Best Growwealth Podcasts (2025)

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The Third Option Between Working and Retiring 1:12:29

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17h ago1:12:29

1:12:29

#646: Picture this: your 11-year-old son comes home from a friend's house and asks why you don't have a basketball court in your basement like his buddy's family. Instead of just saying "we can't afford it," you explain that having one would mean dad goes back to working 60-hour weeks and traveling constantly. Your son thinks for a moment and says,…

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Q&A: My Friend Won’t Invest - How Can I Help? 1:16:47

4d ago1:16:47

1:16:47

#645: Mike (02:50): After 15 years of intentional living, Mike is 80 percent of the way to financial independence. Now he’s trying to help friends take control of their own financial future. But what happens when one spouse is eager to learn and invest, while the other isn’t interested? Michael (27:07): For two years, Michael has tracked his net wo…

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The Hidden Psychology Behind Every Financial Decision You Make with Dr. Daniel Crosby 1:09:41

8d ago1:09:41

1:09:41

#644: Why do we both crave money and resent it? Why do some people sabotage their financial futures in the name of short-term comfort? And why is your brain — not the stock market — the biggest threat to your wealth? In this conversation, we explore the surprising ways that psychology and money intertwine. Our guest, Dr. Daniel Crosby, is a behavio…

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LIVESTREAM: A Former Fed Economist Reveals What's Really Happening, with Karsten Jeske (“Big ERN”) 1:03:19

11d ago1:03:19

1:03:19

#643: Picture this: you're at the Federal Reserve years ago. The chairman literally hangs up a conference call, waits 30 minutes, then calls back — suddenly everyone agrees on the rate decision. That's the kind of insider story Karsten Jeske (“Big ERN”) shares when he joins us to break down what's happening with the economy right now. Karsten worke…

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BONUS: Stagflation, Stocks & Social Security - What’s Next for Your Money? with Rob Berger 26:06

12d ago26:06

26:06

EXCLUSIVE: Is your money safe in today’s economy? In this bonus interview, Paula Pant sits down with financial expert Rob Berger to unpack the latest on inflation, interest rates, market valuations, and the future of Social Security. Together, Paula and Rob dive into the tough questions: Is the American Dream dead for Gen Z? Will there be another m…

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The Case for Investing in Individual Stocks, with Co-Founder of the Motley Fool, David Gardner 1:29:14

15d ago1:29:14

1:29:14

#642: Curious about how individual stock picking could sharpen your investing skills—even if you’re an avid index fund investor? Paula sits down with David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool and author of Rule Breaker Investing, to delve into the world of contrarian stock strategies and the mindset behind picking standout companies. Timestamps:…

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Q&A: ChatGPT Built Her $1.2M Portfolio … But Should You Trust It? 57:44

18d ago57:44

57:44

#641: Cristina has a $1.2 million portfolio and hopes to make work optional within the next decade. Is she invested in the right way? Or should she change up her asset allocation? Anonymous and her husband plan to retire in 5 years. They have 10 rental properties and a $2.75 million portfolio. They dream of slow travel, generosity, and family time.…

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First Friday: Jerome Powell's Remarks at Jackson Hole 17:58

22d ago17:58

17:58

#640: The jobs report came out this morning and it was a painful one. The US added only 22,000 new jobs in August, according to the latest BLS report. And unemployment ticked up to 4.3%. What does this mean? Find out in today's First Friday episode! Timestamps: Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising …

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Q&A: How to Invest in Your Community (by Finding the Third Option) 48:36

25d ago48:36

48:36

#639: Aisha is excited to share how some life-changing advice has played out for her career. She wonders now: what limiting beliefs has Paula and Joe had to overcome in their businesses? Lesley is attracted to community bonds as a way to build collective wealth for the underserved. But do the same risks exist as they do in the traditional bond mark…

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[GREATEST HITS] James Clear: How Small Daily Actions Compound Into Life-Changing Wealth [RERUN] 1:18:41

29d ago1:18:41

1:18:41

#638: Fifty dollars. That's how much this couple transferred to their "Trip to Europe" savings account each time they cooked dinner instead of going to a restaurant. By year's end, they had funded their dream vacation — not through budgeting or willpower, but by hacking their habit loop. This story illustrates how James Clear approaches habit chang…

