1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to had to Money. I'm Joel and I am Matt, 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: and today we're answering your listener questions. 3 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 2: That's right, buddy, this is a listener question Monday episode 4 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 2: of had a Monday Podcast. We've got five excellent questions 5 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 2: to answer. During this episode, student loans are resuming, so 6 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 2: a listener he is wondering how it is he should 7 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 2: be approaching paying off those student loans. Another listener is 8 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: asking about tax lost harvesting. I'm not sure if we've 9 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: ever actually talked about that here on the show, but 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: we'll dig in today, Yeah, we will. We're going to 11 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 2: talk about whether it's worth paying a fee in order 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: to do that, even a one percent fee, maybe, how 13 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 2: you could do it yourself, how you can potentially diy 14 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: it in order to save money. And then another listener 15 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,639 Speaker 2: has a question about some medical bills him and his wife, 16 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 2: his partner, how they could financially prepare for having a baby. 17 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 2: We'll get to those three plus a couple of others 18 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 2: during this episode before we get to those real quick. 19 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: So was it last week? Yeah, last week we were 20 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: talking about the lengths that we would go in order 21 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: to save money. While we're flying and we talked about 22 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 2: the different folks that are wearing like the fly fishing vests. 23 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 2: Uh huh, Hey, we didn't mention it specifically, but there's 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 2: a there's like a specific vest. So those are like 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 2: the basic fly like actual literal fly fishing vests. But 26 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 2: is it scotty vest? Is that how you say it? Yeah? 27 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: Did we not mention though, I don't think we mentioned it. 28 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: They're kind of expensive, but they have all these like 29 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: myriad pockets, and so you can put a laptop in 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: the pocket of your vest and stuff like that, and 31 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: it's like the what is it r fid HM proof 32 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: or whatever. So a lot of people use those different 33 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: most security stamp stuff their pockets full and travel easier. 34 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 2: So here's a quick question. Would you go out and 35 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: buy what if what if you had received that vest 36 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: for like Father's would you wear it when you when 37 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: you travel? I don't think I would. 38 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: I think I'm too and I'm not even terribly fashion conscious, 39 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: but I care too much about what I look like. 40 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: You're like, I'm too vague to wear a goofy dad best. 41 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: We'll link to it on the website, but it looks 42 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: like you can wear it in such a way that 43 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: you can potentially look cool. 44 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 2: You think it's all about attitude and style, man like 45 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: you can Okay, things look cool. But speaking of travel, 46 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: you just booked a trip for you and Emily this fall. 47 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: So I do because well I did. I did it 48 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: on a whim, honestly, But part of the reason I 49 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: did was because the deal was too good to pass up. 50 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: So Southwest had a sale well like last week or 51 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 1: two weeks ago, and it was basically forty percent off lights, 52 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: including when you paid with points, and so I had 53 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: a stash of Southwest points sitting there. 54 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. 55 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: Boy, I was trying to figure out what to do 56 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: for our anniversary. Anyway, Lucky number thirteen coming on up, 57 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: and I swear I spent like fourteen thousand Southwest points 58 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: to go round trip to and from New York for 59 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: both of us. Wow, so pretty cheap. That's a solid deal. 60 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: And we'll spend a few days there, hang out, and 61 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: I use some some other credit card points to book 62 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: a sweet hotel. So it's going to be an inexpensive 63 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: anniversary trip but should be a blast too. 64 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 2: Nice. So the moral of the story is to go 65 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: where the deals are, don't necessarily choose a destination a 66 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: location and say, all right, now we've got to find 67 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 2: a good deal. Yeah, I actually get there. 68 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: I looked at a bunch of flights, a bunch of 69 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: different destinations, and I was like, I mean, New York's 70 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: been on our list and it's the cheapest. So that's 71 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: where we went. But I looked even at Granted, I 72 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: don't think we're going to be able to take this 73 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: kind of a trip, but there are some great deals 74 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: to Hawaii too that week, like three three forty round 75 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: trip to Maui. I mean that's pretty pretty good. 76 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, we still haven't been to Hawaii, but it's yet 77 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: to be determined whether or not we will make it there. 78 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: Maybe next time Southwest has a forty percent off sale, 79 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: I will say. That's that's pretty sweet man. It's like, 80 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: oh yeah, off a bunch of different flights. And by 81 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: the way, you would have known about this awesome sale 82 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: if you follow us on Instagram and I had a 83 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: money pod. We uh, I mean, it was that significant. 84 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: We felt like we should let everybody know about it, 85 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: So go check it out. There are always posting interesting stuff. 86 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: But Matt, let's move on. Let's mention the beer we're 87 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: having on this episode, it's called a generous characterization of 88 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: those you remember otherwise of course by Burial, it's got 89 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: a weird name like that. We'll give our thoughts on 90 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: this stout towards the end of the episode, but let's 91 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: move on to as well. Let's get to listener questions. 92 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: And if you have a question you want Matt and 93 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: I to tackle on an upcoming ask htm episode, we'd 94 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: love to hear it. Just go to how tomoney dot 95 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: com slash ask for the simple directions so you can 96 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: record that voice memo getting on over our way. Hopefully 97 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: we take it soon. Let's get to the first question, Matt. 98 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: This one is about paying off those student loans and 99 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: how best to go about it. 100 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 4: Hi, Matt and Joel. My name is Max from Buffalo, 101 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 4: New York. I have a question regarding my credit score 102 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 4: and debt repayment. I graduated college a few years ago 103 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 4: with thirty four thousand dollars in student loans. During the 104 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 4: student loan payment pause, I managed to save forty two 105 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 4: thousand dollars in a high yield savings account. I intend 106 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 4: on using these savings to pay off the student loans 107 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 4: when the payment pause ends. My credit score is a 108 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 4: seven fifty. My only other debt is six thousand dollars 109 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 4: owed on a three percent auto loan. The vehicle is 110 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 4: worth sixteen thousand dollars. I have six thousand dollars off 111 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 4: five thousand and four to one K and two thousand 112 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 4: in my checking account. I'm thirty years old, make eighty 113 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 4: thousand a year and can say fifteen hundred dollars a month. 114 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 4: I have a single credit card with no open balance. 115 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 4: My question is how would you approach this step payoff 116 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 4: while maintaining my credit score. I would love to buy 117 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 4: a house in three to five years, and retirement is 118 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 4: also a consideration as I am behind love the show guys, 119 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 4: thanks for the help. 120 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: Holy crap, Max, forty two thousand dollars. That is a 121 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: ton of money, and this is exactly what we've been 122 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 2: hoping that how to Money listeners around the country would 123 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,119 Speaker 2: be doing, basically using this three plus year payment break 124 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 2: on those student loans as a way to springboard themselves 125 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 2: forward in a massive way when it comes to the 126 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: different financial goals that folks have for themselves. In Max, 127 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: you have done just that, So congrats, kudos to you. 128 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 2: Now you've got a lot more options at your disposal 129 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: than you otherwise would happen. 130 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, we were kind of talking about that, 131 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: beating that drum in the early days with student loans 132 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: were paused, and we were trying to give people a playbook, Hey, 133 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: use this time as an opportunity, don't let it go 134 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: to waste. A lot of people sadly ended up letting 135 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: it go to waste, but not Max. 136 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 2: Not Max. They just consumed that money as opposed to 137 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 2: continuing to essentially maintain that payment, but instead of that 138 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: being an outgoing expense or transfer or payment, maybe setting 139 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 2: that aside in a savings bucket, a sinking fund point. 140 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: And now Max, he's in the Cafferts seat right because 141 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: forty two thousand dollars in three years, that's sick in 142 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: a good way. I mean that in the way the 143 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: kids kids say it sick, bra And I just I 144 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: see no reason to not pay off the full balance 145 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: in August before interest starts accruing again. And Max said 146 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: that he the balance is thirty four thousand dollars, which 147 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 1: means he saved up a lot more even than just 148 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: the balance, than just the principal amount that he's going 149 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: to pay off on those loans in extra eight k, which, 150 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: given the other things he said, would be perfect to 151 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: slot into his emergency fund, hopefully making it kind of 152 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: this fully funded emergency emergency fund getting close to that three, 153 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: four or five month expenses range covering that amount. 