The Rob Berger Show: Recent Episodes
Rob Berger
Personal finance for smart people by the host of the Dough Roller Money Podcast. Rather than forcing you into a one-size-fits-all financial plan, we discuss the tools, resources, and strategies that will empower you to make the best money decisions for you and your family.
Resources in Episode
Morningstar: https://go.robberger.com/morningstar/...
Fidelity Article: https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/r...
Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/retiremen...
Spend Safely in Retirement Article: https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...
Fidelity HSA App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fidelit...
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This week in Five Question Friday (FQF): mega IPOs, sequence of returns risk, RMDs from a bonds-only IRA, Roth conversions after 59 1/2, and VT versus VTI plus VXUS.
Question 1: Will the giant IPOs coming in 2026 drain money from the market and depress stock prices?
Question 2: Is 20% to 30% in bonds enough protection against sequence of returns risk?
Question 3: If you move your IRA entirely into bonds, will RMDs force you to sell bonds when they're down?
Question 4: If you're over 59 1/2, why not make every IRA withdrawal a Roth conversion?
Question 5: Is "VT and chill" costing you 0.7% a year compared to holding VTI and VXUS separately?
Resources mentioned in the video:
SpaceX IPO pricing: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-...
S&P 500 buyback data: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/cor...
Money market fund assets: https://www.ici.org/research/stats/mmf
Bengen's original 1994 paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...
Kitces/Pfau rising equity glidepath: https://www.kitces.com/blog/should-eq...
IRS RMD FAQs: https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/...
IRS Publication 590-B (Roth and IRA distribution rules): https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b
RMDs come out before conversions: https://irahelp.com/new-rule-all-ira-...
The two Roth 5-year rules: https://www.kitces.com/blog/understan...
The VT vs VTI/VXUS articles in question: https://princetonasset.com/2026/05/25...
Elm Wealth on VT vs VTI/VXUS: https://elmwealth.com/vt-vs-vti-vxus/
Bernstein on the rebalancing bonus: https://www.efficientfrontier.com/ef/...
Foreign tax credit basics: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Forei...
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In today's video we discuss if we should try to find investments that consistently beat the S&P 500.
Resources From Video
• You Can’t Win With Money While Your Life I...
https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/res...
https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...
https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...
https://www.morningstar.com/etfs/arcx...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- Is the market inevitably going to crash, and how to mitigate
- When to take SS and investing the early payments
- Should we even bother tracking portfolio performance?
- How to calculate how much money you need to retire comfortably
- Why retirees still need an emergency fund
Resources From Video
Open Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/
FI Calc: https://ficalc.app/
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-fqf
Snowball Analytics: https://go.robberger.com/snowball-ana...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) episode, we cover these questions:
- Four golden rules for avoiding financial scams
- Finding and canceling forgotten subscriptions
- Sharing passwords and 2FA with your spouse
- Finding trustworthy help managing finances in old age
- Are debt consolidation services legitimate?
Resources From Video
FTC Avoiding and Reporting Scams: https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams
ReportFraud.ftc.gov — If you encounter a scam, report it here to help law enforcement stop scammers.
IdentityTheft.gov — If you think a scammer has your personal information, this site walks you through recovery steps.
Rocket Money: https://go.robberger.com/rocket-money...
Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-rob5... (Use code ROB50 for 50% off the first year's subscription)
1Password Families: https://go.robberger.com/1password/yt-
AADMM Find a DMM Directory: https://secure.aadmm.com/
Nolo's Guide to Daily Money Managers: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encycloped...
NFCC Agency Finder: https://www.nfcc.org/agency-finder
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - Credit Counseling Guide: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-c...
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In today's episode, we discuss the following:
- ChatGPT for Finances
- A free version
- Whether this is the end of budgeting apps
Resources From Video
ChatGPT Prompt: Create a beautiful dashboard that shows me my spending by category, a pie chart that I can click on to show which transactions make up that category, and identify any suspicious transactions and also any recurring expenses. Really make the dashboard really pretty.
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- How many years of "safe funds" should you hold beyond guaranteed income?
- Reducing portfolio risk in retirement when returns aren't needed
- Budgeting app that syncs the Sam's Club Mastercard
- Does the 4% rule account for pre-tax vs. after-tax assets?
- Should you only sell stocks when the market is at record highs?
Resources From Video
Budgeting Apps: https://robberger.com/best-budgeting-...
Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-rob5... (Promo code: ROB50)
https://www.wallstreetcourier.com/spo...
https://www.morningstar.com/economy/w...
https://www.monarch.com/connection-st...
https://robberger.com/research/asset-...
https://www.kitces.com/blog/the-impac...
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In today's video, we answer the following question: Can the bucket strategy help you generate income and grow your wealth in retirement, even as you're spending money to live on?
Retirement Manifesto Articles
First Article: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.co...
Second Article: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.co...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- Floor & Enjoy Retirement Strategy
- Target Date Funds
- Paying Taxes on Roth Conversions
- Vanguard’s New BondBuilder ETFs
- Boldin vs. Empower
Resources From Video
Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-fqf
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
https://longevity.stanford.edu/wp-con...
https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...
https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...
https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...
https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-cen...
https://investor.vanguard.com/investo...
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In this Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- How to teach your significant other to manage the investments? (The Spouse Financial Survival Kit) 1. Start with a One-Pager
a. Accounts
b. Key Professionals
c. Withdrawal Order
d. Financial Overview Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W... - Financial Love Letter
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q... -
Review the documents once a year
-
When to Take RMDs?
- Timing doesn’t change amount (the amount is based on balance at end of last year)
- RMDs must come before Roth conversions
a. https://obliviousinvestor.com/rmd-tim... - Take QCDs first if you plan to have them count toward RMDs
- If needed for spending, take as needed (monthly or quarterly)
-
If not, wait until later in the year
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How can I see the stocks owned by a target date retirement fund?
Morningstar Investor: https://go.robberger.com/morningstar/ -
How do you keep track of HSA expenses?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/... -
Why haven’t I done a Roth conversion yet?
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In this episode, I'll answer the following question from a viewer:
"I would like to ask if you can do a video on the current specific funds you are invested in? You did a video a while back about your 6 funds, but now you mentioned in a recent video that you simplified and are down to 3 or 4 funds. I was thinking of mirroring your 6 fund plan but now I see you have simplified, which is why I am asking if you can do a new video going over your new 4 fund plan."
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- Where is the best place to park cash today?
- Should you invest or pay off student loans?
- Are Schwab’s Target Date Retirement Funds a solid option?
- When should you start spending your IRA money?
- Should a TIPS ladder be part of a retirement portfolio?
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In this episode, we cover my Ultimate Retirement Checklist:
-
Healthcare
-
Start learning about Medicare
-
Understand IRMMA brackets
-
Track Expenses
-
Calculate Your Burn Rate
-
Calculate Your Guaranteed Income Ratio
-
Plan for large expenses
-
Plan when to take Social Security
-
Cash
-
Create a Tax-Efficient Withdrawal Strategy
-
Understand how investment withdrawals are taxed
-
Consider Roth conversions
-
Plan how to spend down your HSA
-
Simplify Accounts
-
Simplify Investments
-
Consider your asset allocation
-
End of Life Documents
-
Consider how to use your home equity
-
Consider using retirement planning tools
-
Protect your online accounts (financial, email, social)
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- How do you protect your portfolio as you near retirement?
- How does asset location work if you must draw from taxable accounts?
- Should you automatically reinvest dividends?
- How can I diversify away from the S&P 500?
- What is the safe withdrawal rate for a 20 year retirement?
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
- What Happens To Bond Funds When the Fed Cuts Rates?
- Where to Invest If Stocks Are a No-go
- How are Mutual Fund Sales Taxed?
- Should Annuities Replace Bonds?
- Brokerage Account vs Roth IRA
Resources
- Snowball-Analytics: https://go.robberger.com/snowball-ana...
- 10 Year Treasury & Fed Fund Rate: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/T1...
- VTINX: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...
- FTBFX: https://fundresearch.fidelity.com/mut...
- Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...
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In this 2025 Year-End Investment Portfolio Review we cover the following topics:
- Asset Allocation
a. Diversification / changes
b. Rebalancing - Simplification
- Beneficiaries
- Performance
- Tax Loss or Gain Harvesting
- Fees
a. Fund fees
b. Advisor fees - Evaluate Your Performance
a. Did you buy/sell anything
b. What worried you during the year
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five topics:
- 10% yield on bonds
- Where to hold bonds
- Co-signing a mortgage
- Paying taxes on a Roth conversion
- Asset allocation of real estate investments
Bonus: Cost of long-term care calculator
Resources:
https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we look at these five questions:
-
Have we been lied to about our Social Security break-even age?
-
Is it ok to restart the 4% rule if the market goes up in early retirement?
-
I am nervous about the run up in AI stocks . . . Could it be a good idea to consider diversifying from VTI to an “equal-weighted index fund like Invesco S&P Equal Weight ETF or others like it?
-
I’m 64 and I would like to begin annual Roth conversions from my traditional IRA’s. Can you review the rules surrounding these conversions in one’s retirement years? I would like to know how soon I can withdraw converted funds and their associated earnings penalty free and tax free.
-
You’ve mentioned in the past that you transitioned from a six-fund portfolio to a simpler three-fund setup. I’m curious — was that change mainly about reducing complexity and streamlining your investments, or did it reflect a stage of investment maturity and confidence in a more minimalist approach?
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover these questions:
-
How to invest $15 million?
-
For the 4% withdrawal rate devised by Bill Bengen, what measure of inflation did he use? Are there other measures that you think might be more appropriate?
-
If you have a retirement portfolio with a 6% yield does the 4% rule apply?
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Is a 7-year MYGA a better deal than a 7-year Treasury?
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If the yield from a High Yield Savings account is paying out 3.8 to 4.0%, why would it ever be a good investment to buy bonds or bond ETFs with their recent volatility?
Bonus Question: Can you explain more about your choice to practice Bikram Yoga over other types of Yoga?
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover this questions:
- Can you recommend a detailed tax estimator?
- How to plan Roth conversions without a fancy retirement planner?
- Should you pay off a mortgage early or invest the money?
- Are identity theft protection services worth the cost?
- How does reinvesting vs spending dividends affect return assumptions for retirement planning?
Resources
2025 Tax Calculator: https://www.efile.com/tax-return-calc...
Note: eFile is still updating some aspects of the calculator for 2025 tax laws.
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
Vanguard Roth Conversion Calculator: https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-cen...
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Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.
It's Not That Complicated https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4v7wLCjhh5ohWVVSNTs2HsGz9nufD/view
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In this episode, we'll walk through 7 things you must know about Medicare's annual open enrollment period.
Resources
It's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4...
Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications...
2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...
Medicare Part A Costs: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...
Medigap Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...
KFF Medigap Article: https://www.kff.org/medicare/key-fact...
Can I Change Medigap Plans? https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...
Compare Medicare Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare...
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Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.
In this episode, we'll walk through the key differences and pros and cons of Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage plans.
Resources
It's Not That Complicated (pdf): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hqs4...
Medicare & You 2026 (pdf): https://www.medicare.gov/publications...
2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-she...
Medicare Part A Costs: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs...
Medigap Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-...
KFF Medigap Article: https://www.kff.org/medicare/key-fact...
Compare Medicare Plans: https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare...
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Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.
In this episode, we'll walk through resources you can use to get free help with Medicare. The Resources are broken into three categories:
- Free online educational content
- Free Medicare guidance from SHIP
- Free Medicare guidance from insurance brokers
Resources
Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/
CMS: https://www.cms.gov/
KFF: https://www.kff.org/topic/medicare/
SHIP: https://www.shiphelp.org/
JAMA Study on SHIP: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama...
Chapter: 410-220-5494
Federal Lawsuit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/139...
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Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.
A viewer asked me to suggest some tools he could use to evaluate his investment portfolio and asset allocation. So in this video we looked at three of my favorite investment tools:
- Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-3...
- Kubera: https://go.robberger.com/kubera/yt-3-...
- Google Sheets: https://robberger.com/investment-trac...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) video, we cover the following questions:
- What are the best finance apps for those with a learning disability?
- Is 3% SWR the new 4%?
- How do you model tax-free income in Boldin?
- In what account type should you hold cash you plan to spend in the first few years of retirement?
- What inflation rate should you assume in retirement?