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Q&A: Can You Open an IRA for Someone Else's Kid? (And Should You?) 55:15

1M ago55:15

55:15

#637: Nick wants to set up an investment account for his nephew to contribute annually, creating a nest egg for college since the parents are already opening a 529. He's unsure whether a standard brokerage account, IRA or other options work best when you're not the parent. Diana asks whether she needs TIPS in her portfolio to protect against inflat…

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How to Talk to Your Parents About Money, with Behavioral Economist Etinosa Agbonlahor 1:00:21

1M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

#636: Behavioral economist Etinosa Agbonlahor joins us to discuss "money scripts" — the unconscious beliefs we inherit or develop about finances. Agbonlahor, CEO of Decision Alpha and former Director of Behavioral Science Research at Fidelity Investments, is the author of "How to Talk to Your Parents About Money." She studied financial management a…

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Q&A: Gold vs. Stocks – and Why Inflation Panic Makes You Poor 1:34:57

1M ago1:34:57

1:34:57

#635: Arielle’s head is spinning from the seemingly contradictory advice she hears about the best investments to hedge against inflation and a possible recession. What’s she missing? Dave is curious about private investments after listening to a recent First Friday episode. What are they, and should he consider them for his portfolio? Abbey is stok…

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Wharton Professor: The 7 Hidden Types of Entrepreneurs | with Lori Rosenkopf 1:20:00

1M ago1:20:00

1:20:00

#634: Picture this: you're 26 years old, fresh out of Wharton, and you decide to start a business with two friends. You spend years building a digital marketing firm that eventually works with Dollar Shave Club and Madison Reed. You bootstrap the entire thing without taking a dime of venture capital funding. That's exactly what one Wharton graduate…

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Q&A: How to Spot Investment Scams Before You Lose Everything 1:15:39

2M ago1:15:39

1:15:39

#633: Paul is worried the private equity investment he’s about to make could be a scam. How can he do his due diligence and stay protected when there’s a shortage of reliable information? Rob is questioning the purpose of a bond allocation in his eight-figure investment portfolio. Is he on to something, or is there a legitimate case to add them? Da…

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How to Get Everything You Want at Work 1:44:34

2M ago1:44:34

1:44:34

Your Next Raise is open for enrollment! ⁠https://affordanything.com/how-to-negotiate-your-next-raise #632: There are 10 conversations that a person should have at work in order to do a better job, have better relationships at work, and make more money. Melody Wilding, Professor of Human Behavior at Hunter College, joins us to talk about how you can…

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Q&A: Is ChatGPT's Portfolio Better Than VTSAX? 1:42:08

2M ago1:42:08

1:42:08

Your Next Raise now open for enrollment! https://affordanything.com/how-to-negotiate-your-next-raise #631: Jason's analysis of his retirement plan shows that the simple path beats the efficient frontier. Is he right or is he missing something? Minerva is worried about the impacts of tax inefficiency to her wealth. Are her investments properly locat…

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BONUS First Monday: How Did the BLS Get the Jobs Report So Wrong? 17:30

2M ago17:30

17:30

Special bonus episode. The Bureau of Labor Statistics issues massive job revisions on Friday morning. The revisions wipe out nearly 90% of previously reported gains for May and June. This raises fundamental questions about how our most trusted economic data gets calculated. In this episode, we break down how the system works. We examine why the rev…

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First Friday: We Were Wrong About 258,000 Jobs (This Changes Everything) 51:51

2M ago51:51

51:51

#630: Interesting observations about the current housing market, meme stocks (again), GDP, Fed Meeting, Stock Market, and the latest Jobs Report updates. Timestamps: Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changin…

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Nick Maggiulli: The Wealth Ladder Has Six Rungs (and Most People Never Climb Past Four) 1:11:42

2M ago1:11:42

1:11:42

#629: Here's the thing about personal finance advice: what works when you have $10,000 won't work when you have $1 million. Yet most financial guidance treats everyone the same, whether you're scraping together a $1,000 emergency fund or deciding whether to upgrade to business class. Nick Maggiulli, author of "The Wealth Ladder," joins us to break …

