This is part two of our financial order of operations series.

In part one, we covered the non-negotiables—the oxygen mask, debt payoff, insurance, and the foundation of every real financial plan. This week, we get into the gray areas. The places where conventional wisdom isn’t just outdated—it’s expensive.

Here’s what we cover:

7️⃣ The Emergency Fund Myth
You’ve heard it before: “Keep six months of expenses in cash.” The problem? That advice was built for a world where savings accounts paid double-digit interest. Today, it’s fear-based and mathematically backward. Most people will go years without a true financial emergency, and keeping $20,000 in cash for a maybe costs far more than it saves. Learn how to balance liquidity with growth without putting your future on pause.

8️⃣ The Taxable Brokerage Account Advantage
Once you’ve maxed your Roth IRA, captured your 401(k) match, and funded your HSA, it’s time to open a taxable brokerage account. This is your flexibility play—your bridge between today and retirement. Access your money anytime, invest in low-cost index funds, and take advantage of long-term capital gains rates that beat most income taxes.

9️⃣ The Right Way to Think About Debt
Debt isn’t moral—it’s mathematical. If your rate is above 5%, pay it off first. If it’s below 5%, investing probably wins over time. But if it’s keeping you up at night, pay it off anyway. Personal finance is personal—and peace of mind compounds, too.

🎯 Bonus: The 20-Minute “Tiered Pricing” Hack
Call your phone, internet, and streaming companies once a year. Tell them you’re considering canceling. Decline their first “special offer,” and watch the discounts appear. It’s the modern coupon—no scissors required—and it can save you $1,000+ a year to redirect into your investments.

At the end of the day, this two-part series gives you a complete, math-first roadmap for building wealth that lasts. It works whether you’re starting out or managing seven figures.

And if you're interested in learning more about this week's show sponsor, Facet, check out facet.com/tyler today to learn more!

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

 💌 Join the newsletter for weekly financial clarity (and the occasional heretical take): https://socialcapconnect.substack.com/subscribe

This week we’re tearing apart one of personal finance’s most overused frameworks: the “financial order of operations.”

You’ve heard a version of it before—pay this, save that, sacrifice now, maybe retire someday. The problem? Most of those systems were built by people who either (a) never had real financial stress, or (b) have spent too long in the Dave Ramsey cinematic universe.

So, I rebuilt the order from scratch. And it actually works in the real world, whether you make $40,000 or $400,000.

Here’s what we cover:

1️⃣ Put your own oxygen mask on first.
Take care of yourself before your kids. Financial stability isn’t selfish—it’s responsible.

2️⃣ Obliterate credit card debt.
The “snowball method” is financial astrology. Attack the highest-interest balance first.

3️⃣ Get insurance.
If someone depends on your income, you need term life and long-term disability. No gimmicks.

4️⃣ Max out your Roth IRA.
It’s flexible, tax-free, and doubles as a stealth emergency fund.

5️⃣ Grab your 401(k) match.
A 50% employer match is the only free lunch on Wall Street.

6️⃣ Max out your HSA (if you can).
The triple tax advantage—deductible going in, tax-free growth, tax-free withdrawals—is unbeatable.

We’ll go deeper into emergency funds, taxable brokerage accounts, and smart debt strategies in Part 2 next week.

And a MASSIVE thank you to this episode's sponsor, Facet. If you are tired of paying more to an advisor simply because you make more, check out facet.com/tyler today to learn more. 

👉 PLUS: stick around until the end of the episode for a modern trick that helps you find the money to do all of this in under 20 minutes—without canceling Netflix or giving up your morning coffee.

If this episode helps you—or if you simply enjoy hearing someone roast bad financial advice with love—please consider leaving a review on Apple or Spotify or share this with a friend who still believes paying off a $200 credit card before a $20,000 one is “confidence building.”

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

 📩 Join my newsletter for weekly financial philosophy that treats you like an adult: https://socialcapconnect.substack.com/subscribe

What if the biggest financial surprise in your life isn’t running out of money—but realizing that “having enough” doesn’t feel anything like you thought it would?

In this episode, I explore the hidden side of wealth: the regrets, letdowns, and quiet disappointments that often surface after you’ve hit your financial goals. From savers who can’t spend, to retirees who waited too long for joy, to high achievers who retired from something but not to something, we unpack why reaching your number doesn’t always equal fulfillment.

You’ll hear stories of real people—clients who built millions but treated their brokerage accounts like haunted attics, retirees who postponed joy until it slipped away, and professionals who reached “the dream” only to ask, “now what?” Along the way, we’ll look at surprising research, like why nearly 60% of retirees withdraw less than their required minimum distribution (not from strategy, but from fear), and why the average healthy retirement window is far shorter than most financial plans assume.

This isn’t about blowing your 401(k) on a yacht or regretting you didn’t buy Apple stock in the 90s. It’s about the emotional hangover of achieving your goals and realizing you never practiced enjoying the wealth you worked so hard to build.

In this episode, we’ll cover:

• The Curse of the Responsible Saver: why some people can’t spend even when they can afford to.
• Deferred Joy: the arrival fallacy that keeps people waiting for happiness until it’s too late.
• Retired From, Not To: how lack of purpose, not lack of money, creates regret.
• Emergency Spending Accounts: a counter-intuitive way to practice joy with your money now.
• Redefining “Enough”: why true wealth is measured in stories, not spreadsheets.

If you’ve ever wondered what life looks like after hitting your financial goals, or worried that the “someday” you’re saving for may not look the way you hope, this conversation is for you.

Because wealth is more than a balance sheet. It’s about spending money—and time—with intention, before it’s too late.

👉 If this resonates, subscribe to my free weekly newsletter at tylergardner.com
for three takeaways from each episode. And if you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend—it means the world to me and helps the show grow.

In case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side that answers the question How Do I Manage My Own Investments?

This Week...Your kid thinks money comes from your phone. Or maybe a magical debit card named Mom. Taxes? Rent? The economics of movie popcorn? Foreign concepts.

This episode isn’t about turning your child into a trust fund caricature. It’s about giving them the tools, education, and compounding head start so they have choices—whether that’s taking a sabbatical, starting a business, or saying no to a job that requires a lanyard.

We cover three powerful accounts that can build real wealth for your kids:

1. Custodial Brokerage Account – Flexible, market-based investing for minors without requiring earned income. Learn how to fund it, why capital gains can be lower for them, and the pros and cons—including the day they legally take control.
2. Custodial Roth IRA – The most misunderstood (and misused) account in personal finance. If your child has legitimate earned income, this is a way to turn summer job money into lifelong tax-free growth. I’ll walk through the IRS rules, documentation, and why the math borders on magical.
3. 529 Plan – A tax-advantaged education savings plan that’s more flexible than you think. We’ll cover state tax deductions, changing beneficiaries, and the new $35,000 rollover option to a Roth IRA.

You’ll also hear the traps to avoid (FAFSA penalties, overfunding, and the NFT-buying eighteen-year-old problem), plus how to make sure these tools become teaching moments—not just bank accounts.

The goal isn’t to make them rich for the sake of it—it’s to give them freedom, flexibility, and the ability to choose their own path without being shackled to debt or bad jobs.

Listen now to learn how to set your kid up for financial independence (and keep them nice about it).

In case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question: When Should I take Social Security?

This week on Your Money Guide on the Side, we’re tackling one of the questions I used to get more than any other—right after “Should I buy gold?” and “Is my advisor secretly bad at this?”

We’re talking about how to vet your own portfolio. Not how to invest—that’s for another episode. This is about taking the pulse of your current investments and asking: Does this still make sense for my life?

You’ll walk away with 7 practical steps to audit your own portfolio, whether you DIY, use an advisor, or have a Frankenstein’s monster of accounts stitched together from every job you’ve ever had. We’ll walk through questions like:

• Do you understand what you own—or is it the Donkle McFlonkerton Growth Fund?
• Can you see all your accounts in one place—or are they scattered like mustard packets in your fridge?
• Are your fees reasonable—or are you quietly tipping a deli worker $18 to assemble your own sandwich?
• Can you access your money when you actually need it?
• Is your portfolio accidentally built for a version of you who can stomach rollercoaster markets…but actually can’t?
• Are you diversified—or just holding Apple stock four different ways under four different fund names?
• And finally: Is it simple enough to forget about?

