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The Stacking Benjamins Show

Joe Saul-Sehy and Josh ‘OG’ Bannerman, CFP

Named Best Personal Finance Podcast by Bankrate.com and Kiplinger — and the only podcast the Plutus Awards retired from competition after winning twice — The Stacking Benjamins Show is personal finance that doesn’t put you to sleep.

Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy (former 16-year financial advisor, ex-WXYZ-TV “Money Man”) and Josh “OG” Bannerman, CFP (Certified Financial Planner, Bannerman Wealth) sit around the card table in Joe’s mom’s half-finished basement in Texarkana and talk money with the smartest guests in personal finance, investing, and behavioral economics. As Fast Company wrote, the show “strikes a great balance of fun and functional.”

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: expert guests, real headlines, listener questions, and Doug’s trivia. Topics include investing, retirement planning, budgeting, real estate, behavioral finance, taxes, and financial independence — for anyone who wants to be smarter about money without being talked down to.

Subscribe to The 201 — the free newsletter that goes deeper than the show — at stackingbenjamins.com/201

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#1875
July 29 · 1 hr 11 min
Meet the Family That Quietly Controls Your Retirement Money (SB1875)
Odds are good that part of your paycheck disappears into an account with the Fidelity name on it every two weeks. Almost nobody stops to ask who's actually on the other end of that relationship. The answer isn't a faceless Wall Street institution, it's one family that has quietly controlled a $15 trillion company for three generations, through boardroom near-mutinies, a succession fight that almost ended in the company being sold, and enough family drama to fill a book. It did, actually. Wall Street Journal reporter Justin Baer spent years uncovering it, and today he brings the whole story down to the basement. What You'll Walk Away With Why one of the biggest financial companies in America has never had a single outside shareholder, and what that's actually protected them from The surprisingly personal origin story behind Fidelity's founder, and the market-crash lesson that shaped the entire company's philosophy Why Fidelity almost missed the money market fund revolution, and the workaround that changed how everyday people access their cash The near-sale that almost happened in 2005, and how close the company came to becoming something completely different Why checking your 401k balance more often might actually be good for your financial decision-making, according to Fidelity's own research How a family succession battle nearly pushed the current CEO out of the business entirely A useful mental gut-check for figuring out how much of your "checking account cushion" should actually count as part of your emergency fund Why This Matters Now If you're in your 40s, there's a good chance you've had a relationship with Fidelity, Vanguard, or a similar company for two decades without ever really knowing how they work or who's behind them. That's not a knock on you, it's just how most financial relationships start: automatically, through a job, without much choice involved. Understanding the incentives and history behind the company holding your retirement money doesn't change your investing strategy overnight, but it does replace a vague, faceless trust with something more informed, and informed trust is a lot more durable than blind trust. From the Basement A conversation about $189 average dates turns into a surprisingly sharp point about not overspending to impress someone before you even know if it's a match, in relationships or business. And a basement community note about "hidden" emergency funds sitting in checking accounts sparks a genuinely useful reframe worth stealing for your own budget. Resources Mentioned House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing — Justin Baer's book on the Johnson family and Fidelity's history Field Kit Finance — the all-in-one net worth, budgeting, and credit tracking tool mentioned in the sponsor break See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1874
July 28 · 1 hr 9 min
The One Financial Conversation People Avoid (Plus a Discussion about Stress and Money) SB1874
There are three words that quietly end up costing more than almost any bad investment: "he handles it." Not because delegating is wrong, but because somewhere between division of labor and total disengagement, a line gets crossed that most couples never notice until a crisis forces them to. This episode is about that line, and about the less obvious ways money stress shows up when it's not just a spreadsheet problem, it's a physical one. Jill Schlesinger and Kristy Talorico both join the show, and each brings something you didn't know you needed to hear. What You'll Walk Away With The real difference between splitting responsibilities and losing all visibility into your own financial life A simple, low-stakes way to start a money conversation with a partner who's checked out, without triggering defensiveness Why financial advisors dread meeting a client's "uninvolved" spouse for the first time after a death What actually happens to your financial life if your money-handling spouse suddenly can't do it anymore How financial stress physically changes your body, according to a major new health study Why the standard advice to "just put more in your 401k" completely misses people who are financially struggling right now The surprising first place financial counselors suggest looking before you take out any kind of loan A behind-the-scenes look at how employers are (and aren't) using workplace benefits to actually help people Why This Matters Now In your 40s, you're often the connective tissue for your whole household's financial life, sometimes for a spouse, sometimes for aging parents, sometimes for kids just starting out. It's easy to assume that as long as someone in the relationship understands the money, everyone's fine. But real financial confidence means everyone involved has at least a working map of where things stand. This episode isn't about becoming an expert. It's about making sure "I don't really know" is never the answer when it matters most. From the Basement Doug's trivia question drags in an unexpected lesson about knowing what things actually mean, not just recognizing the name, which somehow ties together German car history and financial literacy in the same segment. Basement logic, but it works. Resources Mentioned Money Moves with Jill Schlesinger — Jill's new podcast with Mark Talercio Jill on Money podcast — Jill Schlesinger's long-running personal finance show "The Most Dangerous Words I Hear From Married Couples: 'He Handles It'" — the Kiplinger piece referenced in the episode Brightside Financial Care — Kristy Talorico's company, financial care benefits for employers Findhelp.org — the free navigation tool for local financial and hardship resources See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1873
July 27 · 56 min
Everything You Actually Need to Know About Social Security Right Now (SB1873)
