The Rob Berger Show

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Personal finance for smart people by the host of the Dough Roller Money Podcast. Rather than forcing you into a one-size-fits-all financial plan, we discuss the tools, resources, and strategies that will empower you to make the best money decisions for yo

Rob Berger


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 215 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Rob Berger Show is an exceptional podcast that offers invaluable insights into the world of investing. As someone who was a fan of the Dough Roller podcast, I find that The Rob Berger Show serves as a fantastic continuation of that previous series. What sets this podcast apart is Rob's inclusion of YouTube videos, which provide visual aids and allow viewers to see what he is doing on his computer. This added element enhances the learning experience and makes it easier for listeners to grasp complex investment concepts.

    One of the best aspects of The Rob Berger Show is how it caters to lay investors. Rob provides a comprehensive overview of investing that is easy for beginners to understand while still being informative for more experienced individuals. His recommendations align perfectly with the philosophy of Bogleheads, which emphasizes low-cost index fund investing. I appreciate how Rob consistently adheres to this philosophy but also offers valuable insights on adjusting it at the margins. This flexibility demonstrates his deep understanding of investment principles and provides listeners with a well-rounded perspective.

    While it is difficult to pinpoint any significant shortcomings in this podcast, one minor drawback may be its heavy focus on investing topics. While this will undoubtedly attract investors looking for guidance, those seeking more varied content may feel limited by the narrow scope. However, given that the podcast's primary aim is to provide investment insights, this specialization can be seen as a strength rather than a weakness.

    In conclusion, I highly recommend The Rob Berger Show podcast to anyone interested in delving into the world of investing. It offers clear and concise presentations with great clarity in approach, making it accessible to both novice and seasoned investors alike. Rob's consistency in delivering valuable information ensures that listeners walk away with actionable advice and a deeper understanding of investment strategies. Whether you are a Boglehead or simply looking for sound investment guidance, give this podcast a listen – you won't be disappointed!



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    Latest episodes from The Rob Berger Show

    RBS 215: How To Invest In Your 20s (It's easier than you think)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 23:10


    I viewer named Eileen asked about how her children, who are in their twenties, should invest. Here's her question: Can you do a video on constructing a retirement account (Roth) for my 20 year old kids? They are contributing 15%. I am thinking 10% VGSLX, 10% VSIAX, 30% VTIAX and 50% either VTSAX or VVIAX. Your thoughts please.In this video I'll walk through the 3 goals of long-term investing, evaluate Eileen's proposed portfolio, and look at one alternative.Empower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-20Morningstar: https://www.morningstar.com/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 214: Does a Market Crash Change the 4% Rule? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 24:01


    In today's Five Question Friday we look at these 5 questions:1. Does a Market Crash Change How to Use the 4% Rule?2. How do bond ETFs generate returns?3. Are Timothy Funds a good option?4. Is Fidelity HSA a solid account?5. What's better in retirement, Schwab Intelligent Portfolios or a TDR Fund?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 213: I Attended a Free Dinner Investment Seminar--Here's what happened.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 22:35


    In this video, I share my experience attending a free dinner investment seminar. The seminar was allegedly to help investors handle volatility in the markets. Instead, it turned out to be a sales pitch for expensive, complex investing products like a leveraged options strategy.Here are links to the resources I mention in the video:SPIVA Report: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/res...Concentration of SP500: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/v...Vanguard Lont-Term Bond Fund: https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xna...Paper on Tax Loss Harvesting: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 212: Should You Contribute to a 401k That Has No Employer Match? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 22:32


    In this edition of Five Question Friday (FQF), we look at these five questions:1. My 401k is not employer matched, should I stop contributing to my employer 401k and open a Roth IRA instead?2. Where should we keep cash we'll need to spend in 12 to 18 months?3. Can you implement the bucket strategy in Boldin?4. SCHD + TIPS & Chill?5. Do Short-Term Treasury Bills provide the same inflation protection as TIPS?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 211: When Should You Change Your Asset Allocation? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 27:03


    In today's Five Question Friday (FQF) we'll tackle the following questions:1. Is now a good time to change your asset allocation?2. Do target date funds force you to sell stocks in a down market?3. Does the IRS treat the withdrawal of dividends as taking out earnings or contributions from a Roth IRA?4. Is an 80% Chance of Success in Retirement reasonable?5. How much should you allocate to international stocks?Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...FICalc: https://ficalc.app/Chance of Success Guardrail Articles:https://www.kitces.com/blog/monte-car...https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/ris...https://www.kitces.com/blog/probabili...https://www.morningstar.com/retiremen...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 210: Where I'm Keeping My Cash: T-Bills, Money Market Funds, CDs or Savings Accounts?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 9:58