Because believe it or not, that’s the goal. Not to beat the market, but to build something so clean, boring, and well-designed that it just hums along in the background—freeing up your brain for better things. Like your family. Or your dog. Or binge-watching season three of Is It Cake? without guilt.

🎯 This episode is for you if:

• You’ve got multiple accounts and no idea what’s inside them.
• You’re unsure what you’re paying in fees—or if those fees are fair.
• You want clarity, simplicity, and confidence in your investments, without learning Latin.
• You suspect your portfolio is more complicated than it needs to be.
• You want a clear, evergreen checklist to revisit any time your finances feel murky.

Quick Favor?
If this show has been helpful, I’d be grateful if you’d leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share it with someone who might need a financial tune-up. Every episode is built to be evergreen—so whether you’re listening today or in 2035 while AI dogs are walking themselves, my goal is for it to still make sense, still help, and still cut through the noise.

Thanks for being here.

Let’s run the sanity check.

In case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side answered the question: How do I Make ChatGPT My New Financial Advisor?

How secure is your future benefit and what should you actually do about it?

Taylor Sohns is a Certified Financial Planner™ and co-founder of Life Goal Wealth Advisors. Before starting his own firm, Taylor spent over a decade inside some of Wall Street’s biggest investment shops — the ones that build the ETFs, mutual funds, and hedge funds you’ve probably been pitched. Now he works on the other side of the table, helping everyday investors align their portfolios with their real-world goals.

📚 What We Discuss with Taylor Sohns:

🧮 02:30 — “Coming back to the math” — social security basics
 📊 05:20 — The cumulative payout — monthly benefit vs. break-even point
 ❤️ 08:15 — Spousal benefits — why your timing affects more than just you
 📉 11:50 — Social security cuts — what to consider beyond just “take it early”
 💼 15:55 — Working after you start social security — common myths
 📅 18:00 — Who should wait, who shouldn’t — the role of base rates and earning history
 🧠 22:20 — Investment management = behavior management — risk, emotion, and real-life planning
 🎯 26:15 — How risk tolerance is actually measured — and how firms get it wrong
 📺 29:00 — Reactive news and robust markets — longterm vision
 ⚖️ 33:30 — Passive vs. active investing — ETFs, experience and exposure.
 🔀 37:00 — Is there a middle ground? When active management makes sense

💡 What You’ll Walk Away With

• How to assess your own social security timing with math — not fear
• What to know about spousal and survivor benefits before you make a move
• How potential cuts to the system could affect your plan (and what not to panic about)
• What it really means to “work while claiming” — and who that works for
• Why risk tolerance isn’t just a form — and how to think about your own appetite for volatility
• A clearer understanding of the real debate between passive and active investing

🧾 Resources Mentioned

• Life Goal Wealth Advisors → www.lifegoalinvestments.com
• Taylor on Instagram → @lifegoalinvestments
• Social Security calculator → www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html
• CFP Board → www.letsmakeaplan.org

If you're still game to support the show, leaving a quick review really helps — even one sentence goes a long way!

You can also join thousands of other investing-minded folks by subscribing to the newsletter:https://socialcapconnect.substack.com/

Check out episode 26 with Tess Waresmith — a financial educator who shares the costly investing mistakes she made in her 20s, how to vet financial advisors, and why your ignorance is often someone else’s profit.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question How Much Does a Financial Advisor Actually Cost?

What if your smartest financial sidekick never sleeps, never judges, and doesn’t charge 1% AUM?

In this episode of Your Money Guide on the Side, Tyler Gardner explores how to use ChatGPT—not as your stock-picking guru, but as your emotionally-stable, algorithmic thought partner. One that can help you think better about money, values, timelines, and fees—without selling you a whole life policy disguised as “peace of mind.”

We break it down into five key ways AI can help you think more clearly, not just calculate faster:

🧭 Clarify Your Values
Ask ChatGPT: “What do I actually want money to do for me?” Spoiler: “Retire early and drink wine in Italy” is not a core value—it’s a Pinterest board. Let AI help you write a personal money mission statement and filter out everyone else’s goals.

🧠 Understand Your Risk Profile
Forget the nonsense quizzes (“If the market drops 20%, do you: A) Buy more, B) Cry in the tub...”). ChatGPT can simulate scenarios, unpack your financial behavior, and help you discover if you’re actually more golden retriever than honey badger when volatility hits.

📆 Map Your Timeline
Your life isn’t one big finish line. It’s a winding trail with sabbaticals, pivots, slow travel years, and expensive hobbies you haven’t picked yet. Use AI to draft your financial timeline and test your plan against reality—before your knees give out.

💸 Analyze Your Fees
The 1% “small” fee isn’t small when you compound it for 30 years. ChatGPT can help you unpack your advisor agreement or prospectus, run cost projections, and tell you whether you’re paying for advice—or just someone else’s lake house.

📊 Review Your Portfolio
Paste in your holdings and let AI review your diversification, concentration, expense ratios, and risk alignment. You may find out your “balanced” portfolio is just three tech stocks in a trench coat.

🔍 Bonus: Ask it to roleplay your 65-year-old self reviewing your current plan. You might learn what your future self wishes you’d done while you still have time to do it.

Bottom Line:
This isn’t about replacing all humans with robots. It’s about using sharper tools to ask better questions:

– What do I value?
 – What’s my actual risk tolerance?
 – When do I want money to matter?
 – What am I really paying?
 – Is my current strategy aligned with who I want to become?

If AI can help you do that without judgment, jargon, or sales tactics—why not use it?

So go ahead. Paste your plan. Ask the “dumb” question. And remember: the smartest people in the room aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones still curious enough to keep asking.

If this episode made you laugh, think, or recheck your advisor’s fee schedule—leave a review on Apple Podcasts or send it to a friend still paying 1.75% and calling it “normal.”

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, What Accounts do I Actually Need?

Tess Waresmith is a financial educator, speaker, and investor known for helping people reach financial independence with simple investing. She’s the founder of Wealth With Tess, where she helps women build wealth and confidence through investing. Tess has been featured by CNBC, Business Insider, and Fox 5 NY, and is a self-made millionaire focused on helping others avoid the mistakes that cost her… well let’s not go there.

📚 What We Discuss with Tess Waresmith:

🔍 03:15 — Early mistakes and financial wake-up calls — who should handle your money?
 💸 06:40 — Millions lost in fees — how hidden costs quietly eat your future
 📈 08:15 — “It’s not that hard” — building confidence by learning the basics
 🧠 10:00 — Asset allocation 101 — understanding fiduciary duty and financial jargon
 🧾 13:00 — Learned money scripts and access to real financial literacy
 ⚖️ 15:00 — Avoiding absolutes — why personal finance isn’t one-size-fits-all
 ⏳ 17:20 — The time investment of investing — and why it’s worth it
 🚫 20:00 — Breaking up with your advisor — navigating the money manager minefield
 🚩 25:55 — Red flags in your fees — questions to ask and answers to expect
 🤫 29:00 — Your ignorance is someone’s profit — staying sharp in a noisy market
 🎓 30:30 — $50K of financial education in 4 minutes — a crash course curriculum
 ⚡ 35:30 — Lightning round! — quickfire investing truths and final thoughts

💡 What You’ll Walk Away With

• How to spot hidden fees that quietly drain your portfolio
• The confidence to make financial decisions without outsourcing everything
• What to ask before trusting someone with your money
• A basic framework for asset allocation and fiduciary responsibility
• Why there's no single “right” way to invest
• Tools for becoming an informed investor, even if you’re starting from scratch

🧾 Resources

• Tess’s website: www.wealthwithtess.com
• Financial independence mini-course: www.wealthwithtess.com/fi
• Follow Tess on Instagram: @wealthwithtess
• Featured on:
  • CNBC
  • Business Insider
  • Fox 5 NY

If you're still game to support the show, leaving a quick review really helps — even one sentence goes a long way.