154 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 2: Dare I say six months? 155 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: Six months would be amazing, right, But I don't know 156 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: if I don't know if this state k is going 157 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: to get in there depends on, you know, what his 158 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: budget is every month. But and then he also mentioned 159 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: the car loan. I'd just pay that as agreed if 160 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,239 Speaker 1: I were Max Matt. I mean, he's got that pretty 161 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: low three percent interest rate. There's no reason to rush 162 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: there prioritize that. And especially because he can funnel extra 163 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: dollars two coming in, it sounds like he has a 164 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: decent chunk of extra money every month he can be 165 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: funneling that into workplace retirement accounts, into his roth IRA 166 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: and really start setting himself up for success in retirement. 167 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: And so yeah, I mean, I feel like Max is 168 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: hitting on all cylinders, and so much of that is 169 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: due to his dedication, his discipline in during this payment pause, 170 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: and now the world is his oyster. 171 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 2: That's right. Yeah, So Essentially, we're kind of talking about 172 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 2: the order in which you should how you should be 173 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: handling your money. We're talking about the money gears, so 174 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 2: we'll make sure to link to an episode where we 175 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 2: discuss the money gears or a page where you can 176 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 2: see those all listed out. But the only exception I 177 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 2: think to paying off those student loans once those repayments 178 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: resume would be if Max, you didn't mention whether or 179 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: not your employer offers a match on your four oh 180 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 2: one K, but you want to make sure that you 181 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 2: are fully taking advantage of that Max. Yeah, sorry, of 182 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,680 Speaker 2: that match, not Max, because that's when you say max 183 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 2: match three times pass. It's kind of tricky, but because 184 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 2: that is a one hundred percent return on your money. Yeah, 185 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 2: and that's just a whole lot of money that you 186 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: could absorb that you have set aside in cash that 187 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 2: you can put towards a four o one K, but 188 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:49,680 Speaker 2: make sure that you keep that money. 189 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: It sure sounds like, based on what Max said in 190 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: his question, that he can handle getting the full match 191 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: if there is one, and maxing out the roth IRA 192 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: in addition to paying off student loan debt. And if 193 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: that's the case, that's I mean, that's what I would 194 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 1: love to see for him. 195 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 2: So, yeah, that's true. With eight thousand dollars plus that 196 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 2: fifteen hundred monthly coming in, I mean, yeah, it seems 197 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 2: like Max is able to max everything, Max everything out, 198 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 2: go make some big strides. Max. You also asked about 199 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 2: how paying off the student loan debt will impact your 200 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 2: credit score, and the truth is, yeah, paying that sucker off, 201 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 2: it will being your credit score for a second. The 202 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 2: credit scoring system, it can be and often is counterintuitive 203 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 2: because you would think that by paying off this big 204 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: mass of debt that would make you look good. But alas, 205 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 2: you're eradicating an installment loan from your life, and that 206 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 2: is a portion the different credit reporting bureaus take that 207 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 2: into account. The diversity of the kind of debt that 208 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: you have, whether it's installment or revolving debt, and making 209 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 2: these regular payments, that is what the folks like trained 210 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 2: Union and elgufax that they like to see. But you 211 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 2: don't want to let the credit score tail wag the 212 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 2: debt dog. Paying us off this is going to be 213 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 2: the best thing for your personal finances and your credit corp. 214 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 2: It's not going to be dinged for long. Honestly, if 215 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 2: you were going to if you were talking about buying 216 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 2: a home this year or even sooner, like in the 217 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 2: next two to three months, we would tell you to 218 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 2: hold off paying that thing off altogether. But you've got 219 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 2: plenty of time I think you said three to five years. 220 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and so in that time period of time 221 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 2: you're going to be able to see your credit corp 222 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 2: bounce back. 223 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: Typically paying off something like that, it's going to be 224 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: a pinch for a short period of time. So, like 225 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: you said, if it was a quick turnaround on buying 226 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: that house, then that would hey, yeah, maybe hold off 227 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: until after you've actually, you know, got that loan, started 228 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: applying for mortgages, have those quotes in hand once you've 229 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: closed on that house. But because we're talking about years 230 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: down the road, it doesn't matter. 231 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: Go ahead and pay it off. And this is another 232 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 2: reason too to maybe not attack the car loan as well, 233 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: because you didn't say how much time you have left 234 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 2: on that car loan. But keeping again, that's another type 235 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 2: of that's an installment loan, installment debt. Keeping that around 236 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 2: will provide that depth, that robustness to your credit report. 237 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, last thing, by the way, Matt Max mentioned that 238 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: he has one credit card and if that works for him, 239 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: if that's like the best way for him to approach 240 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: his finances with complete simplicity, that's great. But we would 241 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: also say that opening up another credit card or two now, 242 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,439 Speaker 1: even before you pay off your student loans years in 243 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: advance of that home purchase, that can help boost your 244 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: credit score too, while kind of adding to your ability 245 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: to garner rewards for your spending. And Matt, you and 246 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: I were all for an easy, uncomplicated system, but it's 247 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: also important to consider our super chill credit card strategy 248 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: that we talk about, because when you have three cards, 249 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: not going overboard, getting overly complicated, which some people tend 250 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: to do, but maxing your rewards within like an easy 251 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: to understand framework, doing some optimizing without requiring too much 252 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: additional effort. I think that can be the best way 253 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: for a lot of people to go and max you 254 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 1: do you, But we like the three card system as 255 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: a way to optimize without overdoing it, without needing an 256 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: expel Excel spreadsheet to keep up with everything. But at 257 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: least consider that right because especially as you're getting rid 258 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: of the student loans, as you continue paying off that 259 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,319 Speaker 1: car loan as you're looking to keep your credit score 260 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: moving on up. Then I do think it might be 261 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: helpful to apply for an additional line of credit on 262 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: the credit card front, and totally can't hurt mind help. 263 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 2: It's an easy way to thicken that credit file because 264 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 2: right now, with a single credit card like it sounds 265 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 2: kind of thin. And the ability to add more data 266 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 2: points to that credit report I think will be helpful. 267 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 2: But simultaneously, you don't want to obsess over a credit score. 268 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 2: I think he said that he's got like a seven fifty. 269 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 2: That's a really good credit. 270 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: Score, and you can keep it in that range, you're 271 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: in a likelihood get to qualify for the best rates 272 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: time to buying that home. 273 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 2: And I don't you didn't say you're going to do 274 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 2: this or anything. But let's say your car loan is 275 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 2: going to happen to be paid off like later this 276 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 2: year or something like that. Well, don't go out and 277 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 2: finance another car in order to add some revolving debt 278 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 2: to your credit score, because let's say you don't end 279 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 2: up buying a house five years from now, we're talking 280 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 2: about years and years of paying interest towards something that 281 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,439 Speaker 2: you don't necessarily need to pay interest towards as opposed 282 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 2: to eliminating that debt. Keeping cash in the bank like 283 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,079 Speaker 2: cash rules in this In this sense, especially when rates 284 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,319 Speaker 2: are nearing five percent, the ability for you to earn 285 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 2: money on that money, that cash you've got set aside 286 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: when when the time does come for you to purchase 287 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 2: a home. Wants you to worry too much. 288 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: About the credits. Care what's best for your money, what's 289 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: best for your finances? Trump's what's best for your credit score. 290 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 1: And it's not that credit scores are unimportant. We talk 291 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 1: about the importance of them and how to tend to 292 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: them quite a lot on the show. But you still, yeah, second, 293 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:38,439 Speaker 1: credit scores are secondary to paying less interest and reducing. 