Resources
Monarch Money: https://go.robberger.com/monarch-yt/y... (Use Promo Code ROB50 for 50% off the first year)
Simplifi: https://go.robberger.com/simplifi/yt-fqf
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
Fidelity article: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-cen...
Shiller PE: https://www.multpl.com/shiller-pe
Kitces article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/the-ratch...
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In today's video, we discuss how Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) payments are calculated and 8 strategies to reduce or even eliminate the payments.
Resources from the Video
Reddit Forum Post: / strategies_to_reduce_irmaa_costs_medicare
2025 IRMAA Brackets: https://www.humana.com/medicare/medic...
IRMAA MAGI Calculation: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0...
SSA-44 Form: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-44.pdf
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-irmma
ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we cover five great questions and one tax calculator:
- What is the Tax Triangle? (Traditional, Roth, and taxable accounts)
- Is the Withdrawal Amount in FICalc the same as spending?
- When should you sell an investment that's at a loss?
- How far into the future should we plan?
- When and how quickly should you change asset allocation as you near retirement?
Tool: Retirement Tax-Friendly States: https://smartasset.com/retirement/ret...
Resources
Blackrock Asset Return Map: https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/i...
FICalc: https://ficalc.app/
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
Perplexity Result: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what...
Perplexity Tax Triangle: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what...
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A viewer recently asked about bracket filling:
"I haven't heard you or other financial advisors say much about "bracket filling" in retirement. Is it reasonable to think that in retirement I should be filling a tax bracket up with pre-tax accounts, then using after-tax accounts for withdrawals that reach into the higher bracket? Is there a way to model this in Bolden?"
It's a great question that we cover in this video.
Resources Mentioned in Video
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-EN...
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The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has brought us a number of changes to the tax laws. Some changes are "permanent," meaning it would take an act of Congress and the President to change them. Some are "temporary," meaning they expire at some point in the future. Almost all of them can affect how we plan for retirement, particularly when it comes to Roth conversion strategies, tax-gain harvesting, and even traditional retirement account distributions.
In this video, I walk through the key tax provisions of the OBBBA, and then cover how they may affect retirement planning.
NOTE: ProjectionLab has updated its software to account for the OBBBA tax changes
https://robberger.com/tools/projectio...
Resources
Andy Panko's article: https://static.twentyoverten.com/5d25...
U.S. Bank Tax Bracket article: https://www.usbank.com/wealth-managem...
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Here are the five questions we cover this week in Five Question Friday:
- Should we park cash in a money market fund or a t-bill ETF?
- Are Robo-Advisor Tax-Loss harvesting features worth it?
- What is the Retirement Spending Smile?
- What rate of return assumption should you use in retirement planning software?
- Which IRA account types can be combined?
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In today's Five Question Friday we look at the following questions:
- How should the $6,000 senior deduction affect Roth conversions?
- Are short-term bonds a reasonable alternative to intermediate-term bonds?
- Are tax-managed balanced funds ok in a taxable account?
- How should I invest money I'll use to pay the rent in retirement?
- Boldin vs ProjectionLab for Roth conversion analysis?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:
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One of the challenges of the 4% Rule is what your initial safe withdrawal rate should be. While the name of the rule suggests one should start with 4%, there are countless reasons why that start point may not be right for you. For example, you may retiree early, you may not use the same asset allocation the rule was based on, you may have concerns about future stock market returns, inflation or both.
Enter withdrawal strategies that don't require you to use 4% or any other initial safe withdrawal rate. In this video we'll look at three such strategies:
- Variable Withdrawal Percentage
- Spend Safely in Retirement Strategy
- Chance of Success Strategy
Resources mentioned in the video
FICalc: https://ficalc.app/
Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-3...
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-3-...
VWP Article & Spreadsheet: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Varia...
Spend Safely in Retirement Article: https://robberger.com/spend-safely-in...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at the following questions:
- TIPS Funds vs Individual TIPS--which provides the better inflation protection?
- Is a 4% withdrawal each year with no inflation adjustment a reasonable withdrawal strategy?
- Can tax loss harvesting reduce IRMAA payments?
- How can you estimate the annual income of an investment portfolio?
- How do I track my net worth?
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We look at the following questions in today's Five Question Friday:
- Are growth stocks best for Roth IRAs?
- How should you pay taxes on retirement account withdrawals?
- How should you invest in retirement if you are scared of the stock market?
- What's the ideal set-it-and-forget-it retirement portfolio?
- Should you withdrawal cash from investment accounts to create an emergency fund?
Schwab RMD article: https://www.schwab.com/go-digital/rmd
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In today's Five Question Friday video we cover these questions:
- Why has Bill Bengen gone from 4% to 5%?
- Is it ok to put Social Security bridge money in a money market fund?
- How do Fidelity's Zero Funds compare to Vanguard Index Funds?
- Should cash count towards your asset allocation?
- Should you convert Vanguard Mutual Funds to ETFs?
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I viewer named Eileen asked about how her children, who are in their twenties, should invest. Here's her question: Can you do a video on constructing a retirement account (Roth) for my 20 year old kids? They are contributing 15%. I am thinking 10% VGSLX, 10% VSIAX, 30% VTIAX and 50% either VTSAX or VVIAX. Your thoughts please.
In this video I'll walk through the 3 goals of long-term investing, evaluate Eileen's proposed portfolio, and look at one alternative.
Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-20
Morningstar: https://www.morningstar.com/
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In today's Five Question Friday we look at these 5 questions:
- Does a Market Crash Change How to Use the 4% Rule?
- How do bond ETFs generate returns?
- Are Timothy Funds a good option?
- Is Fidelity HSA a solid account?
- What's better in retirement, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios or a TDR Fund?
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In this video, I share my experience attending a free dinner investment seminar. The seminar was allegedly to help investors handle volatility in the markets. Instead, it turned out to be a sales pitch for expensive, complex investing products like a leveraged options strategy.
Here are links to the resources I mention in the video:
SPIVA Report: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/res...
Concentration of SP500: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/v...
Vanguard Lont-Term Bond Fund: https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...
Paper on Tax Loss Harvesting: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...
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In this edition of Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at these five questions:
- My 401k is not employer matched, should I stop contributing to my employer 401k and open a Roth IRA instead?
- Where should we keep cash we'll need to spend in 12 to 18 months?
- Can you implement the bucket strategy in Boldin?
- SCHD + TIPS & Chill?
- Do Short-Term Treasury Bills provide the same inflation protection as TIPS?
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) we'll tackle the following questions:
- Is now a good time to change your asset allocation?
- Do target date funds force you to sell stocks in a down market?
- Does the IRS treat the withdrawal of dividends as taking out earnings or contributions from a Roth IRA?
- Is an 80% Chance of Success in Retirement reasonable?
- How much should you allocate to international stocks?
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
FICalc: https://ficalc.app/
Chance of Success Guardrail Articles:
https://www.kitces.com/blog/monte-car...
https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/ris...
https://www.kitces.com/blog/probabili...
https://www.morningstar.com/retiremen...
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In this video, I'll run down several high-yield options for your cash. I'll also discuss where we are keeping our cash today.
Bank Bonuses: https://www.allcards.com/best-bank-bo...
CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/cd-rates/
Savings Rates: https://www.allcards.com/savings-acco...
No-Penalty CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/no-penalty-c...
Vanguard Money Market Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...
Schwab Money Market Funds: https://www.schwab.com/money-market-f...
T-Bill Yields: https://home.treasury.gov/resource-ce...
Nerdwallet T-Bill Account: https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwall...
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The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College recently surveyed financial advisors, asking what the major risks were to their clients' retirement. In this video, we'll look at the top 5 risks financial advisors identified, and compare them to the five biggest risks according to retirees.
Here's the study: https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads...
ProjectionLab (Use Code RBERGER-10 for a 10% discount): https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-
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Here are today's Five Question Friday (FQF):
- Are financial apps safe?
- Can you help me understand the risk of bonds?
- How are mutual fund dividends taxed?
- How should we think about annuities for retirement income?
- Does Ben Felix hate index funds?
Ben Felix video: • The Problem With Index Funds
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Here are the five questions we'll cover in this week's edition of Five Question Friday:
- Is now a good time to do a Roth conversion? (John)
- Mutual Funds vs ETFs (Shane)
- Should we invest more in international stocks? (Phil)
- Is Gold a hedge against inflation? (Cathy)
- Has 2025 wrecked our retirement plans? (Doug)
Resources
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqf
ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
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Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). We actually have 6 questions today plus a free investment tracking tool:
- Do I send Facebook friend requests to viewers?
- Is this a good time to start investing?
- Is rebalancing in volatile times just market timing?
- If following the 4% rule, should the amount you pay in taxes be included?
- Should an emergency fund be part of your asset allocation?
- What is your opinion of using T-bills for cash instead of CDs or bonds?
Investment Tracking Tool: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...
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A viewer named John emailed me the following question: "I'm planning to build a 5yr TIPS ladder to provide some inflation protected income in the years before Medicare and SS. How do I model that "account" in Boldin??"
It's a great question, and it gives us the opportunity to look at an often overlooked feature of retirement planning software--pension income. Yes, a TIPS ladder can be modeled as pension income. We'll look at it in both Boldin and ProjectionLab.
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-ti...
ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla... (use code RBERGER-10 for a 10% discount)
TIPSLadder: https://www.tipsladder.com/
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Here are the questions for this week's Five Question Friday (FQF):
- Are savings accounts better than bond funds?
- Can you please explain nominal and real returns?
- Does it matter if the market is up or down if you do a Roth conversion?
- Will I be taxed twice on reinvested dividends?
- Do you really need more than one broker?
Bonus Question: What camera and mic are you using?
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Choosing between traditional and Roth 401k contributions is difficult. It forces us to make a guess about our taxes years or even decades from now. In this video, we'll discuss some of the factors that can affect this decision. And then, I'll share one strategy that may make the decision much easier.
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Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the five questions we'll cover:
- Will fake inflation data destroy TIPS?
- How should a pension affect your asset allocation?
- Do advisors really add 3% to your returns?
- TIPS Ladder vs TIPS Fund
- Investing in a Roth vs Traditional Retirement Account
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According to the latest report from the Board of Trustees of Social Security, it will become insolvent in 2033. Without money in the trust fund to bolster tax receipts. The Social Security Administration will only be able to pay out 79 cents on the dollar in benefits.
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Retirement planning requires that we make a lot of assumptions about the future. From all of these assumptions and other data, most software spits out a "Chance of Success." That number can make the future appear more certain than it is. In fact, many people make some big mistakes with their retirement plans.
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Welcome to Five Question Friday! Here are the questions we'll cover in today's video:
- Should You Build a TIPS Ladder in Retirement?
- Are Vanguard's LifeStrategy Funds a Reasonable Choice in Retirement?
- Is the 40/60 Portfolio the New 60/40 Portfolio?
- How many investment brokers do I use?
- How to rebalance across different account types?
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we tackle these five fantastic questions:
- What financial apps are worth paying for in or near retirement?
- How do you enter money market funds into your investment tracking spreadsheet?
- Is it safe to link accounts to apps?
- Can you comment on Bill Bernstein's comment that if you've won the game, stop playing?
- Is Larry Kotlikoff's criticism of Boldin justified?
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Retirement withdrawal strategies are about a lot more than just the 4% rule or safe withdrawal rates. To better understand how they work and how you can apply them to your retirement, this video walks through 7 rules I follow when it comes to spending down your investments in retirement.
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we have five more great questions sent in by viewers:
- Should we think of dividends as guaranteed income?
- Should we invest in our HSA the same way we invest in our Roth IRA?
- How should you pay tax on a Roth Conversion?
- Should you get long-term care insurance?
- Should our investing strategy change as our wealth rises?
WSJ Article on LTC insurance: https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/...
Fidelity Alternative Investments: https://www.fidelity.com/go/alternati...
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In this video, I'll describe my approach to investing in uncertain times. To do so, I'll enlist the help of the D.C. subway system, Sir Isaac Newton, and the 1970s.
The 60/40 Solution: https://www.safalniveshak.com/wp-cont...
Sir Isaac Newton Paper: https://www.sfu.ca/~poitras/cjh_newto...
The Telegraph Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...
Stocks for the Long Run: https://amzn.to/4hyy0hz
Stay the Course: https://amzn.to/4hq4HOh
150 Years of Stock Market Crashes: https://www.morningstar.com/economy/w...
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In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we cover the following:
- Some thoughts on how to hire a financial advisor
- Whether to consider Medicare premiums in your Roth conversion analysis
- How Social Security should affect our asset allocation in retirement
- How variable income should affect how we invest
- Whether I sold U.S. stocks to buy International stocks this year.
