Financial Freedom Podcast

Life insurance is an important part of any financial plan. Your death can bring about financial hardship to those you leave behind without it. Term life provides a nice benefit for a lower premium (although it goes up as you get older), while whole or universal life provides coverage for a higher premium, but it grows in cash value over time to provide an asset. But apparently that whole life policy is worth more than its cash surrender value! You can actually sell it! To tell you more about this, I talked with Rob Haynie about life settlements and how they work. In this episode you will learn: - What a life insurance settlement is - What some of the most compelling reasons are for considering one - How they can  aid in estate planning - How they can help you achieve financial freedom in retirement - How they can help you overcome debt and avoid foreclosure

Millennials are somewhat the "middle child" generation when it comes to saving for retirement. Although, on average, they began saving 10 years earlier than Baby Boomers, Gen Z started at the age of 19, which is 16 years earlier than the average baby boomer, and 6 years earlier than millennials. As such, they do have an edge over Boomers, they do have to play catch-up vis a vis the Gen Zers. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk with retired attorney and investment guy Dan Solin on what millennials can do to get to the retirement finish line successfully. In this episode you will learn: - Whether Retirement Should Be Your Investing Goal - How Your Behavior Will Determine Whether You Reach Your Retirement Goals - What "Consumer Smoothing" Is - Whether Adjustable Rate Mortgages are Better Than Fixed Rate Ones - Should You Pay Off, or Keep, Your Mortgage

Although student loans continue to be a hot topic in personal finance news, there are many interesting articles and tips out there that can help you on your path to financial freedom.  These include Gen Z investment strategies that seem to be working, the cooling of the housing market competition, whether you should leverage the equity in your home, and how to maximize your vacation time. Thant's why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to talk about these various news items, in hopes that they can give you some investing ideas, help you decide whether to buy or sell a home, whether to do something with your home equity, or get you the most time off from work. In this episode you will learn: - How Gen Z Investment Strategies Can Help You - About the Cooling of Housing Market Competition and What It Means for You - About If, When, and How You Should Tap Into Your Home Equity - How to Maximize Vacation Days  

One of the things that many couples and individuals think about, know they need, and fully intend to get one day, is an estate plan. But what is it? Is it just a will? What can happen if you put it off too long? That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk with estate planning attorney Adam Zuckerman to get a good idea of what an estate plan is, why you need one, and why you shouldn't wait to get one. In this episode you will learn: - What an Estate Plan Is - How It Differs from a Will - About the Downsides of Not Having One - What You Need to Think About in Making One - About Revocable Living Trusts

One of the more mystifying subjects in personal finance is cryptocurrency (what most people identify as Bitcoin). The concepts behind digital currency are not obvious and can lead to people being hesitant to get involved in it. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk to former truck driver and cryptocurrency enthusiast Bitcoin Ben to tell us about what it is, how you can get some, and why you should consider doing so. In this episode you will learn: - What Cryptocurrency Is - About the Easiest Way to Get It - How to Store Cryptocurrency - Whether You Should Invest in It

For my 100th episode, I did a look back on 9 of those guests and highlighted some of the great information they had for listeners. Now that I have reached the milestone of 200 episodes I wanted to do that again with guests from Episodes 101 forward. I will leave links in the show notes to the full episodes if you haven’t already listened to them and want to hear more. In addition, due to the length of this episode, I will also be leaving chapter markings (so you can skip ahead if you wish) and time codes in the show notes. In this episode you will learn: - How to Deal with Financial Stress - About Budgeting and Reducing Spending - Alternative Ways to Pay Down Debt - How to Look for a Better Job to Increase Income - About Getting Started in the Stock Market - About Forming a Millionaire Mindset - How to Define Retirement for Yourself - How to Talk to Your Kids About Money - Strategies for an Affordable College Education for Your Kids Chapter Markings 02:11   Dealing with Financial Stress (Dr. David Weiman) 08:32  Budgeting & Reducing Spending (Tightwad Todd) 14:29  Alternative Ways to Pay Down Debt (Jerry Fetta) 20:17   How to Look for a Better Job (Bonnie Negron) 28:58  Getting Started in the Stock Market (Markay Latimer) 36:11   Forming a Millionaire Mindset (Tony Bradshaw) 42:04  Defining Retirement for Yourself (Eric Brotman) 47:03  Talking to Your Kids About Money (Derrick Kinney) 55:02  Strategies for an Affordable College Education for Your Kids (Brad Baldridge)

Eliminating debt is one of the first steps on the path to financial freedom. Controlling your living expenses and spending within your means allows you to work towards short and longterm savings goals. But that's not always easy while raising a family. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk with Brad Nelson, the Debt-Free Dad, to talk about how it can be done! In this episode you will learn: - Budgeting Tips for Beginners - How to Improve Your Financial Habits - How to Reduce Impulsive & Wasteful Spending - How to Talk About Money in a Relationship - The Best Method to Pay Off Debt

As a bankruptcy attorney, I help lots of people to save their homes from foreclosure by filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy to make catch-up payments on their mortgage. But there are other ways to do it. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk to DJ Olojo about how he helps people to save their homes without filing bankruptcy. In this episode you will learn: - Telling Foreclosure Myth from Fact - About the Mortgage Bank's Foreclosure Playbook - Foreclosure Prevention Tactics - The 12 Step Program to Save Your Home

There are many ways to save and invest for retirement (or just to build wealth) and most are recommended by traditional financial advisers. But sometimes it's a good idea to explore some non-traditional ways to do it that might be better suited to your situation. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk to Chris Miles, a self-described anti-financial advisor who walks that road less traveled with his clients to help them reach their own financial freedom. In this episode you will learn: - What an Anti-Financial Advisor Is - Why You Need to "Get Your Money Out of Prison" - How Passive Income Can Help Build Wealth - How to Come Up with Money to Invest