    In this video, I'll run down several high-yield options for your cash. I'll also discuss where we are keeping our cash today.Bank Bonuses: https://www.allcards.com/best-bank-bo...CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/cd-rates/Savings Rates: https://www.allcards.com/savings-acco...No-Penalty CD Rates: https://www.allcards.com/no-penalty-c...Vanguard Money Market Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/investm...Schwab Money Market Funds: https://www.schwab.com/money-market-f...T-Bill Yields: https://home.treasury.gov/resource-ce...Nerdwallet T-Bill Account: https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/nerdwall... Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 209: The 5 Biggest Risks in Retirement According to Experts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 11:04


    The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College recently surveyed financial advisors, asking what the major risks were to their clients' retirement. In this video, we'll look at the top 5 risks financial advisors identified, and compare them to the five biggest risks according to retirees.Here's the study: https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads...ProjectionLab (Use Code RBERGER-10 for a 10% discount): https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 208: Is It Safe To Link Financial Accounts To Budget Apps? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 27:15


    Here are today's Five Question Friday (FQF):1. Are financial apps safe?2. Can you help me understand the risk of bonds?3. How are mutual fund dividends taxed?4. How should we think about annuities for retirement income?5. Does Ben Felix hate index funds?Ben Felix video:    • The Problem With Index Funds  Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 207: Should We Do a Roth Conversion Now? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 34:07


    Here are the five questions we'll cover in this week's edition of Five Question Friday:1. Is now a good time to do a Roth conversion? (John)2. Mutual Funds vs ETFs (Shane)3. Should we invest more in international stocks? (Phil)4. Is Gold a hedge against inflation? (Cathy)5. Has 2025 wrecked our retirement plans? (Doug)ResourcesBoldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-fqfProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 206: Is Now a Good Time to Start Investing? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 18:54


    Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). We actually have 6 questions today plus a free investment tracking tool:1. Do I send Facebook friend requests to viewers?2. Is this a good time to start investing?3. Is rebalancing in volatile times just market timing?4. If following the 4% rule, should the amount you pay in taxes be included?5. Should an emergency fund be part of your asset allocation?6. What is your opinion of using T-bills for cash instead of CDs or bonds? Investment Tracking Tool: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 205: A Smarter Way to Model TIPS Ladders in Retirement Planning Software

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 17:10


    A viewer named John emailed me the following question: "I'm planning to build a 5yr TIPS ladder to provide some inflation protected income in the years before Medicare and SS.  How do I model that "account" in Boldin??"It's a great question, and it gives us the opportunity to look at an often overlooked feature of retirement planning software--pension income. Yes, a TIPS ladder can be modeled as pension income. We'll look at it in both Boldin and ProjectionLab.Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/boldin/yt-ti...ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla... (use code RBERGER-10 for a 10% discount)TIPSLadder: https://www.tipsladder.com/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 204: Savings Account vs Bond Fund (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 21:34


    Here are the questions for this week's Five Question Friday (FQF):1. Are savings accounts better than bond funds?2. Can you please explain nominal and real returns?3. Does it matter if the market is up or down if you do a Roth conversion?4. Will I be taxed twice on reinvested dividends?5. Do you really need more than one broker?Bonus Question: What camera and mic are you using?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 203: Traditional vs Roth 401k: The Optimal Strategy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 11:55


    Choosing between traditional and Roth 401k contributions is difficult. It forces us to make a guess about our taxes years or even decades from now. In this video, we'll discuss some of the factors that can affect this decision. And then, I'll share one strategy that may make the decision much easier.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 202: Could Fake Inflation Data Destroy the Value of TIPS? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 26:36


    Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the five questions we'll cover:1. Will fake inflation data destroy TIPS?2. How should a pension affect your asset allocation?3. Do advisors really add 3% to your returns?4. TIPS Ladder vs TIPS Fund5. Investing in a Roth vs Traditional Retirement AccountJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 201: Here's When Social Security Runs Out of Money

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 17:07


    According to the latest report from the Board of Trustees of Social Security, it will become insolvent in 2033. Without money in the trust fund to bolster tax receipts. The Social Security Administration will only be able to pay out 79 cents on the dollar in benefits.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 200: 9 Retirement Planning Mistakes You May Be Making