Resources mentioned in the video:
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
List of Low Cost Advisors: https://robberger.com/low-cost-financ...
My newsletter signup: https://robberger.com/newsletter/
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In this video, I'll share with you my current investment portfolio, including a big change I made in our traditional retirement accounts. I'll also share an update to my free investment tracking spreadsheet.
https://robberger.com/investment-trac...
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With stock valuations near all-time highs in the U.S., many people are asking whether we should reduce or exposure to stocks. In fact, a recent Vanguard market outlook report concluded that a typical 60/40 retirement portfolio may be too rich, and that a 40/60 portfolio is a better option in this valuation environment.
This video is my take on all of this.
Resources:
Vanguard Report: https://corporate.vanguard.com/conten...
Bogleheads Forum Post: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...
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Welcome back to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are today's questions:
- What bond funds do I use in my portfolio?
- Do you really need an emergency fund?
- How does living off interest work with Bengen's 4% rule?
- How to track money market funds in my investment tracking spreadsheet?
- Are money market funds better than intermediate-term bond funds?
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Warren Buffett recently sol 100% of the two S&P 500 index funds Berkshire Hathaway owned, including Vanguard's VOO. In this video, we'll look at whether we should too.
News Article: https://www.investors.com/etfs-and-fu...
Berkshire's Stock Holdings: https://www.dataroma.com/m/holdings.p...
Berkshire's Net Stock Sales: https://x.com/dividend_data/status/18...
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Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the 5 questions:
- Can one Fidelity fund beat the Vanguard 3-fund portfolio?
- How do expense ratios work with fund of funds?
- Concerning the 4% rule, which I believe the analysis runs out for 30 years, if someone starts to take a yearly percentage out of their portfolio at a later age, say in their mid-70s, can the starting point of 4% be safely increased, and to what?
- How to Track a Complicated Portfolio
- What should we make of Vanguard's paper that indicates a better asset allocation for retirement income is a majority of bonds (like 40% equities, 60% bonds!) as opposed to long-established portfolios that are more like 60/40 in favor of equities. Even Bill Bengen didn't recommend going below 50% equities, right?
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Get 10% off the cost of ProjectionLab with promo code RBERGER-10 using this link: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla....
In today's video, we'll look at the following features of ProjectionLab:
- Export/Import Data
- Income/Expense
- Tax Analytics
- Drawdowns
- Bond Allocation
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Today, the SEC announced a $106.41 million settlement with Vanguard following moves Vanguard made in 2020 that resulted in excessive capital gains distributions to retail investors. In this video, I'll walk through the settlement order and what it means to investors.
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In today's episode of Five Question Friday (FQF), we start with a strategy you might consider if you want to leave your expensive financial advisor but you are afraid of going it alone. Here are all the questions in today's show:
- How to leave your financial advisor
- TIPS ladder vs BND
- Are Target Date Funds a Reasonable Option
- If a person has over $250,000 in a Fidelity account, should they open up another account - say with Vanguard, Schwab, M1 Finance, or perhaps another brokerage - elsewhere as well?
- How do we rebalance assets in Boldin? If we enter a 60/40 portfolio today, after a few years, it turns into 80/20, which means the software is not rebalancing automatically.2. For the BND fund, what rate of return will you use?
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We start this week's Five Question Friday (FQF) with a question about whether a 2% investment fee is crazy. Here are the five questions:
- Am I crazy to be paying a 2% fee to manage my investments at Morgan Stanley?
- Can you analyze 100% BND versus 50% BND and 50% VIPSX.
- In Boldin, what are you setting as projected returns?
- How should I invest if I don't need the money in retirement?
- Is direct indexing worth the cost and complexity?
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With five years to go before retirement, there are several steps you can and should take to prepare. In this video, I'll cover 13 things to consider as your retirement date draws closer.
Resources mentioned:
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
Tiller: https://go.robberger.com/tiller/yt-5-...
Rocket Money: https://go.robberger.com/rocket-money...
Lunch Money: https://go.robberger.com/lunch-money/...
Vanguard Asset Allocation: https://investor.vanguard.com/investo...
Open Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/
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At least once a year it's important to review your investment portfolio and make any necessary adjustments. Here are the 10 things I check every year:
- Write down your planned asset allocation
- Compare your actual allocation to your plan
- Evaluate individual holdings
- Evaluate your asset location
- Confirm you have beneficiaries listed for each account
- Check your performance for the past year
- Check for excessive stock concentration
- Evaluate your advisor relationship & fees
- Make sure you have 2FA on all financial accounts and email
- Evaluate if you can simplify your portfolio
Resources
Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-y...
Investment Tracking Spreadsheet: https://robberger.com/investment-trac...
Morningstar: https://www.morningstar.com/
ETF Overlap Tool: https://www.etfrc.com/funds/overlap.php
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Welcome to this week's edition of Five Question Friday. Here are the questions we'll be covering today:
- Should you include the value of your home in your asset allocation?
- Should we tilt our portfolio to 10% SCV?
- After-Tax Asset allocation
- Tips Ladders vs ETFs: If for example we had 500k for our fixed assets portion of our portfolio, what are your thoughts on building multiple TIPs ladders with all 500k to meet our retirement goals vs. a more diversified mixof t-bills, CDs, Agency, Corporate, and TIPs? I am leaning toward the more "diversified mix."
- Roth conversions and Rate of Return Assumptions
Resources:
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
Bolgeheads' Wiki: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Tax-a...
Reichenstein Article: https://www.financialplanningassociat...
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Morningstar recently released its annual State of Retirement Income report. According to its calculations, the new safe withdrawal rate is 3.7%. The report offers some excellent data and analysis that can help us as we build our retirement income strategy.
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Over the past four years I've received tens of thousands of questions about investing from viewers. I've assembled 9 of the most frequently asked questions in this video. Here they are:
- Should you pay off debt or start investing?
- How do I get started investing?
- Is 100% stocks a reasonable portfolio?
- S&P 500 vs Total Stock Market Index
- Why do I need international stocks?
- Should I invest in Bitcoin?
- How do you know when you can retire?
- Lump Sum vs DCA
- How can I increase my savings rate?
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Welcome back to another edition of Five Question Friday. For this FQF, we cover the following five questions:
- Should we wait to invest until stock valuations come down?
- Does it matter if we pay the tax on a Roth conversion from a taxable account?
- Are dividend stock ETFs a reasonable alternative to bonds?
- Why is the 3 bucket portfolio so popular?
- Should are planned spending in retirement be based on a percentage of our pre-retirement income?
Best retirement planners: https://robberger.com/best-retirement...
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Do retirement planning tools calculate the same chance of success if given the same retirement plan? That's what I wanted to know, so I compared Boldin, Pralana and ProjectionLab. The results shocked me.
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
Pralana: https://go.robberger.com/pralana/yt-c...
ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
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In this Five Question Friday (FQF), we'll be tackling the following viewer questions:
- Is a 100% stock portfolio the best option during retirement?
- How does the 5-year rule on Roth conversions work?
- Should long-term investors invest in bonds?
- How do backdoor Roth IRA conversions work?
- What are my favorite personal finance books to give as gifts during the holidays?
Resources Mentioned in the Video:
Retire Before Mom and Dad: https://amzn.to/3OQL0DA
Big ERN's response: https://earlyretirementnow.com/2024/0...
SWR Toolbox: https://earlyretirementnow.com/2018/0...
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In this week's Five Question Friday, we look at several important retirement planning questions:
0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Should our asset allocation change if we have a much younger spouse?
7:45 - Should a pension represent the bond portion of a portfolio?
10:30 - What types of ETFs should go in taxable accounts versus retirement accounts?
14:13 - Should we prefer Roth conversions over investing in a taxable account?
17:31 - Should we prefer Roth conversions if we plan to use the money for long-term care?
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
Pralana: https://go.robberger.com/pralana/yt-fqf
Projection Lab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
Open Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/
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I've been using Pralana Online over the past month. It's a retirement planning tool that, for a long time, was available as a spreadsheet. It's now available as an online app.
In this video, I take a high-level look at Pralana and compare it to Boldin, formerly New Retirement.
Pralana: https://go.robberger.com/pralana/yt-p...
Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
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One of my favorite tools, Portfolio Visualizer, just launched a new design. In this video, I'll show you how to navigate the changes. Unfortunately, one change is to limit the amount of backtesting data you have access to in the free version. I'll show you a free alternative.
Portfolio Visualizer: https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/
Test Folio: https://testfol.io/
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Welcome to the first episode of Five Question Friday (FQF). I'll answer five questions from past live shows that we didn't get to. Today, we're covering the following questions:
- Is the 6% Rule on Lump Sum vs Pension Reasonable?
- What will my stock/bond allocation be when I reach 65?
- How do you decide between a Roth Conversion and 0% Capital Gains Harvesting?
- What's the best credit card for travel?
- Should an early retiree pay off their low-rate mortgage?
Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/navigatin...
CFPB Pension Article: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/2...
Fidelity Pension Article: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-cen...
Travel Credit Cards: https://www.allcards.com/travel-rewar...
Cash Back Credit Cards: https://www.allcards.com/best-cash-ba...
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Vanguard has reached a proposed settlement in the class action lawsuit related to the 2021 distribution of capital gains in its target date retirement funds. Here's how much each claimant may be entitled to receive.
Proposed Vanguard Settlement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gBIQ...
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We can save for retirement through at least four different account types: (1) 401(k) and other workplace retirement accounts, (2) IRAs, (3) HSAs, and (4) taxable accounts. Some can also use a mega backdoor Roth 401(k).
In this video, I walk through one optimal approach to prioritizing which accounts to contribute to first.
Here's a related article that I wrote on the topic: https://robberger.com/the-optimal-ord...
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A TIPS ladder is just one way to generate income during retirement. We'll look at two scenarios where a TIPS ladder may make sense, and then discuss the pros and cons.
TIPS Ladder: https://www.tipsladder.com/
Four Easy Steps to Build a TIPS Ladder: https://www.advisorperspectives.com/a...
Schwab Annuity Pricing Tool: https://www.schwab.com/annuities/fixe...
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When evaluating fees charged by investment advisors, should we look only at the actual dollars spent, or should we evaluate the long-term effect these fees have on our wealth? That's the question I address in this video.
Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/financial...
My Response: https://robberger.com/how-should-we-e...
Hourly and Flat Rate Advisors: https://robberger.com/low-cost-financ...
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Vanguard has announced that it is selling 280,000 small business retirement plans to Ascensus. The transaction covers individual 401(k) plans, sometimes called Solo 401(k)s, Multi-SEP IRAs, and Simple IRAs, but not individual SEP IRAs.
Here's my take on what's going on, your options, and what this means for Vanguard.
Press Release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...
Ascensus Fees: https://www.ascensus.com/solutions/re...
Fidelity Solo 401(k): https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-i...
Schwab Solo 401(k): https://www.schwab.com/small-business...
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In brief remarks, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell all but took an interest rate cut in the near term off the table. In doing so, he taught us a very important lesson about investing.
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Fidelity recently disclosed that its computer systems were breached and that the personal data of more than 77,000 customers were accessed. here's what happened and some ways we can protect ourselves.
News of hack: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust...
Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/doc/data-breach-...
Maine: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/conten...
New Hampshire: https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/doj/r...
Sample Fidelity letter: file:///Users/robberger/Downloads/Sample_Letter.pdf
Class Action Lawsuit: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust...
Fidelity's Lockdown Feature: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...
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Does the 4% Rule apply in the same way to tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable accounts? And how should one consider the different tax treatments of these accounts when coming up with a safe spending plan in retirement? I'll cover these questions in today's video.
Bengen's 1996 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...
Bengen's 1997 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...
New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
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Today, the top 10 companies in the S&P 500 Index account for more than 33% of the index. That's the largest concentration we've seen in 50 years. In this video we'll cover three things:
- Just how significant is the concentration?
- Does it tell us anything about future returns?
- What, if anything, should we do about the concentration.
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Our retirement plan's chance of success depends a lot on assumptions we make about future investment returns. In this video, I walk through my approach to this issue.
