Teach and Retire Rich

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...

Scott answers four saving for retirement questions commonly asked in the 403bwise & 457bwiser Facebook Group. We check his answers with AI. Let's just say we wouldn't trust the robots yet.  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 a...

University of Tennessee Agricultural and Resource Economics professor Karen DeLong talks growing up on a farm, getting financially wise, and sharing her knowledge with students and university athletes. Professor Karen DeLong 457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as...

Scott and Dan share their new resource and the reasoning behind it.  457bwiser.org Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).

Scott and Dan discuss the proposed AXA/Equitable and Corebridge merger and what it could mean for participants.   Three ways the Corebridge/Equitable merger could shake up the annuity market Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured f...

403(b) super advocates Steve Schullo, Karl Fisch, and Scott Dauenhauer have been driving electric vehicles for years. They share their experiences and offer tips for those considering EVs.  Karl's EV data Join Us on April 5, 2026 for a Special Announcement. Info  here Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or d...

We dig into how to move money to a better employer vendor. In the 403(b) world this is called an "exchange." In the 457(b) world this is called a "transfer."  How to intiate an exchange/transfer from one employer vendor to another Determine compliance administrator Determine if exchanges/transfers are permitted (almost always are) Determine what new vendors are available (see 403bwise rating syste...

Employers can contribute to a 457(b) but their additions count against the contribution limit. We discuss a workaround: adding a 401(a) plan, which surely Fonzie would give two thumbs up. What Are 401(a) Plans? Join Us on April 5, 2026 for a Special Announcement. Info  here Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presente...

With an assist from the Wealthy Custodian, a California fin lit teacher teaches and learns key fin lit concepts.  Next Gen Personal Finance The Wealthy Custodian Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financ...

The Ohio 457(b) is superb. Why did the Ohio ASBO create a low-quality 457(b) to compete with the great Ohio state plan? Doh! ASBO (Substack write up with charts) The Excellent Ohio 457(b) Plan (pod) Pablo Torre Finds Out Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax...

Technology teacher Daniel Picard describes how his small district explored starting a 403(b) but found the state-run MaineStart 457(b) a far superior choice.  MaineStart 457(b) 403bwise MaineStart Grade Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can...

Former teacher Danny Kofke and fiduciary Eric Hansen are principals in the Southern Education Retirement Consortium, an investment collective that serves the K-12 market. They discuss the consortium model which allows small to medium-size schools to band together to get favorable 403(b) pricing and services.  Souther Education Retirement Consortium (SERC) Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series...

Section 125 plans are a great way to save money for health care, dependent care, dental care and disability insurance on a pre-tax basis. American Fidelity, which sells high-cost 403(b) products, runs many of these plans for school districts. In many cases educators must meet with an AF rep in order to get the pre-tax benefit. During these meetings AF sales reps try to sell a blizzard of services....

Many teachers are offered a subsidized Medicare plan from their school district when they retire. They are told this is a great benefit that they have contributed to their whole career. Sounds great, right? Most don't realize that what they are being offered is not traditional Medicare. It is a more restrictive form of healthcare called Medicare Advantage. They also don't realize  that the choice...

Jeremy Schneider, a founder of Nectarine, an innovative advice-only service that provides access to a fiduciary advisor on an hourly basis, explains what a "deadbox" is and why you might want one.  Nectarine Personal Finance Club IG Account Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed...

Ken Ford of Ford Wealth Management, who we first interviewed in 2015, shares why he is done with the K-12 403(b) market.  Ford Wealth Management 2015 Pod with Ken  The 7Twelve Portfolio Learned by Being Burned  (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues) 403bwise.org Meridian Wealth Management Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a...