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Keith shares how a recent trip to Colorado Springs and a changing commission landscape reveal what really matters for real estate investors now From there, the show dives into the three levers investors truly control—leverage, operations, and relationships—before welcoming lender Caeli Ridge to break down the major mortgage options for investors. You'll hear how different loan types fit different strategies: from your first conventional "golden ticket" loans, to DSCR loans based on property income, to short-term fix-and-flip and bridge loans that prioritize speed and flexibility.  The episode then moves into how more advanced investors can scale beyond 10 doors, navigate debt-to-income and tax strategy, and even approach financing for short-term rentals—all while highlighting why having the right lending partner and long-term plan can make a big difference to your results. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/591 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold with new ways to think about your life through goals momentum in the real estate market. Then learn about various mortgage loan types, conventional DSCR, fix and flip, bridge loans, short term rental loans and more. Knowing which loans to use can save you millions and learn the fatal mortgage mistakes you must avoid today on get rich education.   Corey Coates  0:29   since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads and 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki. Get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast or visit get rich education.com   Speaker 1  1:14   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:30   Welcome to GRE from Winnebago, Minnesota to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education, the voice of real estate investing since 2014 before we get into the mortgage discussion, where we'll discuss five or 10 different investor loan types and their various pros and cons, which could save you millions over the course of your life. I shared with you that I traveled to Colorado A couple weeks ago, for a goals retreat hosted by the real estate guys, top notch event, I spent extra time there in Colorado Springs, because I find it really livable, and I spent five hours with a local realtor there, one day out and about visiting properties in the area I'm potentially looking for a home or a second home. And by the way, how is this for a price range? The realtor wanted to know what my Buy Box is, and since I'm just learning the Colorado Springs market, I told him I'm willing to spend between 400k and 1.2 million on the property, yeah, pretty wide range, a mile wide. Fortunately, my other Buy Box criteria are more narrow and specific, and I have got to say, I'm surprised at how low the area's home prices are. I thought they'd be higher. Interestingly, before touring homes, my buyer agent wanted me to sign a six month exclusive representation agreement. Fair enough, that's standard stuff. It was on the agreement, though, that I as the buyer pay a 3% commission up on the purchase, and the seller would presumably pay the other 3% to make up that total 6% commission for the agent compensation. Well, historically, the seller paid the entire 6% and this, of course, goes back to the NAR settlement, and that ruling that became effective in August of 2024 you probably remember this, and I talked about it on the show back then, and how it's not really that big of a deal, especially to investors like us, because at GRE marketplace and with our GRE investment coaching, it's a direct model. There's zero commission on either side, and then you, in turn, get some of those savings, but out in the larger world and in the owner occupant world. Well, that rule change that started a year and a half ago. It means that sellers are no longer required to pay the buyer's agent. Instead, the fee is now negotiable between buyers and their agent. The other change is that property listings no longer display the buyer agent's commission offer. But here's what's interesting in practice, and what really ends up happening in the end, in most cases, is that the seller still pays the full commission and compensates both agents that full 6% sometimes it's 5% instead of six buyers and buyer agents, they still operate under the seller pays. And that's largely because that has just been the norm. It's what's seemingly always been done. It's what buyers are used to. And the reason that that often persists. Is because the seller is the party in the transaction that has that thick equity in the property, deep equity, and buyers are the ones often just trying to scrape together whatever they can for a down payment and closing costs. Buyers are not going to be able to come up with another 15k for an agent commission when they're buying a 500k property, that's 3% especially today, this is true because American homeowners the seller then still have record equity positions of about 300k an all time high. Nearly half of mortgaged homes are considered equity rich. What does equity rich mean? It means that the loan balance is less than half of the home's value, yeah, the seller has the means to pay the full commission. So the point is, in practice, the seller, yeah, still pays that full five to 6% commission in the overwhelming majority of cases, and the buyer pays nothing. And if that does change, it's going to take a long time. You know, a lot of these evanescent real estate stories that people think are going to have some seismic impact. It rarely does, like this erstwhile NAR ruling or the 50 year mortgage proposal or banning big institutions for buying more single family rentals. You know, this stuff is like one little baseball sized asteroid striking an entire planet. I mean, it's like a barely discernible impact. Real estate is anchored in one place like Jabba the Hut. It is solid. These stories are interesting, but they're not impactful.   Keith Weinhold  6:52   Instead, I've mentioned it before. What are three things you control in real estate that really matter. And these are evergreen things. First, it's, how many dollars are you leveraging? That's where your wealth is going to come from. In fact, we're going to discuss that today with mortgage loan types. Second, what's the efficiency of operations on your existing properties? And thirdly, what is the quality of your relationships? And actually, we're addressing the third one today too, talking to a lender that you could make part of your team. You can control these three things. They're unyielding, they're evergreen, they're long term, and they all have gratitas and impact those three things, leverage operations and relationships. Now my agent drops me off and picks me up from my hotel here at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. This was also the event hotel for the goals retreat. I just extended my stay to hang out in the area. Look at real estate, do some climbing on Pikes Peak. Pro tip for you on hotel room rates, talk to a human being before I booked my stay, I called the front desk and asked them if they could extend the attractive event room rate to more nights on my extended stay. And they agreed. You might have heard of the Broadmoor. It is well known. It's been here for more than 100 years, and it is such a fine place to stay. Let me tell you about this special piece of real estate. In fact, I've thought it through, and I will now hereby proclaim that it is the finest us hotel experience that I've ever had in my life. I say us because I stayed at an amazing place in Dubai. But what makes the Broadmoor stand alone? It's the details and the service. A lot of hotels are nice, but this is on a different level. And I don't say this to brag, and this is because you probably can afford to stay here, yeah, like I have. You might have paid more elsewhere in your life for a lesser hotel, although I am here in the low seasons. Okay, now, sure, you've got views of the Rockies and a man made lake and waterfall and even a beautiful chandelier in my hotel room. The thing that sets it apart, though, is you have this service that feels old world and not corporate. That's what makes the difference. The Broadmoor is horse themed, since horses are a symbol of the American West. There are about 800 rooms here. It's kind of like a self contained adult Disneyland championship golf courses, a world class spa, even an outdoor lap swimming pool like that has lanes that I swam in one morning for. Fine dining, casual dining, access to hiking, fly fishing, even falconry, zip lines, tennis, pickleball pools. Take the cog railway to the Pikes Peak, Summit. Okay. Now, other nice hotels have attractions that are sort of like that, but when I rave about the service, it's the little things they are knocking on my door before 10am to come in and clean the room. And you know how so commonly, when you first check into your hotel room and you look in the closet, there are not enough clothing hangers, and they're all like stupidly mismatched. These all match. They're all nice wood, and there are plenty of them. So I'm talking about these details. I'm telling you. I had dinner at one of the broadmoor's restaurants the other night. I just happened to take a close look at the tag on the napkin. Sure enough, it is made in Italy. I mean, jeez, no detail is overlooked at this stellar place. In fact, here's what I'll do. You know, I'll just completely stop my Colorado Springs home search right now. Instead, I'm going to stop down by the Broadmoor front desk, tell him to give me some moving boxes, because I'm moving into the Broadmoor and I'll be here for the next decade. Start forwarding my mail here and everything. And hey, at least I was courteous enough to give them notice. I can't stay here too long, or my standards will be rising faster than my net worth. Yeah, yeah. Can't go to sleep with a mint on your pillow every night, I suppose.    Keith Weinhold  11:38   Now, the reason I came here now is to attend that aforementioned goals retreat, and let me take all the time and all the resources that I put into being here and distill them into just a few of the most salient takeaways for you. Goals should be smart, strategic, measurable, actionable, relevant and time based, they must be written down. Now, how would you describe yourself to somebody else that didn't know who you were? Write that down next. What do you think your reputation is? How would others describe you? Write that down now that you can see how you describe yourself and how others describe you, you can see that there's a gap there. That gap is what you need to work on. I learned that goal should be written in the present tense, not the future tense. I did not know that before. For example, say it is January 1, 2035, and I own $5 million in rental property. That's an example of how you would do that. So take future events and write them in the present tense. Other questions at the goals retreat that got really introspective are, what are you really going to do with your life? And write down that answer. Sheesh, that is tough. And if you think that's a hard question for you to ask of yourself, the next one is even harder. It's simply why? Why is that where you're going with your life? And then write that down? I mean, would you answer questions like this for yourself? And you really think about it, that can occupy a new segment of your entire headspace. It is a big cognitive load, and a last one to leave you with is to dream not just big, but gigantic. Get it out there, write down a dream that interests you, but it's so grandiose that you're actually embarrassed to tell someone about this stretch dream, for example, for me, it's the first person to walk on another planet. No human has ever done that, and this would most likely happen on Mars. See, this is so grand that is sort of embarrassing for me to even share that with you. It almost makes you sound Loony, like I would have to learn so many new skills to travel to and walk on Mars. But you should write down a bunch of other goals too. You're sort of brainstorming on goals, attainable goals. Recall that is the A in the SMART goals acronym, you want to write down a bunch of attainable ones, not just that stretch one. So for attainable ones, one of them is for me to become the highest man on earth. To give you an example. And I attempted that goal two years ago, and I failed. I told you about that at that time. But see now, compared to my embarrassing stretch goal of walking on Mars, the highest man on earth feels attainable, I know what it takes to achieve it, and it's worth doing, ah, but it's a grind to get there, yet it would be worth it. Those are some quick take. Ways from the real estate guys goals retreat while on stage the event host Robert helms he took a minute respite from the goals material, and he recognized the fact that, as he calls it, the four OG real estate podcasters are all in the same room. One of them is helms himself, and now I feel like the other three are all older and doing it longer than me. I was one of the four that he mentioned. But you know, there is only one podcast that was mentioned from stage, and that is that Robert helms told the audience that they should be listening to the get rich education podcast. That was a nice thing to say, and he is always a gracious giver.   Keith Weinhold  15:45   Next, we're talking about four major loan types, conventional DSCR, fix and flip and then bridge loans. When we discuss the first two parts of it could sound repetitive, but you'll see why we do this, because then you'll be able to compare it to nichey loan types that we discuss, for example, the speed of a bridge loan, where you can get funded in just one week, compared to a slower conventional loan. The mortgage landscape changes. I still remember how in 2012 we had still somewhat freshly emerged from the global financial crisis, and back then, you could only get four conventional loans, four rental properties, not 10 like you can today, 20 married. So get your loans while you can, you probably won't always be able to get 10 loans. We'll start with loan types that are more for beginners, and then we'll get to advanced material. Let's welcome back one of our favorite recurring guests.   Keith Weinhold  16:54   You can make millions more throughout your life by understanding mortgage loans. This is key, and today it's the return of the woman that's created more financial freedom through real estate than any other lender in the entire nation, because she's the president of ridge lender group. Hey, it's time for a big welcome back to the incomparable, yet somehow still so approachable Chaley Ridge   Caeli Ridge  17:16   my Keith, thank you for having me. I love being here. I love what you're doing. It's my pleasure, sir.   Keith Weinhold  17:23   And our followers, our listeners, have been approaching you since 2015 you're one of the longest running guests, truly one of the OGS around here at GRE and now Caeli, before we discuss loan types. You know, we don't really talk politics on this show rather policies, and we're in the midst of a presidential administration that often, in the name of the word affordability, is trying to supremely shake things up in the housing market. Help us dissect what matters and what won't.   Caeli Ridge  17:58   I have found that at least as it relates to current administration, whoever that might be, I wait for the buzzwords or the taglines to become the actual policy. Like you said, That's a good point in this case. You know, you've got things floating around, like the 50 year mortgage cutting off the hedge fund guys and that kind of thing. Whether or not, those things come to fruition. I'm happy to give my opinion on them. I do not think that it's going to move the needle much for the people that you and I serve with regard to I mean, just taking them one at a time, I don't think that the 50 year is going to come to fruition. Just first and foremost, if it did do, I think it would be a good idea for a homeowner, probably not, but for an investor, maybe if there's some way that we can keep our payment lower, given the maturity date of a mortgage for an investment property is usually about five years. I mean, I know that this is a 30 year fixed mortgage, but statistically speaking, the average shelf life of a non owner occupied mortgage is about five years. So getting a 50 year amortization, if that were going to reduce the payment, I don't think is a bad thing for an investor, however, and this may get a little bit technical for the listeners, so I apologize in advance if we were to go to a 50 Year am the adjustments, something called, and you and I have talked about this before, something called an llpa, that stands for loan level price adjustment, I think would be such that it could end up defeating the purpose of having the longer term amortization, because I think the interest rates would be higher and I think they may offset so that was a long way to say. One, I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think it's actually going to get to its final resting place. And two, would it be a good idea for investors, yeah, I think it would be worth considering if it kept the payment lower. Okay, that's that as the other piece to cutting off the hedge funds, the big, you know, BlackRock, some of the big players, and giving them access to the residential housing and first right of infusion or etc, because they've got such deep pockets. You. It's such a small amount to what our individual investors are going to have access to that I don't think that that moves the needle either. So I don't know if I'm answering the question, except to say anything that they're going to tout, I would wait for it to actually become written in stone and pass by the rest of the powers that be before I would get excited about or concerned about any of it.   Keith Weinhold  20:21   This is pretty parallel with what I've been telling our listeners. All these things seem to make splashy news, but I haven't seen anything that's going to make a deep impact yet, whether it's the 50 year mortgage, which probably won't even come to fruition, or if it's doing these mortgage bond buy downs in order to bring more liquidity into the market and bring rates down, or if it sees any of these other things being discussed with these institutional investors, since they already own such a smaller proportion of the housing market than a lot of people think, we'll discuss seasoned real estate investors and their loans shortly, but first for newer real estate investors, you Know, chili, I kind of think of four or more loan types that a beginner should be familiar with. I think of conventional loans, dscrs, fix and flips and then bridge loans, the first one with conventional loans. What are the basics that someone should know?   Caeli Ridge  21:17   So first of all, you should know that there are 10 of these. We call them the golden tickets. I'm pretty sure I coined this, okay, 100 years ago, the golden ticket. We call the conventional aka Fannie Freddie, aka agency. They go by different names, but they all mean the same thing. We call them the golden tickets because it's the highest leverage and typically at the lowest interest rate you can find. Now I do have a hook in our conversation today about that. I'll get we'll get to it. There are 10 of these per qualified individual. So one of the first things that I would tell somebody is, is that if they are a partnership or a husband and wife team, you want to make sure to keep the debt obligation separate, because if you want to maximize these golden tickets, let's just say it's a husband and wife team. You each have, per qualification access to 10, and that includes a primary residence. In fact, let me just take a quick second and define what counts in the 10, because some people get this wrong. So the 10 golden tickets are counted by any residential property, single family, up to four Plex that has a loan on it, where the loan is in the individual name or personally guaranteed by the individual. That's where people get tied up. So if they went out and got a kind of more of a commercial type loan, that was in an LLC name, for example, but they signed a personal guarantee, per Fannie Freddie guidelines, that particular mortgage is going to count against the 10. So those would be some of the first pieces of news or detail I would give them about conventional    Keith Weinhold  22:40   for married couples, don't take ownership in both the husband and wife's name, either the husband or the wife. That way, you can get to 20 rather than 10. And yes, you do have to be mindful that your primary residence does count in that 10 or 20, whatever it might be. Anything else quickly with conventional loans, LTVs so on,    Caeli Ridge  23:01   yeah, LTV can go to 85% loan to value. So you get a little bit extra than you're going to get in some of the other loan product types. It will have PMI, private mortgage insurance, anything over 80% LTV will always have PMI on a more conforming, conventional basis. So keep that in mind. But the factor is pretty low. I would encourage people that are looking to stretch the almighty dollar. Do the math. Look at the 85 with PMI against, say, an 80% and see what are you giving up versus what you're getting. And then qualification stuff, you guys, my dumb joke, it's Keith's favorite. I'm sure vials of blood and DNA samples are sort of required for the Fannie Freddie loans. So just be prepared to supply or submit us the tax returns and pay stubs and bank statements and and all that stuff,   Keith Weinhold  23:44   you'll feel like you're getting fingerprinted almost for a conventional loan qualification. And the second one that I brought up DSCR loans, that's short for debt service coverage ratio. And these mortgages are pretty standard for rental properties. They're underwritten based on a property's income potential. So you know, the way I think of dscrs Chaley from the lender's perspective, is that sustainable cash flow is what matters. The rent has got to support the property's monthly mortgage payments. So we talked to us more about dscrs.    Caeli Ridge  24:15   Yeah, I love this product, and this is for somebody that either can't fit into the conventional Fannie Freddie box, or maybe they've exhausted their golden tickets and they're graduating and moving on. This is a great option that will reduce the amount of vials of blood and DNA samples that you're going to have to submit. It still provides for a 30 year fixed mortgage. The leverage is roughly the same, 80% in most cases, on a purchase. And to your point, the gross income divided by the principal, interest, taxes, insurance and Hoa, if it's applicable, is the simple formula, the easy method I'll give people, just to kind of solidify that math, is that if the gross rents were $1,000 a month, and if the PI TI was $1,000 a month, when you divide that, your debt service is 1.0 Now you can go as low, believe it or not, as low as a point seven, five, DSCR, they have those available be ready for the interest rate to get a little hair on it. Okay, it's going to be higher than what the 1.0 and above is going to be. But you can go as low as point seven, five, those are going to be for the investors that have found a property, maybe in distress, and they cannot show the current market value rent, perhaps, and it's on the low end. So you can still get that done at point seven, five, just be ready for a higher interest rate.   Keith Weinhold  25:30   So the DSCR loan an alternative for you, which might be especially useful, like Chaley touched on, if you've already exhausted your 10 golden ticket. Fannie Freddie loans, a DSCR of 1.2 for example, means that your rent income needs to exceed your principal, interest, taxes and insurance payment by 20% or more. That's what we're talking about here. And then Chile, those were more of loans for the buy and hold type of investor. Tell us about fix and flip loans.    