You can also join thousands of other investing-minded folks by subscribing to the newsletter: one practical idea, once a week, zero fluff — www.tylergardner.com/newsletters.

Check out episode 23 with Bill Perkins — a hedge fund manager and author of Die With Zero, who explains why the best return on investment might be spending your money now on experiences that 

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where Bill Perkins and I answered the question, How Do I Die With Zero? 

In this solo episode, Tyler breaks down the only six financial accounts you’ll ever truly need—and more importantly, how to actually use them. Whether you’re just getting started or managing a more complex portfolio, this is your streamlined, nonsense-free guide to designing a system that works.

No more chasing every new fintech app or wondering if you’re missing something. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the alphabet soup of financial tools, Tyler’s here to cut through the noise and give you a clear path forward. These six accounts are enough to build wealth, protect your downside, and create long-term flexibility. And anything beyond them? Likely just extra complexity disguised as “optimization.”

What You’ll Learn:

• Why a regular checking account should be boring—and how to keep it that way
• How to think about a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA): the “glovebox” for your cash—not your investment engine
• The power of a Roth IRA—and how it’s often misunderstood
• Why a pre-tax IRA or 401(k) still matters, even if retirement feels far away
• The secret weapon of the wealthy: the HSA (Health Savings Account) and how to use it for more than doctor’s visits
• How a taxable brokerage account unlocks true flexibility—and why you might want to use it before maxing everything else

Plus:

• A better metaphor than “bucket strategy”
• Why most emergencies aren’t emergencies at all (and what that means for where your cash lives)
• The order Tyler recommends for prioritizing contributions
• When not to use these accounts (because yes, even the Roth IRA can be misused)

Whether you're 25 and just opening your first Roth, or 55 and wondering how to consolidate accounts, this episode gives you a timeless roadmap to simplify your finances without oversimplifying your life. As always, Tyler brings the clarity, the nuance, and just enough humor to make talking about tax-advantaged accounts… well, weirdly fun.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, How do I beat the stock market? 

Is Future Planning Ruining Your Future?

What if your financial advisor told you to spend your money now?
To give away your inheritance early?
To go on more vacations?
To prioritize experience over investment?

What if they told you the only inflation-protected asset is experience?

Bill Perkins is a hedge fund manager, poker player, and author of the bestseller Die With Zero. On this week’s episode, he breaks down why money is just a means — and experience is the end.

📚 What We Discuss with Bill Perkins:

🛤️ 02:40 — Early revelations and going the non-traditional route
 💡 05:10 — Borrowing from your poor self to give to your rich self
 📆 07:35 — “What experiences belong when?” — and why delayed gratification can go too far
 🤔 10:25 — What money can really buy — fulfillment vs. accumulation
 🎢 12:22 — Staple experiences worth the cost — collecting memories that stick
 🧠 13:35 — Memory dividends — the one return no market crash can erase
 👵 15:40 — Retirement planning — running out of money vs. running out of time
 🧘 17:50 — Letting go — why overplanning for the future can wreck the present
 🕰️ 20:25 — “Life is now, life is urgent” — estate planning and missed chances
 🏛️ 23:20 — When should inheritance be inherited? Challenging default thinking
 🎯 26:15 — Hindsight and financial regret — is gold-plated better than good enough?
 📖 28:20 — Learning from the past to make the most of what’s next
 💸 29:20 — What is your time worth? The hidden cost of chasing more income

💡 What You’ll Walk Away With

• Why deferring joy is often just fear in disguise
• A new way to think about saving, giving, and legacy
• How to measure value through memory, not money
• A framework for spending intentionally at different life stages
• How to plan for the end of life without missing the middle

🧾 Resources Mentioned

• Die With Zero by Bill Perkins → https://a.co/d/9KKHOzT
• Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez → https://yourmoneyoryourlife.com

If you're still game to support the show, leaving a quick review really helps — even one sentence goes a long way to help others find the show.

You can also join thousands of other investing-minded folks by subscribing to the newsletter: www.tylergardner.com

If you enjoyed this, check out episode 22 with Wendy Li — a former endowment CIO who managed billions for New York’s top institutions and shared how institutional investors evaluate risk, choose fund managers, and build resilient portfolios.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, What do Billion Dollar Portfolios Look Like?

Let’s be honest: you’re not going to beat the stock market. And that’s not an insult — it’s a liberation. In this episode of Your Money Guide on the Side, Tyler Gardner unpacks one of the most misunderstood goals in investing: trying to “win” against the market.

Drawing on decades of investing experience (and more than a few Peloton mistakes), Tyler explains why comparing yourself to the S&P 500 is often irrelevant, how hedge funds and high-frequency traders have rigged the game against retail investors, and most importantly, why even when you do win, you often lose.

We explore:

• The real origin of the “beat the market” mindset — and why it was never about helping you
• Why the S&P 500 isn’t a fair benchmark for most people
• Market efficiency theory explained without Greek letters (but with plenty of sarcasm)
• Behavioral biases that will ruin your returns: overconfidence, recency bias, loss aversion, confirmation bias, and more
• How even the pros struggle — and why surviving your own brain is the real edge
• When paying a 1% advisor fee might actually be a bargain
• Why boring, automated, diversified investing is the best strategy no one wants to hear about

Whether you're new to investing or already deep in the weeds of candlestick charts and YouTube stock tips, this episode will reframe what success really looks like. Because real wealth isn’t built by outsmarting others — it’s built by staying in the game.

 📬 Subscribe to the newsletter for 3 financial insights every Sunday
 📲 Follow Tyler on IG/TikTok: @socialcapofficial
 📈 Want to support the show? A quick review or share goes a long way.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, How Much Can I Spend in Retirement? 

Wendy Li managed billions for New York’s top institutions — here’s what she thinks individual investors can (and should) steal from the pros.

After leading portfolios for the Met Museum, UJA-Federation, and the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Wendy now serves as CIO at Ivy Invest. She’s spent decades on the inside — and in this episode she’s walking us through how institutional investors actually make decisions, where regular people go wrong, and what it means to manage risk.

📚What We Discuss with Wendy: 

 🧠 02:17 — Institutions vs. individuals: why the ultra-wealthy play a different investing game
 📉 06:28 — Risk vs. return: are you really being paid for the risk you’re taking?
 📚 08:34 — Invest in what you know: learning by doing (and surviving your mistakes)
 🪤 11:48 — Career course-corrections: mistakes, pivots, and staying in the game
 🤝 15:28 — Trust but verify: what good investor relationships actually look like
 💰 18:00 — The luxury of investing: identifying the how and the when to invest
🧾 20:32 — Portfolio allocation: managing your capital with intention
🚪 25:46 — Alternatives and access: knowing your place in a complex market
🕵️ 30:06 — Fund managers: who and how to choose
🛠️ 33:32 — Investing skills: humility, curiosity, and flexibility in the face of risk
🔍 36:58 — Where to learn: insider investment resources
🧰 42:18 — Practical takeaways: frameworks and tools you can use today

💡 What you’ll walk away with

• How institutions manage risk — and how to apply it to your own investing
• Why most retail investors misunderstand returns
• How to think long-term when markets are volatile
• What to ask before trusting a fund manager with your money
• How to approach alternatives without insider access
• The core skills every smart investor needs

If you're game to support the show, leaving a quick review really helps — even one sentence goes a long way!

You can also join thousands of others investment minded individuals in subscribing to my newsletter here.

If this episode resonated with you, be sure to check out Episode 15, where Tyler breaks down the 7 steps to identifying your needs for a financial advisor.

What if you could skip the index fund and build your own? In theory, you can. In practice…well, it’s a bit like building your own refrigerator. You’ll learn a lot, and maybe even get a working model, but you’ll also discover why the factory-made version is so efficient in the first place.