There's a new bill in Washington that sounds like a fix but is really just a promise to eventually have a debate about one. That's not why this episode matters. What matters is that Social Security is suddenly everywhere in the headlines, and if you've been putting off understanding how your own claiming decision actually works, that's a gap that gets more expensive the longer it sits. This episode is the one to finally close it. No single mistake, no one hot take, just a real walkthrough of the claiming ages, the spousal rules, the survivor benefits, and the myths that trip people up most, so you can stop guessing and start deciding with confidence. What You'll Walk Away With Why the "estimated benefit" number on your Social Security account can be wildly wrong, especially if you're not planning to work until 67 The real reason waiting until 70 pays off, and why it has almost nothing to do with growth A subtle, surprisingly common mistake that can quietly wreck a smart claiming strategy years after you made it What actually happens to your benefit if your spouse passes away first, and how remarriage timing can change everything Why the industries where workers never pay into Social Security create a completely different retirement math The dollar threshold that can force you to pay back benefits you already claimed A 2024 rule change that may directly affect certain public employees and hasn't gotten nearly enough attention Why raising the retirement age matters a lot less than people assume, depending on how you actually want to retire How a totally different tax, the Medicare surcharge, quietly rides along with your Social Security decisions A quick true-or-false round that separates Social Security fact from the myths everyone repeats Why This Matters Now If you're in your 40s, Social Security can feel like something to figure out later, right up until a headline makes it feel urgent and confusing at the same time. The truth is, you don't need to predict what Congress will do. You need to understand the mechanics that are already in your control: when you claim, how you and a spouse coordinate, and how your own work history shapes the number. Get that right, and you turn a source of money stress into one less thing you have to worry about, freeing up mental space for the parts of your financial life you actually want to think about, like the next trip, not the next committee hearing. From the Basement Doug tests his trivia chops with a game built to separate fact from political fantasy, and OG gets fired up about something that has absolutely nothing to do with retirement, and everything to do with golf tickets. It's the reminder that even a deep dive into claiming strategy still comes with a little basement chaos along the way. Resources Mentioned The PROMISE Act, explained — CNBC's breakdown of the bipartisan bill and the 2032 trust fund deadline Create your SSA.gov account — check your earnings history and benefit estimate id.me login for SSA.gov — the identity verification step for your Social Security account The Walt Disney Company: Walt's Era — Acquired podcast — the four-hour deep dive Doug referenced on Disney, Oswald the Rabbit, and protecting your name Stacking Benjamins Guides - Scout + a quick and easy checklist are just two of the reasons these complete reference tools are your top choice to manage your HR Benefits, your taxes, or college planning. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1872
July 24 · 1 hr 10 min
A Former OpenAI Researcher Says 70% Chance of Human Extinction -- Here's What to Do With That SB1872
A former OpenAI researcher went on Diary of a CEO and said there's a 70% chance AI ends badly for humanity, told his wife they shouldn't have more children because they'd never enter the workforce, and gave up $2 million by refusing to sign a non-disparagement clause to say it publicly. Joe asks Paula Pant, OG, and Jesse Cramer to react -- not as AI experts, but as people who've watched the internet, robots, computers, and cars all supposedly end the economy, and as people who actually know what to do with your money when the world feels uncertain. What You'll Walk Away With Paula's case for being a negative 10 on the worry scale: why 60% of jobs that exist today didn't exist in 1940, and why AI is more likely to create new categories of work than eliminate work entirely Jesse's case for a four: why knowledge is being commoditized the same way gasoline was -- and what that means if your competitive advantage has always been what you know OG's framework for separating the parts of your job AI will gladly take from the parts it never will -- and why that distinction is more useful than panicking about either half The Jevons Paradox: why making something cheaper almost always creates more demand for it, not less -- and why that applies to patents, legal filings, and every other knowledge-work category people think AI will eliminate Safe, evolving, or replaced: the roundtable verdict on CPAs, software engineers, and customer service reps -- and the Capital One research that reveals why some people actually prefer talking to a machine Why learning the AI tools right now -- even if you're 58 and four years from retirement -- is the modern equivalent of learning email in 1993 JL Collins' line that applies to careers just as much as portfolios: flexibility is the only true security Should you buy an AI sector fund? OG, Paula, and Jesse each answer -- and the answer that surprised everyone is probably not the one you'd expect Why OG's Triple Bypass bike race analogy is the best career advice in the episode: if you're always ready, you never have to get ready The window tax trivia that AI got spectacularly wrong -- proving, on an episode about AI taking all our jobs, that it can't even count windows yet Why This Matters Now The fear is real. The timeline is uncertain. And the people most likely to be okay are the ones who are building flexibility into their finances and their careers right now -- not because AI is definitely coming, but because it's always smart to be ready for the thing that might come. From the Basement Paula Pant, OG, and Jesse Cramer react to a former OpenAI researcher's apocalyptic Diary of a CEO interview -- and spend most of the episode arguing about whether to panic, which jobs survive, whether to buy the AI sector fund, and what OG's fighting robot would do to Jesse's house. Doug arrives with window tax trivia that AI generated incorrectly -- which Joe caught just before air -- and handing one of our contributors a huge win. Financial Action Month is coming next week: five episodes, a bingo sheet, and more to come. Resources Mentioned Diary of a CEO -- Steven Bartlett interview with Daniel Kokotajlo, former OpenAI researcher Tony Robbins interview with Ray Kurzweil -- referenced for additional AI perspective; linked at stackingbenjamins.com Afford Anything episode 693 -- Paula Pant interview with Dr. Ben Zweig on AI and the workforce; affordanything.com/episode693 Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors (PFLTI) -- Jesse Cramer; upcoming AMA episode 19 and episode 150 personal AMA Anthropic Skill Jar -- free AI training; referenced by Paula for learning Claude features Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh -- referenced for the Zappos customer service model OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1871
July 22 · 1 hr 11 min
Ryan Hawk on How Ordinary People Become Exceptional (And the Actions That Actually Compound) SB1871