Caeli Ridge  26:03   Yeah. So these are shorter term loan that will allow you to include not just the purchase of the property, but also some renovation or rehab money if you need that. And we're going to be looking at an ARV after repair value. So you've got a purchase price, you've got your renovation or scope of work budget. And then we're looking for an ARV with the ARV to be somewhere around 75% so what that means, if you've not heard of this before, you're going to take, let's say, $100,000 value. And if we want the ARV to be at 75% we're going to lend 75,000 is kind of the mix there. Those are quicker loans. You're going to be paying much higher rates on those. You know, between nine and 13% depending on the deal. The points are also going to be a little bit higher, but a great option for that quick turn and burn where you know your deal has enough skin in it and you can recapture all your capital and make a good tidy profit on it.   Keith Weinhold  26:53   We're talking about basically fixer upper loans here with Chaley Ridge, the president of ridge lending group, yes, these are jalopies that rarely qualify for traditional bank financing. And oftentimes, when I think about these fix and flip loans, I'm thinking that often there is interest only flexibility with regard to those higher interest rates that you need to pay. And I think of it as, you know, a shorter term loan that you've got during your renovation period, oftentimes 12 to 18 months. Does that sound about right?   Caeli Ridge  27:24   Yeah, 6,18, even 24 months. And to your point, yes, all of these are going to be interest only. And one of the cool things is about these loans is, is that, if there's enough room in the deal, right, based on what you need to borrow and what we think the ARV is expected to be, you don't even actually have to be making those interest payments. You can build it into the final payout when we go to refinance you out of this short term loan, or you simply sell the property and pay off that loan. So for example, let's say that your interest only payment is $1,000 a month, okay? And the value of the property is going to be $200,000 and you only took 120 okay, we're going to be well within that 75% ARV. You can build in that $1,000 say, for 12 months, there's $12,000 and just add it to the outstanding balance that you started by owing, and not have to be making those payments on an ongoing basis. It's not rented, right? So it might be nice to be able to factor that in to the actual payoff when you go to refinance that if it's a fix and hold versus go to sell it on a fix and flip.   Keith Weinhold  28:31   Now, long term, we know that the big gains for real estate investors really come from that leveraged appreciation getting that loan. But sometimes there are situations where we might want to act as a cash buyer. And that brings up this fourth of four loan types that I brought up, the bridge loan, short term loans that can temporarily finance a property purchase while you're waiting for a longer term loan to come through. The bridge loan, so I think of it as a pretty speedy loan, if you sort of want to act like you're an all cash buyer.   Caeli Ridge  29:04   Yeah, I like this, and in many ways it's similar to a fix and flip interest only. Obviously the term is going to be shorter, six months, 12 months, up to 24 months, and based on largely relationship, the bridge loan for the purpose that you described, really comes into play for an investor that we know and we're comfortable with, we can fund those inside a week, for somebody that we've done several of these loans for. So for those that need that really quick turn, once you've established yourself as a seasoned, experienced investor in that space, those are pretty slick and easy to get through.   Keith Weinhold  29:39   Why would someone use a bridge loan, rather than a fix and flip loan.   Caeli Ridge  29:43   So if they're in a very competitive market, that might be another option, because those are going to be faster. The bridge loan is going to be faster where they need to say that they're an all cash buyer and they only need seven days to close, or whatever it is. It depends on the municipality in the state. But what if you're at the courthouse steps? And you need cash quickly. Sometimes it needs to be immediate. So that might not be applicable in this case, but if you put the bid in, and you win the bid, and you've got, you know, three days to perform, usually we can get those done. So it's circumstantial. Those would be two variables or two scenarios that that would apply to   Keith Weinhold  30:17   the bridge loan gives you the advantage of speed, but that speed can come at a cost.   Caeli Ridge  30:22   Oh yeah, yeah, you're going to be paying probably three points, maybe four points, and it's short term interest, 13, 14%   Keith Weinhold  30:30   so with these four loan types that we've discussed, conventional DSCR, fix and flip and bridge loans, you can kind of see that there is a loan for most every investment scenario, and there's no reason to rely on only one type, a flipper. Might start with a short term fix and flip loan or a bridge loan and then later refinance to a DSCR or a conventional loan. So consider mixing and matching based on your needs. You're listening to get rich education. We're talking with Ridge leninger, President Taylor Ridge, more when we come back, including steps for more advanced investors, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold   Keith Weinhold  31:06   mid south homebuyers with over two decades as the nation's highest rated turnkey provider, their empathetic property managers use your return on investment as their North Star. It's no wonder smart investors line up to get their completely renovated income properties like it's the newest iPhone, headquartered in Memphis, with their globally attractive cash flows, mid south has an A plus rating with a better business bureau and 4000 houses renovated. There is zero markup on maintenance. Let that sink in, and they average a 98.9% occupancy rate with an industry leading three and a half year average renter term. Every home they offer you will have brand new components, a bumper to bumper, one year warranty, new 30 year roofs. And wait for it, a high quality renter in an astounding price range, 100 to 150k GET TO KNOW Mid South. Enjoy cash flow from day one at mid southhomebuyers.com that's mid southhomebuyers.com    Keith Weinhold  32:08   you know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds. Don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth. Every single year I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and health care. Ask about the freedom flagship program when you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest, start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom family investments.com/gre or GRE, or send a text now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach, directly again. 1-937-795-8989,   Keith Weinhold  33:19   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage, start your pre qual and even chat with President chailey Ridge personally, while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Blair Singer  33:53   this is Rich Dad, sales advisor, Blair singer. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold. And above all, don't quit your Daydream.    Keith Weinhold  34:09   Welcome back to get rich education chili when we go beyond this beginner stage that we've been discussing, how about for an investor just trying to scale to 10 doors worth of one to four unit properties. Now, are there any strategies there or more of a loan order that you would recommend in getting up to your first 10 you know   Caeli Ridge  34:29   I think the strategy starts with calling your lender, ideally Ridge lending group, and having that deep strategy call that, that discovery call, so that we can really understand and plant some seeds that say, Okay, Mr. Jones, these are your qualifications today. This is where you want to be in a year or 10 years. These are the steps that are going to be important that we are mindful of and we take to accomplish and reach those milestones. It's really important to have that baseline understanding of what is your debt to income ratio on day one, what are your assets? Sets. What is your credit? Where do you want to be in a year or 10 years? Right? Do you want 10 properties in a year's time? It's going to be a very different conversation than if you're going to slow roll this and want to establish 10 purchases or 10 investment properties over 10 years. So identifying those details is going to be part one, and then next, in terms of order, I would say, largely the higher price point properties, typically, I would say, put those in one through six. And the reason that I'm saying that is is that the underwriting guidelines under conventional financing, they will change based on how many finance properties you have. So of all of the inner working guidelines and things that go into securing a conventional mortgage loan, the three top most heavily weighted are going to be debt to income ratio, credit score and assets. Okay? And within each one of those, the marker or the qualification guideline changes as you evolve and acquire more property. So the higher up the ring you go, or the rung that you go to 10, the more restrictive the guidelines are going to be. So I would typically say, get the higher price point properties go into maybe one to four, one to six, if that's part of your strategy and your diversification of portfolio ownership. Then after you've established having two or three or four properties and that higher price point it as it gets harder to qualify, potentially, if your debt to income ratio is a little bit tight, you've got the smaller loan sizes that might be less impactful in debt to income ratio. All of this is very subjective to the individual's qualifications and needs, of course, but that might be one rule of thumb that I would take   Keith Weinhold  36:39   gosh, this This is absolute gold in helping you structure the architecture of a growing income property portfolio. And we're coming up on this Super Bowl, and whatever mortgage lender advertises for the Super Bowl or has some big, splashy campaign nationally, you know they are not the ones that are going to have conversations like this for you, they might be fine for buying a primary residence, but this is why you want to have a long term strategy and work with a lender that's aligned with you on exactly that sort of thing. And Chaley, is there a specific way in which one can avoid hitting the Fannie Freddie loan ceilings too early if you haven't already touched on it.    Caeli Ridge  37:22   Yeah, very good question. You know, I think that this is going to come down to a debt to income ratio conversation. It's easy enough to ensure that we contain assets and credit. Those are easier conversations. The debt to income ratio is the piece that's more complicated and can get away from an investor without them even knowing it. You don't know what you don't know, right? So I would say that debt to income ratio and making sure that your lender again, hopefully Ridge lending, because we know this like we know our own faces, making sure they know how to structure and provide feedback and consult on that schedule E, part of the beauty of real estate investing is the tax deductions. Right? Many people get into real estate investing, not for the cash flow, not even for the appreciation, but for that tax strategy, because they're high wage earners, or whatever it may be, and they're sick of paying x in taxes. So the debt to income ratio is key in scaling and making sure you can continue to qualify for those loans. The conversations that we have with our clients really go deep about where we can maximize our deductions to ensure that we get the tax benefit without precluding our qualification on a conventional underwriting basis in the DTI category.   Keith Weinhold  38:35   Now, during my growth as an investor, when I got above 10 doors, one gets above 20 doors. When one gets to 216 doors, I began where I needed to qualify more on a DSCR basis, where the lender is looking at the properties qualification, more so than me. So are there any other thoughts with regard to how one can set themselves up for success in really going big and well beyond 10 doors   Caeli Ridge  39:03   absolutely so once we've exhausted the Fannie Freddie, and I think one of the real value adds about Ridge is that we are not a one size fits all, and we are extremely holistic versus transactional. So having that first conversation and understanding what those goals are, so that we can pivot as we need to maximize the golden tickets, whether that be 10 to 20, right? If you're in a marriage or a partnership or whatever, and then setting up for the DSCR loans when the time comes, and taking advantage of those, there is no limit to how many DSCR loans we can get for one individual. We have yet to file an individual that we've had to say no, and we've done quite a few of the high, high acquisition investors, so I don't expect that to be an issue, but yeah, I think it's about planning, planting those seeds, creating roadmaps together and have those smart discovery conversations.   Keith Weinhold  39:50   Now, as you grow, one way you might diversify is to have perhaps at least a part of your portfolio in short term rentals. So what I. Comes to getting loans for sort of Airbnb or VRBO type properties. What does one look for there? How much does the landscape change versus the longer term rentals that we've mostly been talking about here?    Caeli Ridge  40:10   Yeah, I think that the differences are going to be about purchase versus refinance. If we're just talking about purchases, let's kind of try to keep it in one lane. If we're talking about purchasing a short term rental, you may be limited on leverage. You might lose a little bit of leverage, 5% let's say you could get to 75% and maybe on a short term they're going to back it off to 70% LTV, so there may be reduction in that loan to value. And the way in which we're going to quantify the income is absolutely important to share with your listeners on a purchase transaction, we have access to things like an appraisal. An appraisal is going to give us some median rental income, whether it be long term or short term, that we will use to offset a new mortgage payment if that's needed for the individual's debt to income ratio qualification. Now, if they don't need the rental income to qualify, then it's a non issue. But if they do, like most of us, need that rental income to absorb this new mortgage payment that we are securing for them, how that's going to quantify is important. So if it's not in a short term rental area, let's just say it's kind of off the beaten path, and there may not be enough data points to support the income that you need. It's important to know that up front versus way down the rabbit hole, when you paid for appraisals and you're all the way through the transaction and earnest money might be off the table if you had to cancel that kind of thing. So really important to understand the numbers in advance, I would say, when we talk about short term rentals and how the income is going to be quantified from an underwriting perspective,   Keith Weinhold  41:43   why does a borrower often need to make a higher down payment on a short term rental than they do a long term rental?   Caeli Ridge  41:49    You know, I think that in secondary markets, as we talk about mortgage backed securities and things like that, it's looked at as a higher risk. A short term rental is going to be a higher risk than just the stable long term, long burn tenant is going to be there and they've got their lease for a year, two years or whatever, at a time, the short term rental is more volatile and it's seasonal. It can be I mean, there's all those different factors, so higher risk means more skin in the game for the investor.   Keith Weinhold  42:13   That makes a lot of sense. Does that higher risk also translate into a higher mortgage rate for short term rentals than long term rentals?   Caeli Ridge  42:18    Fannie Freddie versus DSCR The answer is no. On the Fannie Freddie side, the interest rate's not going to change on a DSCR loan. Yes, it can be slightly higher, usually about about a quarter of a percentage point on a short term versus a long term.   Keith Weinhold  42:33   Now, are there any particular markets that lenders want to avoid with short term rental loans?   Caeli Ridge  42:39   No, as long as the property is habitable, and all the other metrics fit Qualifications and Credit and assets and all that stuff. No, there isn't a market that we're going to have any issues with now. We do get the notifications for natural disaster areas, and as that relates to the appraisal and things like that, if it's in a natural disaster area or zone, we may have to hold funding until after the disaster is over, and then we can go and take more pictures and make sure it's still standing and there's no major issues. But otherwise, aside from that, as long as it's habitable, no, there is no market restriction.   Keith Weinhold  43:12   Yes, with that variability of income for short term rentals, you can understand how a lender would be more careful in making a loan, and would want you, the borrower, to put more skin in the game for a short term rental. Well, Caeli, overall, what should an investor do in the next 24 hours to make themselves more lendable before contacting someone like you?   Caeli Ridge  43:36   I would say the answer is sticky, but call rich lending group. That's how you're going to make yourself more lendable. And the reason that I can say that is is that everybody's qualifications and needs and goals are inherently different. So calling someone that understands this landscape and can navigate the battleship in the creek like I like to say, that's the visual aid for those of you that need the visual is the first key. And with that conversation, we're going to be able to identify for you specifically what you would need to do to become more lendable. And it may be nothing   Keith Weinhold  44:07   well over there, Chaley, you're growing. You do loans in almost all 50 states. The GRE podcast has more than 5.8 million listener downloads, and you have helped countless GRE listeners acquire smart investor loans for fully a decade now. Just amazing. So talk to us about all of the loan types that you offer investors there at ridge.   Caeli Ridge  44:30   My gosh. Okay, so I think one of the real value adds for us is that we have such a diverse menu of loan products. We touched on a few of them already. So we've got the conventional Fannie Mae Freddie, Mac stuff. We've got our DSCR loans. We have bank statement loans, asset depletion loans. I can touch on those if you want. Keith, we have our short term bridge fix and flip. We have our All In One my favorite, first lien, HELOC we have second lien HELOCs. We have commercial loan products, and commercial can apply to residential and commercial property. A cross collateralization, commercial for residential properties. That just means, if you're putting 10 single families into one blanket loan, that would be cross collateralization, or if you're buying a storage unit that's straight commercial, and probably even more than that, ground up construction, there's really not a limit to the loan products that we offer, specifically for investors. The only thing we don't have, I would say in our arsenal is bare land loans. Those are hard to come by   Keith Weinhold  45:24   It sounds like you recommend a call in order to get some of that back and forth, to learn how you can best help that investor. But tell us about all the ways that someone   Caeli Ridge  45:32   can get a hold of you. Yes, there's a few ways. Of course, our website, ridgeline group.com, you can call us toll free at 855-747434385, 747-434-3855, 74, Ridge. Or feel free to email us info at Ridge lending group.com   Keith Weinhold  45:49   and you might get lucky. Hey, spin the wheel. Chaele does get on the phone and talk to individual investors herself too. So Chaley, it's been valuable as always to cover all these different loan types for beginners, and then what one does when they advance beyond that. It's been great having you back on the show.    Caeli Ridge  46:09   Thank you, Keith. I appreciate you.   Keith Weinhold  46:16   Oh yeah, a lot to learn from Chaley today. You've got mortgage rates three quarters to 1% lower than they were a year ago. At this time, in fact, last month, they ticked below 6% for the first time in years, and their lowest level in over three years. But when you introduce geopolitical uncertainty, well, that tends to make rates tick up again. Now, just what does happen when you have a lower overall rate trend like we have? Well, in this cycle, it's already spurred an increase in housing sales volume. It surged to 4.3 5 million in the latest reporting month, and that is the hottest annualized pace in nearly three years. Some of the same people who said, wait until rates fall, they're about to realize that prices didn't wait. Demand comes back fast. Inventory doesn't if mortgage rates take another leg lower, we could see quite a refinance wave in balanced markets or in supply constrained markets, bidding wars could follow. Now I've shared with you before that I totally do not predict interest rates. I don't know if anyone should. It is a great way to be fantastically wrong and supremely waste a lot of people's time. Instead, I think it's more efficacious for you to be able to interpret the signs that can trigger a further rate drop. Those signs are a weak jobs report that tends to bring lower rates because the labor market needs the help. So does softening wage growth, GDP below expectations, inflation continuing to cool, or a pickup in US Treasury demand. These are all signs that can lead to even lower rates. In fact, right now, with already lower rates and higher wages, real estate is more affordable than it's been in about three years, but overall, longer term, yeah, income properties still feel somewhat less affordable. It's less affordable than it was in pre pandemic times. That's for real for US investors, though, affordability is less about the price of the property, it's about whether the property pays for itself and grows your net worth while inflation does the heavy lifting for you, that's why it still works for us as investors. Higher prices don't kill investors inaction during inflation does you're not so much buying a say, 350k property. You're controlling it with 70k while your tenant and inflation do the rest. We don't rely on hope or appreciation. We start with inflation, tax benefits and debt pay down, and then appreciation typically happens too. A lot of times, the question for us goes beyond whether or not a property is affordable. The question is whether owning an investment property is better than inflation compounding against us, which is an investor mindset for this era, Ridge landing gear. President Chaley Ridge is a regular guest here because the mortgage space is so dynamic and things change a lot. For that reason, we expect to have her with us every few months this year, I'll see you next week. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream.   Speaker 2  50:01   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively   Keith Weinhold  50:30   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, getricheducation.com   