In this episode, we dive into the peculiar urge to “DIY” the market, and why the exercise can be incredibly educational—even if you never actually follow through. Along the way, you’ll learn:

• The 11 Sectors of the Market: From flashy Tech to steady Utilities, every portfolio starts with understanding the cast of characters.
• How Benchmarks Really Work: Why the S&P 500 is more active (and more tax-efficient) than most people realize.
• The Temptation of Tilts: When to add seasoning like value or small-cap, and when ego is just disguising speculation.
• Building Your Own Fund: How to use sector ETFs to replicate the market—and why rebalancing can become a full-time job.
• Keeping Costs and Ego Down: The S&P’s hidden advantages in cost and tax efficiency, and why humility may be the cheapest asset in your portfolio.

The takeaway? You can build your own index fund. You might even enjoy the process. But the real lesson is what it reveals: index funds are masterpieces of design, combining diversification, tax efficiency, and ruthless discipline—all while letting you spend your time on things that matter more than spreadsheets.

And if you are interested in learning more about those who support this content and make the show possible, visit facet.com/tyler today! And see why they're the only partner I've brought to you thus far as a resource. 

👉 If you found this episode useful (or at least more entertaining than quarterly earnings reports), please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share it with a friend. It’s the best way to help the show grow—and keeps me from muttering about sector weights to myself in the Vermont woods.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side with JL Collins where we answer the question, How do I get F-You Money? 

What if the most common retirement rule was never meant to be a rule at all?

In this episode, we unpack the origins, flaws, and overlooked nuances of the 4% rule—and why it might not be the best way to plan your financial future. From its fear-based beginnings to its rigid application in a dynamic world, Tyler breaks down 5 key reasons to rethink the 4% rule altogether.

You’ll learn:

Where the 4% rule actually came from (hint: worst-case scenario thinking)

What the Trinity Study really showed—and what most people ignore

How sequence of returns risk can silently wreck your plan

Why portfolio size and asset allocation matter far more than a static percentage

Smarter, more dynamic strategies to adjust year-by-year

If you’ve ever asked, "How much can I safely spend in retirement?"—this one’s for you.

📝 Leave a review if you enjoy the episode or send your thoughts to socialcapconnect@gmail.com. This show is for you, and we want it to be as good as it can be.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, How do I Buy a New Car Without Getting Screwed?

Today’s guest is someone whose work has quietly and profoundly shaped how a generation thinks about money. JL Collins is the author of The Simple Path to Wealth, a personal finance classic that has empowered hundreds of thousands to think differently about investing, independence, and freedom.

In this conversation, JL and I explore the real meaning behind financial independence — not retiring early, but reclaiming your ability to say no. We go back to the moments that shaped his life philosophy: the bold four-month leave he took just two years into his first job, the decision to convince his wife to leave her job while he wasn’t earning a paycheck, and the early desire to build what he calls FU money — not to quit work, but to buy back control.

We revisit Black Monday in 1987 and how that shaped JL’s views on market volatility, risk, and emotional discipline. He shares how a humbling mistake helped hardwire the importance of staying the course, and how index investing eventually became the core of his life’s message: simplify.

We also talk about the new edition of The Simple Path to Wealth, what’s changed, what hasn’t, and how his daughter went from being the reluctant listener to co-pilot on the updated edition.

This is a conversation about money, yes — but more than that, it’s about living deliberately. JL reminds us that wealth isn’t about what we can afford — it’s about what we no longer have to worry about.

You’ll hear about:

• How JL built his investing philosophy through trial and error
• Why VTSAX and chill remains his core guidance
• What it means to live in a world where, eventually, everything is "free"
• Why simplicity is a radical act in a noisy, complex world

And why, if you get the money stuff right early, you can spend the rest of your life not thinking about it at all.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side with Mady Mills where we answered the question, Why do Billionaires Still Panic? 

Car buying has become one of the most financially dangerous consumer experiences in modern life. In today’s episode, we’re flipping the script.

Whether you’re buying or leasing, trading in or paying cash, I’ll walk you through the 10 timeless rules you must follow if you want to avoid getting taken for a ride—financially and emotionally. No guilt trips. No boomer advice. Just strategy, leverage, and power dynamics decoded.

And full disclosure: I love cars. I lease new ones every few years. I’m not here to shame your joy. I’m here to make sure that joy doesn’t cost you $9,000 more than it should.

WHAT WE COVER:

• Why you should never walk into a dealership first—and what to do instead
• The email script that can save you thousands before you ever test drive
• Why “What can you afford monthly?” is a trap—and how it costs you big
• The hidden revenue center called the “finance office” (and how to say no)
• The floor plan secret that gives you leverage when buying in stock
• How to use pre-approved financing as bait to beat the dealer at their own game
• Real math on depreciation—and why some “investments” are worth it anyway
• When leasing makes more sense than buying (and what to negotiate)
• How emotional timing ruins deals—and how to buy before you need to
• The best days of the year to buy, based on actual dealer incentives

Plus, why your car purchase might be one of the biggest financial decisions of your next five years—whether you realize it or not.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Kelley Blue Book average car prices (2024): $47,000+
• CFPB, NADA, JD Power, Bankrate statistics on car loans, dealer profit centers, and interest rate games
• How to calculate a lease “money factor” and negotiate like a pro
• The difference between buying a car and buying a feeling—and why that matters

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Have a question, a rant, or a car-buying story that others need to hear? Shoot me a note at socialcapconnect@gmail.com. I read every message.

And if this show is helping you feel more powerful and prepared, the best way to say thanks is with a quick review. It helps the show grow and lets me keep delivering practical, real-world financial guidance—without selling out.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, How Do I Invest $1,000,000?

She’s been on Bloomberg. The New York Times. Yahoo Finance. But Mady’s real talent? Translating the chaos of markets and money into stories that make you feel seen. In this episode, we dive into everything from surviving the 2016 election newsroom to navigating the terrifyingly personal world of money and relationships. Mady opens up about growing up around volatility — both financial and emotional — and how it fuels her empathy-first approach to financial journalism today.

We talk about:

• Why everyone, even billionaires, fears losing everything
• How to actually make money content more fun and accessible
• What David Booth (yes, that billionaire) thinks you should do instead of stressing about a stock crash
• How her background in political reporting shaped her calm, clear-eyed view of financial chaos
• The most important account a woman can open (hint: it starts with “I” and ends with freedom)
• And the number one piece of advice for men in relationships—you’ll just have to listen and find out!

This is one of those rare conversations that gets behind the curtain of financial media and your own money story — and leaves you feeling a little smarter, a little braver, and a lot more equipped to have the hard conversations.

Interested in learning more about and/or following Mady Mills?

Instagram: @madymills

TikTok: @madymills

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side with Andrew Tobias where we answer the question, What is the easiest way to become wealthy?

You've hit the million-dollar mark—now what?

In this episode of Your Money Guide on the Side, we tackle the deceptively simple question: how should you invest a million dollars? This isn’t about theoretical asset allocation or textbook strategies. It’s about real lives, real goals, and real risk tolerance.

We meet three investors—Chad, Nina, and Marge—each at very different life stages, each with a radically different approach to putting their wealth to work:

• Chad Slater, the thrill-seeking ex-startup bro who wants asymmetry, optionality, and upside. His portfolio is bold, volatile, and aggressive—global equities, venture capital, and yes, crypto.
• Nina Ellington, the grounded creative director turned Pilates instructor who wants growth without chaos. Her diversified, resilient mix of stocks, bonds, real estate, and alternatives prioritizes balance and autonomy over adrenaline.
• Marge Buttersworth, the sharp, independent retiree who wants reliability and peace of mind. Her income-focused portfolio features bond ladders, dividend stocks, and high-yield cash vehicles—designed to pay her, not stress her.

These are not just asset allocations. They are reflections of who these people are, what they value, and what they need their money to do for them.

💡 Along the way, we explore key questions:

• How soon will you need the money?
• How much risk can you stomach?
• Are you trying to grow, preserve, or withdraw from your portfolio?