294 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: How much money you actually have leaving your account exactly 295 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 2: towards interest. Yeah. But all right, we've got several other 296 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 2: questions we're going to get to this episode, including one 297 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: We've got a question from a listener and she wants 298 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 2: to know how it is that she can reduce the 299 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: cost of her car insurance. We'll get to that one 300 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 2: plus others right after this. 301 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: All right, man, there's a lot of people who want 302 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 1: to lower the cost of their car insurance, especially right now. 303 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: We'll get to that question in just a second, but 304 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: first let's get to one about the finer points of 305 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: an HSA. 306 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 2: A hell savings. 307 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 5: Account he met Joel. This is Jake. First. I want 308 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 5: to say thank you for everything that you do for 309 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 5: this podcast. It's been incredibly helpful for me. I've got 310 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 5: two questions for you today. The first is about HSA spending. 311 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 5: Since I've read the blog post on your website about 312 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 5: HSA's triple tax advantage, I've paid for medical expenses out 313 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 5: of pocket where I can, rather than dipping into my HSA. However, 314 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 5: your blog post mentions saving HSA receipts and I was 315 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 5: a little bit confused by this, hoping you could elaborate 316 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 5: on why that's necessary, what you use that for and when. 317 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 5: My second question is about saving and putting a down 318 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 5: payment on a house. My wife and I are beginning 319 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 5: the process of looking for a home. We have enough 320 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 5: in our savings to put down a down payment comfortably. However, 321 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 5: that money sits currently in a Vanguard low cost index fund. 322 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 5: Do we dip into that low cost index fund for 323 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 5: this down payment and pay whatever taxes we end up needing? 324 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 5: To pay, or do we begin to build up a 325 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 5: savings account, maybe in something that's a high yield savings 326 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 5: to move forward with that down payment. Any advice you 327 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 5: can give would be greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much, 328 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 5: Thank you, Jake. 329 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 2: We hope that you are also having a great day. 330 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 2: Anyone else he wants to buy a home, by the way, 331 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: that's interesting. Everybody wants to buy a home. Yeah, homes 332 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 2: are hots so Jake. By the way, we love talking 333 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 2: about HSA's because they are, honestly the reason we like 334 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 2: talking about them because we feel like folks don't talk 335 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 2: about them enough. They are so incredibly underrated and also 336 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 2: misunder stood. Like me, I would say, do you don't 337 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 2: think people understand you? I don't know. I feel understood, 338 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 2: I feel seen, And you're definitely not underrated. Someone say overrated. 339 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: But yeah, we do have that article up on the 340 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 2: site that Jake referenced, and we'll make sure to link 341 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 2: to it in the show notes. But to sum it 342 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 2: up quickly, it is potentially the best retirement account that 343 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 2: you've never heard of or perhaps know nothing about. How 344 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: to money listeners are almost all aware of the fact 345 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 2: that the four one K the rap IRA, the fact 346 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 2: that they exist and that those are retirement accounts, but 347 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 2: the Health Savings account, it gets a lot less press. 348 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 2: And the name applies, right that you're supposed to save 349 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 2: money in an HSA. It's a health savings account after all, 350 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 2: But that's not the case. Not that is if you 351 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 2: want to maximize what it is that that account can 352 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 2: do for you. 353 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: I don't know why, but this is make me think 354 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: of Moneyball, the book and subsequent movie with Brad Pitt, right, 355 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: and it was basically like the Oakland A's we're trying 356 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: to soon to the Las Vegas as, Yeah, apparently, and 357 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: they basically they're trying to find the most underrated players, right. 358 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: That took walks and they got singles and they were 359 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: just much cheaper. They weren't as sexy, they weren't hitting 360 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: the long ball, which is what the teams were paying 361 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: big money for. But they started to win because the 362 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: fundamentals were paying off and they were getting those players 363 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: at a bargain price. And the HSA is kind of 364 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: like that. It's this underrated, underappreciated thing, and it's kind 365 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: of like the Moneyball of saving for retirement. 366 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, it's not sexy at all. It's called the 367 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: health savings account. After all, it's one thing it feels 368 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 2: called like super sexy retirement account. Le's be honest, it's like, 369 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 2: none of the retirement accounts sound sexy. They're all based 370 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 2: on the really sections of the IRS tax code, right, 371 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 2: It's like the four oh one K that's not a 372 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 2: sexy name either, but the roth IRA that I guess 373 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,360 Speaker 2: that one has the most pizazz named after a senator. 374 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: Still underwhelming, Still underwhelming, but yeah, I think the Yeah, 375 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: the HSA is one of those things where, yeah, we 376 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: try to give it the press that deserves because it's 377 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 1: so great. And investing inside of an HSA that's the 378 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: key to getting the maximum tax evan in this account. 379 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:03,439 Speaker 1: And so let's talk about the most confusing part for 380 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: a lot of folks to one that Jake's asking about, 381 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: which is the receipt keeping part of things. And since 382 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: you're not using the HSA for current medical expenses, you're 383 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 1: using savings that you have on hand instead to pay 384 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: for whatever sort of medical visits that you have to 385 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: pay for in a given year. And because of that, 386 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: it's important to keep a log of the medical bills 387 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: that you're incurring along the way for tax purposes for 388 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: the future. But when you do decide to pull money 389 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: out of your HSA, and that's because for any money 390 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: that you take out of the HSA, you've got to 391 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: be able to show receipts to prove it was for 392 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: an eligible medical expense in order to reap the tax benefits. 393 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,479 Speaker 1: In order to make sure that money stays unimpacted by 394 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: the federal government and their tax the long arm of 395 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: the taxman and Google sheets or excel file works totally fine, 396 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: there's no need to complicate things a whole lot more 397 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: than that, but documenting every medical expense is crucial for 398 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,160 Speaker 1: eventually tapping that HSA money in the future, and that's 399 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: part of what makes it so flexible too, that's right. Yeah, 400 00:18:58,560 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: So let's give a quick example. 401 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 2: Let's say that you incur a medical expense of twenty 402 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 2: five hundred dollars this year. You pay for that money 403 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 2: with money that you have out of pocket, right the 404 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: money that you've got there in savings, and then you 405 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 2: let that money that is sitting there in your HSA 406 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 2: continue to grow in over time, it's going to compound. 407 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 2: So just document that expense and then you can pull 408 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 2: out that specific amount anytime in the future, right, no 409 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 2: matter how far down the road it is. And so 410 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 2: whether it's ten ten years from now, like twenty thirty three, 411 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 2: whether it's twenty forty seven, twenty eighty nine, like literally 412 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 2: it does not matter. But by that time your account 413 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 2: has hopefully grown in a massive way thanks to compounding 414 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 2: returns and thanks to the fact that you actually have 415 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 2: that money invested, not sitting there in a default cash. 416 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: You just kind of sounded like Tommy Boy's dad when 417 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: he's like, oh, I. 418 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 2: Got this fridge. I can keep six packs, but soda 419 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 2: anything you want to drink. 420 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 1: Anything you want to keep cold, Tommy Boy, And it's 421 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: like anytime you want to draw these funds exactly. 422 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 2: So, I mean what we're saying is that twenty five 423 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 2: hundred dollars that you put in now it could be 424 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 2: worth like ten thousand dollar are more down the road, 425 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 2: and you don't pay tax on that growth that you've seen, 426 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 2: which is the other plus. So the complete tax avoidance, 427 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:11,479 Speaker 2: combined with the flexibility that HSA's offer, that is what 428 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 2: makes them so special. 