Is buying a house still a good investment—or has the market pulled too much future return forward? Lance Roberts & Jonathan Penn break down the housing investment debate through a time-horizon lens, comparing housing to stocks, examining historical “win rates,” and explaining why transaction costs, leverage, and holding period matter far more in real estate than most buyers realize. 0:00 INTRO 0:19 - Moving into the Heart of Earnings Season 5:36 - Markets' Price Consolidation Breaks to the Downside 9:51 - Lance & Jonathan's Weekend Recap 11:36 - Collegiate Investors - Be Careful of Risk 16:35 - Don't Invest Your Student Loan Money! 18:40 - Buying a House for Rental or Residence? 21:13 - It's Always Something 23:32 - Housing - Net Worth or Liability? 26:34 - Fitting a House into a Financial Plan 27:48 - HELOC & Reverse Mortgages 28:53 - Do You Really Need to Own a Home? 30:25 - The Housing Supply - Demand Paradox 34:11 - Beware Creative Financing 38:33 - The Peace of Mind in Renting 40:10 - The True Cost of Home Ownership 42:38 - Proper Planning for Home Purchase 46:31 - Yard Plants & Money Trees Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Senior Financial Advisor, Jonathan Penn, CFP Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer ------- You can read Michael Green's blog, "Yes...I Give a Fig," here: https://www.yesigiveafig.com/ ------- Watch Today's Full Video on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su5euJk8tsc&list=PLVT8LcWPeAugpcGzM8hHyEP11lE87RYPe&index=1 ------- Watch our previous show, "The Metric that Matters - The Michael Green Interview" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQSiR6fxLGg&list=PLVT8LcWPeAuhi47sn298HrsWYwmg8MV7d&index=1 -------- The latest installment of our new feature, Before the Bell, "Short-term Volatility Ahead," is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS2mSWm16qg&list=PLwNgo56zE4RAbkqxgdj-8GOvjZTp9_Zlz&index=1 ------- Get more info & commentary: https://realinvestm entadvice.com/newsletter/ -------- SUBSCRIBE to The Real Investment Show here: http://www.youtube.com/c/TheRealInvestmentShow -------- Visit our Site: https://www.realinvestmentadvice.com Contact Us: 1-855-RIA-PLAN -------- Subscribe to SimpleVisor: https://www.simplevisor.com/register-new -------- Connect with us on social: https://twitter.com/RealInvAdvice https://twitter.com/LanceRoberts https://www.facebook.com/RealInvestmentAdvice/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/realinvestmentadvice/ #MarketVolatility #StockMarketUpdate #RiskManagement #MarketPullback #InvestorDiscipline #HousingMarket #RealEstateInvesting #HomeBuying #FinancialPlanning #InvestmentRisk