Ryan Hawk arrived at Miami University the day after high school graduation, with a plan to earn the starting quarterback job and make it to the NFL. Two years later, a 6'5" kid from somewhere in Ohio showed up and took the job away from him. That kid turned out to be Ben Roethlisberger. What Ryan did with that moment became the entire foundation of The Learning Leader podcast, one of the most respected leadership shows in the country, and his new book The Price of Becoming. He joins Joe and OG to talk about the habits, frameworks, and daily actions that compound into something exceptional -- and what to do when the plan doesn't survive contact with reality. What You'll Walk Away With Coach Hepp's three-sentence leadership philosophy that Ryan has never forgotten: have a plan, work the plan, and plan for the unexpected Why being told "he gives us a better chance to win than you do" was the most valuable coaching Ryan ever received -- and what it teaches about adding value versus wanting credit The imitate-then-innovate framework: why The Beatles were a cover band first, why Wayne Gretzky took handwritten notes watching players smaller than himself, and why copying the greats isn't theft -- it's the fastest path to finding your own voice Ryan's first draft pick for becoming exceptional: a five-to-ten minute nightly prompt exercise built around one Charlie Munger question that compounds like a great investment Why truth tellers -- people willing to look you in the eye and tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear -- are the most underrated asset in any high performer's life The superpower Ryan has found in every great leader he's interviewed across 11 years and hundreds of conversations: deep, specific curiosity -- and why it's the ultimate form of showing love Sweat more than you watch other people sweat: Scott Galloway's physical discipline framework applied to every area of life The Brock Purdy late-round pick: why bringing a notebook to every meeting -- something almost no intern or young employee does -- is the single easiest way to stand out and learn faster The boomerang kids debate: why nearly half of Americans under 30 now live with a parent, when OG thinks it's a great idea, when he thinks you suck, and why it only works if there's a real plan with a real end date James from the community: how retiring at 52 let him become his daughter's bank in a hot real estate market -- loan document, market rate, free labor but zero say in the house Why This Matters Now The gap between people who become exceptional and people who almost do isn't talent -- it's the daily actions they're willing to stack. This episode is the practical blueprint for what those actions actually look like. From the Basement Ryan Hawk joins Joe and OG to talk about getting benched, the imitate-then-innovate path from cover band to original voice, and the five draft picks that build a great life -- including one that Joe immediately connects to hiding money from himself. The Wall Street Journal's piece on boomerang kids gives OG a platform to explain exactly when it's smart, when it's lazy, and why his kids should not take this as an invitation. Doug arrives with Cleveland trivia and the story of how a newspaper's cheap typesetting permanently changed the name of a major American city. James from the community sends a letter that makes OG quietly admit he was wrong about the appraisal. Resources Mentioned The Price of Becoming: The Compounding Practices of High Performance by Ryan Hawk -- available wherever books are sold The Learning Leader podcast -- Ryan Hawk; available wherever you listen to podcasts; learningleader.com Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon -- referenced for the imitate-then-innovate framework Set for Life by Scott Trench -- referenced for Joe's kids; biggerpockets.com Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry -- referenced for Joe's kids; brokemillennial.com Wall Street Journal -- "Living With Your Parents Is No Longer Viewed as a Failure to Launch" by Rebecca Picciotto and Nicholas G. Miller Stacking Benjamins Field Kit -- stackingbenjamins.com/fieldkit Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1870
July 20 · 1 hr 14 min
How to Get More Free Money From Your 401k (The Moves Most People Never Make) SB1870
An alarming number of people have access to a 401(k) and are either not using it, not getting the full employer match, or not making the simple moves that turn a good account into a great one. Joe and OG dedicate a full episode to the retirement account that most people take for granted -- covering contributions, matching, investment selection, Roth versus traditional, and the specific decisions that separate people who retire comfortably from people who almost got there. Plus wins from the Stacker community and trivia that will make you the most dangerous person at your next dinner party. What You'll Walk Away With Why the employer match is the single highest guaranteed return available to any investor -- and the specific contribution level that captures every dollar of it Roth 401(k) versus traditional 401(k): the one question that cuts through all the noise and tells you which one to use right now Why your investment menu feels overwhelming and how to make a great choice in under five minutes using one simple filter The auto-escalation feature most people never turn on -- and why setting it up once can add tens of thousands of dollars to your balance without you doing anything else What to do with your 401(k) when you leave a job: the four options, which one is almost always wrong, and which one most people choose anyway Why contribution limits are higher than most people think -- and the catch-up contribution that becomes available at 50 that most people in their 40s don't know to plan for The vesting schedule trap: why your employer match might not actually be yours yet -- and what that means for anyone thinking about leaving their job Why 403(b) and 457 plans follow most of the same rules -- and the one unique advantage the 457 has that almost nobody knows about OG on the single most common 401(k) mistake he sees in client portfolios -- and how long it typically takes to fix Stacker wins from the community: the specific moves people made this month that are already paying off Why This Matters Now Every year you don't optimize your 401(k) is a year of compounding you don't get back. The moves in this episode are not complicated -- but most people either don't know about them or keep putting them off. This is the episode to send to anyone who has a 401(k) and has never really looked at it. From the Basement Joe and OG celebrate the 401(k) in mom's basement while OG recovers from completing the Triple Bypass -- a Colorado cycling event that covers three mountain passes and approximately all of the elevation gain in the western hemisphere. OG's wife asked if he'd do it again. He answered with a childbirth analogy. Doug arrives with trivia that will be re-shared all week. The community delivers wins that prove the system works. Resources Mentioned Stacking Benjamins Basics Guide -- stackingbenjamins.com/basicsguide Stacking Benjamins Field Kit -- stackingbenjamins.com/fieldkit Stacking Benjamins BAD Groups -- stackingbenjamins.com/bad Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1869
July 17 · 1 hr 11 min
Who Should You Trust With Your Money? (Friends, Family, Experts, AI, and Bad Advice) SB1869