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 18:41


    Retirement planning requires that we make a lot of assumptions about the future. From all of these assumptions and other data, most software spits out a "Chance of Success." That number can make the future appear more certain than it is. In fact, many people make some big mistakes with their retirement plans.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 199: Should You Build a TIPS Ladder in Retirement? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 28:15


    Welcome to Five Question Friday! Here are the questions we'll cover in today's video:1. Should You Build a TIPS Ladder in Retirement?2. Are Vanguard's LifeStrategy Funds a Reasonable Choice in Retirement?3. Is the 40/60 Portfolio the New 60/40 Portfolio?4. How many investment brokers do I use?5. How to rebalance across different account types?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 198: 3 Financial Apps Worth Paying For in Retirement (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 27:33


    In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we tackle these five fantastic questions:1. What financial apps are worth paying for in or near retirement?2. How do you enter money market funds into your investment tracking spreadsheet?3. Is it safe to link accounts to apps?4. Can you comment on Bill Bernstein's comment that if you've won the game, stop playing?5. Is Larry Kotlikoff's criticism of Boldin justified?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 197: 7 Golden Rules of Retirement Withdrawal Strategies

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 25:32


    Retirement withdrawal strategies are about a lot more than just the 4% rule or safe withdrawal rates. To better understand how they work and how you can apply them to your retirement, this video walks through 7 rules I follow when it comes to spending down your investments in retirement.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 196: Are Dividends Guaranteed Income? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 23:15


    In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we have five more great questions sent in by viewers:1. Should we think of dividends as guaranteed income?2. Should we invest in our HSA the same way we invest in our Roth IRA?3. How should you pay tax on a Roth Conversion?4. Should you get long-term care insurance?5. Should our investing strategy change as our wealth rises?WSJ Article on LTC insurance: https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/...Fidelity Alternative Investments: https://www.fidelity.com/go/alternati... Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 195: How to Invest During Economic Chaos: Tariffs, DOGE & Deficit Concerns

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 15:27


    In this video, I'll describe my approach to investing in uncertain times. To do so, I'll enlist the help of the D.C. subway system, Sir Isaac Newton, and the 1970s.The 60/40 Solution: https://www.safalniveshak.com/wp-cont...Sir Isaac Newton Paper: https://www.sfu.ca/~poitras/cjh_newto...The Telegraph Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...Stocks for the Long Run: https://amzn.to/4hyy0hzStay the Course: https://amzn.to/4hq4HOh150 Years of Stock Market Crashes: https://www.morningstar.com/economy/w...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 194: How to Hire A Financial Advisor (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 26:30


    In today's Five Question Friday (FQF), we cover the following:1. Some thoughts on how to hire a financial advisor2. Whether to consider Medicare premiums in your Roth conversion analysis3. How Social Security should affect our asset allocation in retirement4. How variable income should affect how we invest5. Whether I sold U.S. stocks to buy International stocks this year.Resources mentioned in the video:Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...List of Low Cost Advisors: https://robberger.com/low-cost-financ...My newsletter signup: https://robberger.com/newsletter/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 193: My Portfolio Update And Changes to the Investment Tracking Spreadsheet (March 2025)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 18:51


    In this video, I'll share with you my current investment portfolio, including a big change I made in our traditional retirement accounts. I'll also share an update to my free investment tracking spreadsheet.https://robberger.com/investment-trac...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 192: Should You Reduce Your Stock Exposure for Today's Market Valuations: 60/40 vs 40/60

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 17:16


    With stock valuations near all-time highs in the U.S., many people are asking whether we should reduce or exposure to stocks. In fact, a recent Vanguard market outlook report concluded that a typical 60/40 retirement portfolio may be too rich, and that a 40/60 portfolio is a better option in this valuation environment.This video is my take on all of this.Resources:Vanguard Report: https://corporate.vanguard.com/conten...Bogleheads Forum Post: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 191: The Bond Funds I Use To Protect My Retirement Portfolio (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 27:00


    Welcome back to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are today's questions:1. What bond funds do I use in my portfolio?2. Do you really need an emergency fund?3. How does living off interest work with Bengen's 4% rule? 4. How to track money market funds in my investment tracking spreadsheet?5.  Are money market funds better than intermediate-term bond funds?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 190: Warren Buffett Just Dumped Berkshire's S&P 500 Index Funds. Should we?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 10:17