Send us a textWe map a clear path for high W‑2 earners to cut taxes by stacking business losses, targeted charitable deductions, and solar credits. A simple $1.5M case study shows how careful sequencing can drive liability from $450k toward $55k while building long‑term wealth.• 401(k) contribution and plan limits for high earners• Where RSUs, real estate, and oil and gas fit• Excess Business Loss caps and their 2025 reductions• Mortgage interest rules and HELOC tracing considerations• Charitable deductions at 30% to 60% of AGI• How to sequence losses, charity, then credits• Solar investment tax credits and bonus depreciation• Walkthrough of a $1.5M income optimization model• State tax impacts and planning windows• Action steps to engage a tax strategistGo to https://www.prosperalcpa.com/opportunity report and complete the short survey to see what may be possible for your taxes

“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” - Proverbs 21:20 Scripture highlights a simple principle of stewardship: wise people live with margin. They don't spend everything they earn; they save, plan, and prepare for the future. And in our modern world, the basic tool that helps us live with margin is a budget. Today, Chad Clark joins us to discuss what budgeting really looks like for most Americans and how we can do better.As FaithFi's Chief Technology Officer, Chad oversees our digital tools and the development of the FaithFi app. He recently came across research that sheds light on how people actually budget. According to a NerdWallet survey of 2,000 adults, three out of four Americans report keeping a monthly budget. That sounds encouraging—until you read the next line: 84% of them say they regularly overspend their budget. And when people overspend, nearly half bridge the gap with credit cards, while the rest tap into savings—often until savings eventually run out. Chad notes that this is why we say that without a working budget, debt is almost inevitable once savings are depleted.So why do some people avoid budgeting altogether? After years of hearing excuses, Chad lists the most common: it's too time-consuming, too complicated, too much math, too restrictive, or simply too hard to stick to—like dieting. Others believe they don't need a budget because they earn enough, or that a budget limits their freedom.But as Chad points out, most of those reasons are rooted in misconceptions. A budget isn't a punishment, and it's not primarily about cutting expenses. It's a decision-making tool that prioritizes spending and helps you align resources with values. Nor is a budget inflexible; it can and should adjust as life changes. And even those with high incomes need budgets. If billion-dollar companies operate from a spending plan, “I make enough” isn't a sound argument for skipping one. Stewardship isn't about how much we earn but how faithfully we manage what God entrusts to us.Before wrapping up, Chad shares how the FaithFi app makes budgeting more approachable. First, it accommodates different budgeting styles, allowing you to choose the method that works best for you. Second, it builds habits through daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms—to help you engage consistently rather than merely set up a plan and hope it works. And finally, FaithFi goes beyond numbers. Through biblical content and community, it helps shape the heart behind the decisions—because stewardship is ultimately about walking with God.If you're ready to begin budgeting—or begin again—FaithFi can help you take that first step and actually stick with it.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have a HELOC at about 7% and about $80,000 in credit card debt. Does it make sense to use the HELOC to pay down that credit card debt at the lower rate, or should we handle it another way? I also have a second question: My husband and I own a couple of rental properties. One of them is basically a wash—no profit. We've always assumed the rentals would be part of our retirement, but we don't have an emergency fund. Would it be wiser to sell the rental property that isn't generating income, invest the proceeds, and improve retirement and emergency fund strategies?I contribute 10% pre-tax and 5% post-tax to my 401(k), and the 5% post-tax is maxed out. With the new rules allowing tax-free overtime up to $25,000, is it still beneficial for me to contribute the 5% post-tax? Or should I redirect it and contribute 15% pre-tax to the 401(k)? Or should I take a different approach altogether?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Christian Credit CounselorsWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereShould you build your next investment property in your personal name or through your corporation?If you're a Canadian business owner sitting on retained earnings or personal capital, figuring out how to fund your next real estate investment can feel like a high-stakes puzzle. Should you leverage your HELOC or dip into your corporate cash? Does owning the property personally offer more flexibility—or should it live in a holding company for tax benefits and liability protection? This episode dives into a real-life case study to help you navigate these exact decisions with clarity.By the end of this episode, you'll learn:The key tax and long-term planning trade-offs between owning investment property personally vs corporately.Three practical funding strategies—including when to borrow from your HELOC, your corporation, or a third-party lender.How to plan for future capital gains and use corporate-owned insurance to prepare for estate taxes without losing liquidity.Press play now to confidently map out the smartest path for funding and owning your next investment property.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle…taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.Canadian business owners seeking financial freedom and early retirement are rethinking how they approach property development, corporate structures, and long-term wealth strategies. Whether you're weighing HELOCs vs. corporate borrowing for funding investment properties, or deciding between salary vs. dividends in Canada, every financial decision shapes your broader Canadian wealth plan. This episode explores how to use retained earnings strategically, optimize RRSP room, and implement tax-efficient investing through corporate wealth planning. You'll gain insights inReady to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the ways we are starting to see the "lock-in effect" meaningfully shift for borrowers. Plus, Robbie sits down with FINOFR's Keith Kelly for a discussion on how to take the friction out of the loan process for everyone. And we close by examining trends in economic data that will better help you keep borrowers informed as to what's going on.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. 

❓Have a money question? Ask Ramsey is here to help! George Kamel and Rachel Cruze answer your questions and discuss: "Should I file for bankruptcy? " "How do I move on after financial and emotional infidelity?" "I'm retired and I have never invested my money" "Is it a good idea to spend money on a birthday vacation for my daughter?" "What happens to debt if I die before paying it off?" "Should I use my HELOC to pay off my other debt?" "My brother has been stealing money from our parents and has put them into debt. Should I tell them to file bankruptcy?" "Do we have too much of our wealth tied up in our home?". Next Steps: ✔️⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Help us make the show better. Please take this short survey.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the latest prepayment and delinquency data from from mortgagees. Plus, Robbie sits down with Worthy Performance Group's Laura Lasher for a discussion on why many lenders will fail to capitalize on a rate-driven rebound, what truly differentiates winning loan officers, how competitive dynamics have shifted toward larger institutions, which training investments genuinely improve performance, and the warning signs that signal an organization is unprepared for the next market cycle. And we close by examining the overall economic narrative based on employment, inflation, and spending figures.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. 