The student loan crisis has made parents and students more cautious when it comes to taking out student loans. But even then, the average student debt is $30,000, which is a lot to owe fresh out of college with no job. But what if you could graduate debt free and into a job you love? To answer that question I talked with academic strategist Jeannie Burlowski on how it can be done! In this episode you will learn: - Strategies for when you're not in a position to save money - How to leverage more need-based aid from schools - How private schools can be a better deal than state ones - Talking to teens about career goals before they apply

Achieving financial freedom means getting your personal finances in order, so that you are living within your means and have money at the end of the month. But to have true financial freedom long term, with long term goals like retirement, you have to have a financial plan. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk with fellow personal finance podcaster Curtis May on attaining what he calls Practical Wealth. In this episode you will learn about: - Practical Wealth - Cash Flow Mapping - Accumulation Theory - Velocity of Money Strategy - Privatized Banking

Stocks are a key part of any retirement savings portfolio. Their potential to grow over the course of your working life with a rate of return, despite ups and downs, that can't be beat by CDs or a savings account. But bonds are also important to a well balanced portfolio. To find out the particulars in this episode of the podcast, I bring back Certified Financial Planner Michael Karwic for a talk on bonds and how they can be key to a successful retirement.  In this episode you will learn: - What Kinds of Bonds There Are - How Bonds Balance Risk Tolerance - About the Tax Advantages of Certain Bonds - How Interest Rates Can Vary on Bonds

As I've said in previous episodes, the earlier you start saving and investing for retirement, the better. As soon as you graduate with your degree and get a job, you should start on your path to long term financial freedom. But how do you get started? How do you put together a plan for retirement investment that will work long term? That's why in this episode of the podcast I talked with retirement expert Anne Lester to get answers to this question. In this episode you will learn about: What your "money type" is Creating a retirement plan in your 20s & 30s How to find money to invest Retirement planning for the self-employed

Financial freedom is a journey, not a destination. Even if you are in good shape now, it takes good habits and discipline to maintain it on into the future. Laws and financial circumstances can change, and you need to be adaptable. That's why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to report on some tips, tricks, and changes in the law that might help you have a financially free 2024.  In this episode you will learn: - Good options for short term savings - About college fund to Roth IRA Rollovers - How a "Dry January" can save you money - About the 12 month student loan "on-ramp" - Job Search Tips for 2024 - How to decide when to claim Social Security benefits

Achieving financial freedom is not always easy. Some people have the skills to do it on their own, while others need some expert help and guidance. That's never a bad thing. Having that guidance means hiring a financial advisor. But how do you pick one? How do you know if you have the right one for your needs? Getting you answers to those questions is why in this episode of the podcast I talk about the steps you need to take in choosing the right financial advisor for you. In this episode you will learn about: - The Steps to Choosing an Advisor - The Types of Advisors - The Kinds of Services They Provide - Common Mistakes People Make in Choosing an Advisor

The cost of a college education is getting higher and higher. Students are graduating with crushing debt and are either unable to find a job or can't get one that will earn them enough money to pay the loans. Parents often get into debt by cosigning loans, or sacrifice their retirement. That's why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to talk to someone who could provide advice and strategies on approaching the cost of higher education and making sure that parents and students have a plan in place way before they decide on a school. In this episode you will learn: - Where (and when) to begin the planning process - How to find out the true cost of a school before picking it - How parents can help their children without sacrificing their retirement - Can private schools be as affordable as public ones? - Is there a different strategy for graduate school?

As the holiday season approaches, we're all thinking about the celebrations, gift giving, and general joy that we experience during this time. But as the year comes to a close, we should also be thinking about our finances and the tax bill that may come in the new year. Thant's why in this episode of the podcast, although it isn't as exciting and uplifting as the holidays, I wanted to talk about some tax planning you can do now that may reduce that tax bill next April. In this episode you will learn: - How to maximize retirement contributions for tax benefits. - About contributing to HSAs and FSAs for healthcare tax deductions. - Why you should regularly review and update your tax withholdings. - Why you should explore family and education tax credits. - About reviewing your investment portfolio for tax-efficient strategies.

No matter the size of a family business, the owner is an entrepreneur. This is an important realization, as having an entrepreneurial mindset is key to the success and growth of any business. That's why in this episode of the podcast I talk to Danielle Hayden of Kickstart Accounting about the entrepreneurial mindset, how to create a financial vision for your small business, and how to make sure that business weathers bad times. In this episode you will learn: - How to transform your money mindset - About creating a financial vision for your business - About achieving financial fluency so you can interpret your financial data - How to recession-proof your business

As people get older and closer to retirement, they start to worry about whether they are ready and whether they can afford to retire. Do they have enough money set aside? How much is enough? That's why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to talk about how many people think they're behind, how much they think they need to retire, how to tell whether you really ARE behind, and how to catch up if you are. In this episode you will learn: - How many people think they're behind - How much people think they need to retire - How to find out if you are behind - Jow to get caught up if you are

If someone is having emotional, mental, or social problems, you might send them to therapy. But what if they are having financial problems? Is there any such thing as financial therapy? Well according to Wendy Wright, a therapist and money coach, there is! That's why in this episode of the podcast I wanted to talk to her about what financial therapy is and how it can help people change their thinking about money, communicate it better with their spouse, and get out of debt. In this episode you will learn: - What financial therapy is - How it can improve your relationship with money - How to talk to you loved ones/partner about money - How financial therapy can help you stop the debt cycle - How to deal with sudden wealth