429 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I in my mind, the AHSA can almost kind 430 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: of sort of work as a backup emergency fund because 431 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: of the flexibility that you're talking about, Matt. As you 432 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: build up funds every year and expenses, you can tap 433 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: it for whatever you want if you start Tommy Boy. Yeah, 434 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:25,479 Speaker 1: I mean, if you get to the point where you've 435 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: got thirty forty thousand dollars in your HSA, you could 436 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: probably afford to have a little bit less on hand 437 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: in your savings account because of the flexibility, you have 438 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: to tap those funds whenever you like, which is cool. 439 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: But let's move on to the next part of Jake's question, 440 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: which is about down payment funds. And I've congrats to you, 441 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,919 Speaker 1: Jake on saving up such a massive amount for that 442 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,199 Speaker 1: home purchase. That's, of course not easy. But the closer 443 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: you get to making offers, the more you're going to 444 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: want to take risk off the table. And I'm assuming 445 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: that you're invested inside of a taxbile brokerage account. That 446 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: we're not talking about selling index funds and taking money 447 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: out of a four to one K or something like that. Yeah, 448 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: I think so, because, yeah, we wouldn't want that to 449 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: be the case. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself 450 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: from a tax and penalty perspective in order to take 451 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 1: that money out. But if that's you know what you've 452 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: been setting this money aside for inside of a taxable 453 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 1: brokerage account, definitely use it for that purpose, and don't 454 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: worry about the capital gains tax, basically a small success tax, 455 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: which is typically fifteen percent for most people. I would 456 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: not think of that as a big deal, especially since 457 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 1: you've probably seen decent gains. Yeah, make sure you factor 458 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: in and understand how much you're going to own taxes 459 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 1: based on that. But if the purpose of this money 460 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: is to help you buy that house you've been wanting 461 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: to buy, that's the exact reason to use it. 462 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,400 Speaker 2: Heck, yeah, don't be afraid to use it even though 463 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 2: you had that money invested, because I do think that 464 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 2: sometimes when folks have invested money for a long term 465 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 2: savings goal, that there could be a hesitation to actually 466 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 2: tap that money for that thing. But yeah, the long term, 467 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 2: long term capital gains is fifteen percent, assuming that you 468 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 2: and your wife make within the range of eighty three 469 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 2: thousand to five hundred and seventeen thousand dollars. I think 470 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 2: as long as you fall within that, you know that 471 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 2: window you're only looking at fifteen percent not a big deal, 472 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 2: but you might want to start selling some of the 473 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 2: funds that you've got in that brokerage account and moving 474 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 2: that money over into your savings account so that, yeah, 475 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 2: you know, a down week or even a down month, 476 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 2: that it doesn't take a bite out of your down 477 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 2: payment amount when all of a sudden you need to 478 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 2: tap that money immediately for your earnest money. That's not 479 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,120 Speaker 2: something that you don't want it to be a bad 480 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 2: week when you have to transfer that money over. And 481 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 2: you could, and honestly, you likely should start adding any 482 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 2: money that you might be putting towards that house as 483 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 2: that down payment to that high yield savings account every 484 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 2: month instead of putting that money, sacking that money into 485 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 2: that brokerage account. So you know, it does sound like 486 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: you're looking, which means that you'll be making an offer 487 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 2: sooner rather than later, and I would be de risking 488 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,240 Speaker 2: as we speak. And a part of that is making 489 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: these funds a bit more liquid so that you can 490 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 2: spend it for the purpose in which you've saved it for. Jake, 491 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 2: you and your wife, you have done well with the 492 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 2: money that you've invested so far, but now it's time 493 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 2: to use that money for its intended purpose. We're really 494 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 2: excited for y'all, and we hope for your sake that 495 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:11,200 Speaker 2: rates continue to drop and you're able to find yeah 496 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 2: house of your dreams. 497 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: There's a lot of people hoping rates will drive me. 498 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: But even then, who knows how much it's going to 499 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: impact affordability. No, might just start the feeding frenzy again 500 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: in the home buyer's market. But we will see we 501 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: need more supply. Yeah, that is what we need. It 502 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 1: comes down to the fundamentals. Man, hope you find something 503 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: that the demand is not going to change. Folks just 504 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,439 Speaker 1: like Jake, Folks, just like Max, they are looking to 505 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: buy homes. 506 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 2: We need more homes on the market. Yes, we do. 507 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: All right, let's move on to our next question, Matt. 508 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,400 Speaker 1: This one is specifically about insurance rates going through the roof. 509 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 6: Hi, Joel and Matt. My name is Frankie and I'm 510 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 6: from Florida. I just learned that my car insurance is 511 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:49,479 Speaker 6: increasing by sixty six percent. Apparently there was legislature passed 512 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 6: in the state of Florida that kept insurance companies from 513 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 6: increasing the rate last October. Now that this policy has ended, 514 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 6: I am getting a double rate increase, and my monthly 515 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 6: payments are going from sixty eight dollars a month to 516 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 6: one hundred and ten dollars a month. This new price 517 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 6: already includes a five percent discount for bundling renters insurance 518 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 6: as well. 519 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 2: I have a. 520 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 6: Completely clean driving record and nothing has changed on my 521 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 6: ends of things. I was wondering if you guys had 522 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 6: any advice besides for shopping around for different quotes. This 523 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 6: is something that I am currently doing, but it does 524 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 6: seem like my current insurer is on the cheaper end 525 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 6: of things. I have also already made sure that my 526 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 6: policy is appropriate and there are no places to scale 527 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 6: back on without sacrificing adequate coverage. Is car insurance something 528 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 6: I can negotiate on. I would appreciate any and all 529 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 6: feedback you guys are able to give me. Thanks so much, 530 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 6: and I love the podcast. 531 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 2: All right, Frankie, thank you so much for your question. 532 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: And one thing I want to point out if you 533 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 2: were listening, hopefully you caught this, but Frankie, he's got 534 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 2: renter's insurance. Wow, this love. It is one of those 535 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 2: insurance products that is crazy cheap, but too many renters 536 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,719 Speaker 2: forego it. They're skipping it completely. I think it's like 537 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 2: the stats show that barely more than half of renters 538 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 2: have renders insurance in place, which is not good. And 539 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 2: it's because, in part, the cost of renders insurance is 540 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 2: typically comparable to like a monthly Netflix subscription. Do you 541 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 2: want to watch sit Crown or do you have all 542 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: your possessions covered? You know, it is so worth the 543 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,239 Speaker 2: peace of mind knowing that all your stuff is going 544 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 2: to be covered, and so you can always check over 545 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 2: at policy Genius. But Lemonade they are a new provider, 546 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 2: They've been reviewed really well and they are certainly worth 547 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 2: checking out. 548 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, they often offer some of the cheapest renters insurance policies. 549 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: But check what the company you currently you know, have 550 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: auto insurance with or whatever as well. It's it's at 551 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: least worth kind of getting. 552 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,440 Speaker 2: Some quotes right if you like Frankie and bundle and save. 553 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, And if you're like, I don't know if I 554 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 1: have renders insurance, we'll go check because it's it's well 555 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: worth it, Like you said, the cost of it. 556 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 2: It's if you're asking do I have renders and probably don't. 557 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 2: Probably don't. 558 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 1: You're probably in that like forty eight percent or whatever 559 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,679 Speaker 1: who don't have it, which is not good and all right, 560 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: so let's talk about what's going on with car insurance 561 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 1: and how much it costs these days, Matt. Obviously, what 562 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: Frankie is enduring is a big, big increase, and it's 563 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: tough to stomach, and especially it's tough for the stomach 564 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: when you're looking at the percentage, You're like forty percent 565 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: in one year, Like why why would you do that? 566 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 2: Almost double? 567 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, And the truth is inflation is one of the 568 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 1: main culprits here. As home and car values have risen 569 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 1: and the cost of repairing and maintaining both of these 570 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: things have gone up, the cost to ensure them is rising. Similarly, 571 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: the insurance companies are responding essentially to economics, and so 572 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,439 Speaker 1: much so that a couple of the big insurance companies 573 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: like State Farm and all State, have literally stopped writing 574 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: policies in California because the Insurance Commission in California won't 575 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: allow them to increase their rates. And so they're saying, 576 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: wait a second, if we don't increase our rates, we're 577 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: taking on the chin. We are losing money handover fist, 578 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 1: and which. 579 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 2: Then means so with there being less competition, what is 580 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 2: that then going to mean for the insurans that remain. 581 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,360 Speaker 2: That's right, most likely higher rates. 