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at some data trends we are seeing, namely benign inflation and strong retail sales. Plus, Robbie sits down with Key Mortgage Services' Jen Poniatowski for a discussion on how lenders should adjust borrower expectations in a falling rate environment, how buyer leverage is shifting as inventory rises, and how economic uncertainty is shaping first-time buyer confidence and product choice. And we close by examining a slew of economic data that was released this morning.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. 

Do you need a HELOC on your investment property? ============= Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Guest: Benjamin Stef, NEXA Mortgage Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Properties for Sale on the North Side?  We want to buy them. Email: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Have a vacancy? We can place your next tenant and give you back 30-40 hours of your time. Learn more: GCRealtyInc.com/tenant-placement Has Property Mgmt become an opportunity cost for you? Let us lower your risk and give you your time back to grow. Learn more: GCRealtyinc.com ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2026.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the market's reaction on Monday to criminal charges being levied against Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Plus, Robbie sits down with Clever's Jaime Seale for a discussion on the widespread financial barriers and affordability concerns of younger generations, and why Millennials, in particular, are willing to stretch budgets significantly despite planning to purchase homes below current median prices. And we close by examining what the latest CPI report says about inflation in the U.S.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. 

Why We Got Into Real Estate Investing Real Estate Investing Morning Show – Hosted by Wayne & Gabby Hillier Today's episode was a live, listener-driven conversation focused on one of the most important topics in real estate investing: your "why." With no pre-submitted questions, Wayne and Gabby opened the floor to live listeners to share what originally got them interested in real estate and what continues to drive them today. The discussion explored how a strong, clearly defined "why" is often the difference between investors who take action and those who stall out. Wayne also shared his personal journey, mindset, and the deeper motivations behind building through real estate investing.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the criminal charges being levied against Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Plus, Robbie sits down with Texas MBA's Erin Dee for a discussion on the benefits of advocacy at the state association level. And we close by examining what the shifting inflation and employment figures of the Fed's dual mandate.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. 

January doesn't have to start with a financial overhaul. In this special Ask Farnoosh episode, Farnoosh shares why easing into the new year, rather than rushing to reset everything, can lead to better money decisions.She reflects on how she's approaching 2026, what typically happens in the markets at the beginning of the year, and why January is a powerful time to slow down, learn, and reconnect with what matters most. From there, Farnoosh breaks down the week's biggest money stories, including shifting grocery prices, growing anxiety in the housing market, canceled home purchase deals, the return of student loan wage garnishment, and new data suggesting homeownership may feel out of reach for more Americans.The episode also highlights two recent conversations on So Money — with David Bach on building wealth through simple, consistent habits, and with Terri Trespicio on the importance of writing as a practical career skill.Listeners then get answers to thoughtful questions about opening a new credit card after securing a HELOC, what it really means when entrepreneurs say they “didn't pay themselves,” how HSAs work after enrolling in Medicare, and where to safely keep a $20,000 gift intended for a future home purchase. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Hospital Room Reminder About What Really Matters When Bruce recorded this episode, I was in the hospital. He carried the podcast solo while I was headed into yet another surgery connected to pregnancy complications—a storyline some of you know has been part of our family's journey for years. https://www.youtube.com/live/Fbq412_k_mU That day was a harsh reminder: life is fragile, the future is never guaranteed, and your family's financial stability cannot depend on “hoping it all works out.” It has to be built on purpose. And that's exactly what cash flow vs accumulation is really about: not numbers on a statement, but whether the people you love will be equipped, protected, and provided for—no matter what happens to you. A Hospital Room Reminder About What Really MattersWhy Cash Flow vs Accumulation Matters More Than a NumberWhy Cash Flow vs Accumulation: How to Build Multigenerational Wealth Matters NowWhat Is the Difference Between Cash Flow and Accumulation Investing?How to Shift from Accumulation to Cash Flow in Personal FinanceHow to Manage Cash Flow Like a Business in Your Personal FinancesHow to Create a Personal Cash Flow Strategy That Supports Your LifeCash Flow vs Accumulation: How to Build Multigenerational Wealth in PracticeBest Cash Flowing Assets for Families and Business OwnersShould You Use a HELOC to Fund Life Insurance Premiums and Cash Flow Investments?From a Pile of Money to a Living Financial SystemGo Deeper With the Full Cash Flow vs Accumulation EpisodeFAQ – Cash Flow vs Accumulation and Multigenerational WealthWhat is the difference between cash flow and accumulation investing?How can I shift from accumulation to cash flow in my personal finances?How do I create a personal cash flow strategy that supports my lifestyle?What are the best cash flowing assets for families and business owners?How can focusing on cash flow vs accumulation help build multigenerational wealth? Why Cash Flow vs Accumulation Matters More Than a Number Most financial conversations revolve around a number. “How much do I need to retire?”“What should my net worth be at this age?”“What's my freedom number?” Those questions all assume one thing: that a bigger pile of assets automatically equals security. But it doesn't. A big balance that doesn't produce reliable cash flow can disappear quickly. You start selling assets, paying taxes, and hoping the market cooperates. That's not peace of mind. That's pressure. In this article, I want to walk you through a different way of thinking: cash flow vs accumulation and how to build multigenerational wealth with a system instead of a guess. You'll see: What is the difference between cash flow and accumulation investing in real life How to shift from accumulation to cash flow in your personal finances How to manage cash flow like a business in your personal economy The role of cash flowing assets, Infinite Banking, and trusts in building multigenerational wealth How Secure Act 2.0 and current tax rules affect inherited accounts and cash flow My goal is not to make you feel behind, but to help you feel equipped. You can design a personal cash flow strategy that supports your lifestyle now and continues to bless your family long after you're gone. Why Cash Flow vs Accumulation: How to Build Multigenerational Wealth Matters Now At the simplest level, accumulation is about growing a balance; cash flow is about growing an income stream. Most people are taught the accumulation mindset from day one. Work hard, spend less than you make, and stash the difference in a 401(k), IRA, or brokerage account. You watch the balance grow over time and hope it's enough. Cash flow asks a different set of questions. Instead of “How much do I have?” it asks, “What is this money doing? How much sustainable income does it produce? How easily can my family access it? And how long will it last?” Accumulation is about mass; cash flow is about motion. Mass can look impressive on paper. Motion is what pays the bills, funds opportunities, and supports your heirs without forcing them to sell assets at the worst possible time. When you start thinking this way, your focus shifts from chasing the biggest number to designing the strongest system. What Is the Difference Between Cash Flow and Accumulation Investing? Let's make this practical. Accumulation investing looks like this: your paycheck comes in, your bills go out, and whatever is left—if anything—gets swept into a savings account, retirement plan, or investment account. You might reinvest dividends automatically, but you're mostly watching the line go up and down on a graph and hoping the long-term trend is favorable. Cash flow investing is more intentional. You still earn income, still pay expenses, but you do one crucial thing differently: you give that surplus a job. Instead of leaving it to drift, you send it into assets that are designed to pay you on a regular basis. That might be a rental property, a share in a business, a private lending fund, a dividend-paying stock portfolio, or a policy loan strategy built on whole life insurance. The key is that these assets put money back into your personal economy as a dependable stream, not just a fluctuating account value. Accumulation is “I hope this is enough someday.”Cash flow is “I know what this produces every month, and I can plan around it.” How to Shift from Accumulation to Cash Flow in Personal Finance The shift doesn't happen with one dramatic move; it happens through a series of decisions. The first step is awareness. You need to see your personal economy the way a CFO sees a business. That means tracking not just your balance, but your flow. How much truly comes in? Where exactly does it go? What is the consistent surplus? Once you know the surplus, you can stop letting it evaporate. This is where Bruce's idea of a Wealth Coordination Account becomes powerful. Instead of leaving extra money in the same checking account that pays your groceries and subscriptions, you move it to a separate, dedicated account. That account becomes the home base for your cash flow strategy. It's where you hold cash temporarily while you decide: do we pay down a debt that's draining us? Do we fund a life insurance premium that will expand our long-term options? Do we step into a strategic rental, a business partnership, or a dividend-focused portfolio? Shifting from accumulation to cash flow is less about wild new investments and more about refusing to let surplus be accidental. You become intentional about directing it toward assets that feed you back. How to Manage Cash Flow Like a Business in Your Personal Finances Bruce shared a simple but powerful idea: Run your personal economy the way a healthy business runs its economy. A good business watches: Revenue in Expenses out Profit (cash flow) How quickly profit is redeployed to either increase revenue or decrease expenses You can do the same at home. Track your cash flow clearlyDon't just “check your balance.” Know exactly what's coming in, what's going out, and what's left. Increase income where you canSide business, consulting, a raise, better pricing in your current business—anything that adds more revenue to your personal economy. Decrease unnecessary expensesLook at both:Discretionary spending (the “nice to haves”) Non-discretionary spending (insurance, utilities, groceries) where you can shop, renegotiate, or restructure. Capture the surplus in a separate “Wealth Coordination Account”This is something Bruce and I teach often:Create a separate account for excess cash flowDon't let it disappear into your normal spending Use this account to fund your cash flow strategy, pay premiums, and invest in new opportunities This is the heart of cash flow planning—directing every dollar on purpose. How to Create a Personal Cash Flow Strategy That Supports Your Life A personal cash flow strategy isn't just a budget. It's a design for how money moves through your life: Income sources W-2 income Business income Rental income Dividends and distributions Core expenses Lifestyle (home, food, transportation, education) Taxes Debt payments Surplus (profit) This is what flows into your Wealth Coordination Account Redeployment planYou decide in advance: What percentage goes to debt reduction What percentage goes to cash flowing assets What percentage goes to premiums on your whole life policies What percentage stays liquid for opportunities This is how you manage your cash flow instead of reacting to it. Over time, this system builds stability for you and creates a foundation for multigenerational wealth planning. Cash Flow vs Accumulation: How to Build Multigenerational Wealth in Practice So how do we make cash flow vs accumulation truly multigenerational? Bruce and his wife use a simple repeatable framework: Cash flowing assets (businesses, rentals, funds) send income into a Wealth Coordination Account. That account pays premiums for permanent life insurance policies. As cash value grows, they borrow against policies to purchase more cash flowing investments. The new cash flow goes back to: Repay policy loans Rebuild the Wealth Coordination Account Fund additional opportunities Rinse and repeat. On the legacy side: Trusts are structured so that death benefits and cash flowing assets pass in an organized, tax-aware way to nieces, nephews, and charities. The trust language gives guidance and guardrails for how the next generation should use policy loans, pay them back, and take out new policies on their own lives and their children's lives. This is how building generational wealth with cash flow becomes a repeatable family system, not just a one-time event.