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Why Nice People Struggle with Money, with Dr. Sandra Matz, Professor at Columbia Business School 1:10:11

2M ago1:10:11

1:10:11

#628: You follow all the right personal finance advice. You know you should save more, invest regularly, and build an emergency fund. So why does it feel so much harder for some people than others? The answer lies in your personality. Dr. Sandra Matz, a professor at Columbia Business School, studies the intersection of psychology and money manageme…

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Q&A: When Being Good With Money … Isn't Good Enough 56:47

2M ago56:47

56:47

#627: Jlyn and her husband are 20 years from retirement, but they’ve got their eye on a second home they’ll live in when the time comes. Should they make the purchase now, or keep saving? Reese was recently laid off, and she’s struggling to choose between two financially responsible paths. Should she continue her long-term disability insurance? Or …

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The Hidden Psychology Behind Failed Dreams, with Yale’s Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle 1:06:16

2M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

#626: A software programmer and an accountant walk into retirement planning. Are they being creative? Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, a senior research scientist at Yale University's Center for Emotional Intelligence, says absolutely. Pringle defines creativity as something that's both original and effective, whether you're solving an accounting proble…

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JL Collins Part 2: What Happens When You Don't Need to Work Anymore? 59:43

2M ago59:43

59:43

#625: What do you do when you've reached financial independence? JL Collins says it depends entirely on your spending rate, not just your net worth. Collins joins us for part two of our conversation about what happens after you reach financial independence. He tackles the question of whether you should invest differently once you've "won the game."…

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JL Collins Part 1: The Simple Path vs. The "Optimal" Path 55:15

3M ago55:15

55:15

#624: JL Collins, author of "The Simple Path to Wealth" — the guy synonymous with VTSAX and chill — joins us for Part 1 of a two-part series where we skip the basics and dive straight into the complex stuff. We ask him whether his simple approach actually beats more sophisticated strategies, and his answer might surprise you. He says that Paul Merr…

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Q&A: “Help! My Mom’s Financial Crisis Is Becoming Mine!” 51:08

3M ago51:08

51:08

#623: An anonymous caller feels trapped in a no-win situation with her financially reckless mother. She has the means to bail her out, but it doesn’t feel right. What should she do? Shannon is excited about investing in several companies overseas. But she can only access them using American Depository Receipts. What are they, and how do they work? …

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First Friday: Why Americans Are More Pessimistic Than Ever 37:42

3M ago37:42

37:42

#622: #622: The headlines said America added 147,000 jobs in June. The reality? Private companies actually cut 33,000 positions. Grad students just lost access to unlimited borrowing. Parent PLUS loans now cap at $65,000. And tariffs are about to jump as high as 70 percent. Everything is changing at once — taxes, tariffs, student loans, and immigra…

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Q&A: Which Investments Should Go Into Which Accounts? 1:05:06

3M ago1:05:06

1:05:06

DOWNLOAD the FREE Cheat Sheet: ASSET LOCATION MADE SIMPLE at affordanything.com/assetlocation #621: Jared is attracted to the favorable terms of the annuity plan that his employer offers, but he’s hesitant to pay the opportunity cost of locking up his money now. What should he do? An anonymous caller is struggling to find the efficient frontier wit…

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The Hidden Cost of Replacing You at Work, with “Money with Katie” host Katie Gatti Tassin 37:08

3M ago37:08

37:08

#620: You probably think your value to your employer equals your paycheck. Katie Gatti Tassin has news for you — you're worth way more than that. The host of "Money with Katie" recently joined us to break down a framework that could change how you negotiate forever. Her formula is simple: Your worth equals your market rate plus what it costs to rep…

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Q&A: My Company Is Going Public and I Have No Idea What to Do – Plus, Should I Fire My Advisor? 1:06:22

3M ago1:06:22

1:06:22

#619: Dave is no longer happy with his financial advisor, but he’s nervous about switching over to self-management after being completely hands-off for so long. What should he do? An anonymous caller keeps hearing about the benefits of Cost Segregation for investment property. What is it? And should he apply this strategy to his recently acquired d…

