six-month time period? Video of Podcast 403bwise.org 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-1...

Scott walks through the myriad of hoops and the substantial savings that can be achieved when exiting a high-cost 403(b) plan Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (article) How To Get Out of a Bad 403(b) How To Get Out of Equitable/AXA 403bwise.org 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presente...

This is a recording of a live September 22, 2026 403bwise Event hosted by Lucretia Ryan of Financial Freedom for Women.  Video of Pod Financial Freedom for Women Contact Lucretia 403bwise.org 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group

Lucretia Ryan of Financial Freedom for Women details how she helped a private school improve its 403(b) plan.  Video of Pod Financial Freedom for Women Contact Lucretia Next Gen Personal Finance 403bwise.org 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed is to be constr...

Chris Tobe, MBA, CFA, CAIA, and author of "Could Teachers' Annuities Be the Next Casualty of the LA Dodgers Insurance Unwind?" joins us to discuss the unholy NEA/Security Benefit alliance.  Video of episode Chris Tobe Could Teachers' Annuities Be the Next Casualty of the LA Dodgers Insurance Unwind? Part 1 of our recent look at the NEA/Security Benefit alliance  (pod) A Tale As Old As Time (podcas...

We dig into the long-standing (25 years!) unholy alliance between the NEA and the financial firm Security Benefit. It's a relationship that we believe hurts teachers. Dan also talks about meeting Johnny Rotten and seeing his post-Sex Pistols band Public Image Limited the night before recording this episode.  Video of this pod 23 Financial Mistakes You Can't Afford To Make (NEA) Original NEA Valueb...

Our guest today recently passed the 7-hour, 170-question CFP exam. Additionally, he runs a fin lit website that helps educators teach personal finance and he also operates a robust personal finance YouTube site called Easy Peasy Finance that has close to 46,000 subscribers. I should mention he started making fin lit videos at age 7 and he passed the CFP exam at age 16. He is now 17.  Video of Podc...

We walk through all the free resources 403bwise offers. This episode may best be experienced through the video link.  Video of Podcast 403bwise.org 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a...

Scott tackles questions on: withdrawing money from a 403(b) plan at age 59 1/2; quality of Lincoln National Life Group and Plan Member Services 403(b) offerings; time it takes for a 403(b) rollover to Vanguard IRA; the Ohio Deferred Comp 457(b) plan; best choice for Vanguard settlement fund.  Video of Podcast 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwi...

We speak with two late-start savers who are now either retired or soon to be retired. One never made more than $100,000 a year and one is an emergency room doctor.  Catching Up to FI F.I.R.E. for Dummies 403bwise/457bwiser Facebook Group  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group No...

Lincoln Investment's RetirementSolutions Participant Directed Account has long been the only low-cost 403(b) option for teachers, especially in New Jersey. All of that is going away. Pittsburgh teacher Adam Holy, who fought to get the Participant Directed Account available years ago, discusses what loss of this option will mean in his district. Scott offers some fixes for districts losing this low...

A Riverside, California teacher was interested in learning about a 403(b). He met with a NLG sales agent via Zoom. Suddenly forms were filled out and electronically signed. Video of episode Riverside Unified School District 403(b) Vendor List 403bwise/457bwiser Facebook Group  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management...

We all like individualism but individual 403(b) contracts make it difficult for school districts to reform their 403(b) plan. There is a solution.  Recipe for Going Single Vendor (Learned by Being Burned Episode 5) Individual Plans vs Group Contracts Explainer 403bwise/457bwiser Facebook Group  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian...

With vendors like Equitable and National Life Group, what could go wrong? Watch video version ASBO "Model" 403(b) Plan Choice Still Matters — Bringing Clarity to the Modern 403(b) Landscape 403bwise/457bwiser Facebook Group  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presente...

Scott tackles July Facebook Group questions. Topics include rolling over a 403(b) when leaving a job; Moving from Equitable to Aspire; Roth IRA vs. Roth 403(b); Performing a 403(b) exchange to a CalSTRS P2 403(b); and What to do with a 403(b) upon retirement.  Watch video version Barb O'Neill columns How to Use Aspire Non-Advisor Option 403bwise/457bwiser Facebook Group  457bwiser.org Learned by B...

A $300,000 political donation by Security Benefit was the subject of a recent Bloomberg News investigation. We discuss.  Source article: Billionaire Boehly's Allies Donated Heavily to Kansas Insurance Regulator   457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discuss...

Teacher and Baltimore Teachers Union member Nathan Ferrell walks us through how the stakeholders got it done. He also offers tips on how your district can do the same. Baltimore City Public School's Green-rated 403(b)/457(b) Plan How 403bwise Grades a Plan District Update to Staff About New Plan Bolton USA nferrell@baltu.org  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(...

Dan and Scott share a model anti solicitation policy that school districts could use to ban sales agents from campuses. Downloadable Model Anti Sales Agent Solicitation Policy Podcast: California Tries to Ban 403(b) Sales Agents From Campuses 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Grou...

High school science teacher and Buffalo Bills fan helps his colleagues get wise to saving for retirement.  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial P...

New Jersey high school business and personal finance teacher and super 403(b)/457(b) advocate, Chris Nye, moves from high school to elementary school. 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be...

Scott is back at it answering your questions which include: Withdrawing money from a Roth 403(b) Keep money in 403(b) at retirement or rollover, and if so to which company? Is the Equitable EQUI-VEST Strategies Series 901 "as bad" as the 201 Series? Purchasing out-of-state pension credit: Do it now or wait? 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise...

Dan and Scott discuss the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) letter to the SEC regarding collective investment trusts (CITs) in 403(b) plans. They also discuss Vanguard's position.  Advice Only Network 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed...

Bay area high school history teacher and financial educator, Matt Raleigh, is back to talk about an upcoming fin lit for teachers webinar that his union is sponsoring. San Ramon Valley Unified 403(b)/457(b) Vendor List University of the Pacific class Matt's Book for California Teachers Article: Spend Half Save Half Matt's first pod appearance Matt's second pod appearance 457bwiser.org Learned by B...

CEO Eric Simonson discusses the Advice-Only Network, a service that provides access to advice-only fiduciary financial planners from around the country. Advice Only Network 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or t...

We discuss the proposed bill, and speak with a teacher who advocated for its passage. Chico Unified School District 403(b)/457(b) Vendor List AB2197 AB2197 Analysis 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advic...