A Wall Street Journal story about a 17-year-old helping his family with financial decisions kicks off a much bigger Stacking Benjamins question: who should you actually trust with your money? Joe, Doug, Paula Pant, Jesse Cramer, and special guest Roger Whitney dig into where great advice comes from, why bad advice often comes from people who love you, and how to build a better filter before you act. Along the way, they talk books, podcasts, family advice, AI, confirmation bias, homebuying myths, index funds, retirement plans, and why "smart" isn't enough. What You'll Walk Away With Why Roger says "advice" has a high bar: real advice should apply to your specific life, not just sound smart in public The difference between information and advice -- and why confusing the two can lead you into trouble Why books often beat random internet advice: they usually have more vetting, structure, and accountability How well-meaning friends and family can still give terrible money advice when they speak confidently about things they don't really understand Paula's advice pyramid: avoid people who profit from outrage, be skeptical of people with no accountability, and seek sources with both expertise and vetting Why AI can be useful as a sparring partner, but not as a substitute for your own thinking or fact-checking The danger of "always" and "never" advice: always buy a house, always max your 401(k), never finance a car, always buy index funds Why renting isn't automatically throwing money away -- and how the price-to-rent ratio can help you think more clearly Why maxing out your workplace retirement plan may not always be the right move, especially when tax flexibility, business investment, or other goals matter more How confirmation bias, present bias, and absolute certainty can fool you into believing your plan is stronger than it is What to look for in your personal board of directors: people you respect, people with a high signal-to-noise ratio, and people who are kind enough to tell you the truth Why Roger says a kind person is better than a merely nice one when you need real feedback Why This Matters Now Financial advice is everywhere: podcasts, books, TikTok, AI, coworkers, relatives, advisors, and confident strangers with strong opinions. The hard part isn't finding advice. It's knowing which advice deserves your attention. This episode gives Stackers a filter for separating useful guidance from noise before the wrong voice gets too close to their money. From the Basement Joe uses a Wall Street Journal piece about a teenage family financial advisor to launch a bigger card-table debate with Paula Pant, Jesse Cramer, and Roger Whitney. The crew builds a money-advice pyramid, debates which financial rules should be ignored, and explores when to trust yourself versus when to bring in your board of directors. Doug celebrates Art Linkletter with Game of Life trivia, Paula admits she's never played it, and OG's trivia lead might get a little more uncomfortable. Resources Mentioned The Wall Street Journal piece by Oyin Adedoyin about a 17-year-old helping his family with financial decisions Roger Whitney -- The Retirement Answer Man podcast Paula Pant -- Afford Anything podcast Jesse Cramer -- Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors podcast Seth Godin -- Linchpin Thomas Stanley and William Danko -- The Millionaire Next Door Robert Kiyosaki -- Rich Dad Poor Dad Robert Cialdini -- Influence Richard Feynman -- Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! Beth Kobliner -- referenced as an upcoming Afford Anything guest Stacking Benjamins Newsletter, The 201 -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins YouTube channel -- youtube.com/stackingbenjamins See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1868
July 15 · 1 hr 20 min
What History Tells Us About Crypto, Real Estate, and Every Other Financial "Truth" (with Dr. Joseph Moore) SB1868
In the 1800s, the smartest financial advice your grandparents could receive was: don't save money, because it will probably go to zero. Stocks were considered scams. Real estate was the only real path to wealth. Crypto isn't the future, it's a replay of something that happened dozens of times before the Civil War. Dr. Joseph Moore is a historian, a New York Times bestselling author, and someone who has spent his career proving that what always worked was always changing. His book is How to Get Rich in American History, and this conversation will make you rethink at least three things you currently believe about money. What You'll Walk Away With Why grandparents in the 1800s told their grandchildren never to save money -- and why that advice was completely rational at the time The crypto-as-past argument: why self-issued currencies have existed since before the Civil War, why they all eventually went to zero, and what the one thing is that actually made the US dollar trustworthy Why stocks beating bonds in the long run is only true since World War II -- and what that means for treating any historical financial truth as permanent The go-ahead philosophy: why Americans used to define success as actively moving forward rather than passively not falling behind -- and why that shift in language reveals something important Why financial gurus get a worse reputation than they deserve -- and the German economist's study that showed Dave Ramsey alone has saved the US economy the GDP of a mid-sized nation state The FIRE movement isn't new: the original four-hour workday, a man with Ten Acres Enough in 1850s New Jersey, and what the Nearings' Vermont maple farm story actually teaches about the selling of early retirement Fast time versus slow time: why the financial media is paid to tell you it's always fast time, why it's almost never fast time, and how to know the difference when it actually matters Why the 4% rule and the safe withdrawal rate are research findings worth knowing -- and exactly why building a 30-year financial plan around a fixed number is still a mistake Five first-half 2026 lessons from the Stacking Benjamins mentor vault: creativity, adversity, mistakes, the go-ahead mindset, and compounding The compounding belief problem: why OG's framework for trusting the math you've already lived is the most underrated motivational tool in personal finance Why This Matters Now Every financial truth that feels permanent right now -- index funds always win, real estate always appreciates, crypto is either the future or a scam -- is newer than you think and more conditional than it sounds. The investors who build real flexibility into their plans are the ones who survive when the conditions change. And the conditions always change. From the Basement Dr. Joseph Moore joins Joe and OG to pick fights with crypto, passive income, real estate mythology, Napoleon Hill, and the entire academic finance establishment -- while making the case that financial gurus, properly understood, have done more measurable good for American wealth than all the finance professors combined. OG is in Colorado acclimating for a bicycle climb that has Doug genuinely concerned about whether a financial co-host counts as a dependent. Doug arrives with trivia tied to today's birthday that connects Nintendo's origins to something nobody expected. Five mentor highlights from the first half of 2026 close the episode -- including clips from George Newman on creativity, Jim Murphy on adversity, Bola Sokunbi on surviving a very expensive rollover mistake, Beth Kobliner on why young people are gambling instead of saving, and Cody Berman on the compounding moment that changes everything. Resources Mentioned How to Get Rich in American History by Dr. Joseph Moore -- New York Times bestseller; available at bookstores and on Amazon; josephmoore.com Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy -- referenced for mental strength and adversity; available wherever books are sold Clever Girl Finance -- Bola Sokunbi; clevergirlfinance.com Afford Anything podcast -- Paula Pant; referenced in first-half mentor recap Retire by 30 by Cody Berman -- retireby30book.com Get a Financial Life by Beth Kobliner -- referenced in first-half mentor recap Stacking Benjamins Field Kit -- stackingbenjamins.com/fieldkit Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201; write Joe at joe@stackingbenjamins.com with your favorite first-half lesson Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1867