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In this video, we'll discuss how to optimize the tax efficiency of your retirement withdrawals. New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
Many retirees have up to three account types: taxable, tax-deferred (e.g., traditional IRA), and tax-free (Roth IRA or HSA). The conventional wisdom tells us to spend the taxable accounts first, then the tax-deferred, and finally the tax-free. It turns out that this approach is rarely optimal.
By making a few adjustments to the conventional approach, particularly in early retirement, we can increase our after-tax spending and the longevity of our portfolio.
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A viewer named Bill emailed me today about the bucket strategy. He has watched my videos on the bucket strategy and understands why I don't recommend it. He wants to know if the traditional approach of a total return portfolio with annual rebalancing negates the sequence of returns risk. It's a great question, and I share my perspective in today's video.
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Today we look at the 8 crucial differences between interest and dividends. We'll also look at how one should think about interest and dividends when using the 4% Rule of retirement spending.
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Andy Panko, CFP, joins us to help answer your questions about retirement planning and taxes.
Join the Newsletter. It's Free:
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Join Andy's Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/retirementplanningeducation
Check Out Andy's Website:https://retirementplanningeducation.com/
Listen to Andy's Podcast Retirement Planning Education Below:https://retirementplanningeducation.com/podcast
With the launch of Bitcoin Spot ETFs, investors now have a safe, low-cost way to own Bitcoin. In this video, we'll look at some examples of these new ETFs, and then I'll make the strongest case I can in favor of adding Bitcoin to an asset allocation portfolio.
Then I'll share how I'm approaching Bitcoin and why.
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Roth IRAs are best known for tax-free spending in retirement. What many don't know, however, is that if you make a mistake with a Roth IRA, you could end up owing taxes or a 10% penalty on some of your withdrawals.
In this video, we'll walk through how to avoid these Roth IRA tax traps. We'll cover the two 5-year rules of Roth IRAs, the ordering rules of withdrawals, the aggregation rule, and even the backdoor Roth IRA.
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Several weeks ago some reported what has been called the Chase Glitch. The glitch allowed people to deposit bogus checks at Chase ATM's and then immediately withdraw the funds.
That glitch has now moved to Fidelity, where some have tried depositing bogus checks via Fidelity's mobile app, and then immediately taking out the money. In response, Fidelity has limited check deposits via its mobile app, extended hold periods on deposited funds, and even locked some customers out of their accounts.
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Today, we look at five apps you can use to track your investments. Three of them are free, and two are paid. All of them are excellent tools depending on the features you want.
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Yesterday the Fed lowered the Fed Funds rate by 1/2 of a percent. The prime rate followed, going from 8.5% to 8.0%. Rates on everything from credit cards to savings accounts to CDs also went down. And the rates on bonds and mortgages continued to decline.
Given all of this, where are the best places to keep your cash?
The Fed's Statement: https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsev...
30-year U.S. Bond Yields: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MO...
T-Bill Yields: https://home.treasury.gov/resource-ce...
Savings Accounts: https://www.allcards.com/savings-acco...
No-Penalty CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/no-penalty-c...
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While stock market returns get most of the attention when it comes to retirement portfolios, we should be equally concerned with inflation. In this video, I walk through how to incorporate inflation assumptions into a retirement plan using New Retirement planning software.
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New Retirement (Boldin): https://robberger.com/new-retirement
New Retirement, which just changed its name to Boldin, has launched a new feature that makes it easy to customize the order of accounts you use to fund your retirement. In this video, we'll look at the new feature and some advanced strategies on how to use it.
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When to claim Social Security benefits is one of the most critical questions we'll answer in retirement. In this video, we'll look at the 3 most common strategies and a framework for making a decision. We'll cover strategies if you never been married, married, divorced or widowed.
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The stock market has declined so far today, with the S&P 500 down more than 3% as I type these words.
So I thought I'd share my perspective about what's going on.
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Today we take a deep dive into a Backdoor Roth IRA. This strategy enables high-income earners to get money into a Roth IRA. We'll walk through what you need to know, and crunch some numbers to see if a Backdoor Roth IRA is worth the hassle.
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It can be scary for retirees to invest in the stock market. At the same time, investing in just fixed income can expose us to the risk of running out of money. So in this episode I walk through 8 things to consider if you are nervous about investing in stocks.
New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
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In this episode, we'll examine how to retire before taking Social Security. This is an ideal strategy for many to maximize Social Security retirement benefits.
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This is a follow-up to my episode on Dave Ramsey's belief that retirees can start with an 8% withdrawal rate, adjust the amount each year by inflation, and be perfectly fine in retirement. The problem that Dave seems to have overlooked is what is known as sequence of returns risk.
In his analysis, he uses average market returns and average inflation. But nearly 30 years ago Bill Bengen debunked this approach in a 1994 paper. The problem is that two retirees can enjoy the same average returns and inflation yet have two very different results. How?
Sequence of returns. If one retiree enjoys strong markets and low inflation in the first decade of retirement, their financial results may indeed support a higher initial withdrawal rate. In contrast, if the second retiree suffers through bad markets and high inflation during the first decade, they could run out of money using an 8% withdrawal rate in as little as 10 years.
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Target date retirement funds are a simple solution to save for retirement. But what about once you retire? Are there single-fund solutions you can use for all of your investments once you retire?
This episode will look at several options for one-fund investments in retirement. Keep in mind that these funds are best suited for tax-advantaged accounts like traditional and Roth IRAs.
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With the passing of Charlie Munger at the age of 99, I thought it appropriate to share 5 things I've learned from him over the years.
Poor Charlie's Almanack: https://amzn.to/4a1JF63
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In many couples, one person handles the money and the other thinks as little as possible about it. That's certainly true with my wife.
To help her, should I pass away, I created what I call the Blue Binder. To supplement the binder, I've started creating videos where I share my computer screen and walk through our finances.
This allows me to show her our brokerage and bank accounts online. I can walk through all of our finances and explain how it all works and why I've made the choices that I've made.
In this episode, I'll explain how you can create these videos and give you some ideas of the topics you should cover.
Tools Mentioned in this Video
Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-b...
Tiller: https://go.robberger.com/tiller/yt-bl...
Loom: https://www.loom.com/
Snagit: https://www.techsmith.com/screen-capt...
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Change is everywhere: AI, the climate, interest rates, global conflict, and inflation, to name a few. So often, investors try to predict where all this craziness will take us so they can position their portfolio. Perhaps a better question to ask is what isn't going to change.
Here are 7 timeless truths about successful investing that apply no matter what the future throws our way.
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The new Secure Act 2.0 introduced the IRA Gift Annuity starting this year. It allows you to make a one-time charitable contribution out of an IRA for as much as $50,000 and get monthly income for life.
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So you've been using an investment advisor to manage your investments. They have your money in 10, 15, 20 or even more funds! And you start to wonder just how the performance of this absurd portfolio compares to a simple, 2, 3 or perhaps 4 fund portfolio.
Here's how to evaluate your advisor's portfolio with a free tool.
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Can one retire early if they have the ability to significantly cut back on discretionary spending during retirement if they must? A recent article on the MadFientist blog claims that following a Discretionary Spending Rule in retirement can significantly increase a retirees Safe Withdrawal Rate. And with a higher SWR, one can retire early.
Karsten Jeske (Big ERN) of Early Retirement Now responded with his own article. He called flexibility in retirement a myth, and detailed why he thinks the Discretionary Spending Rule won't work.
In this episode I give my take on both articles. We also look at a free Safe Withdrawal Calculator you can use to model your own retirement plan.
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When should you claim Social Security? It's an important question. One study found that retirees have lost $3.4 trillion because they started taking Social Security too early. In this episode we'll look at two strategies. One optimizes Social Security assuming you and your spouse will live long past your life expectancy. The other optimizes the claiming strategy based on life expectancy.
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With the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I've received a lot of questions about FDIC insurance. In this video, we'll cover the basics of how FDIC insurance works. I'll also show you a free tool from the FDIC you can use to calculate your FDIC coverage.
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FDIC FAQ: https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/reso...
FDIC Calculator (EDIE): https://edie.fdic.gov/
In December 2020, Vanguard made some changes to its Target Date Funds. The changes benefits large, institutional investors by lowering costs. But it hurt small, retail investors who held target funds in taxable accounts. The result was that in 2021, these small investors got hit with massive capital gains.
In response, a class action lawsuit was filed against Vanguard and related parties. The defendants moved to dismiss the case. They argued that the plaintiffs didn't have standing to sue, meaning they hadn't been harmed. Vanguard even went so far as to claim that the capital gains hit benefited the small investors because, theoretically, they may have to pay even more at some point in the future.
Vanguard also moved to dismiss the case, arguing that it hadn't breached any duties of care or loyalty to the investors.
The judge in the case has ruled largely in favor of the plaintiffs. The case will be forward to the next phase--discovery.
Here's a copy of the judge's ruling: https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/d...
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A viewer asked me a series of questions about the nuts and bolts of using the 4% Rule. I do my best to respond to his questions in this episode.
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Many things change when we retire. There’s the obvious change–we stop working. And there’s a less obvious change–how we approach cash.
Before retirement, we might have an emergency fund of three to six months’ worth of living expenses. After retirement, we need cash for so much more. The ideal cash reserve depends on individual circumstances, including income stability, potential emergencies, and comfort level during market volatility.
In this episode, I’ll walk through the seven main reasons retirees hold cash. For each, we’ll look at how much cash one should have for each reason and the type of account best suited to hold the cash.
You enter your income, expenses, investments, and liabilities into your favorite retirement planner. You click a button, the software does some kind of calculation, and out pops a single number.
It may be 87%. Maybe it’s 72%. Or it could be 15%. Whatever the number, you’re told it represents your retirement plan’s “Chance of Success.”
What exactly does that mean? How is it calculated? And what “Chance of Success” should you aim for? We’ll tackle these and other questions in this video.
You'll find my article on this topic as well as links to the tools I use in this video in this article: https://robberger.com/decoding-the-ch...
The treasury department released the new I Bond rates today. They came in at 4.28%, which included a fixed rate of 1.30%, unchanged from the previous six months. https://treasurydirect.gov/savings-bo...
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Several years ago, I stumbled upon a quote from Dave Ramsey about credit card rewards. I’ll never forget those 11 words. :
“No one ever says they got rich off of credit card points.”
As I read his words, I knew immediately that he was wrong. One could build wealth through credit card rewards. In this sense, credit card rewards aren’t special. Saving and investing small amounts of money from any source over time will turn into piles of cash. We just need to allow compounding to work its magic.
It was then that the idea of Rewards Stacking was born. Over the past four years, we’ve saved and invested all our credit card rewards. Our balance now stands at $37,834.55.
While that doesn’t make us rich (yet), it’s an impressive sum, particularly when you consider that it required no sacrifice on our part. It wasn’t about cutting back or working harder—just saving and investing the free money credit card issuers send us every month.
In this video, I’ll share exactly how we did it and, more importantly, how you can do it, too.
Rewards Stacking: https://www.allcards.com/rewards-stac...
Robinhood Gold Card (Referral Link): https://robinhood.com/creditcard/?ref...
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In this episode, we'll look at three of the largest investing platforms, Fidelity, Vanguard, and Schwab. I'll share 7 things based on using these platforms for 20+ years.
Robinhood is promoting up to a 3% match on IRA contributions, and for a limited time, a 3% match on IRA transfers. A viewer asked me if I thought this was a good deal. In this video I'll share my thoughts on the program, some of the things to look out for, and why I ultimately decided not to transfer my IRAs to Robinhood.
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Retirement isn't always a sunny walk in the park. While I have no regrets that I retired in my 50s, it hasn't been without its challenges. Here are 7 lessons learned after four years of retirement.
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In this video we'll look at a portfolio a viewer sent in to me. It's from their investment advisor, and we will be asking 5 key questions about the portfolio that I would ask if an advisor put me in the same portfolio.
- What's the target asset allocation?
- Have you made any changes to the target asset allocation?
- How do you pick the funds to implement the plan?
- Why isn't a simpler, less expensive portfolio a better choice?
- How do you invest your own money?
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Vanguard recently launched an FDIC-insured account called the Vanguard Cash Plus Account. We'll review this new account, compare it to other FDIC-insured options, and compare it to money market accounts.
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In a recent video answering a caller's question, Dave Ramsey described those promoting the 4% Rule as "stupid," "goobers," and "morons. He described the 4% Rule as stupid and said he's "perfectly comfortable" with an 8% withdrawal rate.
In this video, I'll describe his rationale and why I'm "perfectly comfortable" telling him he's wrong.