In this special 400th episode, Glen shares the full story of how he bought his very first U.S. investment property and all the mistakes that came with it. After struggling to scale his Canadian portfolio due to rising prices, lender limitations, and tenant issues, he turned to U.S. podcasts for answers and eventually bought a turnkey property in Huntsville, Alabama using a HELOC from his Ontario home. Glen admits he didn't understand lending, valuations, property management, wire transfers, or the major differences between Canadian and American real estate. He trusted every number from the turnkey provider, bought the property sight unseen, and quickly learned the challenges of using a large national property manager, handling accounting disputes, and navigating cross-border money transfers. Despite all the mistakes, Glen stresses that taking action mattered more than having everything figured out. That first imperfect deal became the catalyst for every U.S. property he bought afterward in Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Ohio. Looking back, he says hiring an experienced coach would have saved him money, stress, and years of slow growth—but he still credits that first deal for creating momentum and opening doors. Today, Glen encourages Canadians to leverage the abundance of U.S. real estate opportunities, do proper due diligence, and get guidance so they can scale faster, avoid expensive errors, and build a real business. If listeners are ready to take the next step, he invites them to book a free consult call and get personalized help. glensutherland.com/consult

www.marktreichel.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/In this quarterly roundtable episode of With Flying Colors, Mark Treichel is joined by former NCUA executives Dennis Bauer, Steve Farrar, and Todd Miller to break down the NCUA Q3 2025 Quarterly Credit Union Data Summary.The discussion highlights a key theme: the credit union system is gradually returning to a more normal operating environment after years of rate shocks, pandemic liquidity, and balance-sheet distortion.Key topics include improving net interest margins, rising non-interest expenses, and why ROA gains lag margin recovery. The panel examines growing pressure in auto and credit card portfolios, increased repossessions, and what delinquency trends suggest heading into 2026. They also explore liquidity stabilization, shifts in share mix, and renewed investment risk-taking as some credit unions bet on future rate cuts.Additional insights include CAMEL rating trends, HELOC utilization growth, differences between credit union and community bank performance, and what examiner behavior may look like amid NCUA staffing constraints.This episode is designed for credit union executives, board members, and risk leaders looking for plain-English interpretation of regulatory data—without spin or hype.

The Day the “Emergency Fund” Met Real Life Rachel here. Many tell us the same story: “I saved the emergency fund, but I'm worried I'm losing ground to inflation and missed opportunities.” https://www.youtube.com/live/T7O8abZDKw8 Because for most people, the “emergency fund” is a lonely pile of cash—stuck in a corner doing next to nothing. It feels safe, until inflation and opportunity cost quietly erode it. Today Bruce and I want to reframe that pile into something far better: emergency fund alternatives that give you liquidity and momentum. What You'll Get From This Guide If you've ever wondered how to stay liquid for the unknown without parking money in low-yield accounts, this is for you. We'll show you how to: Design liquidity that protects your family and keeps compounding intact Think “emergency and opportunity,” not either/or Decide how much liquidity you actually need Compare storage options (banks, brokerage, HELOCs, and emergency fund alternatives like cash value life insurance) Understand policy loans, interest, IRR, and why control and flexibility often beat chasing the “best rate” By the end, you'll have a practical blueprint to keep cash ready for life's surprises—without stalling your long-term growth. The Day the “Emergency Fund” Met Real LifeWhat You'll Get From This Guide1) Why Most People Misunderstand “Emergency Funds”Emergency Fund Alternatives vs. Cash-in-the-Bank2) How Much Liquidity Do You Actually Need?Emergency Fund Alternatives for Real Estate Investors3) Liquidity from Cash-Flowing Assets4) Where to Store Liquidity: A Practical Comparison5) Cash Value as an Emergency–Opportunity FundEmergency Fund Alternatives Using Whole Life Insurance6) “But What About Loan Rates vs. Policy IRR?”7) Real Estate, HELOCs, and Policy Loans—How They Compare8) Early-Year Liquidity & Design Reality9) The Two Big Mindset ShiftsEmergency Fund Alternatives That Keep You in Control10) Implementation Steps You Can Start This WeekWhy This MattersListen In and Go DeeperFAQWhat's the best place to keep an emergency fund?Are whole life policies good emergency fund alternatives?How much liquidity should real estate investors keep?Do whole life policy loans hurt compounding?Policy loan rate vs. policy IRR—what matters most?HELOC or whole life policy loan for emergencies?Book A Strategy Call 1) Why Most People Misunderstand “Emergency Funds” Most picture a rainy-day stash: a fixed dollar amount “just in case.” The problem? That mindset narrows your field of vision to only bad events. You end up over-saving in idle cash, under-preparing for real opportunities, and missing compound growth. The better frame is liquidity for emergencies and opportunities—capital that can pivot quickly, without losing momentum. Emergency Fund Alternatives vs. Cash-in-the-Bank Savings accounts provide easy access but pay little, expose you to inflation, and interrupt compounding when you withdraw. Emergency fund alternatives aim to keep liquidity and let your money continue working. 2) How Much Liquidity Do You Actually Need? Rules of thumb (3–6 months) don't account for your real situation: expenses, income volatility, business ownership, real estate cycles, and your emotional comfort. Bruce and I coach clients to answer three questions: Cash flow cushion: If your income paused, how long until you're back on track? Asset mix & access: Where is your capital now, and how liquid is it (including taxes/penalties)? Personal margin: What amount helps you sleep at night without freezing progress? The right number blends math and emotion. Peace of mind matters because you'll only stick with a plan you believe in. Emergency Fund Alternatives for Real Estate Investors Great operators earmark a percent of rents for vacancies, repairs, and cap-ex—plus a broader, flexible reserve. Emergency fund alternatives make that reserve productive while keeping it accessible. 3) Liquidity from Cash-Flowing Assets One overlooked “emergency fund” is consistent cash flow. If assets deposit $5K–$20K/mo. into your checking account regardless of your job, you may need less static cash. Let the monthly stream cover life's bumps—while your capital base keeps compounding. Cash flow accumulates → periodically deploy to premium (more on that next) Short-term bank buffer exists, but money doesn't linger there You stay positioned for both emergencies and deals 4) Where to Store Liquidity: A Practical Comparison VehicleLiquidityGrowth/DragTaxes on AccessProsConsBank savings/HYSAInstantLow; inflation dragNo capital gains on principalSimplicity, FDICOpportunity cost; interrupts compoundingBrokerage (cash/short-term)High–moderateVariesPossible gains taxesOptional yieldMarket risk; sale can trigger taxesHELOCOn-demand (if open)House appreciates regardlessLoan (not income)Flexible; common for investorsBank approval; can be frozenCash Value Whole Life3–5 days via policy loansUninterrupted compoundingLoan (not income)Control, guarantees, death benefitMust qualify; early-year liquidity is lower Bottom line: Banks are fine for swipe-ready cash. But for meaningful reserves, emergency fund alternatives that preserve compounding and add optionality often fit better. 5) Cash Value as an Emergency–Opportunity Fund This is where Infinite Banking principles shine. Premium dollars build cash value (guaranteed growth + potential dividends) and a rising death benefit. When you need liquidity, you borrow against cash value. Your cash value keeps compounding uninterrupted while the insurer's general fund provides the loan. Result: Capital keeps working; you gain flexibility Mindset: Be both the producer and the banker in your life Governance: Treat loans like a bank would—repay with intention to restore capacity Emergency Fund Alternatives Using Whole Life Insurance Liquidity in days (not months) Access via loan documents—not a bank underwriter If you pass away with a loan outstanding, it's simply deducted from the death benefit; your heirs still receive the net 6) “But What About Loan Rates vs. Policy IRR?” Bruce said it well: I care less about a single rate and more about the system—control, flexibility, and volume of interest over time. IRR reflects long-term, policywide performance. Loan rate is what you pay while capital continues compounding inside the policy. Volume matters: The faster you repay, the less interest volume you pay—at the same rate. Meanwhile, rising death benefits and dividends work in your favor. Chasing the perfect spread can stop you from using a system designed to keep your compounding intact and your options open. 7) Real Estate, HELOCs, and Policy Loans—How They Compare A helpful analogy: a policy loan works like a HELOC on your house—the property can keep appreciating whether a lien exists or not. With cash value, your “property” is the policy: growth continues by contract, and you place a lien to access cash. Differences: Access: Policy loans are paperwork-simple; HELOCs require bank re-approval and can be frozen. Speed: Policies often fund in 3–5 business days; HELOC timing varies. Control: With a policy, you set repayment terms; with banks, they do. For investors, combining a small bank buffer, a HELOC, and cash value creates layers of redundancy—plus uninterrupted compounding. 8) Early-Year Liquidity & Design Reality Honest trade-off: in the first year(s), you won't have access to 100% of premium dollars. That early drag buys you guarantees, long-term compounding, and a growing death benefit. Design matters (base + paid-up additions) and expectations matter. Ask: Do I really need every dollar back in 30 days? Most don't. By years 3–4, well-designed policies are commonly close to dollar-for-dollar access on new premium—and rising. 9) The Two Big Mindset Shifts From Emergency to Emergency–OpportunityStop saving only for the worst. Start storing capital that can respond to anything—repairs, vacancies, investments, giving, tuition, tithing, trips. From Saver to BankerDon't just hold capital; govern it. Design rules. Repay loans. Value your capital at least as much as a bank would. This shifts you from scarcity to stewardship. Emergency Fund Alternatives That Keep You in Control The aim isn't a magic product; it's a governed system that preserves compounding, widens options, and serves your family for decades. 10) Implementation Steps You Can Start This Week Clarify your true liquidity need. Calculate 90–180 days of net cash flow needs, not just expenses. Segment reserves: Keep a thin swipe-ready bank buffer; move the rest to emergency fund alternatives (e.g., cash value). Document loan rules: When you borrow, how will you repay? From what cash flow? On what rhythm? Automate funding: Set recurring transfers to build capital consistently. Review quarterly: Check buffer size, upcoming premiums/PUAs, deal pipeline, and family needs. Think generationally: Policies on multiple family members expand access, diversify insurability, and strengthen your long-term plan. Why This Matters Your “emergency fund” shouldn't be a deadweight expense. With emergency fund alternatives, you can keep liquidity, protect your family, and maintain uninterrupted compounding. Cash-flowing assets provide monthly cushion. Cash value provides controlled access, contractual growth, and a rising death benefit. Together, they create a resilient system that handles storms and seizes sunshine. Listen In and Go Deeper Want the full conversation—including examples, loan mechanics, and our candid takes on rates, IRR, and real-world trade-offs? Listen to the podcast episode on Emergency Fund Alternatives to hear how we actually apply this with clients and in our own families.

Ready to take a deep dive and learn how to generate personal tax-free cash flow from your corporation? Enroll in our FREE masterclass here and book a call hereWhat happens when an investment made with leverage—whether through OPM, a HELOC, or a whole life policy—suddenly goes bad?Canadian business owners and families often worry about using leverage to build wealth, especially when markets turn or a deal underperforms. It's easy to feel uneasy when the value of an investment dips, your home equity stalls, or you're unsure how a leveraged move might affect your long-term financial security. This episode unpacks the emotional and financial realities behind these decisions, showing how to think clearly about risk, liquidity, and diversification—without letting fear shut down your wealth-building strategy.In this episode, you'll discover:Why the type of asset you leverage matters—and how different reservoirs (cash, home equity, whole life policies) behave when markets fall.How to structure your wealth reservoir so a single failed investment can't collapse your system.The mindset and mechanics behind maintaining liquidity, staying diversified, and making confident investment decisions even in volatile times.Press play to learn how to build a resilient wealth reservoir that keeps your financial system secure—no matter what your next investment does.Discover which phase of wealth creation you are in. Take our quick assessment and you'll receive a custom wealth-building pathway that matches your phase and learn our CRA compliant tax optimized strategies. Take that assessment here.Canadian Wealth Secrets Show Notes Page:Consider reaching out to Kyle…taking a salary with a goal of stuffing RRSPs;…investing inside your corporation without a passive income tax minimization strategy;…letting a large sum of liquid assets sit in low interest earning savings accounts;…investing corporate dollars into GICs, dividend stocks/funds, or other investments attracting corporate passive income taxes at greater than 50%; or,…wondering whether your current corporate wealth management strategy is optimal for your specific situation.Building long-term wealth in Canada starts with a clear Canadian wealth plan anchored in a strong wealth reservoir and smart investment strategies that balance growth with solid risk management. By integrating tools like a whole life policy, RRSP optimization, and tax-efficient investing, Canadian business owners can create an opportunity fund thReady to connect? Text us your comment including your phone number for a response!Canadian Wealth Secrets is an informative podcast that digs into the intricacies of building a robust portfolio, maximizing dividend returns, the nuances of real estate investment, and the complexities of business finance, while offering expert advice on wealth management, navigating capital gains tax, and understanding the role of financial institutions in personal finance.