July 13 · 59 min
Did You Miss the Small Cap Rally? What the First Half of 2026 Taught Every Investor (SB1867)
Small company stocks were up nearly 22% in the first six months of 2026. Emerging markets were up 24%. Meanwhile, plenty of people sat on the sidelines convinced those asset classes were dead, chased last year's winners, or just didn't know what they owned. Joe, OG, and Len Penzo break down the first-half scorecard, explain why the lesson isn't about timing -- it's about diversification -- and walk through what an investment policy statement actually is and why having one would have kept most people out of trouble. What You'll Walk Away With The first-half 2026 scorecard: Russell 2000 up 21.9%, MSCI Emerging Markets up 24%, S&P 500 up 9.6%, and why the breadth of the rally matters more than the headline number Why OG's one-sentence takeaway -- "the plan always works" -- is both right and incomplete, and what Len's personal experience this year adds to the conversation What an investment policy statement actually is: the one-page written decision tree that protects you from making bad moves when markets spike or crash Why the market closes at an all-time high roughly 30% of the time -- and what that means for the "I'm waiting for it to come down" crowd How to x-ray your portfolio: the specific inventory OG recommends taking before you make any changes Why you should rebalance all at once rather than filling in holes slowly -- and the one asterisk that applies before you do anything in a taxable account Len on the mining sector: why GDX returned 154% last year and is down 10% this year -- and exactly what that pattern teaches about chasing returns Why trying to explain your investment plan to another human being is the best stress test you have The allowance micro-economy problem: what happens when you pay kids per task and they start pricing everything in units of dog poop Jessica's win from the Basement: how one Stacker helped her 25-year-old cousin sign up for her first 401(k), get the full company match, and choose index funds Why This Matters Now The second half of 2026 starts now. If you don't know what you own, why you own it, or what you'd do if it dropped 30%, this is the episode to act on before the next six months get away from you. From the Basement Joe, OG, and Len Penzo review the first half of 2026, build a case for why diversification beats prediction every time, and explain what an investment policy statement is and how to write one. Doug celebrates the Hollywood sign's origin as a real estate advertisement and shares two things social media actually taught us -- including a TikTok comedian voicing the thoughts in Mark Zuckerberg's ear during a very long beef discussion. Len's annual sandwich survey is about a month away. True Money Stories is climbing the Amazon charts. Resources Mentioned True Money Stories by Len Penzo -- available on Amazon; lenpenzo.com Len Penzo dot com -- lenpenzo.com; 3,000 articles, 18 years of personal finance writing Stacking Benjamins Field Kit -- stackingbenjamins.com/fieldkit Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1866
July 10 · 1 hr 1 min
Can You Save Too Much? Finding the Sweet Spot Between FI, Spending, and Life (SB1866)
Today's show asks one of the trickiest questions in personal finance: when does a good habit go too far? Saving is great. Cutting expenses can change your life. Earning more can open doors. But what happens when you optimize so hard that you accidentally squeeze the joy out of the whole plan? Joe, Doug, Diana Merriam from EconoMe, New York Times financial writer Paulette Perhach, and Doc G from Earn and Invest dig into the messy middle between YOLO and never spending a dime. Plus, Doug brings hockey trivia, the panel talks odd jobs, and everyone tries to define what "enough" actually means. You'll see very quickly why this episode is an integral part of greatest hits week! What You'll Walk Away With Why reducing expenses works best when it removes waste -- not when it turns your life into a deprivation contest Diana's throw-pillow test: how to ask whether you actually want something or just inherited the idea that you're supposed to want it The difference between frugal and cheap -- and why ironing hotel toast or stealing dealership coffee might be a sign you've crossed the line Why Doc G says saving money is only useful if it eventually becomes fuel for the life you want to live The case for "YOLO responsibly": automate the saving first, then give yourself room to spend without turning every purchase into a morality play Why high savings rates can be powerful in your 20s -- especially when friends turn frugality into a shared goal instead of social isolation Paulette's reminder that money habits aren't just math; ADHD, dopamine, entrepreneurship, and self-compassion can all change how saving feels Why earning more often matters more than cutting more -- and how Diana's denied raise helped push her toward building her own thing Doc G's hospice-doctor warning: nobody gets to the end wishing they had worked more nights and weekends to hit a slightly bigger net worth Why Coast FI may be the healthier goal for some people: save enough to create options, then stop tolerating work or lifestyles that no longer fit The guardrails idea: avoid both extremes -- wasting your future and wasting your present Why This Matters Now It's easy to turn personal finance into a scoreboard: lower expenses, higher savings rate, bigger income, faster FI date. But the real goal isn't winning the spreadsheet. It's building a life that feels secure, flexible, and worth living while you're still living it. This conversation is a reminder to use money as a tool, not a dare. From the Basement Joe Saul-Sehy gathers a rare Friday card table with Diana Merriam, Paulette Perhach, and Doc G to talk about saving too much, spending too much, working too hard, and finding the middle before the middle finds you. Doug is salty about not going to FinCon, the panel debates FIRE extremes, someone brings up homemade Gatorade, and the trivia question involves hockey nets. No word yet on whether Mom has removed the throw pillows upstairs. Resources Mentioned MrStingy.com -- "Too Much of a Good Thing: Taking It Too Far" Diana Merriam -- EconoMe Conference; economeconference.com Diana Merriam -- Optimal Finance Daily Paulette Perhach -- pauletteperhach.com Paulette Perhach -- New York Times personal finance writing, including ADHD and money Doc G / Jordan Grumet -- Earn and Invest podcast Doc G -- Wealth with Purpose The Fioneers -- referenced in the lifestyle design conversation Frugalwoods -- referenced during the throw-pillow/minimalism discussion Stacking Benjamins Newsletter, The 201 -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins Community, The Basement -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1865