582 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: And what does that mean that the exact opposite of 583 00:26:57,560 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: what it is that policy. 584 00:26:58,600 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 2: Wonks are trying to implement. 585 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's a problem, and so it's a messy situation, 586 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 1: and it means millions of folks like Frankie paying a 587 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: steeper price every single month, every single year on insurance. 588 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 2: Two. That's right. Well, Florida customers in particular are seeing 589 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 2: higher rate increases, even more so on the home owners front, 590 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 2: because Florida is also it's just one of those states 591 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: where things can be more expensive, maybe due to the 592 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 2: fact that they get hit oh hurricane, largely due to 593 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 2: a whole lot. But Frankie, great job, as it sounds 594 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 2: like that you've done a lot of work to reduce 595 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 2: your premium cost, right like you are already doing most 596 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 2: of the things that we would recommend. You're bundling, you 597 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 2: are looking at unnecessary like you're deductible perhaps is higher 598 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 2: than maybe the default is. But we've got a few 599 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 2: more suggestions up our sleeves, and we do hope that 600 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:45,440 Speaker 2: they help. First of all or one other thing that 601 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 2: you've done too. You say that you are doing some shopping, well, 602 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 2: that is great and is definitely the first step for 603 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 2: anyone who is also in your situation, But you might 604 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 2: also want to ask for help with your shopping. So 605 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 2: what we're talking about here are independent brokers and trusted Choice. 606 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 2: Dot com is a place where you can find a 607 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 2: local independent insurance agent who can shop with a bunch 608 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 2: of different insurance companies all at once. Since they're local, 609 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 2: they know a lot of the ins and the outs 610 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,680 Speaker 2: and how it is specifically that you can save there 611 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 2: in the state of Florida. And in addition, they'll take 612 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 2: into account your specific situation and can often find savings 613 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 2: that you won't be able to find on your own 614 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 2: with just a simple search with some of the different 615 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 2: online aggregators. 616 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, so maybe you have shopped individually, but have you 617 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: used the expert help of an independent agent. If not, 618 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:33,000 Speaker 1: that might be the best way to go. That might 619 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: be something worth considering. 620 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 2: I said aggregator, not alligator. I think when I'm thinking 621 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 2: about Florida, there should be an insurance site called like 622 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 2: Florida Aggregator, And it sounds like alligator. I can see 623 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 2: some I'm going to go reserve that URL real quick. 624 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 2: Que commercials make make people aware of that site. But yeah, 625 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 2: I think it's second ask your current insurance company about 626 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 2: all the discounts, right, because most insurers are going to 627 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 2: give you a pretty sweet discount for taking something like 628 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,719 Speaker 2: a defensive driving course. Going in person to do one 629 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 2: of those courses, is it sucks and I would not 630 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,719 Speaker 2: recommend that, But AARP offers one that you could take online. 631 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 2: I did that mad It took like thirty minutes, and well, 632 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 2: it depends on It might suck, but it may not 633 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 2: suck for her, right, Like, it just depends on the 634 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 2: individual what they've got going on. And that's like, I 635 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 2: think that's what's so great about asking for some of 636 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 2: these discounts because for some for you know, again, it's 637 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 2: like one man's cheap is another man's frugal, and so 638 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 2: for somebody they might think, ah, I'm not gonna do that, 639 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 2: but for somebody else, they're thinking, I'm willing to take 640 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 2: whatever almost whatever steps are necessary in order to reduce 641 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 2: these costs. 642 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, and something like that is doing the online defensive 643 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: driving thing. It's pretty simple and a lot of people 644 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: are gonna save hundreds of dollars a year, very low 645 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: hanging by doing that one thing. And so yeah, consider 646 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: that and maybe ask your current insurance company, Hey, how 647 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:47,959 Speaker 1: much would I say if I did this? And then 648 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: there are a bunch of other similar discounts that insurance 649 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: companies tend to offer. Right, talk to your agent and 650 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 1: see which ones you qualify for. For instance, if you 651 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: don't drive a lot, if you drive less than seventy 652 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: five hundred miles a year, you're probably gonna qualify for 653 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: a mass simply discounted rate. So yeah, make sure to 654 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: be able to document that and ask specifically about that 655 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: and whether you can save a lot of money with 656 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: that sort of discount applied. You might also score a 657 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: better rate for letting them track your driving or by 658 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: being a member of a specific organization. There are just 659 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,960 Speaker 1: so many discounts that you might qualify for, but you 660 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: might not know if you qualify for them because you 661 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: haven't asked the question. 662 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 2: You haven't asked. Yeah, we talked about the art of 663 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 2: asking for a discount here on the show, but in 664 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 2: this case, it's not it's not really an ask. I'm sorry, 665 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 2: it's not really an art. It's just the task of asking, Like, 666 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 2: just ask, because they're not going to voluntarily say, hey, 667 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 2: here's a bunch of ways that you can save money. 668 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 2: It's like it pulling a thread from a sweater, a 669 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 2: tailor thread. You pull this thing and all of a sudden, 670 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 2: like all of. 671 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 1: These options will drop, and you just keep asking, Wait 672 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: a second, what other discounts do you have at your 673 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: disposal that I'm not aware of? And just keep barking 674 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: up that tree and see what they've got, and then 675 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: and try to jump through those hoops so that you 676 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: can bring the costs back down. You're not going to 677 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 1: get it back to what it was in all likelihood, 678 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: but you should be able to save to at least 679 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: bring it down. 680 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 2: A little bit. And I think so one other option 681 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 2: you mentioned her not like potentially if she drives seventy 682 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 2: five hundred or fewer miles. I think if that's the case, 683 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 2: it might even be worth not paying for insurance because 684 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 2: if you don't have a car, you don't have to 685 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: insure it. And I don't want you to be short 686 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 2: sighted here. 687 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: That would be illegal, but that would be illegal to 688 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: not have car insurance. But what I'm saying is that 689 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: she get rid of a car. And so if you're 690 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: not driving a ton of miles, consider some of the 691 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: other options, like if like if you have a friend 692 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: at work and they happen to live nearby, you can carpool, 693 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: if maybe you can take public transit if that's something 694 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: that's offered there in your area, or even walking or 695 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:39,719 Speaker 1: biking for some of the other errands that you need 696 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: to run that kind of thing. And then if you 697 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: need to get across town, you can uber and lyft. 698 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: There are just so many different options that are available 699 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: to you, and I don't want you to like the 700 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: default assumption shouldn't. 701 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 2: Be well, you've got to have a car. Well, for 702 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,000 Speaker 2: a lot of folks, yes you do, but. 703 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: At some point it depending on how expensive insurance gets, 704 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: we would all make a different choice. 705 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, So if it all comes down to running 706 00:31:58,520 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 2: the numbers and seeing what makes. 707 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: It goes from a thousand dollars a year to eight 708 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 1: thousand dollars a year, I rethink every single habit that 709 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,880 Speaker 1: I have on the grup. Yeah, so at some point 710 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: the pain becomes too difficult, And yeah, you do rethink 711 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: everything from the ground up. So don't be like a 712 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,000 Speaker 1: frog and boiling water and start to kind of question 713 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: just get used to it. Yeah, start a question basically 714 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: the whole premise of whether or not you need a car. 715 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: I think that's that's a reasonable thing. 716 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 2: Especially for Frankie. She sounds like she might be a 717 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 2: little bit younger, and I think this is easier to 718 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 2: pull off when you are younger and you've got a 719 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 2: little more flexibility, when you've got more responsibility. Maybe when 720 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 2: you've got kids. This is a harder thing to do. 721 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 2: But there's a lot of things that we did early 722 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 2: on that a lot of folks would have considered to 723 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 2: be the quote unquote extreme path to take. But you 724 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 2: know what, we're all for you considering some of these 725 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:43,640 Speaker 2: extreme options if it allows you to reach some of 726 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 2: your financial goals sooner. Franking, we want you to consider 727 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 2: that one hundred percent. 