New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...%
FICalc: https://ficalc.app/
Dave Ramsey Video: https://twitter.com/mbontrager5/statu...
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Is buy and hold investing dead? A recent WSJ article suggests that the set-it-and-forget-it style of investing can't survive the current economic trends. I walk through my thoughts on the article, along with an important memo by value investor Howard Marks.
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Not long ago investors had to pay the U.S. government for the privilege of owning TIPS. The real yields, that is the yield after factoring in inflation, were negative. Last year, as a phoenix rising, real yields broke above 0%. Today the real yield on 10-year TIPS is about 2.50%. This offers some intriguing options for those in or near retirement.
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS for short, are U.S. government bonds whose principal amount adjusts for inflation. They are as close a sure thing as an investor can get. Of course, there is no free lunch. What an investor gives up with TIPS is the possibility of better returns with nominal bonds (should inflation end up lower than expected) or with more risky assets such as stocks. For many retirees, however, risk is a four-letter word.
So let’s explore two TIPS ladder strategies that retirees might want to consider. We'll walk through building a 30-year TIPS ladder and a 5-year TIPS ladder.
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A viewer emailed me asking how to buy gold. He knew I didn't personally invest in gold. But he asked how he might go about investing in gold.
So in today's video we'll look at five important questions you must answer when buying gold:
- Should you buy gold in a retirement or taxable account?
- Does a gold IRA ever make sense?
- Should you own physical gold or gold ETFs?
- What type of gold ETFs are best?
- If you wanted to buy physical gold, where's the best place to buy it?
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7 simple steps anybody can take to address the fear of retiring. Video's Sponsor is New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
The Retirement Planning Tools I Use:
- New Retirement (Retirement Planning): https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...
- Empower (Investment Tracking): https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-f...
- Tiller (Budgeting): https://go.robberger.com/tiller/yt-fe...
Other Tools/Resources:
- Projection Lab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...
- Low-Cost Advisors: https://robberger.com/low-cost-financ...
Investment fees rob you of your wealth. High investment fees, such as the industry standard 1% of assets under management AUM, can literally cost you hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over a lifetime.
But what about investment fees once you retire? It turns out that a 1% fee in retirement can significantly lower the chance of success of your retirement plan and reduce your spending by 10% or more. In this video we look at 3 tools you can use to understand the impact of investment fees on your retirement plan.
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Morningstar Investor replaces the old Morningstar Premium subscription service for retail investors. It brings a much needed facelift to Morningstar's portfolio tracker. While it offers features that may be valuable to some investors, it still has a long way to go before being the type of tool most investors will find useful for the money.
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I seem to be fighting a never ending battle against "dividend investing." Don't get me wrong, dividends are an important part of the returns equity investors receive from stocks and stock funds. The problem comes when we misunderstand the nature of dividends and the role they should play in our portfolio.
One mistaken belief I see is that dividends are necessary for compounding, or that a higher dividend yield results in more compounding. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we discuss in this video.
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The debt ceiling crisis is taking us closer to the "X Date," the date the U.S. would start to default on its obligations. Many have asked me what would happen if the unthinkable occurred and the U.S. did in fact default. In this video I'll share four things:
- A brief history of the debt ceiling
- Ramifications of a debt ceiling crisis that gets resolved
- Ramifications if the U.S. actually defaults
- What, if anything, we should do to prepare
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We know that dollar cost averaging (DCA) underperforms lump sum investing (LSI) about two-thirds of the time. That's because stocks tend to go up more often than they go down. But does LSI beat DCA when stock market valuations are high compared to historical averages, as they are now? That's the question we cover in this video.
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In this video, I ask ChatGPT some questions about sophisticated investing and retirement topics. Here are a few examples:
What is the 3-fund portfolio?
Is the 4% Rule still valid?
What Fidelity funds can we use to build the 3-fund portfolio?
The responses ChatGPT returned were amazing. It's not perfect, but it's very good. And while artificial intelligence won't replace financial advisors any time soon, it definitely can be part of our own research into financial questions.
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In this video I'll explain why bonds are a better, long-term investment than cash, particularly for those in retirement.
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Today we'll start by looking at my investment portfolio. Then I'll answer your questions.
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Saving for retirement can be a struggle in the best of circumstances. For those 50 or older who have saved little if anything, retirement can seem impossible. In this video I walk through seven concepts, strategies and tools to help those who have gotten a late start save for a comfortable retirement at a reasonable age.
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We'll start tonight with a discussion of how to manage uncertainty when it comes to retirement planning. Then I'll answer your questions.
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With the recent banking crisis, I've received a lot of emails asking me two related questions. First, what would happen to our investments at a broker if that broker failed. Second, what would happen to an ETF or mutual fund if the company behind the fund failed?
We cover both of these questions in today's video.
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We'll start by discussing the relative safety of FDIC-insured bank accounts versus T-bills in light of the debt ceiling. Then I'll take your questions.
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The banking crisis continues, with PacWest and other regional banks struggling in the stock market and to raise capital. The news prompted my mom to text me asking if she should be worried. In this video I answer her questions, covering the following topics.
- How this banking crisis is different than 2008
- Whether we should abandon small and regional banks and put all of our money in big banks
- How to protect your cash wherever you bank
- And a possible investment opportunity for those who believe in the future of regional banks.
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I'll start by sharing some excellent books I'm reading right now. Then we'll turn to your questions.
The Power Broker: https://amzn.to/3IF9woO
Convict Conditioning: https://amzn.to/3XTEeiA
Psychology of Money: https://amzn.to/3kgBjTd
The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control: https://amzn.to/3Kvvko2
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking: https://amzn.to/3kgoCYE
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You've found a bank with a great savings or CD rate, but it's in another state and you've never heard of it. Or perhaps you just want to know how safe your existing bank is.
In this video we'll cover four free tools you can use to confirm that a bank or credit union is federally insured (FDIC or NCUA) and whether it's financially stable.
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Avantis launched this year a global stock ETF called the Avantis All Equity Markets ETF. In one ETF it can cover the entire stock portion of a portfolio. In this video I'll discuss the pros and cons of this fund from my perspective.
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A list of the best 0% APR and balance transfer credit cards: https://www.allcards.com/interest-fre...
In this video we'll walk through the strategy my wife and I used to get out of credit card debt many years ago. We used 0% balance transfer cards, which eliminated our interest payments and helped us get out of debt faster and for less money.
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Maxifi is retirement planning software designed by Boston University professor Larry Kotlikoff. I've spent several days trying out the software, and this video is my review of the tool.
There are several things I like about the tool. Data entry is easy. It doesn't require input of detailed investments or even a budget. Beyond housing, it asks for no spending details. Instead, it provides you with how much the tool calculates you can spend each year in retirement.
Its social security tool is also robust. For example, you can upload your earnings history from SSA, which the tool uses to calculate your best claiming strategy.
That said, Maxifi is not a tool I can recommend or plan to use. Its spending calculations do not account for the sequence of returns risk. It uses very conservative default settings, without explaining the consequences of these assumptions. And I found the tool overall not very transparent when it comes to understanding how the calculations were performed or how the various assumptions affect the results.
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Tonight we'll start by discussing what makes up a comprehensive retirement withdrawal strategy. Then we'll discuss your questions.
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The CBO released a report estimating that under current law, Social Security benefits will be cut by 23% in 2034. For those who can claim Social Security between then and now, the potential cut raises an important question. How should the potential cuts affect when you claim social security?
In this video we use the free tool Open Social Security to answer this question.
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We'll start by discussing what's called the SEC Yield of a bond fund. Then we'll turn to your questions.
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For those considering moving their TSP investments to an IRA, here are mutual funds and ETFs that mirror the C Fund, S Fund, I Fund and F Fund of the Thrift Savings Plan. We also look at the G Fund, which doesn't have an alternative.
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The Vanguard Dynamic Spending Rule is one of several retirement withdrawal strategies that use the guardrails concept. The idea, in theory, is to generate a spending plan that has some of the annual spending consistency of the 4% Rule, while at the same time remaining sensitive to market fluctuations.
I'll walk through how the rule works, its pros and cons, and a free tool that will enable you to test the Vanguard Dynamic Spending Rule for yourself.
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Warren Buffett just released his annual letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. Here 7 powerful lessons every investor can learn from the Oracle of Omaha's letter.
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We'll begin tonight discussing the upcoming battle over the debt ceiling, and how our nation's debt and interest payments may affect a retiree's future. Then I'll turn to your questions.
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Here are 8 action items I review at the end of each year. They help me make sure I'm not missing anything for 2022, and they prepare me for 2023.
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Must investors have multiple accounts. These may include 401(k) and 403(b) accounts, any number of IRAs, taxable accounts, and even HSAs. Multiple accounts raise an important question. Should you implement you replicate your asset allocation plan within each account or just make sure your portfolio as a whole matches your investment plan?
In this video will cover the following:
0:00 How to Invest With Multiple Accounts and Account Types
1:00 Simplicity
1:50 Investment Tracking Spreadsheet
2:30 Investment Options
3:15 Taxes--Asset Location
5:00 After-Tax Asset Allocation
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In this video I update my credit card rewards strategy, including our current balance we've accumulated just from credit cards. I also walk through a simple 3-card strategy you can use to generate on average 3% or more in cash back.
We'll also look at how one can build wealth with credit card rewards or improve spending outcomes in retirement.
————————————
Credit Cards Mentioned in this Video
————————————
Citi Double Cash: https://bit.ly/3SDoOwe
Chase Freedom Unlimited: https://bit.ly/3f7nDHs
Amex Blue Cash Preferred: https://bit.ly/3gLDnk3
Wells Fargo Bilt Card: https://creditcards.wellsfargo.com/bi...
Chase Business Ink Premier: https://bit.ly/3gyY56r
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A total international fund will include some exposure to emerging markets. The question we cover in this video is whether we should seek additional exposure through an emerging market ETF or mutual fund.
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Today I'll discuss how I pick individual companies to invest in, and the downsides of stock ownership. Then I'll answer your questions.
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We'll begin by talking about a simple method to test various retirement scenarios. Then I'll answer your questions.
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Living off dividends in retirement can be a very safe approach to retirement spending. But it has nothing to do with the dividend. Here's why.
In addition to what's in the video, living off of dividends may not keep up with inflation. That's particularly true with higher yielding investments.
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Today we talk about two words that can help us accomplish the impossible. Then I answer your questions.
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Today we'll start by comparing brokered CDs with Bank CDs. I'll then do a review of a viewer's portfolio. Then we'll turn to your questions.
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In today's video we answer a viewer's question about retirement portfolios. Specifically, does it make sense to have a 100% bond portfolio in retirement?
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We'll begin discussing Dave Ramsey's view of a safe withdrawal rate in retirement. Then I'll cover your questions.
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Many claim that the 60/40 portfolio is dead. They argue that because of interest rates, inflation, and bond returns this year, a retiree should no longer rely on a portfolio of 60% stocks and 40% bonds.
Here's why I believe that the 60/40 portfolio is as valid today as it has ever been.
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Today we take a detail look into a fairly new financial planning software called Projection Lab. As you'll see, the tool offers a lot of features and an excellent user interface for a reasonably price.
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How long term capital gains are taxed is a source of confusion for many. Some of the questions I've heard--
Can long-term capital gains put me in a higher tax bracket for ordinary income?
Does my ordinary income affect my capital gains tax?
Is there really a 0% tax bracket for long term capital gains and how does it work.
To be clear, I am not a tax professional. I have spent a lot of time study this issue, particularly as I enter retirement with much lower ordinary income.
In this video we'll look at the mechanics of long term capital gains tax, including how to works with ordinary income and deductions. We'll also cover something called the bump zones, where ordinary income can push us into higher long term capital gains tax rates.
We'll cover three tax planning strategies in retirement and how long term capital gains tax can help us pay less in taxes.
Here are 3 of my favorite portfolio trackers, starting with Personal Capital--https://robberger.com/go/personal-cap...
A portfolio tracker helps to manage multiple investment accounts, including retirement and taxable accounts, as well as HSAs. The best portfolio trackers are free or low cost, offer an easy user interface, and provide useful information about your portfolio.
My favorite is Personal Capital. It's free, offers excellent tools to evaluate asset allocation, investment fees and retirement readiness. And its combination of charts and tables make understanding the data very easy. It tracks my dividends and interest. And while I don't own crypto, Personal Capital can track the value of digital tokens for those who own Bitcoin, Ether, and other coins.