July 8 · 1 hr 7 min
Scott Galloway's Algebra of Wealth: Build Money, Meaning, and Stop Comparing Yourself to the S&P500 (SB1865)
Scott Galloway doesn't do soft-pedal advice. In this Greatest Hits conversation, the NYU professor, entrepreneur, investor, and author of The Algebra of Wealth joins Joe to talk about why building wealth is less about chasing passion, picking the perfect stock, or waiting for retirement -- and more about focus, discipline, diversification, time, and relationships. Before that, Joe and OG dig into a 401(k) lawsuit involving AllianceBernstein and why comparing your portfolio to the wrong benchmark can send your plan sideways. Later, Alex calls in with a big early-retirement question: how do you access retirement money before age 59 and a half without triggering penalties? What You'll Walk Away With Why Scott Galloway says money is not the story -- it's the ink in the pen that can help you build deeper relationships with less anxiety The "follow your passion" problem: why Scott believes young people should look first for talent, certification, and industries where they can become excellent Why boring careers can create extraordinary lives -- especially when they offer income, stability, and room to build options Scott's wealth equation: focus, stoicism, diversification, and time -- and why each piece matters more than trying to look brilliant for one lucky moment The savings muscle: why measuring spending, gamifying saving, and surrounding yourself with the right people can change behavior faster than good intentions alone Why diversification is financial Kevlar -- it may not make you look like a hero, but it can keep one bad investment from becoming a fatal wound The retirement myth Scott wants to burn down: why the goal isn't necessarily to stop working, but to make work a choice instead of a trap The 401(k) benchmarking lesson: why Joe and OG say your benchmark should be your goal, not whichever index happened to win over the last decade Why chasing the S&P 500 because it recently crushed everything else can become dangerous when you forget that market leadership rotates What the AllianceBernstein lawsuit teaches participants: ERISA protects against imprudence, not against every disappointing stretch of market performance Alex's early-retirement question: the difference between accessing 401(k) money after separation from service at age 55 and using SEPP rules before then Why substantially equal periodic payments can work -- but also why OG says you want experienced help before touching those rules Why splitting IRA assets into separate buckets may create more flexibility for early-retirement income planning Why This Matters Now A lot of people want the shortcut: the best stock, the best index, the perfect retirement number, the magic career move. Scott Galloway's message is more durable than that. Build skills. Save consistently. Avoid lifestyle traps. Diversify. Give time room to work. Keep the people around you strong. That's not flashy, but it is the kind of advice that still works when the market, the economy, and your life refuse to cooperate. From the Basement Joe and OG start with a retirement-plan lawsuit that turns into a bigger conversation about how Stackers should judge their own portfolios. Then Scott Galloway pulls up a chair at the card table to talk about wealth, work, saving, relationships, his mom, Sizzler, bourbon, Tom Petty, and why you don't need to be a hero to build real financial security. Doug brings trivia about the first camera phone, plus a few modeling notes of his own. Later, Alex asks how early retirees can tap retirement accounts before 59 and a half, and the basement joke-off marches toward its dramatic, deeply mathematical conclusion. Resources Mentioned Scott Galloway -- The Algebra of Wealth Stacking Benjamins Newsletter, The 201 -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins voicemail line -- stackingbenjamins.com/voicemail Stacking Benjamins Community, The Basement -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement Stacking Benjamins YouTube channel -- youtube.com/stackingbenjamins InvestmentNews article by Emil Halasz on the AllianceBernstein 401(k) lawsuit JL Collins -- The Simple Path to Wealth Paul Merriman and Peter Mallouk -- referenced during the benchmarking and diversification discussion IRS Rule 72(t) / SEPP rules -- referenced for early retirement account withdrawals See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1864
July 6 · 1 hr
Your Best Money Questions Answered: Emergency Funds, Inherited IRAs, Single-Person Planning, and More (SB1864)
Should you invest money you're saving for a house, or keep it in cash? How does an inherited IRA actually work when it's split between siblings? What should a single person think about differently when planning for retirement? And is SGOV a reasonable place to park your emergency fund? Joe and OG dig in. These aren't questions from this week. They're questions Stackers sent in over a year ago -- and people are still asking every single one of them. What You'll Walk Away With The house down payment question: why OG flips it around and asks what happens if the market is down 20% when you need the money -- and how the answer tells you exactly what to do Why the juice-worth-the-squeeze question matters more than the optimal investment question when your timeline is three to five years How inherited IRAs actually work: the 10-year rule, required minimum distributions, what happens when multiple siblings inherit the same account, and when it might make sense to just pay the tax and be done with it Why a spouse inheriting an IRA follows completely different rules -- and why you cannot add to an inherited IRA even if you don't have one of your own The single person's financial plan: why disability insurance is the most important protection nobody thinks about, why your estate plan needs different beneficiary logic than a married person's, and why being your own backstop means advocating harder for your own income Michelle's numbers run through the Rule of 72: why a 35-year-old with $270,000 already saved may be closer to Coast FI than she realizes SGOV as an emergency fund: when treasury ETFs make sense as a cash alternative, when they don't, and why over-optimizing your cash flow can cost you more in overdraft fees than you ever gained Why keeping one to two months of expenses in your checking account isn't lazy -- it's a system that protects you from the chaos of a missed transfer The student loan bankruptcy debate: why Ron's argument has more merit than most people admit, and what the real structural problem is The Edward Jones response: what's actually Joe's job in the headline segment and what belongs to a company's PR department Why This Matters Now Good financial advice doesn't have an expiration date. These questions were relevant a year ago, they're relevant today, and they'll be relevant next year. If you've been putting off answering any of them for yourself, this is the episode. From the Basement Joe and OG work through the mailbag -- house down payments, inherited IRAs, single-person planning, SGOV, student loans, and a spirited defense of Edward Jones from an actual Edward Jones employee who has some notes. The trivia question is about Michael Jackson's best solo hit according to Billboard. Mom has the curtains drawn. Resources Mentioned Stacking Benjamins voicemail line -- leave your question; stackingbenjamins.com/voicemail SGOV -- iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF; referenced for emergency fund and cash management discussion Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1863