And if you stick around until the end, I share exactly how I invest my own money—no hype, no secrets—just a simple, transparent walk through my personal allocation and why I chose it.

📌 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 3 distinct investing strategies for $1M portfolios
• How risk tolerance, time horizon, and goals shape allocation
• The truth about fees, diversification, and asset class correlation
• Why your neighbor’s portfolio has nothing to do with yours
• How to evaluate your definition of enough

📬 Bonus: If this episode resonates, subscribe to my free weekly newsletter for deeper dives and personal stories at tylergardner.com 

🎙️ Disclaimer: I’m not your financial advisor—I’m your guide on the side. Everything here is for educational purposes only. Always do your own research and consider working with a fiduciary advisor who understands your unique circumstances.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, Should I Hire a Financial Advisor?

What if the only investment guide you ever needed... actually was?

This week, I sit down with personal finance legend Andrew Tobias—bestselling author, Harvard Business School grad, long-time political advocate, and the brilliant mind behind The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need. His book was literally the first financial text I ever read, and it remains one of the few I return to over and over again—for its timeless principles, relatable tone, and surprising humor.

In this conversation, we cover:

• The unlikely path from Slavic literature major to bestselling financial writer
• Why “don’t be boring” might be the best writing advice you’ll ever get
• The epic laundry list of startup investments that went very sideways (and what he learned from each)
• The true cost of chasing returns vs. chasing happiness
• Why retirement isn't a finish line—but a lifestyle with the right people
• His most embarrassing investing losses—and how they became his favorite teaching tools

Andrew doesn’t just teach people how to manage money—he shows us how to think about it, with warmth, wit, and an honesty that’s rare in finance.

🎧 If you’ve ever wondered what makes financial advice stick—or how to build a life rich in meaning as well as money—this episode is for you.

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share if it resonates. And thank you for joining me on Your Money Guide on the Side.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, How do I talk to Others About Money? 

This might be the most common money question I get, and maybe even the most important: Should I hire a financial advisor?
And right behind it: If so, how do I find a good one?

In today’s episode, I’m not giving you a yes or no answer (sorry, not sorry). Instead, I’m walking you through a three-part framework to decide if you need an advisor—skill, will, and time—and then I’m sharing seven real-world filters for choosing the right one if you do.

Because the truth is:

• Working with a financial advisor might be one of the smartest moves you’ll ever make.
• Or it might be an expensive, unnecessary distraction.

The difference lies in what you need and who you choose.

We’ll talk about:

• The difference between CFP®, CFA®, CPA, and the rest of the alphabet soup
• What being a “fiduciary” really means (and doesn’t mean)
• The myth of market-beating promises (run from those)
• Fee models that make sense—and those that don’t
• Why credentials are clues, but not the whole story
• How investing is often more about behavior than brilliance
• The one question you must ask every advisor: “How do you invest your own money?”

And yes, I even compare hiring a financial advisor to dating—because, honestly, it is.
 This episode won’t give you a rubber-stamped answer, but it will give you something far more valuable: a lens to look through so you can make the call yourself.

🎧 Whether you’re DIY-ing your financial life or just trying to figure out if the grass really is greener with professional help—this one’s for you.

If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who’s wondering if they should “talk to someone” about their money.

📩 And as always, you can sign up for the free newsletter at tylergardner.com for more clear, action-oriented financial education. 

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, How Do I Beat Debt and Use Debt? 

He paid off $100K in debt and isn’t trying to sell you a thing — meet Dan the Budget Man.

In a financial world cluttered with gurus, grifters, and gatekeepers, Dan Brigham (@budgeters_anonymous) is a breath of fresh air. No paywalls. No “six-figure side hustle” webinars. Just brutally honest content, bite-sized math on notecards, and a contagious belief that you can take control of your money — excuses not included.

In this episode of Your Money Guide on the Side, we dive into the moments that shaped Dan’s mission, including his two-year journey out of over $100,000 in debt and why vulnerability—not credentials—is his currency of trust. We talk about his viral “Smart Guy vs. Dumb Guy” series, the backlash he gets over car payments (you’ve been warned), and why he thinks showing integrity is far more important than performing expertise.

You’ll also hear us unpack:

• What makes people defensive about money
• Why so many creators struggle with relevance and comparison
• How to stay grounded (literally and spiritually) when the work feels heavy
• The reality behind Austin’s finance/media scene
• And the books that actually changed our lives (spoiler: one’s still in print after 2,000 years)

If you’re tired of being yelled at by the financial internet or just want to hear two humans wrestle with what it means to help others and still help themselves—this one’s for you.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts. And don’t forget to subscribe if you’re into financial literacy, big questions, and small wins.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, How do I afford college for my kid?!?

Is All Debt Bad? What the Wealthy Know That Most People Don’t

Debt doesn’t have to be your enemy—and in this solo episode, Tyler Gardner breaks down how to make smarter decisions about debt, ditch shame, and leverage it as a tool for long-term wealth.

Whether you’re currently drowning in high-interest credit cards, juggling student loans, or just debating whether to pay off your 3% mortgage early, this episode is your new north star for how to think clearly about debt. You’ll learn how to:

✅ Decide whether to pay off debt or invest
✅ Use a practical ranking system to tackle your debt (hello, Debt Emergency Scale!)
✅ Think about opportunity cost like an investor
✅ Understand the psychological weight of debt—and why some people sleep soundly with it while others spiral
✅ Use the avalanche or snowball method depending on your own wiring
✅ Flip the script: how leverage (yes, debt!) can be used strategically to build wealth the way entrepreneurs and investors do every day

Plus, Tyler shares a vulnerable reminder that debt isn't a moral failing—it's a part of modern life. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s clarity, action, and momentum.

This one is personal. And powerful. And might just change the way you think about debt forever.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, How do I solve any Financial Problem?

What happens when a former English teacher becomes a CFO—and decides to teach everyone around him how money actually works?

In this episode, Tyler sits down with longtime friend and campmate Andy Schneider, a career educator and current CFO at an independent school, for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about what we teach (and don’t teach) about money.

Andy has worn a lot of hats—boarding school English teacher, PWC consultant, MBA grad, educational administrator—and he brings a rare combo of humility, humor, and clarity to the messy overlap between education, money, and life purpose.

You’ll hear:

• Why Andy left the classroom—and why he came back
• How business was “demystified” for him in the least expected way
• What actually drives the cost of college (and why some schools won’t survive)
• The myth of the “money expert”—and how to choose who you trust
• What a CFO wishes more teachers asked him (but never do)

🎙️ Plus:

• The uncomfortable truth about health insurance, school budgeting, and stock-picking competitions in high schools
• Why college needs a Julliard-style reset for the modern world
• And why Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel just might be the most important book you’ll ever read

This one’s for anyone navigating careers, family, and the growing pressure of financial decision-making in a world that feels increasingly complex and expensive. Whether you're saving for college or trying to explain your 401(k) to your teenager, this episode helps add clarity, confidence, and maybe even some joy to the process.

📚 Education, meet real-world finance.

🐶 Also: Tyler’s dogs make a guest appearance with some strong opinions on college tuition.

🔍 Highlights & Resources:

• Book: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
• Concept: Education vs. College (yes, there’s a difference)
• Tool: Why every good CFO keeps a whiteboard in their office
• Framework: You don’t need to be a teacher to teach

📬 Subscribe to Tyler’s newsletter for 3 weekly money insights: tylergardner.com
🎧 More episodes at Your Money Guide on the Side

Your 50s are a tax-planning sweet spot—a decade when smart strategies can save you tens or even hundreds of thousands over the course of retirement. In this episode, Part Two of our two-part series, we explore four advanced but practical moves to keep more of your money compounding where it belongs.

