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Bill Bengen, the former rocket scientist who discovered the “4 percent rule” of retirement planning, joins us at the Bogleheads conference in Minnesota. Bengen clarifies that calling it a “rule” is misleading since it doesn’t fit everyone’s situation. The 4 percent figure came from studying the worst-case scenario since 1926, when someone who retired in […]
An anonymous caller, whom we name “Samantha,” and her husband are financially strained and feeling torn. Shortly after purchasing two rental properties, their income dropped dramatically. Should they sell? Tina is a full-time environmentalist. She’s worried that her index funds don’t align with her values on sustainability. Is there a world where she can be […]
One thing I run into frequently — both working with clients and via correspondence with readers — is people who have financial goals that, to put it bluntly, are not very good. And to be clear, I just don’t mean that they’re goals I wouldn’t pick. I get excited about spending money on spring loaded […]
What happens when you spend three decades talking to retirement experts? You learn that most of what people think they know about retirement planning is oversimplified or wrong. Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar, joins us on the Afford Anything podcast to share what she’s discovered after 31 years of […]
Baona | E+ | Getty Images More from FA Playbook: Here’s a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business. Starting in 2025, investors age 60 to 63 can make catch-up contributions of up to $11,250 on top of the $23,500 deferral limit. Combined, these workers can defer a total of $34,750 for 2025, […]
Steven is stuck on the question of financial stability. How do you know if you have it? Is there an objective answer based on net worth? Or is it a calculation relative to your income and age? Jack isn’t sure how to factor his house into his net worth. It’s an asset, but he has […]
Economist Dr. Karsten Jeske talks with us about the current economic landscape. Karsten, who retired at 44, breaks down the Fed’s recent decisions and how they might affect our finances. He explains how markets often anticipate interest rate changes before they happen. Karsten challenges traditional views on inflation and unemployment, telling us that textbook models […]
Admin note: I have the annual Bogleheads Conference coming up this week, followed immediately by some vacation travel and then a finger surgery which will require a couple days of not-very-productive recovery. So there will be a temporary publishing hiatus here, with the next article appearing October 21. If you have read about retirement tax […]