July 3 · 1 hr 4 min
The Retirement Wall of Shame: Mistakes That Wreck Retirement Plans (SB1863)
Most retirement content talks about what to do. This episode talks about what actually goes wrong -- and how often it happens to people who thought they had it figured out. Joel Larsgaard of How to Money, Paula Pant of Afford Anything, and Jesse Cramer of Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors each nominate their worst retirement mistake for the wall of shame. Some make it. Some get argued off. All of them are more common than you'd think. What You'll Walk Away With Why "everything's going to go according to plan" is the most dangerous assumption in retirement -- and the gray swan events nobody sees coming that quietly derail otherwise solid plans The difference between a black swan and a gray swan: why divorce, health changes, and job loss in your early 60s aren't surprises exactly, and yet almost nobody plans for them Why most people retire two to three years earlier than they expected -- and why those lost years tend to be peak earning years The pre-tax wealth trap: why the number in your 401(k) isn't the number you actually get to spend -- and the planning that closes the gap Joel's RV warning: why the most regretted retirement purchase is almost always the one that seemed most exciting at the moment of retirement The copy-paste retirement: why doing what other retirees do -- epic trips, vacation homes, the shiny version of leisure -- often produces a quietly miserable result Why the 4% rule is a starting point, not a sentence: how lumpy real-world expenses, medical costs, and changing needs make a fixed withdrawal rate more aspiration than reality The lifestyle design question underneath all of it: why Fritz Gilbert's polling of actual retirees found that finances barely make the top concerns list once you're actually retired Paula's fix for the go-go years: how a dedicated travel bucket with a deliberate spend-down timeline lets you enjoy early retirement without quietly mortgaging the rest of it Why the 18-month retirement honeymoon often ends in the biggest depression of someone's life -- and what to do before you retire to prevent it Why This Matters Now Every mistake on this wall is more common than it should be -- and most of them are fixable with a little planning before the moment arrives. This episode is the conversation to have while you still have time to change something. From the Basement Joel Larsgaard, Paula Pant, and Jesse Cramer build the retirement wall of shame live, with Joe trying and failing to get anyone to argue anyone else off the board. Paula tries to win the trivia competition for the second week in a row with a guess of $500 on George Washington's Continental Army salary -- was she right???? Happy Fourth of July from mom's basement, and Stephen Merchant has some thoughts about the holiday. Resources Mentioned How to Money podcast -- Joel Larsgaard; greatest hits in July; available wherever you listen to podcasts Afford Anything podcast -- Paula Pant; July 1st episode on the New York City rent freeze and its downstream consequences Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors (FILTI) -- Jesse Cramer; recent episode with Frank Vasquez on risk parity; upcoming AMOT on Roth conversions The Retirement Manifesto -- Fritz Gilbert; retirement research and polling referenced in the episode; theretirementmanifesto.com Living Off Your Acorns by Dana Anspach -- referenced for the go-go, slow-go, no-go framework; available wherever books are sold Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1862
July 1 · 1 hr 16 min
Can You Actually Make Money Buying a Franchise? (with Alex Smereczniak) SB1862
Every time you drive past a packed 7 Brew or a Raising Cane's with a line around the block, you probably wonder for about 30 seconds what that owner's life looks like. Is it printing money? Is it a nightmare? Is it something a regular person can actually do? Alex Smereczniak has owned franchises, helped hundreds of people buy them, and built a platform specifically to cut through the hype. He joins Joe and OG to answer the question honestly -- including the parts the sales pitch leaves out. What You'll Walk Away With Why franchising is not passive income -- especially in year one -- and what you're actually signing up for when you buy in The single best reason to buy a franchise instead of starting your own business from scratch: you're starting three steps ahead of someone who goes it alone What kind of return franchise owners actually expect -- and why it's two to four times higher than what most people get from index funds or rental real estate The payback period question: how long should it take to get your money back, and when should that number make you walk away How to tell if a franchise is healthy or quietly falling apart -- without reading a 200-page legal document Why calling existing franchise owners is one of the most powerful things you can do before committing -- and exactly what to ask them The Chick-fil-A exception: why the most famous franchise in America only costs $15,000 to buy in -- and why you're essentially purchasing a very well-paying job The green flag, yellow flag, red flag quiz: "I can keep my full-time job," "I'll break even in 12 months," "I don't need industry experience," "I can hire a manager and be hands-off" Why the business broker world is almost entirely unregulated -- and what that means for the advice you get from someone helping you pick a franchise OG on the Bank of Mom and Dad headline: why helping your kids buy a house is a beautiful idea right up until the strings get attached -- and the one thing he says never to do regardless of who's asking Why This Matters Now Most people who wonder about franchising never get past the wondering stage because the information is either all hype or completely overwhelming. This episode is the honest middle ground -- what it costs, what it pays, what it takes, and how to know if it's right for you. From the Basement Alex Smereczniak joins Joe and OG to pull back the curtain on franchise ownership -- from the weirdest franchise he's ever seen (crime scene cleanup, seven figures a year, great margins, and no, he still wouldn't do it) to why the first year will be harder than any brochure admits. The Wall Street Journal's story on parents buying homes for adult children gives OG a full platform to explain exactly where he draws the line -- and why the four-bedroom house with the pool and the eight-minute bike ride to dad's place raises questions he'd want answered over two bourbons on a back patio. Resources Mentioned Franzy -- free franchise research and coaching platform; compare opportunities side by side and get one-on-one coaching at no cost; franzy.com Grind by the creator of Biggby Coffee -- recommended read on what franchise ownership actually requires before you sign anything; available wherever books are sold Wall Street Journal -- "These Parents Are Buying Homes for Their Kids, With Strings Attached" by Rachel Wolff; linked at stackingbenjamins.com Power Plate Savers blog -- David's write-up of his first Twin Cities BAD group meetup; powerplatesavers.com; linked at stackingbenjamins.com Stacking Benjamins BAD Groups -- meetups in Twin Cities, Seattle, Boston, Tucson, and Southern Minnesota; stackingbenjamins.com/bad Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1861