728 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 1: All right, man, We've got more questions to get to, 729 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: including one about reducing taxes as you're investing and growing 730 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: your wealth. We'll talk about that and more right after this. 731 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 2: We are back for the break fielding some of these 732 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 2: different questions that our lovely listeners have sent our way 733 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 2: and Jill. Before we get to that tax loss harvesting question, 734 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 2: that's here from a listener, and he wants to make 735 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 2: sure that he is financially prepared to have a baby. 736 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 3: Hey man, Jil, this is Tyler from Pocatello, Idaho. I've 737 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 3: been listening to this show for a few months now 738 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,800 Speaker 3: and absolutely love it. Thanks for all you do. I 739 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 3: just had a question regarding medical insurance or medical bills 740 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 3: and how to negotiate them when they seem a bit 741 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 3: too high. I'm not dealing with this currently, but I 742 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 3: do plan on, you know, having kids in the future 743 00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 3: and don't want to be overcharged for that. So I 744 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 3: was just wondering what's the process for going through and 745 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 3: negotiating bills down and kind of what to do when 746 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 3: the people don't want to play nice I guess. Thanks 747 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 3: for your answer and have a nice. 748 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 2: Day, Matt. 749 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: I love I love that Tyler is asking this question 750 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 1: question proactively. He's like, Hey, kids are on the horizon, 751 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 1: and I want to know now type a personality right here. 752 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: That's right, I'm gonna get my ducks and ducks in 753 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,319 Speaker 1: a row way before I actually need them. And so, 754 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 1: I mean, obviously we all know that healthcare in the 755 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,320 Speaker 1: United States is messed up in a lot of ways, 756 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: and that's a topic for another day, probably for smarter 757 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: people than you and I to tackle. But there are 758 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,319 Speaker 1: a lot of ways that Tyler, specifically in a lot 759 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 1: of people out there, can decrease the pain of medical 760 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 1: bills in their lives. And again, since he's asking on 761 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: the front end, he's got even more of an ability 762 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: to change the outcome and to really lessen the costs. 763 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 1: I think of any procedure, including including having kids. 764 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,759 Speaker 2: You know what, man, let's take Tyler's specific example of 765 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 2: having a baby, which we're all about. By the way, 766 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 2: kids are the best. They are worth all the heartache, 767 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,720 Speaker 2: all the sleepless nights, all the money involved with even 768 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 2: just bringing them into this world. But I would call 769 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,840 Speaker 2: your insurance company first and see what is covered on 770 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,719 Speaker 2: this front. Basically, we're talking about making sure that you 771 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 2: are gathering the right information, that you have the right 772 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 2: data on hand in order to make a very informed decision. 773 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 2: But you want to know if maternity care, like prenatal care, 774 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 2: plus labor and delivery, all of these things are they 775 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,759 Speaker 2: all covered. Now, what about ultrasounds, because oftentimes those are 776 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 2: not performed there at the office of your ob It's 777 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,759 Speaker 2: a separate charge it's a separate location a lot of times. Yeah, 778 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,359 Speaker 2: those can add up if it's not covered by insurance. Yeah, 779 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 2: and then which specific hospitals even are you know that 780 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 2: you have there in the area. Take your specific insurance 781 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:35,719 Speaker 2: because even with insurance, it's going to be important to 782 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 2: save up around like three to five thousand dollars, which 783 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 2: is a lot of money, but the average cost without 784 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 2: insurance it's more in the eighteen to twenty thousand dollars 785 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 2: range in order to have a healthy, healthy pregnancy and delivery. 786 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,279 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people with good insurance they're 787 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:55,000 Speaker 1: shocked at the bills they receive after giving birth. And 788 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,880 Speaker 1: I get it, like that, that's a lot of money, 789 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:59,760 Speaker 1: but given kind of what it costs for cash payers, 790 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,760 Speaker 1: most the time, it's a significant savings. 791 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:04,200 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. Yeah. And by the way, going natural is 792 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:06,279 Speaker 2: going to save you some money too, because, uh, we're 793 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 2: talking about all these additional costs and epidural can caught easily. 794 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:11,760 Speaker 2: I mean, it can cost you in the thousands of dollars. 795 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,919 Speaker 2: We're dudes, so we will shut up on this front 796 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 2: because obviously some ladies are going to say it's the 797 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 2: best money that they have ever spent. But we're just 798 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:20,440 Speaker 2: putting it out there, but we want to make sure 799 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 2: that you have considered all of these different all these 800 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:25,879 Speaker 2: multiple expenses that you're faced with, because so like early 801 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 2: on when we were considering having our first child, we 802 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 2: had a health care plan with a very very high 803 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 2: deductible and so we reached out to the hospital. We 804 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:36,640 Speaker 2: got that upfront cash price, and it made more sense 805 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:39,319 Speaker 2: for us to go that route. But you also want 806 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:41,839 Speaker 2: to make to make sure and to realize that, well, 807 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:44,640 Speaker 2: that's just with a hospital. So they're basically you've got 808 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 2: the itemized charge of the hospital. You're basically paying for 809 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 2: access to the facility. It pays the nurses, that kind 810 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:55,000 Speaker 2: of thing. But then you're obstetrician, all that care, the delivery, 811 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 2: all of that. Like that's a separate conversation. That's a 812 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:00,719 Speaker 2: separate charge. The epidural like I mentioned, if you want that, 813 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:04,520 Speaker 2: that's an anesthesiologist. Those are very expensive as well. There 814 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 2: are all these separate charges. It's not I mean, maybe. 815 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,280 Speaker 1: There's a reason they drive a Porsche to the hospital. 816 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:13,000 Speaker 2: Yes, maybe where you are, and there are some folks 817 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:16,680 Speaker 2: who have gone gotten like a package deal perhaps where 818 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:19,520 Speaker 2: all of the expenses are covered on the same bill. 819 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:22,720 Speaker 2: But that is not what we have found here in Atlanta, 820 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:24,200 Speaker 2: and so you want to make sure that you are 821 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 2: aware of all the different expenses one phase. 822 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 1: One other thing worth mentioning is that when open enrollment comes, 823 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: if you know, hey, next year we're gonna get we're 824 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 1: getting pregnant December, and next year we're definitely having a baby. Obviously, 825 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: some of those things you can't plan them out perfectly, 826 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 1: but if that's your goal, make sure you have the 827 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 1: coverage that's going to be the most cost effective. When 828 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 1: you're in a year where you're going to have higher 829 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:48,760 Speaker 1: health costs coming. 830 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 2: Your way and it sounds like the COT. 831 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: So that might mean not having the highest deductible coverage 832 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,359 Speaker 1: that year. It might mean a lower deductible, paying more 833 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:56,640 Speaker 1: in premiums every single month. 834 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 2: But you know that you're going to hit exact some 835 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:01,080 Speaker 2: out of pockets, so let's make sure that you are 836 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:01,799 Speaker 2: on the possius plan. 837 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: Possibly if you're going from a twelve thousand dollars deductible 838 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:05,920 Speaker 1: to a four thousand dollars deductible, well it's worth that 839 00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:07,040 Speaker 1: increase in premiums, right. 840 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,360 Speaker 2: Let's make it two thousand. Yeah, let's go ahead and 841 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:09,680 Speaker 2: hit that. 842 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 1: Okay, whatever you're offered, just you know you're going to 843 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 1: hit basically hit that amount. Go with the lowest. You 844 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,760 Speaker 1: run the numbers, but go with the lowest deductible possible. 845 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,759 Speaker 2: Totally. Yeah, okay, So one last thing. So Kate and 846 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 2: I we've had four kids, so I feel like we've 847 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:26,560 Speaker 2: got a lot of personal experience. But consider instead of 848 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 2: going to a hospital, a birthing center, especially if you 849 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:32,719 Speaker 2: are younger, if you have not had any health complications 850 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:36,960 Speaker 2: or concerns, going with a birthing center where truly all 851 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 2: the costs are on one single bill there in the 852 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 2: birthing center. But that is a way that we saved 853 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:44,520 Speaker 2: a ton of money with our fourth child. 854 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:46,080 Speaker 1: And you were cash payers, you didn't have a pay 855 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 1: perend We paid cash. It was by far the most 856 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:52,000 Speaker 1: affordable way for us to have a kid. Of all 857 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,200 Speaker 1: the yeah I've got I've got it all, say it, 858 00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:56,840 Speaker 1: I know how much they all cost. Westy costs the 859 00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 1: least amount of money to have. But we also knew 860 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 1: that that you know, maybe four we felt very comfortable 861 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:05,319 Speaker 1: with the entire process. We had zero complications before. But 862 00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:07,400 Speaker 1: that's something to something to consider. I mean, if you 863 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:08,960 Speaker 1: want to go extreme, you can do a you can 864 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:10,480 Speaker 1: do a home birth, but. 865 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:12,760 Speaker 2: Manna be a little too risky, a little too risky. 