New tax laws are on the horizon—and they could significantly influence the way you give. The recently passed One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (often shortened to the OBBBA) introduces several changes that affect charitable givers today and in the years to come. To help unpack these shifts, we sat down with Bruce McKee, attorney and Senior Vice President of Complex Gifts at the National Christian Foundation (NCF).What the OBBBA Actually DoesDespite its cheerful name, the OBBBA carries serious implications for donors. Bruce explains that the bill makes permanent many provisions that were originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2025 under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Key extensions include:Higher standard deductionsHigher estate tax exclusionsNew deduction floors for charitable giftsA new limit on itemized deductionsExtended business deductionsUpdated rules for university endowment taxesThese changes will affect different givers differently, but nearly everyone will feel the impact of the new standard deduction.The Standard Deduction Gets Bigger—AgainThis update alone affects roughly 90% of taxpayers.The OBBBA permanently extends the increased standard deduction and even boosts it for the 2025 tax year:Individuals: $15,750Married couples filing jointly: $31,500Because the standard deduction is now higher, fewer people will itemize. And when giving is lumped under the standard deduction, charitable gifts are no longer deductible.But there's a powerful workaround.If you want to maximize your tax benefits while maintaining your giving rhythms, “bunching” can help. Bunching means:Grouping several years' worth of charitable gifts into a single tax yearItemizing in that year, instead of taking the standard deductionUsing a donor-advised fund (DAF)—such as an NCF Giving Fund—to distribute gifts gradually over future yearsA giving fund works like a charitable checking account—a powerful tool for strategic, tax-efficient generosity. Bunching is especially impactful when paired with gifts of appreciated assets.New Charitable Deduction Floors Coming in 2026Beginning in 2026, charitable deductions will include a “floor”—a small portion of giving that won't be deductible at all.For IndividualsOnly the amount of charitable giving above 0.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) will be deductible. Here's an example:AGI = $200,0000.5% floor = $1,000Whether you give $20,000 or $40,000, the first $1,000 is not deductible.For CorporationsA similar rule applies, but the floor is 1% of taxable income.Why This MattersThis floor means that givers with large AGIs—especially in high-income years—should consider giving earlier, before 2026 arrives. Strategic timing will matter more than ever.Even high-capacity donors who itemize may benefit from bunching in alternating years.New Limits on Itemized DeductionsThe OBBBA also introduces a “haircut” affecting all itemized deductions—not just charitable ones.Because the highest tax bracket (37%) is now permanent, itemized deductions typically reduce income taxed at that rate. But beginning in 2026:Deductions in the highest bracket will be valued at 35 cents per dollar, not 37.It's a relatively small shift, but it slightly increases tax liability and adds another layer of planning complexity. Once again, Bruce recommends intentionally reviewing giving strategies before the 2025 year closes.Estate and Gift Tax Exclusions: Higher and More StableThe OBBBA also stabilizes estate planning by raising the estate and gift tax exemption to:$15 million per individual$30 million for married couplesThese thresholds—once set to sunset back to near half—are now permanent (as permanent as tax law can be). This gives families greater clarity as they plan inheritances and consider charitable tools like trusts or family foundations.When people settle their estate planning, it often helps them focus their hearts on where God is calling them to give—what Ron Blue usually describes as “giving while you're living so you're knowing where it's going.”Good News for Non-Itemizers: The Above-the-Line Charitable Deduction ReturnsBeginning soon, non-itemizers will be able to deduct modest charitable amounts:$1,000 for individuals$2,000 for married couples filing jointlyThis applies to cash gifts made to churches and public charities. It's a welcome incentive for households that rely on the standard deduction.Navigating Change with WisdomThe tax landscape may shift, but God's call to generosity never does. Thoughtful planning ensures you can give joyfully, efficiently, and impactfully.If you want to steward God's resources with greater intentionality, a Giving Fund through the National Christian Foundation can help you:Maximize tax benefitsSimplify your givingSupport ministries you loveInvest funds for future generosityYou can open one in just a few minutes at FaithFi.com/NCF.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:My husband and I are turning 68 and need to move from our two-story home into a one-story house. We're considering new construction, but we'd either need a small mortgage or withdraw $50–60,000 from our 401(k). Our income is stable—he gets $3,000 from Social Security, and I make about $2,000. We manage fine month to month. Which option makes more sense?I'm 73, single, living on Social Security with excellent credit and no debt besides a small monthly charge card. I'm looking into either a HELOC or another home-equity option so I can access some of my home's value to help others before I pass away. What's the best way to proceed?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)The National Christian Foundation (NCF) Movement MortgageWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Steve Baranowski, Senior Vice President of Retail Lending at Marquette Bank, joins Jon Hansen on Your Money Matters to talk about what the home market will look like in 2026. Steve talks about home demand, steady prices, and how rising equity creates opportunities for a HELOC. For more information on how you can bank with […]

Clark makes no secret of his obsession with fitness trackers. Nerd Alert: He wears three. But there's new data that proves he's just being, well - Clark Smart. We're moving into an era where more devices can be monitored by healthcare providers, to potentially save lives - A true case of knowledge is power. Also, homeowners with a lot of equity can be sorely tempted to tap into that money. But when is this type of debt appropriate? And what are the best borrowing options? Clark explains the difference between a home equity loan and a HELOC in a period of lower interest rates. The New Power of Fitness Trackers: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 The Home Equity Decision: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Apple Watch data teamed with AI reveals heart damage Why Does Clark Howard Wear 2 Watches? Why Clark Howard Is So Excited About His Wedding Band KardiaMobile Personal EKG | Kardia Personal EKG Monitor What Is an HSA Account and How Does It Work? Report: Most Popular Used Cars in America What Brokerage Do You Recommend for First-Time Investors or Kids? Target Date Funds: Clark's Favorite Retirement Investment HELOC vs. Home Equity Loan: Similarities and Differences Is a HELOC a Good Idea? The Simple Answer Home Equity Loan Calculator - Clark Howard Ed.gov - Loan Forgiveness How To Roll Over U.S. Savings Bonds Into a 529 Plan Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com  /  Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Real Estate Expert & Best-Selling Author, Gerald Lucas discusses whether you should use a HELOC(home equity line of credit) to pay off credit cards.

Why are crypto credit cards exploding — and what does the Coinbase x Amex partnership signal about where the card ecosystem is heading next?In this episode, host Reggie Young sits down with Matthew Goldman, founder of Totavi and one of the most respected card experts in fintech, for their annual “State of the Cards Union.” Matthew breaks down why 2025 became a breakout year for crypto-linked cards, how Amex is selectively stepping deeper into fintech partnerships, and why HELOC-backed credit products reached an unexpected inflection point. He also shares what surprised him most this year, the underwriting innovations reshaping access to credit, and why consumer obsession with rewards has gone fully mainstream. The conversation moves through the history of program management waves, the rise of cloud-native processors, and the real economics behind modern card programs. Finally, Matthew looks ahead to 2026 with predictions around stablecoin settlement, hyper-personalized rewards, and the next big opportunity in gig-worker credit.