There are other options, of course. In this video I cover 3 of the better investment trackers. In the article linked to below, I go over 8 options.
Target date retirement funds make investing easy. With just one fund you get immediate diversification across U.S. stocks, international stocks and bonds. The best target date funds have low expense ratios and a sound asset allocation strategy.
In this vide we'll look at 3 of the best target date retirement funds. We'll also look at one to avoid and why. Finally, we'll take a look at what's called the glidepath and why target date retirement funds are often not ideal once you reach retirement.
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In most cases, distributions from a 401k, IRA or other retirement account before the account owner reaches the age of 59.5 are subject to a 10% penalty. There are, however, a number of exceptions. Some of the exceptions are unique to IRAs, while others are unique to 401k and other Workplace Retirement Plans.
Generally, I classify these exceptions into one of three types: hardship exceptions, invest in your future exceptions, and early retirement exceptions. Our focus in this video are 3 early retirement exceptions that can help you avoid the 10% penalty if you retire before turning 59.5 years of age.
Some financial advisors put clients in 10, 20 or even more ETFs and mutual funds. Some think they do this to make investing look complex and to justify their unreasonable fees. Regardless of the reason, it makes understanding the portfolio more difficult, and for no good reason.
In this video I walk through my 3-step process for simplifying any investment portfolio. We look at a viewer's 11-fund portfolio and how to simplify it down to 5 funds.
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Retirement calculators can help us plan and prepare to retire. When we are years away, these online tools can help us determine how much we should be saving. As we approach our time to retire, they can help us understand how much we can spend each year and which accounts should fund that spending.
Not all retirement tools, however, reach the same result. They take different approaches to what is a complex series of calculations and assumptions. One study examined five popular retirement planning software packages and found stark differences in outcomes. As a result, it recommended that individuals use “multiple programs before implementing an action plan based on the results.”
To that end, here is a list of the best retirement calculators, planners and software tools.
Compound interest has been called the 8th wonder of the world. Understanding how it works and harnessing its power is key to building wealth. In this video will walk through 7 simple calculations that show the true power of compounding. I'll also show how to get a simple, free compound interest calculator.
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The rules of IRA contributions can be confusing. Get them wrong and you could make a costly mistake or lose out on a chance to save more for retirement. In this video we'll cover these 10 IRA contribution rules:
- Contributions limits
- Catch-up contribution limits
- Income limitations on IRA contributions
- Limits on deducting IRA contributions
- Roth IRA contribution income limits
- Age limits on IRA or Roth IRA contributions
- Spousal IRA
- Contributing to both a 401(k) AND an IRA
- What if you contribute too much?
- 2021 contribution deadline
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According to one study, cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion a year by 2025. Today, every financial account from banks to credit cards to investments offer online access. For investors, the risk of loss from cybercrime ranks as the #1 concern.
Fortunately, there are steps we can all take to increase our online security. For very little money, we can significantly reduce the likelihood that a computer hacker will gain access to our financial accounts. Here are 10 steps you can take to help secure your online accounts.
NordVPN: https://robberger.com/go/nordvpn/yt-70
LastPass: https://lastpass.com
Norton: https://www.nortonlifelock.com/us/en/
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Get free help with your 401(k) Rollover to an IRA with Capitalize: https://robberger.com/go/capitalize/y...
When you leave a job, whether to retire, take another job, or leave the workplace for a time, an important question is what to do with your 401(k), 403(b) or other workplace retirement plan. In this video we walk through the three primary options:
- Leave it with your former employer,
- Transfer it to your new employer's 401(k), or
- Roll it over to an IRA
We'll discuss the pros and cons of each option, along with some advanced strategies to consider.
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Investing for a child's education presents at least two challenges. First, we don't have a lot of time to save and invest. In most cases, we have 18 years, and in many cases, a lot less. Second, Once they graduate from high school, they need the money quickly over the next few years. In this way it's very different than retirement, where we plan to spend our nest egg over 30 years or more.
In this video, we are going to use Utah's excellent 529 plan as a framework on how to invest for a child's education. And a big thanks to a viewer named Dan who put together an awesome spreadsheet to help us.
Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Utah's 529 Plan: https://my529.org/
My Morningstar Course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRfRq...
As robo-advisors go, Betterment is one of the best in my opinion. It offers excellent features (e.g., automatic rebalancing, tax loss harvesting, excellent planning tools) at a reasonable price. But how does Betterment's Core Portfolio of 10 ETFs stack up to the simple, humble 3-fund portfolio?
We put both to the test in this video.
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I used Capitalize to Rollover a 401k to an IRA. It's totally free and very easy to use: https://robberger.com/go/capitalize/y...
Get a free estimate of term life insurance in 20 seconds with Haven Life Insurance: https://robberger.com/go/haven-life/y...
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Investors today are nervous about bonds because of the historically low yields. The fear is that as interest rates rise, the value of existing bonds will fall. In this video we'll walk through bond investing for beginners. I'll cover how bonds work, my approach to bonds, and some suggesting bond funds.
If you find this information useful, consider joining my weekly newsletter:
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Note: At 26:14 my reference to I bonds should have been TIPS.
With inflation and interest rates on the rise, many have asked me about bond alternatives. While I haven't changed my investments, including the bonds funds I own, I do understand the concern over bond funds that have lost money this year.
So in this vide we will first looked at 4 alternatives to a traditional total U.S. bond fund.
Then we'll look at four bond alternatives.
And finally, we'll look at four investments many list as a bond alternative that really aren't a good alternative at all. In this section I should have included covered call ETFs. These are investments that can have a very high yield (8% or more). The problem is they can lose a lot of value, which takes away from the yield. And their risk as measured by standard deviation are often 3x that of a total U.S. bond fund.
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Personal Capital (Investment Tracking, Retirement Planning): https://robberger.com/go/personal-cap...
Today we look at a portfolio constructed by an investment advisor. This is a person who has a fiduciary obligation to act in the best interest of their clients. The result? I high fee portfolio on top of the 1% advisor fee. As you'll see, this portfolio could easily cost an investor $500,000 or more in lost wealth.
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Several viewers have recently asked me whether it makes sense to claim social security at 62 if you plan to invest the money. At first, it seems like a solid strategy. While your monthly benefit will be lower, you get years of investment returns you'd otherwise forfeit.
It turns out, however, that the issue is a bit more complex. First, depending on your investment returns, claiming social security at 62 may or may not turn out in your favor.
The arguably more important issue, however, is taxes. Claiming social security at 62 could affect everything from how much your social security benefits are taxed to IRMAA premiums or ACA credits. It could also affect a Roth conversion strategy.
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Sallie Mae 2.20% No-Penalty CD: https://www.allcards.com/best-savings...
Personal Capital Tesla Promotion: https://robberger.com/go/personal-cap...
Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Harold Evensky, the father of the Bucket Strategy.
Here are some resources from the show:
--Mr. Evensky's newsletter: https://evensky.com/resources/
--His most recent newsletter: https://files.myprimitive.cloud/uploa...
--His book (free on Kindle): https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Harold-V...
And some of his published papers:
--Modern Fool’s Gold: Alpha in Recessions: http://www.empirical.net/wp-content/u...
--The Efficacy of Publicly Available Retirement Planning Tools: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...
--The Benefits of a Cash Reserve Strategy in Retirement Distribution Planning:
Defensive Investing--How to Prepare for a Market Crash (In Advance)
With stocks, bonds and real estate at all-time highs, it's just a matter of time before we see a market correction, or worse. It doesn't help that our government is borrowing trillions of dollars, funded by a Fed who is buying bonds.
The question for investors is whether we should make changes to our portfolio today in preparation for the coming crash. If we should make changes, what should they be and when should we make them? And then there's the question of when we reverse any changes we make.
In this video we look at a Morningstar study on the diversification benefits of various asset classes based on their performance in past market crashes.
Morningstar Study: https://www.morningstar.com/content/d...
RobBerger #marketcrash #investing
The Fidelity Contrafund (FCNTX) is a popular growth stock fund. In this video we take a deep dive on the fund to see if it's worth adding to our investment portfolio. In the process we'll look at growth vs value stock investing, active vs passive funds, and how to evaluate a fund's performance.
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Fidelity launched its ZERO index funds in 2018 to much fanfare. As their names suggest, these funds carry no expense ratios, a first in the industry.
As great as a “free” mutual fund may sound, however, many wonder whether there is a catch. Recently a viewer named Samir asked the following questions:
"Could you please share your thoughts on Fidelity ZERO funds vs their fee based funds?Fidelity ZERO International Index Fund (FZILX)Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund (FZROX)Fidelity ZERO Large Cap Index Fund (FNILX)Fidelity ZERO Extended Market Index Fund (FZIPX)
Is FNILX + FZIPX = FZROX ?
ZERO funds have no fees, but other than cost, do you see any reason why one should invest in fee based instead of zero funds?
If you could please create video and share your thoughts, that would be very helpful."
Let’s dive into the details to get a better understanding of the Fidelity ZERO funds.
A viewer asked whether he could retire at the age of 49 with a 100% portfolio of VTI (Vanguard's total U.S. Stock Index ETF) using the 4% Rule. I think there are at least 3 big concerns with this plan:
1. The 4% rule assumed a 30 year retirement;
2. It found that a 100% stock portfolio could fail a 30 year retirement in some markets
3. A 100% U.S. stock allocation makes a big bet on the U.S. over the next 4 or 5 decades.
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Robo-Advisors can be a low cost way to get help with your investments. There are several that I like and have used: https://robberger.com/best-robo-advis...
However, not all automated investing services are created equal. And some that are marketed as "free" actually have some hidden costs. In this video I take a look at SoFi Automated Investing and Schwab's Intelligent Portfolios to undercover the hidden costs in both services.
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A viewer recently sent me a portfolio with nearly 20 ETFs and mutual funds. She didn't create it. An advisor from a major bank recommended it. Ridiculous.
The truth is that the number of mutual funds you own tells you nothing about how well diversified the portfolio is or what types of investments you have. A single mutual fund can give an investor exposure to U.S. stocks, bonds, international stocks, REITs, and even commodities.
The fewer mutual funds you have, the easier it is to understand and manage your portfolio. This becomes really important when you go to rebalance your investments. It's also critical as you head into retirement and start making withdrawals from you investments each year.
In this video, I explain why for the vast majority of investors, all you need is 3 funds.
I've received hundreds of emails from viewers asking me questions about their investments. They want to understand whether their investment portfolio is sound. While I'm not a financial advisor, I do believe do it yourself investors can evaluate their own portfolios with the help of some free tools.
In this video I walk through how I evaluate an investment portfolio. I could also be useful for those just starting to invest. I hope you find it helpful in your own investing journey.
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In this video we look at a portfolio of a viewer who is 10 years from retirement. Her advisor has her invested in a 50/50 portfolio. We'll look at the "Smart Sector" and Momentum ETFs she has, consider the impact of the 50 basis point fee, and examine whether a 50/50 portfolio makes sense.
Investing for short term goals of 5 years or less can be tricky. Savings accounts pay about 0.50%, but stocks can lose money in the short term. Many saving for a down payment on a house face this problem.
In this video I'll cover an approach that can enable short-term savers to benefit from stock market returns without taking excessive risk of losing money over the next few years.
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A Roth IRA is arguably the single best way to save for retirement. One question I receive frequently is how to invest in an IRA. And specifically, is a 3-fund portfolio a sound approach to investing in an IRA. The short answer is that it's an excellent approach for beginners just starting out.
There is one situation, however, where I would make an adjustment. If you also have traditional retirement accounts, I would use them for the bond allocation, reserving the Roth IRA for stock ETFs and mutual funds.
The 4% Rule of retirement spending is used to plan spending in retirement. The rule says you can spend 4% of your nest egg in the first year of retirement. In subsequent years you adjust the amount by the rate of and inflation. Following this approach gives you a ver good chance of not running out of money in retirement.
The 4% Rule, however, assumes no investment fees. Add even a small amount of fees and your spending in retirement must go down. Add 1% or more in fees, and retirement spending must go down a lot.
In this video, we look at just how investment fees lower how much you can spend in retirement. We look at fees ranging from 0.10% to 3%.
A Health Savings Account (HSA) offers better tax advantages than any other type of account. The catch is that the money must be used for Qualified Medical Expenses to avoid taxes (and a possible 10% penalty)
In this video I walk through 3 aspects of HSAs, 6 strategies on how to use an HSA, and how best to invest money in an HSA based on the strategy used.