866 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 2: There's some folks who believe that that's the way that 867 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:18,880 Speaker 2: they should be giving birth. But obviously it makes the 868 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 2: right personnel on hand. Yeah, and make sure that you 869 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:24,040 Speaker 2: are incredibly informed. Don't just do it to save money, 870 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 2: like there need to be other regular cheap make sure 871 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:28,719 Speaker 2: like that you are doing it for other reasons. Then 872 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:30,080 Speaker 2: there are a lot of people who are doing it 873 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 2: for the for great reasons. But don't just do it 874 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:34,160 Speaker 2: to save some money. 875 00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:35,920 Speaker 1: Let's talk quickly too about what to do after you 876 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 1: get a bill, So like after the birth, how do 877 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 1: you respond? And now we had a guy named Marshall Allen, 878 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:42,840 Speaker 1: a journalist on the show back in the day. We 879 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 1: just replayed that episode actually on Friday, and so I 880 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 1: would tell Tyler go back and listen to that episode. 881 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:51,600 Speaker 1: I don't think we've had a better how to minimize 882 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:56,160 Speaker 1: healthcare cost episode than that one. And what Marshall Allen 883 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:57,759 Speaker 1: says the title of his book is never paid the 884 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:01,759 Speaker 1: first bill, And that's because insurance. Your insurance company might 885 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:03,560 Speaker 1: not have even had a chance to negotiate the price 886 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:05,960 Speaker 1: with the medical provider. Yet by the time you get 887 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 1: that bill in the mail, so you're going to want 888 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:10,560 Speaker 1: to wait until after that's been done, those negotiations have happened, 889 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,560 Speaker 1: and then once you have the hopefully now discounted bill, 890 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:15,440 Speaker 1: you want to make sure that you have an itemized 891 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 1: version of that bill. That way, you can push back 892 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:20,359 Speaker 1: on anything that looks out of place, right like, why 893 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:23,239 Speaker 1: is that ibuprofen cost ninety eight dollars? That's absurd, you 894 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: know that kind of stuff, And you can use a 895 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 1: site like Healthcare blue Book to see what the cost 896 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:29,919 Speaker 1: should be based on all the data they've gathered from 897 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 1: around the country, and you can push back to that 898 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:34,760 Speaker 1: healthcare provider if their costs kind of aren't in line 899 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:36,800 Speaker 1: with what Healthcare blue Book says they should be. 900 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:39,359 Speaker 2: Y'ess right, And then after that we're going to take 901 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 2: the approach that we presented with Frankie as far as 902 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 2: asking for discounts, because as worth noting that most hospitals 903 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:50,759 Speaker 2: they employ patient advocates who you can talk to, and 904 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,040 Speaker 2: many of these different hospitals also have published financial assistance 905 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 2: guides up on their website. Basically, depending on your family 906 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,640 Speaker 2: size your income, you might be eligible to receive a 907 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:06,759 Speaker 2: significant discount on the bill with no questions asked, or 908 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:08,800 Speaker 2: you might even be able to have it completely forgiven, 909 00:41:09,239 --> 00:41:12,400 Speaker 2: depending again, depending on your personal situation. So keep that 910 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 2: in mind. But I love how you are thinking ahead, 911 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 2: Tyler Joel. I really liked how like your approach, just 912 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:20,400 Speaker 2: as far as thinking ahead and knowing that, like, all right, 913 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:23,000 Speaker 2: it's open enrollment later this year. Oh, we're probably going 914 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:25,080 Speaker 2: to have a baby in twenty twenty four. That's how 915 00:41:25,080 --> 00:41:27,160 Speaker 2: you want to approach this. You want to be thinking ahead. 916 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 2: I guess I like it because that's how Kate and 917 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:31,120 Speaker 2: I approached it. And literally I remember when we had 918 00:41:31,120 --> 00:41:33,440 Speaker 2: gotten married, or I think maybe it is even before 919 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:36,800 Speaker 2: we got married, we kind of talked through like rough dates, 920 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:38,839 Speaker 2: rough times when we thought we might want to start 921 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:42,239 Speaker 2: having kids. And I have that on the calendar, like 922 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:45,319 Speaker 2: on January first. Of course you did and said, I'm 923 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,279 Speaker 2: sure it's actually still on the calendar because we don't 924 00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 2: delete stuff. And I'd like to see what you put 925 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:50,960 Speaker 2: on the calendar nine months before that date, and it 926 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 2: says start having a baby with a question mark on 927 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:57,120 Speaker 2: January first, like start having a baby, this year and so. 928 00:41:57,320 --> 00:41:59,359 Speaker 2: But that is again, like you said, you can't plan 929 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:01,319 Speaker 2: things out perfect, but it's something you can start to 930 00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:04,319 Speaker 2: prepare for. And to that extent, you can also go 931 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 2: ahead and just start saving some money now as well. Right, 932 00:42:07,719 --> 00:42:10,600 Speaker 2: And so let's say maybe you're roughly two years away. 933 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:14,160 Speaker 2: If you were to sock away one hundred and twenty 934 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:16,720 Speaker 2: five dollars a month starting now, that's going to ensure 935 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:19,160 Speaker 2: that you will have exactly three thousand dollars on hand 936 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:22,520 Speaker 2: to pay for a portion of the cost related to birth. 937 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:25,600 Speaker 1: It's like a baby sinking fund, you know, yes, exactly. 938 00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:28,080 Speaker 1: I mean we do that when it comes to other goals, 939 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:30,680 Speaker 1: other things that we want to purchase. And granted, it's 940 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:33,320 Speaker 1: not like a simple transaction where you head to Walmart 941 00:42:33,360 --> 00:42:36,319 Speaker 1: and buy a buy a baby, but we should be 942 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:39,799 Speaker 1: approaching some of these different savings buckets or different life 943 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:43,080 Speaker 1: goals like having a baby it needs to be married 944 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:45,279 Speaker 1: and have its feet planted here on earth when it 945 00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:47,160 Speaker 1: comes to the practical steps that we need to take 946 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,359 Speaker 1: to be financially prepared for that, true, agreed, So yeah, 947 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:52,319 Speaker 1: start saving now, start thinking about it now. There's a 948 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,480 Speaker 1: lot of proactive planning you can do it. Doesn't just 949 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 1: have to be reactive when the bill gets in the 950 00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:59,319 Speaker 1: mail and your jaw drops because you're shocked at how 951 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,480 Speaker 1: expensive to birth actually was. So Tyler, best of luck 952 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 1: to you in this endeavor, not only in the endeavor 953 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 1: of starting a family, but in doing it in a 954 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:08,799 Speaker 1: cost effective way. All right, Matt, let's get to our 955 00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:13,000 Speaker 1: last question of this episode. This one is about saving 956 00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:14,400 Speaker 1: on taxes as an investor. 957 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:17,800 Speaker 7: Hey, guys, this is Steven Oregon. I've got a question 958 00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:21,760 Speaker 7: about using a financial planner. We've been with a company. 959 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 7: It's actually a friend of mine, and I trust them 960 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:27,560 Speaker 7: and they do a good job. But they charge the 961 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:30,719 Speaker 7: standard one percent, which I see that coming out every month, 962 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 7: and I'm kind of like, I don't know how much 963 00:43:33,560 --> 00:43:37,480 Speaker 7: it's worth it. I'm really confident in like where I 964 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:41,160 Speaker 7: should be putting my money and all that, and you know, 965 00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:43,880 Speaker 7: I've kind of narrowed it down to Fidelity or Schwab, 966 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:46,799 Speaker 7: one of those. But the question I keep having is 967 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:51,440 Speaker 7: with like the more fine tune stuff like tax loss harvesting, 968 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:55,799 Speaker 7: for instance, That's something that my financial planner does for 969 00:43:55,840 --> 00:43:59,040 Speaker 7: me every year. I guess I'm not sure if the 970 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:03,319 Speaker 7: savings from that loan is worth the one percent, because 971 00:44:03,360 --> 00:44:06,520 Speaker 7: I'm perfectly fine at this point just managing everything myself, 972 00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:10,239 Speaker 7: and I couldn't find anything any website about that. Like, 973 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:13,840 Speaker 7: I know, tax loss harvesting is beneficial, I'm just not 974 00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:16,920 Speaker 7: entirely sure if it's worth one percent and if it's not, like, 975 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:20,560 Speaker 7: is that even something I can do easily myself through Fidelity, 976 00:44:20,719 --> 00:44:23,520 Speaker 7: Schwab or any of those low cost brokers. 977 00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:26,640 Speaker 2: Thanks all right, Steve, That actually is something that you 978 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 2: can do yourself, but at least those three big brokerage companies, 979 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:35,879 Speaker 2: they don't necessarily have any special tools built into their 980 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:38,440 Speaker 2: brokerage accounts, but it is something that you can do 981 00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:40,120 Speaker 2: yourself with that we'll get to here in a second. 982 00:44:40,160 --> 00:44:43,719 Speaker 2: But first off, let's discuss what tax loss harvesting is. 983 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:46,960 Speaker 2: And basically, it's when you sell securities at a loss 984 00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:50,040 Speaker 2: in order to reduce your tax burden for that year. 985 00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:53,359 Speaker 2: But you aren't just cashing out. What you're doing is 986 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:57,040 Speaker 2: you're actually rebuying a similar fund, not so similar that 987 00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:00,000 Speaker 2: you'd be subject to the wash sale rule, but similar 988 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:03,320 Speaker 2: enough allowing you to stay invested while saving on taxes. 989 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:05,919 Speaker 2: So it's a it's a neat strategy that can help 990 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:11,399 Speaker 2: you to reduce taxation, specifically in taxable brokerage accounts. So 991 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:13,800 Speaker 2: for instance, this is like it's excelling an S and 992 00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:16,920 Speaker 2: P five hundred fund moving to a total stock market fund. 993 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:18,959 Speaker 2: And this is a good example because this is something 994 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 2: I literally did within a brokerage account, but I've only 995 00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:23,960 Speaker 2: ever done it once, did it last year once we 996 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,560 Speaker 2: saw some big losses in the market. But because of 997 00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:30,800 Speaker 2: the tax advantaged nature of retirement specific accounts, so like 998 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:34,920 Speaker 2: four h one k's iras, tax loss harvesting is not 999 00:45:35,360 --> 00:45:38,600 Speaker 2: a thing on those accounts. And hopefully the bulk of 1000 00:45:38,640 --> 00:45:43,000 Speaker 2: your investment dollars are within these tax advantage retirement accounts 1001 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:45,160 Speaker 2: that we like the most, So hopefully we're just talking 1002 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:47,240 Speaker 2: about a small sliver of money that you have invested 1003 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:48,920 Speaker 2: within a taxable broken. 