    Warren Buffett recently sol 100% of the two S&P 500 index funds Berkshire Hathaway owned, including Vanguard's VOO. In this video, we'll look at whether we should too.News Article: https://www.investors.com/etfs-and-fu...Berkshire's Stock Holdings: https://www.dataroma.com/m/holdings.p...Berkshire's Net Stock Sales: https://x.com/dividend_data/status/18...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 189: These Fidelity Funds Beat a Vanguard 3-Fund Portfolio (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 35:07


    Welcome to another edition of Five Question Friday (FQF). Here are the 5 questions:1. Can one Fidelity fund beat the Vanguard 3-fund portfolio?2. How do expense ratios work with fund of funds?3. Concerning the 4% rule, which I believe the analysis runs out for 30 years, if someone starts to take a yearly percentage out of their portfolio at a later age, say in their mid-70s, can the starting point of 4% be safely increased, and to what?4. How to Track a Complicated Portfolio5. What should we make of Vanguard's paper that indicates a better asset allocation for retirement income is a majority of bonds (like 40% equities, 60% bonds!) as opposed to long-established portfolios that are more like 60/40 in favor of equities.  Even Bill Bengen didn't recommend going below 50% equities, right?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 188: ProjectionLab Review (w/ Updates and Promo Code)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 27:32


    Get 10% off the cost of ProjectionLab with promo code RBERGER-10 using this link: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla....In today's video, we'll look at the following features of ProjectionLab:1. Export/Import Data2. Income/Expense3. Tax Analytics4. Drawdowns5. Bond AllocationJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 187: SEC Fines Vanguard $106.41 Million Over Target Date Fund Snafu

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 7:36


    Today, the SEC announced a $106.41 million settlement with Vanguard following moves Vanguard made in 2020 that resulted in excessive capital gains distributions to retail investors. In this video, I'll walk through the settlement order and what it means to investors.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 186: A Simple Way to Leave Your Financial Advisor to Invest On Your Own Without Fear (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 27:09


    In today's episode of Five Question Friday (FQF), we start with a strategy you might consider if you want to leave your expensive financial advisor but you are afraid of going it alone. Here are all the questions in today's show:1. How to leave your financial advisor2. TIPS ladder vs BND3. Are Target Date Funds a Reasonable Option4. If a person has over $250,000 in a Fidelity account, should they open up another account - say with Vanguard, Schwab, M1 Finance, or perhaps another brokerage - elsewhere as well?5. How do we rebalance assets in Boldin? If we enter a 60/40 portfolio today, after a few years, it turns into 80/20, which means the software is not rebalancing automatically.2. For the BND fund, what rate of return will you use?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 185: Are Investment Banks Worth the High Fees? FQF

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 21:48


    We start this week's Five Question Friday (FQF) with a question about whether a 2% investment fee is crazy. Here are the five questions:1. Am I crazy to be paying a 2% fee to manage my investments at Morgan Stanley?2. Can you analyze 100% BND versus 50% BND and 50% VIPSX.3. In Boldin, what are you setting as projected returns?4. How should I invest if I don't need the money in retirement?5. Is direct indexing worth the cost and complexity?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 184: 13 Must-Do Financial Steps To Take Five Years Before You Retire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 18:14


    With five years to go before retirement, there are several steps you can and should take to prepare. In this video, I'll cover 13 things to consider as your retirement date draws closer.Resources mentioned:Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...Tiller: https://go.robberger.com/tiller/yt-5-...Rocket Money: https://go.robberger.com/rocket-money...Lunch Money: https://go.robberger.com/lunch-money/...Vanguard Asset Allocation: https://investor.vanguard.com/investo...Open Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 183: 2025 Annual Portfolio Review Checklist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 21:13


    At least once a year it's important to review your investment portfolio and make any necessary adjustments. Here are the 10 things I check every year:1. Write down your planned asset allocation2. Compare your actual allocation to your plan3. Evaluate individual holdings4. Evaluate your asset location5. Confirm you have beneficiaries listed for each account6. Check your performance for the past year7. Check for excessive stock concentration8. Evaluate your advisor relationship & fees9. Make sure you have 2FA on all financial accounts and email10. Evaluate if you can simplify your portfolioResourcesEmpower: https://go.robberger.com/empower/yt-y...Investment Tracking Spreadsheet: https://robberger.com/investment-trac...Morningstar: https://www.morningstar.com/ETF Overlap Tool: https://www.etfrc.com/funds/overlap.phpJoin the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 182: The Case Against After-Tax Asset Allocation (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2025 25:07