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• The HSA Triple Play: Why this account is the most underrated retirement tool, and how to turn it into a stealth IRA with triple tax benefits.
• Social Security Timing & Taxes: How your claiming age affects not just your benefit but how much the IRS quietly takes back.
• Charitable Giving with Donor-Advised Funds: A Costco-sized deduction now, with the ability to give on your terms for years. Plus, how Qualified Charitable Distributions can kill two birds with one IRA.
• Bracket Shifting by Gifting to Kids: Move money to lower tax brackets within your family—legally—while supporting education, housing, or even a responsible jet ski purchase.

Together with Part One (Roth conversions, withdrawal sequencing, and tax-efficient investing), this gives you a full seven-strategy toolkit for your 50s. No gimmicks, no offshore shell games—just thoughtful planning that keeps more money in your pocket and less in Uncle Sam’s.

👉 If this series has been helpful, please leave a review or share it with a friend. It’s the best way to help the show grow—and it keeps me from muttering about Roth conversions to my dogs in the Vermont woods without witnesses.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, Is Budgeting Worth It? 

Have you ever said, “I’m just bad with money”?

Yeah—me too. But what if the real issue isn’t your spending or saving or investing strategy... but your ability to name the actual problem in the first place?

This solo episode is a follow-up to last week’s conversation with CFP® Victoria Ferguson, and it’s all about creating a personal framework that helps you stop spinning your wheels and finally make meaningful progress in your financial life.

You’ll learn:

• Why most people never get past step one in solving their money problems
• How to stop drowning in to-do lists and prioritize the right thing
• A new lens for filtering financial advice (and spotting BS in a sea of influencers)

🔍 Whether you’re overwhelmed by credit card debt, unsure how to retire, or simply tired of feeling like you’re doing everything but getting nowhere, this episode gives you the tools to:

✅ Name the problem
 ✅ Prioritize the problem
 ✅ Solve the problem—without getting lost in the noise

Plus:

• What Warren Buffett’s 25-5 Rule has to do with your finances
• The Latin origin of the word “priority” (spoiler: it was never meant to be plural)
• Why vague financial advice is like shopping at Costco while hungry
• And how smoke alarms at 2 a.m. taught me more about problem-solving than any spreadsheet ever did

If you want clarity, confidence, and a simple way to move forward in your financial life—this episode is for you.

🎯 Don’t just solve problems. Solve the right one.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, What is Risk and How do I optimize it? 

What do you get when you combine a financial planner with the heart of a teacher and the boldness of a creator? You get Victoria Ferguson—today’s guest and a true money guide for the modern world.

Victoria is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® who left a traditional finance career to create educational content full-time. Why? Because she knew more people needed clear, honest money guidance—and that trust is built through storytelling, not spreadsheets.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why budgets are like diets—and why most don’t work
• What really makes someone a financial “expert”
• The emotional side of money most advisors ignore
• How to interview a financial advisor (with the questions that matter)
• Why money shame exists at every income level
• And how to define your own goals before chasing anyone else’s tactics

Victoria shares her best insights from years of working with high-net-worth clients, her decision to walk away from a stable paycheck, and what it really means to feel secure with money—regardless of your bank balance.

Whether you’re looking for a financial planner, trying to navigate online money advice, or just curious what it means to live in alignment with your values… this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now to learn:
 ✅ How to find a CFP® who’s a true fit for you
✅ Why understanding your values changes your money game
✅ The exact framework to use when you're overwhelmed by financial advice

Connect with Victoria
@financiallyvictoria | TikTok & Instagram
 

Mentioned in the show:

• Fee-only fiduciaries (what that really means)
• Why where do you summer? is the wildest financial flex
• And why first principles matter for financial planning

—

🧠 Want more episodes like this? Subscribe to Your Money Guide on the Side wherever you get your podcasts and join Tyler’s weekly newsletter at tylergardner.com

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side with Jess Inskip where we answer the question, How do I fight against misinformation? 

Most people spend their lives trying not to lose. The wealthy? They play to win.

In this solo episode, Tyler Gardner breaks down the asymmetry of opportunity—why one big win can outweigh dozens of small failures, and how our fear of loss keeps us from seeing the upside that could change everything.

Tyler takes you from Disney’s acquisition of Pixar to Jeff Bezos’ “regret minimization framework,” unpacks the psychology of loss aversion, and explains why Monte Carlo simulations, the Kelly Criterion, and even barbell investing can help you make better decisions in life and money.

You’ll also learn:

• Why we overweight risk and underweight opportunity
• How only 4% of public companies have driven all net market gains (ASU study)
• What venture capital teaches us about failure and power laws
• Why the S&P 500 has never lost money over any rolling 20-year period (Fama/French)
• The exact 3-question framework the wealthy use to evaluate high-stakes decisions

Whether you’re building a business, investing for your future, or just trying to get out of your own way, this episode will help you rewire your decision-making process and start playing for upside.

🧠 It’s not about taking reckless risks—it’s about taking the right ones.
📈 Learn how to structure your decisions like a builder, not a hedger.

—

For more insights, visit tylergardner.com, and subscribe to Tyler’s weekly newsletter for 3 actionable financial ideas every Sunday.

Follow Tyler on all platforms @socialcapofficial (IG + YT) and @socialcap (TT)

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, Should I invest in bonds?

This week on Your Money Guide on the Side, I’m joined by the incredible Jessica Inskip—one of the sharpest, most grounded voices in modern investing. Jessica was the first female on Fidelity’s active trader desk, and you may have seen her breaking down complex strategies alongside Jim Cramer, or offering sharp, accessible takes on CNBC, Fox Business, Schwab Network, and Yahoo Finance.

In this episode, we unpack her journey from nearly becoming an engineer to becoming a nationally recognized voice in financial education—and why she made the bold decision to give up her professional licenses in order to educate people where they’re actually learning: on TikTok, Instagram, and her #1-ranked personal finance podcast, Market MakeHer.

Jessica shares the powerful story of how she pivoted careers after realizing that the people who needed the most help—young investors learning from unverified sources—weren’t being reached due to compliance constraints. The tragic case of Alex Kearns, and the inability for licensed professionals to correct misinformation in real-time, was a tipping point. From that moment on, Jessica committed to bridging the gap between Wall Street and the everyday investor, even if it meant leaving behind the traditional career path.

We talk about how she built a media presence without compromising her authenticity, how she measures impact over virality, and why she believes good education, not flashy trends, is the antidote to financial misinformation online. She shares her approach to making complex topics like credit markets and macroeconomics accessible—and the surprising (and sometimes frustrating) viral moments that have shaped her platform.

We also dive into:

• How she transitioned from Merrill to full-time educator and creator
• The emotional and professional weight of giving up her Series licenses
• The difference between being a financial expert and simply playing one on social media
• Why compliance rules continue to keep great educators out of the creator economy
• How she balances family life, media work, and her growing personal brand
• Her podcast, Market MakeHer, and how it became a trusted resource for tens of thousands

Jessica also reflects on what success really means in a digital world that rewards metrics over meaning. Her answer? It’s not about the followers. It’s about the impact—the emails, the DMs, the women who now feel confident speaking about bonds, credit markets, and earnings reports because someone took the time to meet them where they are.

We wrap by talking about her work with Jim Cramer, the power of representation in finance, and how she’s planning a book that will finally explain the domino effect of markets—from interest rates to consumer behavior—in a way that actually makes sense.

Whether you’re an active investor, a new creator, or just someone trying to be smarter with your money, Jessica offers a masterclass in clarity, commitment, and courage. This conversation is packed with insights, humility, and heart.

🎙️ Take a listen—you won’t just learn about markets. You’ll learn why voice, vision, and values matter more than ever in today’s financial landscape.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, What even is Cryptocurrency? 

Bonds have been a staple in portfolios for decades, often hailed as the “safe” investment that brings stability and protects wealth. But what if I told you that this belief is outdated, and in many cases, dangerously misleading?

In today’s episode, I take a hard look at why bonds are overrated, the risks most investors overlook, and whether they deserve a spot in your portfolio at all. While bonds can serve a purpose, blindly following the 60/40 portfolio mantra without questioning its effectiveness can be a costly mistake.

