A Word About Wealth Podcast

If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. We’re here for you. In this week’s episode, your host, Kevin delves into the intricate details of Van’s Personal Financial Dating profile.  Let’s explore the secrets to Van’s Financial Dating profile that authentically reflects his financial values while captivating potential matches.  Tune in and get ready to set the stage for meaningful connections built on mutual financial understanding and compatibility. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com. Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

WAW0101: Kids Talk Money If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. We’re here for you. It’s been a while since we had special guests in the podcast.  In this special episode, we bring in kids to ask them random questions to see how much they know about money.  Tune in to see what wild and zany responses we get from these kids.  Maybe they’ll even teach us adults a thing or two about money. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com. Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. RSS Feed:  https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss

If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. We’re here for you. We did it folks, 100 episodes!  It only took us 5 years, but finally we did it!  Thank you for sticking with us over the years.  With us restarting the podcast twice, having inconsistent release schedules, and frankly all of the countless banter about “The Rock”, it’s a miracle that we still have listeners.  In this episode, we wanted to celebrate by taking a nod with “The Christmas Carol” while we take a deep dive into Kevin and Van’s years of financial past, present, and future.  Join us in our celebration! As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com. Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. We’re here for you. It’s that time of year again. Like death, taxes are something that you can never avoid. However, if you are well prepared, getting your tax return done won’t be a big deal. This year, you many have heard rumblings that your tax refund will not be as good this year. Tune in to find out if that’s true and how it may impact you. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com. Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. We’re here for you. Budgeting is a fundamental financial planning tool that we highly recommend, but how do you do so when you're about to spend a boatload of money for a high expense purchase? Join us as we talk about Kevin's home renovation and how it is blowing his meticulously planned budget. We also talk about Van's latest financial youtube obsession, Super Mario and other fun things. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com. Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss

If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. We’re here for you. To pay off the mortgage … or not pay off the mortgage? This has been an age old question that has many stumped. On one hand, investing is more exciting and the potential for building wealth is much greater. But on the other hand, paying off the mortgage is a guaranteed way to ensure a roof over your head. Which is the right choice? Is there even a wrong choice in this first world problem? In this episode, we go into the details of whether it makes sense to pay off your mortgage early. You may be surprised at what you find. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com. Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

WAW096: Are Financial Advisors Bad?
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. It seems like anyone can call themselves “financial advisors” these days.  From your insurance agent to your crazy uncle, it’s a loose title thrown around in an attempt to gain your trust to manage your hard earned dollars.  There are many advisors that truly help their clients to build wealth, but it’s also an industry that is fraught with confusion, debilitating fees, and misinformation that it is often very difficult to find a financial advisor to trust.  In this episode, we go over our real-world experience working with financial advisors.  Find out the good and bad of what financial advisors have to offer and whether you should hire one. For more information about this topic, also check out Episode 6: Are Financial Advisors Right For Me?
 As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

WAW095: Bull Run...in a Recession?
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. If you've read the news over the past half year, chances are you've heard economists talk about inflation and how "heated" the economy is. You might also have heard that we're due for a recession. But yet, some investors are gearing up for a bull run on the market. Join us for this episode as we discuss the state of the economy, whether there's actually a bull run and Van shares with us how he learned the difference between a bull run and bear run. It's something you won't want to miss.
 As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss

WAW094: Top 10 Questions About Money
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. Despite it being easier than ever to learn about money, most of us just stink with managing our own finances.  With more than half of Americans unable to pay for a $1,000 emergency, and credit card debts reaching an all time high, it’s a telling sign that many of us need to go back to the basics to establish that financial foundation.  In this episode, we tackle the Top 10 Questions About Money and give our Word About Wealth take on questions surrounding credit cards, debt, budgeting, retirement, and more! As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. References:
 1. Link to original article: https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/scary-money-questions/ RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss