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How to Retire at 50 While Supporting Aging Parents, with Frank Vasquez 1:16:57

3M ago1:16:57

1:16:57

DOWNLOAD the RISK PARITY PORTFOLIO CHEAT SHEET at affordanything.com/riskparity ______________ #618: Frank Vasquez watched his parents, ages 91 and 96, struggle financially in retirement. They were immigrants. His dad was a physician. They raised five kids. They retired in the early 1990’s. But by 2009, they ran out of money. When Frank was 45, in …

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Q&A: We Just Had a Baby and Lost Half Our Income 1:00:03

3M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

#617: Austin and his wife are worried about moving to a single-income household while supporting two kids. Should they free up cash flow by paying off a car loan, or tighten up and stay the course? Paul has been retired for seven years, but still can’t shake his anxiety about not having enough. Is there a good way to know when he’s finally escaped …

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How Hackers Are Stealing Your Retirement $50 at a Time, with former CIA hacker Dr. Eric Cole 1:45:30

4M ago1:45:30

1:45:30

#616: Two school teachers in Ohio saved their entire lives for one dream — buying a farm. When they inherited $1.3 million and found the perfect property for $1.2 million, everything seemed perfect. Five days before closing, they received what looked like a legitimate email from their closing company with wire transfer instructions. They sent the m…

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Q&A: We Saved $1.2 Million But We’re Still Renting. Should We Buy? 1:08:01

4M ago1:08:01

1:08:01

#615: Emily is nervous that buying their first home will derail her family’s journey to financial independence. What’s the smartest way to deploy their savings and stay on track? Based on cap rate calculations, Paul’s real estate investments have appreciated beyond their sensible holding point. Should he sell his assets, or is there more to conside…

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First Friday: The Dollar Is Weak, Bonds Are Expensive, and We Owe WWII-Level Debt 53:24

4M ago53:24

53:24

#614: The US just added 139,000 new jobs in May. That beat expectations. But the real story isn't in the job numbers — it’s in the bond market. Something unusual is happening in bonds. Treasury yields are spiking. The dollar is weakening. That combination almost never happens together. And it's signaling concerns about future inflation. Trade wars …

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Rachel Rodgers: This Multimillionaire Started With $330,000 in Debt and a $41,000 Salary 1:33:19

4M ago1:33:19

1:33:19

#613: Rachel Rodgers graduated from law school with $330,000 in student loans. Her starting salary? Just $41,000. Most people would have accepted this crushing debt-to-income ratio. They'd slowly chip away at payments for decades. Rodgers had a different plan. She deferred her loans and started her own virtual law practice in 2008 — during the rece…

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How to Know If You're Cut Out for Entrepreneurship Before You Risk Everything, with Grant Sabatier 1:13:46

4M ago1:13:46

1:13:46

Grant Sabatier never worked in retail, never worked in a bookstore, and had no idea what he was doing when he opened Clintonville Books in Columbus, Ohio. But that's exactly the point. The experiment required 1,200 hours of solo work — measuring spaces, moving 40,000 books, and navigating city regulations. But it taught him something crucial: even …

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Q&A: Is It REALLY Different This Time? 1:05:25

4M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

#611: With the state of the world changing so rapidly, Lesley is struggling to accept that “this time isn’t different.” Does the past still reliably inform the present in the face of major decisions today? An anonymous caller and her husband want to achieve financial independence through real estate within 10 years. Is it better to pay off existing…

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Your Goals Might Be Killing You (Literally), with Sebastien Page 1:30:59

4M ago1:30:59

1:30:59

In 2005, Sebastien Page nearly died from a mysterious bacterial infection that doctors couldn't diagnose for a week. A single observant physician noticed cuts on his toes from running in wet terrain and connected the dots. The experience forced Page to confront mortality — and completely changed how he thinks about goals. Page, the chief investment…

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Q&A: How Not To Screw Up Retirement Spending 1:14:49

4M ago1:14:49

1:14:49

Eva is approaching financial independence, but she’s worried about messing up the transition. How does she set her portfolio up for success during the drawdown years of early retirement? Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I deep-dive into this question in today’s episode. Enjoy! P.S. Got a question? Leave it here. Episodes about the Efficie…