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This video walks through how to set up a 3 Fund Portfolio in Vanguard. We then compare that to setting up the same portfolio in M1 Finance and Betterment.
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Should a well diversified portfolio include international stock funds? That's the question I'm covering in this video. I'll first walk through several reasons an international stock fund is NOT necessary. Then I'll explain why I nevertheless invest in international stocks. Finally, I'll cover what I think is the most important factor as you decide what is best for your investment portfolio.
Video Outline
- U.S. vs. International
- Performance (Portfolio Visualizer)
- Current Valuations (VTI vs VXUS--Morningstar)
- Reasons NOT to own international stocks
- Warren Buffett & Jack Bogle
- Warren Buffett Portfolio--https://robberger.com/warren-buffett-...
- Bogle on Investing
- https://www.morningstar.com/articles/...
- https://jasonzweig.com/invest-globall...
- International stocks may have lower valuations for a reason
- The U.S. is the best place to invest
- entrepreneurial
- Soundest institutions
- Excellent governance
- Well diversified economy
- U.S. companies do business around the world (so we already have int'l exposure)
- About 50% of revenue and earnings come from abroad
- Diversification may not be that great
- U.S. Small Cap Value may provide more diversification
- https://www.morningstar.com/articles/...
- Many countries are unstable politically, economically or both
- Why I own international stocks
Jack Bogle: "Never" Rebalance Your Investment Portfolio (and how to do it if you must) Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...
Resources Mentioned in the Video:
Investment Tracking Spreadsheet: https://robberger.com/investment-trac...
Opportunistic Rebalancing paper: http://resource.fpanet.org/resource/0...
Jack Bogle interview: https://www.morningstar.com/articles/...
Jack Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, argued that one should not rebalance their investment portfolio. He believed that doing so lowered long-term results. In this video we'll understand why he believed rebalancing was unnecessary, along with good reasons to rebalance a portfolio. I'll also cover how I use what's called Opportunistic Rebalancing in my investment portfolio.
rebalancing #investing #RobBerger
Living off dividends in retirement seems safe. Because you never have to sell shares of stocks, ETFs or mutual funds, you can never run out of money. Yet it's not quite that simple.
In this video we'll look at four major problems with living off dividends. Then will discuss why focusing on Total Return is a much sounder approach to investing in retirement.
Finally, we will look at some reasonably safe ways to increase your dividend yield if you must.
A viewer emailed me the following question:
"Rob - I hope this finds you well. I'm a fellow large law firm attorney, and I find your approach relatable and sound. I have a question regarding early retirement. I'm contemplating retiring in my early 50s. Currently all my bonds are held in 401K/traditional IRA vehicles, which ideally I would like to not touch until much later in retirement (i.e., when RMDs kick in) to take advantage of the tax deferral benefits. Since my brokerage account is 100% in equities, this could leave me exposed in early retirement if the market tanks and I don't want to have to sell equities at a low price. Is the answer just to build up 5 to 7 years worth of expenses in cash and municipal bonds in my brokerage account or am I missing something obvious? Thank you!"
It's a great question. And I do think there is an easier approach. Simply sell the stock funds in the brokerage account each year as necessary for distributions. And then rebalance. If stocks are down, this will involve selling bond funds in retirement accounts and using the proceeds to invest in stock funds.
Rebalancing after taking annual distributions avoids the problem of selling stocks in a down market. And this is true even if the distributions are taken from stock funds.
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Rebalancing an investment portfolio doesn't need to be difficult, and it can actually increase your returns over time. Specifically, one study shows that Opportunistic Rebalancing can improve your returns by as much as 0.50%.
In this video, we look at that study and walk through how Opportunistic Rebalancing works. I'll cover some things to consider as you construct your investment portfolio, and give you a free tool that makes rebalancing easier.
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Should you use some or all of your retirement savings to buy an income annuity? That's the question we look at in this video. Called a Single Premium Immediate Annuity, these annuities don't come with all of the fees and complexities of other annuity products. Yet it can still be difficult to decide if you need one, when you should buy it, and how much you should invest.
In this video I'll share annuity calculators, an annuity formula and a number of resources that can help you decide whether an income annuity is right for you in retirement.
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Rick Ferri's Core-4 portfolios are built using low cost index ETFs and mutual funds. With just four funds in each portfolio, Rick has created 6 portfolios for just about any investor. One Core-4 portfolio is designed for those worried about inflation, while another for those seeking income. He also has his Classic Core-4, ideal for long-term retirement funds.
In this video we explore all 6 of Rick's Core-4 lineup, along with specific funds you can use to implement any one of them. They are ideal for those wanting a Lazy Portfolio.
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Vanguard released a paper claiming that advisors following its Alpha Framework can add up to 3% to an investor's long-term returns. Many advisors use this paper to sell their very expensive (1% of AUM or more) services. But is it legit?
Here's the paper: https://www.vanguard.com/pdf/ISGQVAA.pdf
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I was convinced I'd live Vanguard Digital Advisor. It seems to check all the boxes. It uses low cost index ETFs. The service itself has a very reasonable cost of about 15 basis points. And it rebalances your investments for you, as you would expect from a robo-advisor.
After using the service, however, I reached a very different conclusion. There were numerous technological issues and its user interface is poorly designed. More importantly, it offers very few features and imposes limitations that make no sense.
Frankly, it's nothing more than a dressed up target date retirement fund and twice as expensive.
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Video Resources
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Vanguard Digital Advisor: https://investor.vanguard.com/advice/...
Betterment: https://robberger.com/go/betterment/y...
Vanguard Target Date Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...
Morningstar Robo-Advisor Report: https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/ass...
Disclosure: Both Vanguard Digital Advisor and Betterment are advertisers, but they had no input into this video or even knew that I made it. Vanguard Target Date Funds are not an advertiser.
Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...
I'm going to cover the three tier system for earning credit card rewards. This is the system I've used over the past couple of years to generate nearly $30,000 in credit card rewards. We save and invest all of our rewards in M1 Finance. This system, however, can be used whether you save and invest the rewards like we do, or spend the rewards on travel or other purchases.
The great thing about this system is that it's very simple, and it will help about 99% of the people maximize their credit card rewards without carrying a dozen or more credit cards.
Tier 1 Credit Cards
Wells Fargo Active Cash: https://www.allcards.com/go/wf-active...
Citi Double Cash: https://www.allcards.com/go/citi-doub...
Fidelity Visa: https://www.fidelity.com/cash-managem...
BofA Premium Rewards: https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-...
Tier 2 Credit Cards
Amazon Prime Visa: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Rewards...
Target RedCard: https://www.target.com/redcard/about
Walmart Card:
The 60/40 Portfolio--Good, Bad, or Ugly? Article with resources: https://robberger.com/60-40-portfolio/
The 60/40 portfolio has powered retirements for decades. With 60% stocks and 40% bonds, this balanced fund offers equity-fueled growth and fixed income stability.
Today, however, many are calling into question the sustainability of the 60/40 portfolio. Some even argue that it’s dead and that retirees need take on more risk if they want to avoid outliving their retirement savings.
In this video we’ll take a deep dive into the 60/40 portfolio and whether it’s still a viable approach to investing for retirees.
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Video Resources & Timestamps
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0:00 - Welcome to the Financial Freedom Show!
3:50 - Very important question!
5:00 - Including a Bond Index Fund or Bond ETF as part of a retiree's portfolio
8:40 - Favorite local restaurant
9:07 - Talking Real Money Guys/Morningstar
9:57 - GNMA in a bond portfolio
13:07 - Approach to bridge to access retirement accounts
15:43 - Placing HSA dollars into investment vehicles rather than leaving in cash
18:36 - How would one hedge holding other currencies, including digital currency?
20:32 - How to hedge against the weakening U.S. dollar
21:27 - Do I still need a Bond fund?
29:14 - Set schedule for my live shows
30:01 - How high of percentage inequities is best
32:22 - If the market beats the percentage, why would we pay off our loan?
36:01 - Am I better off using a brokerage account?
37:35 - Assessing current equity valuations for excess care
39:57 - Would I sell VTIP for BND or divide the fund equally between both?
42:14 - Modifying a 3 fund portfolio to include more higher risk higher reward allocation
43:42 - How to transfer your portfolio to other brokerages without triggering taxes
46:18 - VIPSX vs VBTLX
50:44 - Index maximalist
54:30 - AUM (Assets Under Management)/Fiduciary
58:38 - SCHY
1:00:52 - Long Term Care Insurance
1:05:04 - Would complexities in a portfolio become moot with Fintech innovation like M1 finance slices
1:05:42 - Sub 3 withdrawal rate
1:08:12 - Should I have a taxable account wi
The True Cost of Actively Managed Mutual Funds (according to Vanguard founder John Bogle)
Actively managed funds are expensive. And it's not just the expense ratio. From transaction costs to tax inefficiencies, and cash drag to load fees, the cost of actively managed funds all but guarantee they will underperform an index fund over the long-term.
In this video we take a look at a portfolio sent in by a viewer. The portfolio was recommended by PNC Bank. For just a $100,000 account, they recommend almost 20 funds, many with expense ratios over 1.00%. On top of that, PNC wanted to charge 1.24% to manage this mess.
Resources mentioned in the video
John Bogle's article: http://johncbogle.com/wordpress/wp-co...
Personal Capital: https://robberger.com/go/personal-cap...
Tools & Resources
Morningstar: https://robberger.com/go/morningstar/...
📚 My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/2MsRJ9B
📈 Personal Capital: https://robberger.com/go/personal-cap...
💰 M1 Finance $30 Bonus: https://robberger.com/go/m1finance-bo...
🏆 Best Investment Tracking Apps: https://bit.ly/3wSbKZa
There are two different 5-year rules for Roth IRA accounts. One applies to Roth IRA accounts and determines, in part, whether the withdrawal of earnings is subject to income tax. The second applies to Roth IRA conversions and determines whether a withdrawal will trigger the 10% penalty tax.
In this video we walk through both 5-year rules. We'll cover what they are, how they work, and what it means for retirement savings.
These are complicated rules, so be sure to check out the resources below. And as always, consult a tax professional before making any decisions.
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Video Resources
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IRS Publications--
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p590b
https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobcarls...
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Timestamps
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0:00 - Welcome to the Financial Freedom Show!
0:30 - Roth Conversions
15:13 - Reverse mortgage
16:24 - Is there a minimum where Roth Conversion doesn't make sense?
18:04 - BUFOX
21:47 - 11 stocks
25:26 - Thoughts on investing for college/529 Ohio/VTEP
27:05 - Defined Benefit Pension Plan
31:29 - Is there a downside of leaving target date funds in my portfolio?
33:42 - Why can't we invest non earned income into a Roth IRA?
34:37 - Good Morning Washington
35:33 - 90/10 or 80/20 for investing kids savings
36:32 - Timing the market
38:04 - Roth Conversions make sense if the market takes a downturn
38:50 - VB & VBR
40:56 - Accessing Roth Conversion after 5 years
42:35 - Transitioning from predominantly index fund investing to disciplined individual value stock investing in Roth
44:46 - Schwab vs Vanguard for retirement accounts
48:19 - Married couple Roth conversion
48:56 - Fulfilling promises to viewers
51:05 - Cash reserves account
52:17 - Betterment
54:58 - Qualified donations
56:41 - Tips on spending money during the accumulation phase
57:57 - Good asset allocation in stocks
1:00:25 - Most advantageous method to determine the profit or loss for tax reporting in a taxable account
1:01:58 - Changing allocation since my account is no longer a Roth
1:
TIPS vs I Bonds--What's the Best Way to Hedge Against Inflation?
TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities) and I Bonds both protect investors against unexpected inflation. Both bonds are also issued by the U.S. Government and are exempt from state and local taxes. Bu that's about where the similarities end.
There are key differences between TIPS and I Bonds that investors should know. We look at 8 key differences, along with the pros and cons of adding each to your portfolio.
As a bonus, we look at how one of them can help you save for a child's education.
Resources:
https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/...
https://investor.vanguard.com/mutual-...
https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/...
You'll often hear the phrase VOO and chill or sometimes VTI and chill. VOO is the ticker to Vanguard's S&P 500 index ETF (VTI is Vanguards total U.S. market ETF). The idea is to invest all of your money in the S&P 500 (or perhaps the total U.S. market) and just relax.