If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. The day is finally here. Yes, folks you guessed it - The day you all have been waiting for all year is here - The US Midterm elections. You're not interested? Fair enough, but you might still want to know who will control the various branches of government because it will have some significant impact on tax policy going forward. In this episode, Van and Kevin break-down compare the tax plans between a Republican-controlled Congress vs. a Democrat-controlled Congress As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. Reference: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/10/27/congressional-republicans-five-part-plan-to-increase-inflation-and-costs-for-american-families/#:~:text=Under%20the%20Congressional%20Republican%20plan,American%20household's%20total%20annual%20income. https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/10/17/republicans-tax-trump-biden/

WAW092: HELOC is it a Bad Word?
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. A HELOC stands for “Home Equity Line of Credit”.  As the name suggests, HELOC is a debt instrument that allows homeowners to tap into the equity of their home and use it like a credit card.  Many use HELOCs to renovate their homes and pay off debts, but do other uses exists for HELOCs?  What does it take to qualify?  In this episode, we will go over what a HELOC is, what you can do with it, and the pitfalls that are associated with HELOCs.  You may have already guessed what Kevin and Van’s disposition are with HELOCs, but tune in anyway, you’re bound to learn something new. :-) As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. RSS Feed:  https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss

WAW091: 15 Fundamental Finance Tips for Students
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. While we’re taught many other topics, like “the birds and the bees”, chemistry, English, etc., personal finance is oddly missing from that curiculum.  Such a shame that many of us were not formally taught basic personal finances before setting off into the world.  It’s no wonder that many of us are so deeply in debt and struggling financially.  These days, Tik Tok and social media are ways that people are learning about finance, and that’s scary.  In this episode, we’ll go over 15 fundamental tips that every student should learn about personal finance before they graduate. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. References:
 1. Link to Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2022/06/30/15-fundamental-financial-topics-high-schools-and-colleges-should-teach-students/?sh=664998291bb6 RSS Feed:  https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss

WAW090: Should you follow Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps?
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. Dave Ramsey is a titan in the world of personal finance.  He has sold multiple New York Times best sellers, including his most famous book, “The Total Money Makeover” and is also best known for his radio and Youtube channel, reaching millions of daily listeners and viewers.  While many critics view his Baby Steps to be too simple and conservative, you can’t deny the impact this program has made to get millions of Americans out of debt and on their way to building wealth.  That said, are Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps right for you?  In this episode, we will take a deep dive into each Baby Step and give our opinions and weigh in the pro’s and con’s.  We always say that there’s no one size fits all approach to personal finance, but Dave’s Baby Steps are set to prove us wrong. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

WAW089: Should You Loan Money to Family?
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. Money and family is messy to say the least.  It’s something that most people wouldn’t touch with a 10 ft pole, yet for many, it can’t be avoided.  Maybe there’s a sense of familial duty, or perhaps it’s a situation where you don’t want to create a long term dependency with.  Is loaning money a bad idea?  Or are there certain circumstances when you should feel obligated to loan the money?  This is a topic that the hosts also struggle with, but let’s dive in and navigate these waters to see if there is an answer to this question… should you loan money to family? As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses.

WAW088: 9% Savings Account?!  Introducing I-Bonds!
 If you are interested in a 1-on-1 financial coaching session, please contact selfreliantfi@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation.  We’re here for you. While high inflation is generally a very bad situation, there is one area where high inflation is actually beneficial.  Let us introduce you to Series I Bonds, otherwise known as I-Bonds.  Simply put, I-Bonds are government savings bonds that are pegged to the rate of inflation.  As of October 2, 2022, I-Bonds have a coupon rate of 9.62%!  Much better than any savings account or CD can offer today, and has the backing of the United States Treasury.  Sounds simple, but are there any quirks with I-Bonds?  Who can invest in I-Bonds and more importantly, should you be investing in I-Bonds?  Tune in to find out! As always, if you have any questions, comments, or topic recommendations, please email us at awordaboutwealth@gmail.com.  Subscribe to future episodes of “A Word About Wealth” as we strive to deliver financial entertainment to the masses. References:
 1. US Treasury site about I-Bonds:  https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/ibonds/res_ibonds.htm RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/8800fec8/podcast/rss