Money and Marriage Podcast

Real financial planning isn't just about fixing problems - it's about dreaming big, setting tangible goals in alignment with these dreams, and creating a life that you love. In this episode, we discuss how to shift from just getting by financially to financially thriving.Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Many high-income couples assume that making more money will solve their financial stress. But more income on its own might not give you financial security or piece of mind. In this episode, we explore why making more money doesn't automatically lead to financial success - and what to do about it.Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

All of us have blind spots when it comes to aspects of our financial lives. In this episode, we discuss some of the most common blind spots I see couples facing when it comes to their finances and how to handle them. Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

We tend to think of money as a purely quantitative topic. But in reality, money is deeply rooted in our emotions, values, and our personal histories.This episode explores why money triggers such strong emotions, how these emotions drive and shape our financial behaviors, and discusses some strategies couples can use to make good financial decisions in the context of our emotions.Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

A financial plan for your family will only work if it reflects both you and your spouse's values, goals, and long-term dreams. In this episode, we break down the three key steps you need to create a financial roadmap for your family that honors both of your perspectives to help you strengthen your financial bottom line and your marriage.Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

In this episode, we discuss the conversation you should have with your spouse to align your money with what's most important to you as a family.To get a copy of my book, Marriage-Centered Money: Get on the Same Financial Page and Achieve Your Life Goals Together, visit http://marriagecenteredmoney.com/Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Not being on the same financial page as your spouse can take many forms. Whether you're fighting about money or avoiding talking about it entirely, many couples don't realize the damage financial disconnection is doing to their marriage until it's too late.In this episode, we explore the hidden emotional and financial costs of not being on the same financial page.Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com or visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

One of the most common sources of money fights for couples is over personal or discretionary spending. In this episode, we discuss a few different ways to build "fun money" into your budget without fighting about money or derailing your goals as a family. Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com

Nervous about how the stock market will react to tariffs, potential trade wars, and everything else in the news? This is the episode for you. Learn the #1 question you need to answer before reacting to fears of a stock market downturn, and much more!Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com

In this episode, we discuss eight specific money steps you should take as you get ready to have a child. Plus, an exciting personal annoucement that may or may not be related to the episode topic! Have questions or want to schedule a free breakthrough session? Email bill@pacesetterplanning.com

When most of us think about financial differences in a marriage, differences about saving and spending preferences are usually the first things that come to mind. But couples disagreeing about whether and how they should be taking investing risks, or financial risks more broadly, are just as common. In this episode, we discuss how to handle these disagreements in detail. To book a free breakthrough session, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Back in episode 146, we discussed how to set financial resolutions that actually work. So rather than rehash this topic in our first episode for 2025, I wanted to dive into a growing financial trend that worries me and what to do about it. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠ https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Two different thoughts on how to approach financial changes in 2025. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

What can the Cold War teach couples about financial conflict? More than you might think. Tune into this episode of the Money and Marriage Podcast to learn more. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

In this episode, we discuss the various factors you should consider when picking a health insurance plan. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

If you've ever looked at a compound interest graph and wished that you were able to start investing sooner, this episode is for you. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Whatever it is that you're worried about financially - you're not alone. And if you look around at your peers and feel like you're behind, know that it many cases, there's more going on in other people's financial lives than meets the eye. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Financial planning for couples will help you get on the same financial page, set ambitious and extraordinary goals, and achieve them. Usually, the results that couples get from my financial planning process occur in four distinct phases. We discuss each of them in this week's episode. Episode 136 - Measuring Results in Financial Planning for Couples To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

We've done a few different episodes on how couples should set up your bank accounts and how they should budget... but we've spent very little time talking about how couples should *manage* their budget. In this episode, I share my proven, four-step process for couples to manage their money together - in only twenty minutes per month! To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Yes, there is a reason we're talking about New Year's Resolutions in September. Tune into the episode to learn more! To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact Past episodes mentioned: #105, Summer Vacations Shouldn't Derail Your Savings Plan https://open.spotify.com/episode/7whumRAezAavz7TtIkGwXh?si=158a1938bdce4e8c #107, Make Faster Financial Progress by Slowing Down https://open.spotify.com/episode/52xWAmc9mZOvyHwg2JjMZQ?si=ad7bbfd37e604de4

There are a lot of financial decisions when you get married. Here are 35 tips to help you and your spouse handle your newlywed finances. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact/