We’ll break down the three biggest risks of bonds and why they may not be as “safe” as you think:
✅ Interest Rate Risk – When rates go up, your bond values drop. It’s that simple, and 2022 proved it when the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index suffered its worst year in history.
✅ Inflation Risk – Your 3% return isn’t a real 3% return if inflation is running at 4-5%. That’s a recipe for losing purchasing power over time.
✅ Opportunity Cost – For every dollar you park in bonds, you’re missing out on investments with real growth potential—whether that’s stocks, real estate, or other wealth-building assets.

Many investors believe bonds guarantee stability, but I argue that true long-term financial security comes from growth, not just preservation. The reality? A well-diversified stock index fund has statistically near-zero risk of going to zero, while bonds can quietly eat away at your purchasing power.

So, do bonds ever make sense? Maybe—if you’re already financially set and just want to protect what you have. But for most investors, the classic advice to shift heavily into bonds at retirement may be one of the biggest financial missteps.

This episode isn’t about hating bonds—it’s about thinking critically before defaulting to outdated strategies. Are you actually protecting your wealth? Or are you unknowingly holding yourself back?

👉 Tune in now, challenge conventional wisdom, and decide for yourself.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, Does the market care who our President is? 

Back in 2003, I met Mike Taormina at the London School of Economics, never expecting we'd stay in touch—let alone spend decades debating finance and traveling together. Fast forward, and Mike has become a powerhouse in fintech, co-founding Vault, CommonBond, and Alluvial, with a Wharton MBA and a CFA to back it up.

But credentials aside, what sets Mike apart is his ability to break down complex crypto and finance topics into something actually useful. In this episode, we dive into decentralized finance, separating the noise from real opportunities, and why blockchain tech is transforming financial transparency.

We also discuss personal investing, risk tolerance, debt, and why even a seasoned finance pro like Mike trusts a robo-advisor over DIY trading. Whether you're deep into crypto or just trying to make smarter financial moves, this conversation is packed with insights.

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, What Financial Moves Changed Your life? 

In this week's episode, we explore our common tendency to react emotionally to political elections and their perceived impact on the stock market. I argue that changing investing habits based on external "noise," and it is noise to me, is nonsense; I only change investing habits when my own life or financial needs have changed. Emphasizing and drawing upon historical data, the show explores the market's long term patterns of growth, regardless of who is in office. In short, the market transcends our politics (in a way). Additionally, we explore the pitfalls of trying to time the markets based on politics, business cycles, or consumer sentiment. Finally, as always, we remember that it's normal to feel this way, and the moment of empathy comes form knowing that we all feel this way at times and need to remind one another to take a breath and focus on the long term plan. 

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answered the question, How do I diversify my digital assets?

My guest this week, Patrick Wetherille, shares a little bit about his experience with optimizing life, managing empathy through start-up culture, and taking advantage of every opportunity to learn from and alongside business minds at every level. As the episode progresses, Patrick shares his thoughts on the importance of being able to work from anywhere and how that very freedom can often bring teams together and create optimized work cultures and production. 

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, How do I overcome my own emotions? 

In this episode, I explore the power of diversifying communication channels, income streams, and the irony of many people knowing they should diversify and yet their not quite being able to walk the same walk. When the TikTok "ban" occurred, I was left wondering why so many creators, all of whom discuss the power and importance of diversification on a daily basis, had not diversified their digital assets, as well, and considered their content as part of their overall portfolio. 

And in case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side where we answer the question, Why a Podcast? 

In this episode, I do my best to touch on the absolute musts of investing and controlling our emotions. Not only controlling our emotions, but knowing our emotions and our reactions to market volatility first-hand through experience. I attempt to highlight the importance of thinking slightly differently and distantly about the markets and taking a walk when we need to escape from the relentless noise that is encouraging us to panic and make choices that we will, ultimately, regret when the waters calm. 

Taxes in your 50s may not be cocktail party conversation, but they can make or break your retirement plan. In this episode, I kick off a two-part series on the smartest tax moves to make once the kids are (hopefully) off your payroll and you’re staring down retirement.

In Part One, we cover four essential strategies:

• Roth Conversions: Why your 50s and early 60s may be the perfect window to pay taxes on your terms, not Uncle Sam’s.
• Withdrawal Sequencing: The order in which you raid your taxable, pretax, and Roth accounts can extend your portfolio by years.
• Tax-Efficient Investing: How to avoid paying tax on “phantom income” by using ETFs, low-turnover funds, and muni bonds.
• Tax Loss Harvesting: Turning portfolio lemons into lemonade by using losses to offset gains and shrink your tax bill.

Think of this episode as a tax tune-up: no jargon—just practical strategies that can save you tens or even hundreds of thousands over your lifetime.

And this is only Part One. Next week, we’ll cover the HSA triple play, Social Security timing, and two bonus strategies for the charitably inclined and family-minded.

👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss Part Two, and if you’re finding these episodes helpful, consider leaving a quick review. It helps more people discover the show — and keeps me from muttering about Roth IRAs to my dogs in the Vermont woods entirely in vain.

I am thrilled to offer a brief glimpse into the "why" behind building out the podcast. The ability to add nuance, engage other minds, and learn from multiple voices intrigues me and hopefully will help add value to your life. This episode is primarily highlighting what this endeavor will aim to achieve and how each episode might help you move closer to where you need to be with your personal finances, your attitude towards money, and your ability to learn more each and every day and ultimately take control of your own finances. 

Most portfolios don’t implode in one dramatic crash; they leak slowly. A percent here, a hidden fee there, and before you know it, your retirement fund has been funding someone else’s yacht. (Cough, cough...your advisor's...)

In this episode, I shine a light on ten common wealth leaks that quietly drain portfolios, plus practical fixes for each one.

We’ll cover:

• How a “tiny” 1% fee can cost you a third of your returns.
• Why overtrading turns your portfolio into Swiss cheese.
• The real silent killers: taxes, spreads, and cash drag.
• Why your own emotions can be more expensive than any advisor.

You’ll walk away with a checklist to plug the holes, lower your costs, and keep more of your money compounding where it belongs — in your account, not Wall Street’s.

👉 Think of this episode as financial plumbing: we’re finding the leaks before they flood your future. 

Your portfolio’s performance isn’t about finding the next hot stock; it’s about how you slice the pie. In this episode, I break down the real math behind compounding, why losses hurt more than wins help, and three simple allocation models you can actually follow without losing sleep.

We’ll cover:

• Why “average returns” are misleading and compounding is what matters.
• How diversification really works (hint: it’s not about guessing winners).
• Three practical allocation strategies for different levels of risk tolerance.
• The surprising case for the “reverse glide path” in retirement.

Whether you’re cautious, balanced, or adventurous, you’ll leave with a framework to match your investments to both your spreadsheet and your stomach.

And if you’ve ever wondered whether you should own more stocks, more bonds, or just more Advil to deal with it all once you retire — this episode’s for you.

Guest: Chris Hutchins, host of All the Hacks

Episode theme: Building wealth with meaning—how to design a career (and life) you actually want, while optimizing the money side.

What we cover:

• Meaning > money-first: Chris didn’t start out chasing wealth; he chased options. Early jobs in consulting/banking felt misaligned (little meritocracy, lots of “performance”). That tension pushed him toward work that creates—startups, product, and eventually a podcast.
  
  
• From layoff to leverage: A 2008 layoff forced reinvention. He broke into tech by doing unglamorous, high-initiative work, learning in public, and obsessively networking. Key tactic: create value before you’re hired (he built a full market brief to win a BD role).
  
  
• Career as a cash-flow asset: Once he found work he loved, savings were easier because the job itself provided energy, purpose, and upside. That shift—liking the work—reduced the need to “buy happiness” elsewhere.
  
  
• Optimization without overwhelm: All the Hacks exists to find the 80/20 in money, travel, health, and life. You don’t need to become a points guru or biohacker; borrow Chris’s research and apply the simple levers.
  