    Welcome to this week's edition of Five Question Friday. Here are the questions we'll be covering today:1. Should you include the value of your home in your asset allocation?2. Should we tilt our portfolio to 10% SCV?3. After-Tax Asset allocation4. Tips Ladders vs ETFs: If for example we had 500k for our fixed assets portion of our portfolio, what are your thoughts on building multiple TIPs ladders with all 500k to meet our retirement goals vs. a more diversified mixof t-bills, CDs, Agency, Corporate, and TIPs?  I am leaning toward the more "diversified mix."5. Roth conversions and Rate of Return AssumptionsResources:Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...Bolgeheads' Wiki: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Tax-a...Reichenstein Article: https://www.financialplanningassociat...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 181: Is The New Safe Withdrawal Rate 3.7%?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2025 23:48


    Morningstar recently released its annual State of Retirement Income report. According to its calculations, the new safe withdrawal rate is 3.7%. The report offers some excellent data and analysis that can help us as we build our retirement income strategy.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 180: 9 Questions I Get Asked Almost Every Day About Investing

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 36:44


    Over the past four years I've received tens of thousands of questions about investing from viewers. I've assembled 9 of the most frequently asked questions in this video. Here they are:1. Should you pay off debt or start investing?2. How do I get started investing?3. Is 100% stocks a reasonable portfolio?4. S&P 500 vs Total Stock Market Index5. Why do I need international stocks?6. Should I invest in Bitcoin?7. How do you know when you can retire?8. Lump Sum vs DCA9. How can I increase my savings rate?Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 179: Should We Wait for a Market Crash Before Investing? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 24:46


    Welcome back to another edition of Five Question Friday. For this FQF, we cover the following five questions:1. Should we wait to invest until stock valuations come down?2. Does it matter if we pay the tax on a Roth conversion from a taxable account?3. Are dividend stock ETFs a reasonable alternative to bonds?4. Why is the 3 bucket portfolio so popular?5. Should are planned spending in retirement be based on a percentage of our pre-retirement income?Best retirement planners: https://robberger.com/best-retirement...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 178: Boldin vs. Pralana vs. ProjectionLab: Chance of Success Comparison

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 16:08


    Do retirement planning tools calculate the same chance of success if given the same retirement plan? That's what I wanted to know, so I compared Boldin, Pralana and ProjectionLab. The results shocked me.Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...Pralana: https://go.robberger.com/pralana/yt-c...ProjectionLab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 177: Is a 100% Stock Portfolio in Retirement Best? (FQF)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2024 20:36


    In this Five Question Friday (FQF), we'll be tackling the following viewer questions:1. Is a 100% stock portfolio the best option during retirement?2. How does the 5-year rule on Roth conversions work?3. Should long-term investors invest in bonds?4. How do backdoor Roth IRA conversions work?5. What are my favorite personal finance books to give as gifts during the holidays?Resources Mentioned in the Video:Retire Before Mom and Dad: https://amzn.to/3OQL0DABig ERN's response: https://earlyretirementnow.com/2024/0...SWR Toolbox: https://earlyretirementnow.com/2018/0...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 176: Retirement Planning With A Younger Spouse (Five Question Friday)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 20:46


    In this week's Five Question Friday, we look at several important retirement planning questions:0:00 - Intro0:45 - Should our asset allocation change if we have a much younger spouse?7:45 - Should a pension represent the bond portion of a portfolio?10:30 - What types of ETFs should go in taxable accounts versus retirement accounts?14:13 - Should we prefer Roth conversions over investing in a taxable account?17:31 - Should we prefer Roth conversions if we plan to use the money for long-term care?Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...Pralana: https://go.robberger.com/pralana/yt-fqfProjection Lab: https://go.robberger.com/projectionla...Open Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 175: Pralana vs Boldin: How Two Popular Retirement Planning Tools Compare

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 45:24


    I've been using Pralana Online over the past month. It's a retirement planning tool that, for a long time, was available as a spreadsheet. It's now available as an online app.In this video, I take a high-level look at Pralana and compare it to Boldin, formerly New Retirement.Pralana: https://go.robberger.com/pralana/yt-p...Boldin: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 174: Navigating Portfolio Visualizer's New Design and a Free Alternative