Most couples dislike budgeting... and not coincidentally, most couples approach budgeting the wrong way. In this episode, learn the right way to build a budget as a couple - without fighting about money - in a way that you'll actually stick with! To access the resources mentioned in this week's episode, email me: bill@pacesetterplanning.com To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

If you and your spouse have ever felt paralyzed by big, difficult financial choices, this episode is for you. Learn two (and a half) specific exercises you can use to improve your financial decision-making in your marriage. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Debt can drive a wedge between spouses more than any other financial issue. In this episode, we discuss the ways in which your spouse's debt will impact you, cases in which your spouse's debt is your responsibility, and how you and your spouse should approach debt as a team. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact Experian article mentioned in the episode: ⁠https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/when-you-get-married-do-you-share-debt/

In this episode we briefly discuss the ways that criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling have a detrimental impact on marriages, and provide several specific strategies to effectively address and overcome these negative communication patterns. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

As a follow-up to Episode 134, I answer a few questions from listeners about why it's so important that both spouses participate together in my financial planning process, and discuss some strategies for getting your spouse on board with the idea of improving your family's financial situation. To access the resources mentioned in this week's episode, check out my book Marriage-Centered Money: Get on the Same Financial Page and Achieve Your Life Goals Together at https://marriagecenteredmoney.com/book To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact⁠⁠

In this episode, we discuss the concept of money scripts and how these unconscious financial beliefs drive our financial decisions. We also discuss why money scripts are often the key to unraveling a couple's financial differences and how to go about addressing money scripts in your marriage. To get access to the money script assessment mentioned in the episode, email bill@pacesetterplanning.com To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact⁠⁠

Back in Episode 76, we first talked about the concept of financial infidelity. In this episode, we discuss several strategies for how to prevent and address financial infidelity in your family To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit ⁠https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact⁠ or email me at bill@pacesetterplanning.com

In this episode, I share what I've learned on my journey from being a financial planning math nerd, to being unexpectedly dubbed a "financial therapist" by several clients, to becoming a Certified Financial Therapist-I™ Practitioner. People often have a preconcieved notion about what financial therapy is - and what it isn't - and we explore these ideas in detail in this episode. To schedule a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact Prior episodes mentioned in the podcast: #2 - My Money and Marriage Story #44 - The Rider, the Elephant, and "Retail Therapy"

The three step framework couples should use to measure progress in their financial plan. Want to learn more? Head to the new and improved https://pacesetterplanning.com/

Back in March, the National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418,000,000 to settle a series of lawsuits about realtor compensation. Longtime listeners of the podcast will know that I've had quite a bit to say about how the real estate industry operates over the years... and while I had initially planned to wait until some of the details were ironed out before weighing in, there were a few things I needed to get off my chest. Enjoy this episode of the podcast!

Over the past six months or so, I've received a number of questions from listeners of the podcast about my work. In this week's episode, I answer a few common questions and take you behind the scenes of my website revamp. To schedule a free breakthrough session, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

"What happens if _____ changes in the future?" is one of the most common questions I get from my financial planning clients. In this episode, we discuss three of the most common future changes I get asked about - college savings, retirement savings, and Social Security.

Money is a really difficult subject to talk about. And at the same time, we all know that communication is one of the keys to a strong marriage. In this episode, we discuss specific tips on how to set up your financial conversations for success, some specific communication patterns to focus on, and how to structure financial conversations to decrease money fights. For more tips, check out my book Marriage-Centered Money: Get on the Same Financial Page and Achieve Your Life Goals Together at ⁠⁠https://marriagecenteredmoney.com/book

To get your new family off on the right foot, it's critically important to have a proven strategy for how to merge finances after marriage. In this episode, we discuss nine tips for couples on how to combine finances in a way that is customized to you and your spouse's unique money habits, attitudes, and values. Check out my book Marriage-Centered Money: Get on the Same Financial Page and Achieve Your Life Goals Together at ⁠https://marriagecenteredmoney.com/book If you want to read the article I mentioned toward the end of this episode on picking health insurance plans, check out https://pacesetterplanning.com/pickinghealthinsurance/

In this week's episode, we discuss the one question I'll never answer for a client, and why I won't answer it. We then shift gears to focus on how to think about the underlying question in a way that is more in line with the goals in your plan. Additionally, we discus a scheduling change - episodes will now be coming out every other Thursday, but they will be significantly longer than previous episodes. Love the format change? Hate the format change? Either way, email me (bill at pacesetterplanning dot com) and let me know!