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The Stoic Path to Wealth, with Billionaire Investor and Philanthropist Robert Rosenkrantz 1:21:18

4M ago1:21:18

1:21:18

#608: At age seven, Robert Rosenkrantz made a decision that would shape his entire life: he would take full responsibility for his future. As a child, Rosenkrantz watched his parents struggle financially. His father was unemployed for two years, and his mother worked as a drugstore clerk. Their financial insecurity was painfully obvious to young Ro…

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Q&A: Remember When Money Advice Came From Just One Book at the Library? 1:20:46

5M ago1:20:46

1:20:46

#607: George is a worried baby boomer, wondering if today’s generation is drowning in the noise of today’s financial landscape. How does one find a balance between information and overload? Heather is stunned by the notion that renting could make more financial sense than buying. Where she’s from, the numbers seem to always swing in favor of owning…

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Can You Really Afford to Die? - with Hospice and Oncology Nurse Suzanne O’Brien 1:13:52

5M ago1:13:52

1:13:52

#606: Hospice nurse and end-of-life educator Suzanne O’Brien joins us to discuss the financial realities of dying in America — and they might surprise you. Remember Aretha Franklin? Her handwritten will was found in her couch cushions after she passed away. Despite her substantial wealth, this simple document was legally upheld. It's a powerful rem…

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Q&A: My Boss Said Return to Office. So I’m Quitting. 44:57

5M ago44:57

44:57

#605: In light of recent federal mandates to return to the office, Pedro is having a hard time giving up on his fully remote lifestyle. Is there a creative solution to his dilemma? An anonymous caller is excited to move abroad permanently. How should she structure her investments to support her international lifestyle while maintaining a home base …

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First Friday: How April’s Tariffs Changed the Economy 58:41

5M ago58:41

58:41

#604: The biggest trade shake-up in 135 years is happening right now. April brought tariff levels that economists say haven't been seen since the 1890s, creating ripple effects throughout the economy. We're seeing a stark disconnect between official economic data and how people feel about their financial future. While the economy added 177,000 jobs…

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Q&A: Who Actually Makes Money From Gold and Silver These Days? 1:00:57

5M ago1:00:57

1:00:57

#603: Bethany’s partner wants to invest most of their money in gold and silver, but no one seems to talk about this kind of investing. Is this a red flag or a potential opportunity? Diana is worried she’s been saving too much for her kids’ college - hundreds of dollars a month since they were born. How does she know when to stop? Wendy’s pension an…

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The Surprising Science of Six-Figure Thinking 1:02:00

5M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

#602: Ever looked back at an old Facebook post and cringed? According to Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic, that discomfort is evidence of something powerful: your personality has changed, even if you didn't notice it happening. In our latest episode, Khazan, who recently wrote a book on the science of personality change, breaks down how ou…

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Q&A: The Stock Market Sucks. Is Private Equity Any Better? 52:53

5M ago52:53

52:53

#601: Nick and his wife have $100,000 to invest, but they’re worried about the volatility of the current stock market. Should they look into alternative investments such as private equity? Even though Roth IRAs come with tax-free withdrawals in retirement, Josh is worried about his tax bracket going up and neutralizing the benefits. Is he right to …

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Mini-Retirements Are the New Early Retirement – with Mom of Six, Jillian Johnsrud 1:39:09

5M ago1:39:09

1:39:09

#600: Jillian Johnsrud was falling apart. After suffering a miscarriage, she couldn't pull herself together to return to her job as a youth pastor in DC. She decided to take a month off. That unexpected break became Jillian's first "mini-retirement" — a deliberate step away from work for at least 30 days to focus on something meaningful. Today, Jil…

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Q&A: Retirement Math That Actually Works; Cashing In on the World Cup; and Why Your Parents' Housing Advice Is Wrong 1:14:07

6M ago1:14:07

1:14:07

#599: Becky and her husband are about to semi-retire. But the four percent retirement withdrawal rule doesn’t make sense for them. Are there other financial frameworks they should explore? Kris is excited about a potential boost in local real estate values when the World Cup comes to town. Will this have any significant impacts on his property? Pey…