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 9:14


    One of my favorite tools, Portfolio Visualizer, just launched a new design. In this video, I'll show you how to navigate the changes. Unfortunately, one change is to limit the amount of backtesting data you have access to in the free version. I'll show you a free alternative.Portfolio Visualizer: https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/Test Folio: https://testfol.io/Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 173: Lump Sum vs Pension--What is the 6% Rule (Five Question Friday)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 20:34


    Welcome to the first episode of Five Question Friday (FQF). I'll answer five questions from past live shows that we didn't get to. Today, we're covering the following questions:1. Is the 6% Rule on Lump Sum vs Pension Reasonable?2. What will my stock/bond allocation be when I reach 65?3. How do you decide between a Roth Conversion and 0% Capital Gains Harvesting?4. What's the best credit card for travel?5. Should an early retiree pay off their low-rate mortgage?Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/navigatin...CFPB Pension Article: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/2...Fidelity Pension Article: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-cen...Travel Credit Cards: https://www.allcards.com/travel-rewar...Cash Back Credit Cards: https://www.allcards.com/best-cash-ba...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 172: Vanguard's $40M Class Action Settlement: Here's Your Potential Payout

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 10:29


    Vanguard has reached a proposed settlement in the class action lawsuit related to the 2021 distribution of capital gains in its target date retirement funds. Here's how much each claimant may be entitled to receive. Proposed Vanguard Settlement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gBIQ...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 171: The Optimal Order to Fund Retirement Accounts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 11:53


    We can save for retirement through at least four different account types: (1) 401(k) and other workplace retirement accounts, (2) IRAs, (3) HSAs, and (4) taxable accounts. Some can also use a mega backdoor Roth 401(k). In this video, I walk through one optimal approach to prioritizing which accounts to contribute to first.Here's a related article that I wrote on the topic: https://robberger.com/the-optimal-ord...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 170: The Pros and Cons of Building a TIPS Ladder for Retirement Income

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 16:52


    A TIPS ladder is just one way to generate income during retirement. We'll look at two scenarios where a TIPS ladder may make sense, and then discuss the pros and cons.TIPS Ladder: https://www.tipsladder.com/Four Easy Steps to Build a TIPS Ladder: https://www.advisorperspectives.com/a...Schwab Annuity Pricing Tool: https://www.schwab.com/annuities/fixe...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 169: What Is The True Cost of a 1% AUM Investment Fee?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 13:28


    When evaluating fees charged by investment advisors, should we look only at the actual dollars spent, or should we evaluate the long-term effect these fees have on our wealth? That's the question I address in this video.Kitces Article: https://www.kitces.com/blog/financial...My Response: https://robberger.com/how-should-we-e...Hourly and Flat Rate Advisors: https://robberger.com/low-cost-financ...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 168: Vanguard Is Selling Your Retirement Plan (@#$@!!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 10:17


    Vanguard has announced that it is selling 280,000 small business retirement plans to Ascensus. The transaction covers individual 401(k) plans, sometimes called Solo 401(k)s, Multi-SEP IRAs, and Simple IRAs, but not individual SEP IRAs.Here's my take on what's going on, your options, and what this means for Vanguard.Press Release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...Ascensus Fees: https://www.ascensus.com/solutions/re...Fidelity Solo 401(k): https://www.fidelity.com/retirement-i...Schwab Solo 401(k): https://www.schwab.com/small-business...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 167: Fed Chair Powell Just Taught A Masterclass On Investing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 9:12


    In brief remarks, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell all but took an interest rate cut in the near term off the table. In doing so, he taught us a very important lesson about investing.Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 166: Fidelity Hacked--Here's How to Protect Your Accounts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 11:45


    Fidelity recently disclosed that its computer systems were breached and that the personal data of more than 77,000 customers were accessed. here's what happened and some ways we can protect ourselves.News of hack: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust...Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/doc/data-breach-...Maine: https://www.maine.gov/agviewer/conten...New Hampshire: https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/doj/r...Sample Fidelity letter: file:///Users/robberger/Downloads/Sample_Letter.pdfClass Action Lawsuit: https://www.investmentnews.com/indust...Fidelity's Lockdown Feature: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/view...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

    RBS 165: Taxes and the 4% Rule: Tax-deferred vs. Roth vs. Taxable

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2024 14:56


    Does the 4% Rule apply in the same way to tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable accounts? And how should one consider the different tax treatments of these accounts when coming up with a safe spending plan in retirement? I'll cover these questions in today's video.Bengen's 1996 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...Bengen's 1997 Paper: https://www.financialplanningassociat...New Retirement: https://go.robberger.com/new-retireme...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

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