In this week's episode, we highlight four of the most common financial questions and issues that couples face, and reference several statistics and academic research findings that I often see cited in each of these areas. Unfortunately, I often see people draw false or incomplete conclusions from these data points. My hope is that by adding some context based on what I've seen work for hundreds of couples, you and your spouse will be able to avoid some of the most common money and marriage problems I see. Want help working through these items? You can book a free, no-obligation intro call at https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

In this week's episode, we walk through four specific steps you can take to get on the same financial page as your spouse. If you'd like access to the full "get on the same financial page" video series mentioned in the episode, head to https://newlywedfinancialsuccess.com/samepage And if you'd like to build the foundation of your family's financial plan in the next two weeks, I encourage you to enroll in the Newlywed Money Bootcamp: https://newlywedfinancialsuccess.com/bootcamp

Roughly 80%-90% of New Year's Resolutions fail. The data varies from study to study, but research consistently shows that New Year's Resolutions are not an effective way to create lasting change. In this episode, we discuss a strategy to make your 2024 financial goals much more likely to stick.

Overspending, emotional spending, or "retail therapy" is a topic you'll hear plenty about on financial blogs... but I like to think this is a little bit of a different twist on the subject. In this "throwback" episode of the Money and Marriage Podcast (originally published three years ago!), we explore some strategies to handle emotional spending. Enjoy!

There are two ways to make money: by working for income (getting paid by others), or by building assets (getting paid by things that you save or build). In this week's episode, I take you behind the scenes to share my perspective on the difference between these two types of incomes, and share a change I'll be making to this podcast in early January based on this concept.

If you (or your partner) were presented with a great job opportunity, but it required you to relocate halfway across the country... would accepting the job be a no-brainer decision, completely off the table, or something to discuss? There's no universally right or wrong answer to this question, since it involves balancing multiple priorities for your family. This week's episode will help give you a framework to work through this issue if it were to ever arise for your family.

You might not think of Charles Dickens' novel "A Christmas Carol" as a good place to learn investing principles... but there's one line of the book that highlights the importance of international diversification in a way you might not expect. Tune into this week's episode to learn more!

"If you don't make a change, bad things are going to happen in the future." You often hear financial planners use this sort of language to try to inspire you to pay down debt, increase your retirement savings, and so on. The problem with this sort of sentiment is that it often does very little to actually *inspire* change. This sort of sentiment ignores a key step in the process to create meaningful and lasting change. We dive deeper into this concept - with an assist from a famous story - in this week's episode.

Most of us are hard-wired to focus more on our financial stresses and anxieties than our financial successes. And while there's certainly nothing wrong with spending most of your energy working on your financial stresses, spending too much time focusing on the negative can burn you out, make you disengage, or lead to money fights. In this special Thanksgiving edition of the Money and Marriage Podcast, I talk through the benefits of starting financial conversations with what's going *well* rather than what's going wrong.

Back in Episode 102, I cautioned about relying on forecasts from "expert" mortgage lenders who expect mortgage rates to fall in the next year or two. This statement prompted a great question that I wanted to discuss in this week's episode: what's the difference between making decisions based on these sorts of interest rate forecasts and making investment decisions based on expectations around how much you expect your investments to earn? Tune in to learn more! To schedule a free consultation with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

It's hard to believe that I started my company seven years ago this week! In this episode, I share seven lessons that I've learned over the past seven years about money, marriage, and everything in between. To book a free breakthrough session with me, visit https://pacesetterplanning.com/contact

Done right, financial planning protects your family's future - and sometimes, that means addressing questions that aren't fun to discuss. In this week's episode, I walk through a trend I'm seeing among the millennial couples I meet with, and why you might want to reconsider following this trend. Tune in to learn more!

Improper financial boundary issues can take many forms. Boundaries can be too rigid, too fluid, or not exist at all. Financial boundary issues can involve two spouses, their parents or in-laws, and their children. We discuss all of these boundary issues - and more - in this week's podcast episode.

We throw around the word "risk" a lot in the financial planning world, but we don't always do a good job at having a multi-faceted discussion on the nature of financial risks and how to address each of them. In this week's episode, we talk about the various types of risks that you face financially and discuss a framework for how to appropriately balance these risks.

Anger is a normal human emotion. If money is one of the primary sources of stress and conflicts for couples, it is only to be expected that anger related to financial decisions or situations in your family will arise from time to time. In this week's episode, we talk about how to explore what your anger is trying to communicate to you, and how to appropriately navigate this emotion.