1004 00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:51,480 Speaker 1: Exactly, which means tax loss harvesting is a cool tool, 1005 00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:54,400 Speaker 1: but it's not going to save you billions, right or 1006 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:57,720 Speaker 1: even probably tens of thousands of dollars. It's a minor 1007 00:45:57,760 --> 00:46:00,000 Speaker 1: tweak to help you reduce tax burn a little bit. 1008 00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 1: And so is your financial planner worth it for the 1009 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:06,480 Speaker 1: tax lost harvesting aspect? Probably not just for that alone. 1010 00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 1: If that's the main thing you think they're providing, that's 1011 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:12,680 Speaker 1: probably not enough to justify them earning their keep. And 1012 00:46:12,719 --> 00:46:16,040 Speaker 1: it sounds like you're confident enough, Steve to diy except 1013 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:18,399 Speaker 1: for maybe just on this front. And I also want 1014 00:46:18,440 --> 00:46:21,399 Speaker 1: to mention that there's a personal element here in this question, Matt, 1015 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:23,920 Speaker 1: because this is advisor is Steve's friend. 1016 00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:26,520 Speaker 2: So water is getting a little murky, which just start 1017 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:28,040 Speaker 2: doing business with friends? Yeah exactly. 1018 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:30,120 Speaker 1: I mean breaking up with your friend is harder than 1019 00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:32,440 Speaker 1: just breaking up with a random financial advisor that you 1020 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:34,719 Speaker 1: don't really know at all. And so just to heads up, 1021 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:37,000 Speaker 1: if you go in this direction, Steve, and you say, 1022 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:39,480 Speaker 1: you know what, if you come to the conclusion that 1023 00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:43,080 Speaker 1: his services aren't worth the one percent fee that he's charging, 1024 00:46:43,520 --> 00:46:45,239 Speaker 1: well you got to figure out how to have that 1025 00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 1: conversation with him. And I wouldn't say avoiding that conversation 1026 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:51,960 Speaker 1: and continuing to pay one percent is the right way 1027 00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:53,799 Speaker 1: to go, But you do have to find a way 1028 00:46:53,840 --> 00:46:55,600 Speaker 1: to talk about how you're going out on your own 1029 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:57,680 Speaker 1: and breaking the news to your friend, right. 1030 00:46:57,680 --> 00:47:00,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's certainly a conversation that's easier had over a beer. 1031 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:03,120 Speaker 2: Make sure you pay for the beer, Yeah exactly, that's 1032 00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:05,839 Speaker 2: the perfect way to break up pay for the beers. Yeah. Well, 1033 00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:09,839 Speaker 2: and the other consideration too is this is a relationship 1034 00:47:09,840 --> 00:47:12,800 Speaker 2: that you should call into question, especially when robo advisors 1035 00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:15,920 Speaker 2: are out there like Betterment and they include tax loss 1036 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:18,680 Speaker 2: harvesting within like they charge a small fee. I think 1037 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:21,160 Speaker 2: it's zero point two five percent. This would be a 1038 00:47:21,239 --> 00:47:23,759 Speaker 2: drastic reduction from what it is that you're paying now. 1039 00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:26,759 Speaker 2: And then in Betterment they even offer something they call 1040 00:47:26,920 --> 00:47:31,240 Speaker 2: tax loss harvesting plus, but they are tax lost harvesting 1041 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:33,560 Speaker 2: via an algorithm, which is pretty cool. It means that 1042 00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:35,640 Speaker 2: you don't have to think about it, which is honestly. 1043 00:47:35,719 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 2: One downside to taking the more DIY approach is because 1044 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:42,960 Speaker 2: if you're always watching the market, you might be paying 1045 00:47:43,080 --> 00:47:47,320 Speaker 2: too close attention to the fluctuations and the volatility in 1046 00:47:47,360 --> 00:47:51,560 Speaker 2: the market, and that could potentially lead you to behaviors 1047 00:47:51,600 --> 00:47:54,919 Speaker 2: and actions, purchases, selling things that you wouldn't normally do 1048 00:47:55,239 --> 00:47:57,000 Speaker 2: if you weren't otherwise watching the market. 1049 00:47:57,120 --> 00:47:59,239 Speaker 1: Your advisor might be doing something similar, or they might 1050 00:47:59,239 --> 00:48:00,600 Speaker 1: say listen, I do it once a year at this 1051 00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:03,440 Speaker 1: time of year. That's when I consider tax loss harvesting 1052 00:48:03,440 --> 00:48:06,400 Speaker 1: to see if it benefits you. Well, the Betterment algorithm 1053 00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:09,800 Speaker 1: might look at it continually along the whole year without 1054 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:10,720 Speaker 1: you having to think about. 1055 00:48:10,520 --> 00:48:12,440 Speaker 2: It's the benefit of relying on the. 1056 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:14,839 Speaker 1: Software saving you a few hundred bucks or maybe even 1057 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:18,600 Speaker 1: more on the tax loss harvesting front via an algorithm, 1058 00:48:18,680 --> 00:48:21,160 Speaker 1: so that you're not paying too much attention. Like I 1059 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:24,640 Speaker 1: really actually love the behavioral tools that Betterment has implemented 1060 00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:26,719 Speaker 1: in their robo advisor service, and this is just one 1061 00:48:26,719 --> 00:48:27,400 Speaker 1: of the cool ones. 1062 00:48:27,239 --> 00:48:30,080 Speaker 2: That they have. Yeah, And so on one hand, it's like, well, 1063 00:48:30,360 --> 00:48:32,600 Speaker 2: I don't want to pay even point two five percent 1064 00:48:32,640 --> 00:48:34,560 Speaker 2: when it's something I can do on my own. But 1065 00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:37,080 Speaker 2: you have to take into account how else you're going 1066 00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:40,640 Speaker 2: to be impacted by an outsized portion of your attention 1067 00:48:40,719 --> 00:48:43,200 Speaker 2: going towards your investments. Now that would change you as 1068 00:48:43,239 --> 00:48:43,840 Speaker 2: an individual. 1069 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:47,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, Betterment, I think they say that they've saved customers 1070 00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:49,839 Speaker 1: hundreds of millions of dollars in Oh, I'm sure tax 1071 00:48:49,880 --> 00:48:53,440 Speaker 1: I believe it via their automatic algorithm of tax loss harvests, as. 1072 00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:56,279 Speaker 2: They constantly just tax loss harvests. Yeah, like whenever it's 1073 00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:58,400 Speaker 2: I don't know how the algorithm works, but like, if 1074 00:48:58,440 --> 00:49:00,600 Speaker 2: you were doing it on your own, you could just 1075 00:49:00,600 --> 00:49:03,680 Speaker 2: set up a simple rule, like a strategy like Okay, 1076 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:07,200 Speaker 2: if the market dips below seven percent fifteen percent, I 1077 00:49:07,239 --> 00:49:09,400 Speaker 2: will sell this and I will buy this instead. And 1078 00:49:09,440 --> 00:49:11,040 Speaker 2: so if you are going to DILI it, make sure 1079 00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:12,560 Speaker 2: that you have some simple rules like that in place. 1080 00:49:12,600 --> 00:49:15,800 Speaker 1: And we're not anti advisors, just that for confident DIY investors, 1081 00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:17,799 Speaker 1: we would say a lot of those people don't need 1082 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:21,920 Speaker 1: to pay that fee, especially early on. Well one percent, Well, 1083 00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:23,520 Speaker 1: it ends up costing you. It's a lot more than 1084 00:49:23,560 --> 00:49:25,960 Speaker 1: you'd think over the decades. It sounds so minimal, it 1085 00:49:26,080 --> 00:49:29,400 Speaker 1: sounds so unobtrusive, like, okay, one percent. Yeah, my guesses 1086 00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:32,080 Speaker 1: it'll cost me, sure a rounding error here or there, 1087 00:49:32,160 --> 00:49:35,600 Speaker 1: but no, no, it ends up being significant when it 1088 00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:38,080 Speaker 1: comes down to it. And depending on the amount of 1089 00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:40,960 Speaker 1: money you're socking away, a portfolio that would have otherwise 1090 00:49:40,960 --> 00:49:43,680 Speaker 1: grown to five point eight million dollars over forty years 1091 00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:46,440 Speaker 1: would be slashed to four point three million dollars just 1092 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:48,480 Speaker 1: because of a one percent fee. 1093 00:49:48,480 --> 00:49:49,759 Speaker 2: So one percent adds up. 1094 00:49:49,840 --> 00:49:52,120 Speaker 1: Is your advisor worth one point five million dollars? That 1095 00:49:52,440 --> 00:49:54,799 Speaker 1: is the question you have to ask yourself. Obviously, if 1096 00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:58,160 Speaker 1: we're talking lower, smaller numbers, we're talking about a lesser 1097 00:49:58,200 --> 00:50:01,720 Speaker 1: bite out of that retirement account, but still one percent 1098 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:04,520 Speaker 1: fees over the years add up in a meaningful way, 1099 00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:07,240 Speaker 1: and I think you're right to question whether you're getting 1100 00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:08,520 Speaker 1: enough bang for the Bucksty And. 1101 00:50:08,520 --> 00:50:10,040 Speaker 2: When you put it in that kind of perspective, one 1102 00:50:10,040 --> 00:50:11,959 Speaker 2: and a half million dollars, I'm like, I'd be willing 1103 00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:14,000 Speaker 2: to spend more than just like covering the beer. I'm like, 1104 00:50:14,040 --> 00:50:16,680 Speaker 2: we're gonna go to a nice stake dinner and we're 1105 00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:19,960 Speaker 2: gonna have nice dinner, maybe even a bottle of wine. 1106 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:23,600 Speaker 2: Nicest breakup of your life. But Steve, hopefully that gives 1107 00:50:23,640 --> 00:50:26,040 Speaker 2: you the information you need and at least the things 1108 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:28,160 Speaker 2: to consider as you are trying to figure out whether 1109 00:50:28,239 --> 00:50:31,040 Speaker 2: or not this makes sense for you. But Joel, that's 1110 00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:34,040 Speaker 2: five questions and five answers delivered. So we're going to 1111 00:50:34,080 --> 00:50:35,760 Speaker 2: get back to the beer that you and I enjoyed. 1112 00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:40,479 Speaker 2: Mission accomplished, Matt, this is a generous characterization of those 1113 00:50:40,560 --> 00:50:43,960 Speaker 2: you remember otherwise. Of course, this is a Burial beer, 1114 00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:45,719 Speaker 2: And I don't know if you've mentioned this in a minute, 1115 00:50:45,760 --> 00:50:48,400 Speaker 2: but Burial is out of Asheville, North Carolina. They make 1116 00:50:48,440 --> 00:50:52,440 Speaker 2: some of the most amazing IPAs New England hazes as 1117 00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:56,279 Speaker 2: well as some massive Imperial stouts, and they definitely weren't 1118 00:50:56,280 --> 00:50:58,120 Speaker 2: messing around with this one either. What were your thoughts? 1119 00:50:58,320 --> 00:51:01,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, another big one, and this one had French toast 1120 00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:03,440 Speaker 1: vibes going on in a big way. Oh yeah, the cinnamon, 1121 00:51:03,520 --> 00:51:06,440 Speaker 1: the toastiness. Yeah, the cinnamon and I think the specifically 1122 00:51:06,520 --> 00:51:09,680 Speaker 1: the coconut. Yeah, those are the two flavors that in 1123 00:51:09,719 --> 00:51:11,560 Speaker 1: my mind set this one, apart from I guess the 1124 00:51:11,600 --> 00:51:14,319 Speaker 1: one we had the last Wednesday, super boozy and yeah 1125 00:51:14,440 --> 00:51:17,319 Speaker 1: again yet again like nice sweetness on the edge too, 1126 00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:20,040 Speaker 1: So it's it's not overwhelmingly bitter, which a lot of 1127 00:51:20,040 --> 00:51:23,160 Speaker 1: these giant stouts are. But so yeah, I mean I 1128 00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:25,279 Speaker 1: think Buryl knows what they're doing on the IPA front, 1129 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:26,360 Speaker 1: but on the stout front too. 1130 00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:30,040 Speaker 2: That's right. Yeah, So if you dig stouts, specifically Imperial 1131 00:51:30,080 --> 00:51:32,839 Speaker 2: pastry stouts, then be sure to check out Burial. They're 1132 00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:35,600 Speaker 2: out of Asheville, North Carolina. But that's gonna be it, 1133 00:51:35,640 --> 00:51:38,040 Speaker 2: Buddy of four this episode, listeners can find our show 1134 00:51:38,080 --> 00:51:40,560 Speaker 2: notes up on the website at howamoney dot com. But 1135 00:51:40,719 --> 00:51:44,080 Speaker 2: until next time, best Friends Out, Best Friends Out,