  
• Counterintuitive insurance take: When he priced plans, the “best” (premium) plan cost ≈$24k/yr more than the “worst,” while the “worst” plan’s out-of-pocket max was less than that difference. With a real emergency fund and a strong stomach, a high-deductible plan can be rational. (Psychology is the hard part.)
  
  
• Prepay for joy: Pre-buying (subscriptions, passes, prepaid trips) can remove friction and guilt, increasing actual use and happiness.
  
  
• Know your enough: People who don’t know what money is for default to “more.” Define the life you want, price it, then fund that—not a moving target.
  
  
• Audience resonance: “Mini-retirements,” negotiation tactics, and insurance optimization were huge hits; even niche episodes can be life-changing for the right listener.
  
  

Actionable takeaways

1. Design a role you’ll keep doing. Treat your job like part of your portfolio’s fixed-income sleeve: dependable cash flow, lower stress, and compounding skills.
   
   
2. Front-load value. Pitch with a one-pager or mini-audit tailored to the company—proof you’ll do the work.
   
   
3. Run the insurance math (with your EF). Price premiums vs. out-of-pocket max; let your emergency fund shoulder higher deductibles if the numbers favor it.
   
   
4. Prepay strategically. Use prepayment to align behavior with values (fitness classes, transit, annual memberships).
   
   
5. Write money rules. E.g., “Invest 20% before lifestyle,” “Use points for intl. biz class only,” “If it saves 10+ hours/yr, buy it.”
   
   

Lightning-round fun

• Best <$100: Ultrasonic cleaner (for retainers/aligners)—tiny daily upgrade.
  
  
• Most overrated advice: Social-media tax “hacks” that cross legal lines.
  
  
• Apps he likes: A clean net-worth tracker + Copilot for spending (iOS).
  
  
• Guilty pleasure spend: Big annual fees on premium cards—only if the benefits net out.

Find Chris: All the Hacks (weekly deep dives). A great starting point: his “Top 50 Lessons” episode.

Please take a moment to complete this brief survey so I can learn more about YOU and what it is YOU want from this show! I promise, it will take no longer than 97 seconds, and it will help me continue to make the show better for you. 

There’s a strange YouTube genre called “What’s in My Bag?” where people pull out chapstick like it’s a state secret. This episode is basically that…except the bag is my financial life. And instead of chapstick, it’s index funds and money markets. Not sexy. Not even the flavored kind. Just the plain, unscented stick you find in your coat pocket three years later — still somehow usable.

So, what’s in my financial bag? Today I’m walking you through my actual accounts: Roth IRA, taxable brokerage, SEP IRA, and yes, the glorified piggy bank that is my money market fund. I’ll explain what’s in each, why it’s there, and how I think about these buckets so you can use the same framework as a mirror for your own setup.

Along the way, I’ll share how I went from aspiring Peter Lynch to preferring mental bandwidth. Why I sometimes hoard cash like a squirrel on Adderall. And why even the smug “just buy the S&P 500 and chill” crowd (myself included) still falls into the trap of trying to outsmart the market — usually by tilting toward “the next big thing” in the most boring way imaginable.

Here’s what we cover:

• Roth IRA: My tax-free sandbox. 100% growth funds. If there’s ever a place to take swings, it’s here.
  
  
• Taxable brokerage: My liquid nest. Efficient, simple, with a healthy pile of cash-like funds as a psychological shock collar reminding me to actually live life.
  
  
• SEP IRA: My tax-bracket tamer. Boring, tax-deferred, locked away for “future Tyler.” (Poor guy.)
  
  
• The irony of tilts: How even with all this simplicity, I still fall into the trap of trying to beat the market with the market.
  
  

The goal isn’t just to get rich. The goal is to make your portfolio so boring you forget it exists — because you’re too busy living the life it was supposed to buy you in the first place.

Hope you all enjoy the show and it offers you something to think about this week!

Before you hit play: I’ve put a quick listener survey together for listeners. It takes less time than finding your password for your old 401(k), and it helps me shape future episodes around what you actually care about.

Please take a moment to fill out this 3 minute listener survey here.

This week I’m wading into a swamp I usually avoid like lukewarm gas-station sushi: money and politics. Talking about 401(k) policy across administrations feels like trying to explain cricket at Thanksgiving — half the room politely nods, the other half throws turkey legs.

But here’s the thing: retirement policy matters, no matter who you love or hate in Washington. Whether you get to retire at 65 or keep working until 87 shouldn’t depend on which political team you root for.

In this episode, I walk through how the Obama administration approached retirement savings (think: auto-IRAs, myRA accounts, the Fiduciary Rule) and how Trump’s team countered with their own changes (think: loosening MEPs, alternative assets in 401(k)s, and rolling back fiduciary standards).

We’ll break it down into five big ideas you should care about regardless of politics:

1. Access — Millions of Americans still don’t have a workplace retirement plan. Obama pushed for broader access through auto-IRAs, while Trump’s changes were more incremental. Access matters because participation skyrockets when saving is automatic.
2. Simplicity vs. Shiny Objects — Obama tried to make retirement foolproof with boring products like myRA. Trump went the opposite way, pushing for private equity and alternatives inside 401(k)s. Both miss the middle.
3. Fiduciary Rules — Obama’s Fiduciary Rule aimed to make advisors legally put your interests first. Trump’s team scrapped it. What’s left is a murky marketplace where some advisors are fiduciaries and some aren’t — and most Americans can’t tell the difference.
4. Risk & Alternatives — Alternatives like private equity and real estate can add value — if you know what you’re doing. But without education and guardrails, they’re a chainsaw handed to someone who’s only ever used safety scissors.
5. Education — At the end of the day, policies don’t fix behavior. Education does. Whether you’re handed training wheels (myRA) or a Ducati (alternatives), what matters is whether you know how to use them safely.

My goal here isn’t to stump for anyone. I’m not campaigning (I don’t even like campaigning for Girl Scout cookies). This is about helping you understand how policy shifts could impact your money and your future.

📚 At the end of the episode, I also share a book recommendation that completely changed how I think about investing: Richard Ferri’s All About Asset Allocation. If you’ve ever wanted to understand how to slice up your portfolio without losing your sanity, this is the one.

👉 Listen in to learn how retirement policy really affects your wallet — and how to separate political noise from financial signal.

Everyone will tell you to move to Florida or Texas to retire tax-free. But the truth? Taxes are more complicated than a “No State Income Tax” billboard. In this first part of a two-part series, we unpack The Great Tax Mirage and reveal why some so-called high-tax states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Iowa may leave retirees with more money in their pocket than the sunny paradises they’re fleeing.

We dive into Fidelity’s latest study modeling retirees withdrawing $100,000 a year from an IRA and show how effective tax rates—what you actually pay after exemptions and deductions—can dramatically flip conventional wisdom on its head. For example, a couple retiring in Oregon might pay close to 13% in effective taxes, while a move to Iowa could drop that number to 7.5%, potentially growing tens of thousands of dollars over a decade.

We also explore the underrated power of marriage in retirement planning. Married couples filing jointly can save around six percentage points on combined federal and state taxes versus singles—enough to add tens of thousands of dollars to a nest egg over ten years.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

• No state income tax doesn’t automatically mean you keep more money.
  
  
• Certain high-tax states offer exemptions and deductions that outperform so-called tax havens.
  
  
• Marriage can be one of the most powerful retirement tax strategies.
  
  
• Your effective tax rate—not the headline rate—determines what you actually keep.
  
  
• Planning where to retire is about life satisfaction as much as taxes.
  
  

Whether you’re dreaming of beaches, cornfields, or just a comfortable, worry-free retirement, this episode will change the way you think about where your money—and your life—goes next.

Part Two drops next week, where we’ll rank the best and worst states for retirees, explore the real impact of marital magic, and dig into other often-overlooked factors that matter more than taxes when choosing where to spend your golden years.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share it with a friend who’s plotting their retirement escape. It helps more than you know—and makes sure that no one accidentally retires somewhere that quietly nibbles their nest egg.