June 29 · 1 hr 1 min
When Borrowing Against Your House Is Smart (And When It Quietly Wrecks Your Plan) SB1861
Americans are sitting on more home equity than ever -- and more of them are tapping it. Not because they're struggling, but because they locked in ultra-low mortgage rates and they're not giving those up. So instead of refinancing, they're turning to HELOCs and home equity loans. Joe and OG walk through the math, the psychology, the questions most people never think to ask, and the specific situations where borrowing against your home equity actually makes sense -- and the ones where it quietly destroys a plan that was working. What You'll Walk Away With Why home equity borrowing is surging right now -- and why keeping a 3% mortgage while opening a HELOC at 7.5% might still be the smarter move The Oreo problem: why having a HELOC open "just in case" is the financial equivalent of leaving a sleeve of Oreos on the counter and expecting not to eat them OG's CEO versus CFO framework: how to separate the decision of whether to do the project from the decision of how to finance it The rate math you should actually run before choosing between a HELOC, a home equity loan, and a full refinance -- including current Bankrate benchmarks Home improvements, credit card consolidation, college costs, business startup, and investing: OG's honest take on each use case, including the ones that are just bad ideas The questions nobody asks before getting a HELOC -- including when the rate adjusts (spoiler: faster in one direction), what happens to the draw period, and whether the bank can pull the line at any time Why using home equity as a third-tier emergency fund sounds clever but has a fatal flaw What happens if home prices fall and you've borrowed heavily against the equity -- and why Texas has the 80% rule OG and Anna wrap up season two of the financial basics series -- including why financial planning is an ongoing activity, not a document, and what's coming in season three The one open question OG wants Stackers to send him before season three begins Why This Matters Now Home prices are up. Mortgage rates are still elevated. The people most tempted to tap their equity are often the ones who built it most carefully -- and that's exactly when the guardrails matter most. From the Basement Joe and OG dig into the HELOC decision with specifics: math, psychology, use cases, and the questions banks don't volunteer. OG and Anna close out season two of the financial basics series with a reflection on why everything in a financial plan connects to everything else -- and a preview of what's coming in season three. Doug arrives with Bernie Madoff trivia. The guides get a Scout upgrade and the college planning guide gets a refresh just in time for back to school. Resources Mentioned Stacking Benjamins Guides -- workplace benefits, tax planning, and college planning with Scout AI; stackingbenjamins.com/guides Stacking Benjamins Field Kit -- stackingbenjamins.com/fieldkit Stacking Benjamins Basics Guide -- season one and season two; stackingbenjamins.com/basicsguide Stacking Benjamins voicemail -- stackingbenjamins.com/yelldownstairs; leave a question for the next Q&A episode with Anna OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1860
June 26 · 1 hr 3 min
What Would You Do With a $500,000 Inheritance -- And What Would You Leave Behind? SB1860
Americans are in the middle of the largest wealth transfer in history. Trillions of dollars are moving between generations right now. But what do you actually do when half a million dollars lands in your account? And on the other side of that question: when it's your turn to give, do you leave it when you die or give it while you're alive? Do you split it equally or based on need? And what about the inheritance that has nothing to do with money at all? Joe asks Paula Pant, OG, and Doc G to answer all of it honestly. What You'll Walk Away With What Paula, OG, and Doc G would each do before noon on the day they found out -- and why OG's first move is to make a list of questions while Paula immediately calls her accountant Why Doc G, currently in the decumulation phase, would give some away and consider lending money to his son for a property before investing a dollar OG's 40/20/40 framework for any unexpected windfall: 40% to investing, 20% to guilt-free spending, 40% to debt payoff or a medium-term goal -- and why it works for $1,000 checks and $500,000 checks alike The grief factor: why Paula says the first thing she thinks of when she hears the word inheritance is grief -- and why emotional cloudiness is the most underestimated risk in how people handle inherited money Would you tell anyone? All three guests have different answers -- and the reasons matter Give it while you're alive or leave it when you die: what the King Lear scenario has to do with your estate plan, and why Paula's answer depends entirely on her end-of-life care risk Pay for college or leave an inheritance: Doc G picks college, OG picks experiences, and the reasoning behind each choice reveals two completely different theories of compounding Equal inheritance versus needs-based inheritance: why Doc G has already had the conversation with his kids and why he's not apologizing for unequal parenting What people at the end of life actually want to leave behind -- Doc G's hospice experience in one of the most memorable moments of the episode The non-financial legacy each panelist is trying to leave -- and Doug's surprisingly moving answer about where joy actually comes from Why This Matters Now The wealth transfer is already happening. Whether you're on the giving end or the receiving end, the decisions made in the first days after money changes hands tend to be the ones people regret most. This episode is the conversation to have beforehand. From the Basement Paula Pant, OG, and Doc G work through the full inheritance question -- tactics, emotions, purpose, and legacy -- in one of the more wide-ranging Friday conversations this show has produced. Paula tries to win the trivia competition for the first time in longer than anyone cares to admit, immediately hoping she gets to thank the Academy. Doug closes with something nobody saw coming. Resources Mentioned Earn and Invest podcast -- Doc G (Jordan Grumet); upcoming episode with Dr. Jaspal Singh on the case for ambitious careers; wherever you listen to podcasts Afford Anything podcast -- Paula Pant; recent episode with Dr. Julia Garcia on five habits of hope; wherever you listen to podcasts Stacking Benjamins Newsletter (The 201) -- stackingbenjamins.com/201 OG financial planning calendar -- stackingbenjamins.com/og Stacking Benjamins Community -- stackingbenjamins.com/basement See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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