After my video showing my 2021 portfolio tracked the performance of the S&P 500 (more or less), many asked why I bothered with multiple asset classes and individual stocks. Why not just VOO and chill?
This video explains why, and more importantly, walks through some concepts that might help you decide what's best for your portfolio.
Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...
A viewer recently asked me if he was able to retire in two years. He provided his investment balances, projected expenses, and pension income. In this video we'll evaluate his situation to determine if he can retire.
To determine if you can retire, it's important to evaluate both your expenses and income in retirement. This can be challenging for several reasons:
- Expenses are at best an estimate
- Medical expenses can be a wild card
- One-time and periodic expenses can be difficult to calculate
- Future income (social security, pensions) may not start for years
- Estimate how much of your investments you can spend each year is at best a rough estimate.
To help, I walk through two free tools in the video:
Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...
VOO vs. VTI--S&P 500 Index versus Total Stock Market Index Fund.
Morningstar Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRfRq...
3-Fund Portfolio: https://robberger.com/go/3-fund-portf...
Dave Ramsey is perhaps best known for his baby steps and helping countless people get out of debt. Among low cost index fund investors, he's also known as recommending expensive mutual funds with front loaded sales charges. While fees are important, what matters even more is after-fee returns. And that raises an important question--
Does Dave Ramsey's approach to investing outperform a portfolio of low cost index funds?
In this episode, we'll look at American Funds, which appear to be Dave's fund family of choice. We'll compare their returns with low cost index funds over the past several decades to see which one comes out on top.
Opening an IRA account is an important step towards saving for retirement. The best IRA accounts have low fees, a wide array of investment options and tools that make investing easy.
My analysis stems from holding accounts at each of the brokers on the list, with the exception of Ally Invest. I’ve had a Rollover IRA, Roth IRA, Traditional IRA, SEP IRA or an Inherited IRA at Wealthfront, Vanguard, Fidelity and Merrill Edge. I’ve held taxable accounts at Betterment and M1 Finance.
Beyond my own experience, I focus on fees and functionality. Fees are always critical, and how each broker works is important. You want to match your own personal approach to investing with the right IRA account. I also considered each broker’s website and mobile app, as well as their investing tools.
Article: https://robberger.com/ira-accounts/
In this interview with Christine Benz, Director of Personal Finance at Morningstar, we cover several timely topics including inflation, stimulus, the 4% rule and the bucket strategy of retirement spending.
Index funds like an S&P 500 index fund will underperform other investments each and every year. It will underperform countless stocks and even other actively managed ETFs and mutual funds. To build wealth, you have to be willing to accept that other investors will outperform your portfolio each and every year. The good news is that you'll likely outperform them every decade.
A three fund portfolio is a simple approach to investing that, as the name suggests, involves just three mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. In just three funds, an investor can build a diversified, low cost portfolio that's easy to manage.
Popularized by the Bogleheads, the three fund portfolio is one of several "Lazy Portfolios." You don't let the Simplicity fool you. A three fund portfolio has outperformed most comparable actively managed portfolios Over the past several decades. In this article, we'll look at what comprises a 3-fund portfolio, its diversification, its historical returns, and how to easily build a 3-fund portfolio. We'll also look at a few ways you can supercharge the returns with a significant increase to volatility by adding a few more funds to the mix.
We interview Steve Chen, founder of New Retirement. His company has developed a robust retirement planning tool that can help you model your finances in retirement.
An update on how I'm saving and investing all of the cash back rewards earned from credit cards. I'll show you my M1 Finance account, how I'm investing the rewards, and how those investments are performing.
The first in a series of videos walking you through how to invest with confidence. We'll cover everything from when you should start investing to how much you should invest. The series will cover how to juggle multiple financial goals, such as getting out of debt, saving for an emergency, and buying a home. Then we'll cover how much you should invest to meet your goals.
The series will also cover everything you need to know about retirement accounts. we'll also cover how to design an asset allocation plan and how to evaluate mutual funds.
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C17-OMxa-7oRSaCtztObw?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfreedomguy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
How to invest and manage your money during COVID-19. In this video we cover the following:
--Emergency fund
--The Money Audit
--Is now a "buying opportunity" in stocks?
--The importance of diversification
--Bond allocation (TIPS and Treasury bonds)
--Charitable giving
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C17-OMxa-7oRSaCtztObw?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfreedomguy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.;
Should you pay off all your non-mortgage debt before you begin investing? It's an approach popularized by Dave Ramsey. It's also one of the worst financial decisions you can make. In this video that's part of the Invest with Confidence series, you'll learn why.
Credit Card Payoff calculator: https://www.allcards.com/credit-card-payoff-calculator/
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C17-OMxa-7oRSaCtztObw?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfreedomguy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
History tells us how and why bear markets are an investor’s best friend. In this video, we walk through the numbers of the 2008 bear market to see what investors should do during a market decline.
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C17-OMxa-7oRSaCtztObw?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfreedomguy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
Under the newly enacted CARES Act, you can legally stop making your mortgage payment for up to one full year. Here's what you need to know.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN PODCAST
- Freddie Mac: https://myhome.freddiemac.com/own/getting-help-disaster.html
- Fannie Mae: https://www.knowyouroptions.com/covid19assistance
- Freddie Mortgage Lookup: https://ww3.freddiemac.com/loanlookup/
- Fannie Mortgage Lookup: https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
VIDEO NOTES
Sec. 4022 of the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act)
- Applies to mortgages back by the federal government, such as
- FHA Loans
- VA Loans
- Freddie Mac
- Fannie Mae
- Homeowners Relief--You Can Pause Payments
- 180 days
- 180-day extension
- Important-Request for extension should be made during the initial 180-day forbearance
- You can shorten either the initial request or extension
- Interest and Fees
- No fees, penalties or interest beyond the amounts scheduled or calculated as if you had made all your payments shall accrue
- No hit to your credit score
- Types of Properties
- Owner occupied
- A second home
- Investment property
- How to Request Forbearance
- Contact your mortgage servicer
- Affirm that you are experiencing a financial hardship due, directly or indirectly, to COVID-19
- NO ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
- You don't have to affirm that you are unable to pay your mortgage
- Foreclosure Moratorium-For a 60-day period beginning on March 18, 2020
- Loan Modifications-To provide mortgage payment relief or keep payments the same after the forbearance period
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C1...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfre...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
The Cares Act offers student loan forbearance on all federal student loans. Here’s what you need to know.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST
CARES Act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/748/text#toc-H84A93012B87A4D09A1F0A6DE5E61EE31
https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-student-loans-and-coronavirus-pandemic/
CornerStone: 1-800-663-1662
FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA): 1-800-699-2908
Granite State — GSMR: 1-888-556-0022
Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.: 1-800-236-4300
HESC/Edfinancial: 1-855-337-6884
MOHELA: 1-888-866-4352
Navient: 1-800-722-1300
Nelnet: 1-888-486-4722
OSLA Servicing: 1-866-264-9762
ECSI: 1-866-313-3793
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C1...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfre...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
Here are the resources mentioned in the podcast:
Sick Leave
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/treasury-irs-and-labor-announce-plan-to-implement-coronavirus-related-paid-leave-for-workers-and-tax-credits-for-small-and-midsize-businesses-to-swiftly-recover-the-cost-of-providing-coronavirus
Travel Relief
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/11/master-list-of-airline-coronavirus-policies/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2020/03/13/master-list-of-hotel-coronavirus-change-and-cancellation-policies/#57a99f44ab16
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/17/how-loyalty-programs-are-responding-to-coronavirus-updated-daily/#2023be054128
Mortgage Relief
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/20/mortgage-relief-tracker-covid-19-relief-for-homeowners-and-renters/#ba65f1e2f19d
Small Business Relief
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/20/list-of-coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-relief-programs/#6f0697bae89d
Tax Relief
https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus
State Taxes: https://www.taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies
Insurance Relief
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/20/coronavirus-sparks-extended-insurance-payment-grace-periods/#3f2776d55f8d
Banking Relief
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/16/goldman-sachs-waives-march-apple-card-payments-and-interest-for-those-affected-by-covid-19-coronavirus/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/12/list-of-banks-offering-relief-to-customers-affected-by-coronavirus/#35081d8a3ee3
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/19/banking-and-cash-during-covid-19-crisis-some-branches-close-atm-fees-may-be-waived/#6c6523eb1c6d
Student Loan Relief
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/20/what-you-need-to-know-before-choosing-student-loan-forbearance-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19/#6226fb1618a2
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/17/if-coronavirus-has-cut-your-income-heres-how-to-stop-or-lower-student-loan-payments/#52f6880a5fc1
https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/03/16/in-coronavirus-economy-dont-rush-to-refinance-student-loans/#116767d13cbf
https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus
https://www.ed.gov/coronaviru
Broke Millennial’s Coronavirus Spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13OdpUwbi_VytzS4trSsGx25FxElrozbegPZK8KnSLpU/edit#gid=1276189137
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C1...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfre...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
A review of an investment tracking spreadsheet you can download for free.
Free Investment Tracking Spreadsheet: https://bit.ly/3dMezSP
Same spreadsheet but with the rebalancing column: https://bit.ly/2vTUp8x
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C1...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfre...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
We build a free savings calculator in Google Sheets. It's easy to use, can be built in Excel if you prefer, and it will help you see the power of compounding. Enjoy!
Savings Calculator: https://bit.ly/2JCfdod
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C1...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfre...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
In this podcast, you'll learn how to maximize credit card rewards and invest them to build wealth. We look at a free credit card rewards calculator and discuss the best credit cards to get the most out of your rewards.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO
Credit Card Rewards Calculator:
Alliant Credit Union Visa Signature Card
https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/bank/visa-signature-card
2.5% Cash Back
$10,000 Monthly Spending Cap (1% thereafter)
$99 Annual Fee (waived the first year)
Apple Card
https://www.apple.com/apple-card/
3% Cash Back at Apple
2% Cash Back w/ Apple Pay
1% Cash Back on all other purchases
No annual fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
3x Points on Travel and Restaurants
1x Points on all other purchases
$300 annual travel credit
50% point bonus when redeemed for travel through Chase
$550 annual fee
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: http://go.robberger.com/ChaseSapphirePreferred
2x Points on Travel and Restaurants
1x Points on all other purchases
25% point bonus when redeemed for travel through Chase
$95 annual fee
Terms & Conditions of credit cards change frequently, so the above information may have changed. Confirm terms with the credit card issuer before applying.
TOOLS & BOOKS I LOVE
My Book (of course): https://amzn.to/3by10EE
Personal Capital: http://go.robberger.com/PersonalCapital
Morningstar: http://go.robberger.com/Morningstar
Chase Sapphire Reserve: http://go.robberger.com/Sapphire_Reserve
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://amzn.to/3by10EE)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C1...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfre...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
The Coronavirus has plunged us into the first bear market in more than a decade. Here’s how those in or nearing retirement can handle their investments to navigate the market crash with confidence.
RESOURCES
Vanguard Advisory Services: https://investor.vanguard.com/financial-advisor/financial-advice
Fee-only Advisors:
--https://planvisionmn.com/
--https://rickferri.com/
Personal Capital: http://bit.ly/2IXHuFr
Morningstar: http://bit.ly/3dgN1VI
4% Rule--William Bengen's original 1994 article: http://www.retailinvestor.org/pdf/Bengen1.pdf
ABOUT ME
While still working as a trial attorney in the securities field, I started writing about personal finance and investing In 2007. In 2013 I started the Doughroller Money Podcast, which has been downloaded millions of times. Today I'm the Deputy Editor of Forbes Advisor, managing a growing team of editors and writers that produce content to help readers make the most of their money.
I'm also the author of Retire Before Mom and Dad--The Simple Numbers Behind a Lifetime of Financial Freedom (https://www.retirebeforemomanddad.com/)
LET'S CONNECT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9C17-OMxa-7oRSaCtztObw?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/financialfreedomguy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robert_A_Berger
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. These videos are for educational purposes only. Investing of any kind involves risk. Your investment and other financial decisions are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research and seek professional advice as necessary. I am merely sharing my opinions.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning at no cost to you I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, I only recommend products or services that (1) I believe in and (2) would recommend to my own mom.
Is it really possible to build wealth on just $5 a day? In this episode, we cover what's called the Latte Factor. We look at how small, seemingly insignificant changes in how we spend money can have a positive change in our finances.