The holidays are meant to be a season of joy, generosity, and gratitude. Yet for many families, the celebrations come with a heavy dose of financial stress—stress that lingers long after the decorations are packed away. Our desire to bless others often leads to spending more than we planned. But it doesn't have to be that way.Recently, we sat down with Neile Simon, Certified Credit Counselor and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Christian Credit Counselors, to talk about how families can give meaningfully, stay within their means, and refocus on what Christmas is truly about.Creating a Realistic Holiday PlanMost people enter the holiday season with the best of intentions. We want to show love, bless others, and create special memories. But somewhere along the way, those intentions can derail.Neile explains that a mix of cultural pressures makes overspending almost effortless: holiday sales, credit card offers at checkout, “buy now, pay later” deals, and social media's endless highlight reels. Before long, the drive to be generous morphs into the belief that we must spend more to prove how much we care.And the consequences last far beyond December—financial stress, increased debt, and a January filled with regret rather than joy. The good news: overspending isn't inevitable. Neile suggests starting early and planning intentionally.1. Decide what you can truly afford. Account for all holiday expenses—gifts, food, travel, entertainment, and even small traditions that add up.2. Set a total spending limit. Let this number guide every decision throughout the season.3. Use cash or debit when possible. “When the money's gone, you're done—and that's okay,” Neile says. This simple boundary protects you from impulse spending.4. If using credit cards, treat them as tools—not the enemy. Used wisely, they can help you track your spending. The key is to stay disciplined and avoid taking on debt you can't comfortably repay.Ultimately, a budget is not a restriction—it's a path to freedom. It helps you enjoy the season without dreading the bill that arrives in January.Meaningful Giving Without OverspendingGenerosity isn't measured by price tags. In fact, the most meaningful gifts are often the simplest.Neile encourages families to focus on personal, relational giving:Handwritten notesHomemade treatsShared experiencesThoughtful, small gifts with clear intentionHer own family keeps gift-giving fun by setting spending limits and doing a white-elephant exchange. “It takes the pressure off,” she says, “and turns gift-giving into shared laughter and memory-making.”When togetherness becomes the priority over possessions, Christmas becomes both more joyful and more affordable.If You're Already in Debt, There's HopeFor families already carrying debt, Christmas can feel like a tug-of-war between generosity and financial reality. Neile offers this encouragement: give within your means—even if it means scaling back.Why? Because responsible giving protects your finances, your peace, and your future.“Think of it this way,” Neile says. “A relaxed, stress-free January is far better than stressing out after overspending in December.”Scaling back isn't failure—it's stewardship. And it models wisdom and faithfulness for your children.Refocusing on the True Meaning of ChristmasAmid the lights, the gifts, and the traditions, it's easy to lose sight of the heart of Christmas.“Christmas is a celebration of Jesus—the greatest gift ever given,” Neile reminds us. When our hearts are centered on Him, love and grace become the focus. Giving within our means allows us to celebrate joyfully, gratefully, and peacefully.And when we spend with purpose—anchored in Christ rather than consumerism—we experience a kind of joy that lasts long after the season ends.Need Help With Debt?If financial stress is weighing you down, Christian Credit Counselors can help. As a nonprofit ministry, they specialize in debt management—not debt consolidation—working directly with your creditors to lower interest rates and help clear the path toward freedom.Learn more at: ChristianCreditCounselors.org/Faith. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm an 84-year-old retired veteran, and my wife is 81. We have a $375,000 mortgage on a $3.2–$3.4 million home, a $140,000 portfolio, a 529 with $55,000, about $100,000 in gold jewelry, $40,000 in Social Security benefits, and $15,000 in credit card debt. We're running out of money and need to tap our home equity. The VA offered a $400,000 loan, but would a HELOC or a reverse mortgage be better? Who can help us make the right decision?We're receiving a $60,000 inheritance and have $10,000 in credit card debt. Should we use some of the inheritance to pay it off, and what should we do with the rest? My husband is disabled, and we're in our 60s—so is investing any of it in the stock market wise? And should we tithe on the inheritance?I'm 65, still working full-time as a caregiver, and have about $900,000 in my 401(k). When should I start Social Security—now or when I retire in May 2026? And how do I know if I have enough saved for retirement, since I'm debt-free and have fairly basic expenses?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Christian Credit CounselorsHome Equity and Reverse Mortgages: The Cinderella of the Baby Boomer Retirement by Harlan J. AccolaMovement MortgageWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before you buy a rental property, you'll need to decide where to invest. Some rookies feel more comfortable investing in their own backyards, while others prefer to handpick a market that will give them enough cash flow or appreciation to reach their long-term goals. But which one will give YOU an advantage?   Welcome to another Rookie Reply! Today, Ashley and Tony are tackling more questions from the BiggerPockets Forums. First, they weigh the pros and cons of investing out of state before debating whether you should get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) on your primary residence to help fund an investment property.   Planning to do a BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat)? Then you'll need to have your financing lined up ahead of time. Should you use a single loan to cover the purchase and rehab, or is it better to fund them separately? We'll break down all your options. Do you need a property manager? Stick around for some crucial tips and interview questions that will help you make the right choice! In This Episode We Cover Whether you should invest locally or out of state for your first real estate deal The best ways to fund a BRRRR (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) Using a home equity line of credit (HELOC) for a down payment How to find a reliable property manager for your rental property “Overlooked” property management fees that could kill your cash flow And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-646 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Sides had zero real estate investing experience not too long ago. But, within just six weeks, she made $100,000 on her first real estate deal. How is that even possible, let alone in 2025? That type of profit is usually reserved for expert real estate investors, not middle-school science teachers! Today, Laura is uncovering the fast-flipping formula that helps her do quick, profitable real estate deals even in her competitive market. During a beach vacation to Florida, Laura read the personal finance and investing classic Rich Dad Poor Dad, and, seemingly overnight, her brain rewired as she became dead set on multiplying her money instead of working for every dollar. So, she took out a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to buy her first real estate deal, but where would it come from? A chance encounter with a neighbor would set her on a path that would change her life forever. Now, she's cracked the house flipping formula, has two killer rental properties she uses as her own vacation homes, and makes significantly more than her teacher's salary working on her schedule, building wealth her way. Want to be like Laura? We ALL do, and today, she's sharing how you can do it, too! In This Episode We Cover How Laura made a six-figure profit in just six weeks on her FIRST real estate deal The house flipping formula Laura uses to buy low-stress, quick flips that make great profits Why you should ALWAYS be friendly with your neighbors (they might sell you their house) Using a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to buy your first investment property  What Laura looks for on property listings as telltale signs they'll be good deals  And So Much More! Check out more resources from this show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BiggerPockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rookie-645 Interested in learning more about today's sponsors or becoming a BiggerPockets partner yourself? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertise@biggerpockets.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us think of generosity as a sacrifice—something that costs us. But what if giving is actually one of the wisest, most joy-producing ways to live? When we open our hands, God not only blesses others through us—He transforms us in the process.That idea lies at the heart of Chip Ingram's book The Genius of Generosity, and it's why we were grateful to welcome him to the program. Chip is the founder, teaching pastor, and CEO of Living on the Edge, a discipleship ministry helping believers live like Christians every day.A Story That Changes EverythingChip's understanding of generosity was forever shaped by a man named John—a seventy-year-old accountant who invited Chip, then a young pastor, to lunch one day. After the meal, John handed him a small white box. Inside was a checkbook labeled Pastor's Discretionary Fund.John said, “Chip, here's what I'd like you to do. Carry this checkbook with you every day. Anytime you see a need that Jesus wants to meet—or that you think I'd want to help with—write a check.”Chip was stunned. He barely knew how to manage his own finances, let alone someone else's. But John invited him back three times each year to review every check. And so Chip began paying attention to needs around him—fueling a single mom's car, providing groceries for a struggling family, restoring electricity for another.Over time, something unexpected happened:Chip handled John's money more carefully than his own.He found himself eager to spot needs.And a deep friendship formed between two men who had nothing in common except a commitment to generosity.Years later, Chip realized the deeper lesson: What John did for him is what God does for all of us. We manage resources that are not ours. We steward what belongs to the King.That realization became the seed for The Genius of Generosity.Why Generosity Is More Than a VirtueChip told me that generosity didn't just change his financial habits—it changed his life. He began seeing giving as an adventure. He describes generosity as a “gateway to intimacy with God,” a doorway into deeper trust and joy. The more he gave, the more he saw God show up.And interestingly, secular research agrees. Chip noted that even if the Bible didn't exist, studies consistently show:Generous people are happier.They enjoy stronger relationships.They live longer and experience greater satisfaction.Why? Because generosity is a creative, life-giving act. It aligns us with how God designed the world.Generosity Connects Us—to God and to OthersJesus taught that wherever our treasure goes, our hearts follow. So every act of giving is spiritual formation. It's discipleship.And generosity builds unexpected bonds with others. Chip shared the story of a homeless man he saw regularly at a bagel shop. For months, the man never responded to Chip's greetings. One morning, Chip quietly bought him a coffee and a bagel. Minutes later, the man spoke—opening up about his life, his experiences, even pointing out the rare appearance of Venus in the sky.A simple act of kindness became the doorway to relationship and transformation.These moments, Chip says, are all around us if we have “our antenna up and our eyes off our phone.”Chip also told a story of a moment when God prompted him to give a six-figure gift—an amount he didn't feel he had. The Lord reminded him, “Do you think I can't replenish what you give?” Over the years, Chip has seen God refill what he gives away again and again, sometimes miraculously.That's the adventure of generosity: you can't out-give God.What If You Feel Like You Have Little to Give?Chip's encouragement is simple: “Start small. It's your view of God that needs to change, not your circumstances.”You don't wait until you're wealthy or “more spiritual” to begin giving. You practice generosity today—right where you are—and watch God grow your heart.The Genius of GenerosityIn the end, generosity is not about losing. It's about gaining—freedom from fear, deeper trust in God, richer relationships, and greater joy.When we give, we reflect the heart of the ultimate Giver. We discover that everything we have belongs to God—and that He delights to pour His blessings through open hands.To learn more about Chip Ingram and The Genius of Generosity, visit LivingOnTheEdge.org.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I already have a will, but a company that visited our church said I also need a trust—and they quoted me $3,000 to set everything up. Do I really need a trust? They said that without a trust, my kids could spend months or years in probate and might have to fight over things. That made me nervous—so now I'm wondering if I really do need one.I've heard you explain capital gains when someone buys a home, but how does it work if you build your home and only have a small HELOC? So if my house is worth about $400,000 and I sold it… How would that be calculated? I inherited the land through my divorce and built the home after Hurricane Laura.Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Living on the EdgeThe Genius of Generosity: Generous Living Is Joyful Living by Chip IngramWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Click to text the show!Connect with Derrick:https://www.usenectar.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-barker-3b1590a/ Email Jonathan with comments or suggestions:podcast@thesourcecre.comOr visit the webpage:www.thesourcecre.com*Some or all of the show notes may have been generated using AI tools.

In this heartfelt episode of Restaurant Owners Uncorked, Wil sits down with Asheville-based caterer and soon-to-be café owner Svitlana Eadie, whose journey from a small Ukrainian village to launching Slava, her café bakery on Wall Street in downtown Asheville, is nothing short of inspiring. She shares how growing up on a self-sustaining farm shaped her love for food and community, how immigrating to the U.S. with no English and no money forced her to adapt and work tirelessly, and how years in kitchens, bakeries, and hospitality strengthened her passion for sharing culture through food. Through setbacks, delays, construction challenges, and the chaos of COVID wiping out her catering business, she kept pushing, relying on grit, planning, and what she calls “experience assets.” Supported by her family, including her mother and sister, who will help run the bakery, Svitlana is building not just a café but a gathering place meant to reconnect people, share stories, and restore the kind of close-knit community she remembers from her childhood.10 Takeaways  Svitlana immigrated from a tiny Ukrainian village where community, shared food, and hospitality were woven into everyday life. She arrived in the U.S. at age 20 with no English and no money, adapting quickly by working any job she could find in hospitality. Her culinary foundation is deep, with studies in restaurant/hotel management and food science before leaving Ukraine. Her career path is broad—dishwasher, prep cook, server, banquet captain, baker, and more, including roles at Crowne Plaza, Grove Park Inn, a French bakery, and Whole Foods. She launched her catering company in 2017, which grew steadily until COVID abruptly canceled every event on her calendar. Finding the right café space took nearly four years, and once she found it, unexpected plumbing issues and contractor changes significantly delayed opening. She financed the café through disciplined saving, a HELOC, and finally a seed loan, emphasizing that nothing happened quickly or easily. Her menu will showcase traditional Ukrainian foods and recipes from her grandmother, along with breads, cakes, and familiar options for newcomers. Community is the heart of her mission—she wants the café to be a place where people talk, connect, and step away from screens. Her mindset is her superpower—optimism, resilience, gratitude, and what she calls building “experience assets” have carried her through every challenge.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the shifting priorities and sentiments of would-be home buyers. Plus, Robbie sits down with TD Bank's Jon Giles for a discussion on how today's rate environment is reshaping housing supply, why rising renovation trends and growing HELOC demand are turning home equity into a powerful financial tool, and how lenders can responsibly meet homeowners' increasing appetite for equity access. And we close by examining what sort of expectations there are for future rate cuts.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. Lenders, give your borrowers an experience they will rave about. Learn more at figure.com.

Welcome to The Chrisman Commentary, your go-to daily mortgage news podcast, where industry insights meet expert analysis. Hosted by Robbie Chrisman, this podcast delivers the latest updates on mortgage rates, capital markets, and the forces shaping the housing finance landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just looking to stay informed, you'll get clear, concise breakdowns of market trends and economic shifts that impact the mortgage world.In today's episode, we look at the latest findings from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) newly released Quarterly Mortgage Bankers Performance Report. Plus, Robbie sits down with Figure's Michael Tannenbaum for a discussion on how small-balance first-liens and HELOC-as-refi strategies work, the latest developments after the company's IPO, and his thoughts on the current lending climate. And we close by examining what the influence of the labor market on mortgage rates.Thank you to Figure. Figure is shaking up the lending world with their five-day HELOC, offering borrower approvals in as little as five minutes and funding in five days. Figure has hundreds of partners in the Banking, Credit Union, Home Improvement, and of course, IMB space embedding their technology. Lenders, give yo

Thanksgiving is upon us and the expense can get crazy. Clark shares ways to spend less on the family feast. Later - you may be charged more when purchasing online because of the WAY you shop, among other factors. How do you know you're getting the best price?  Clark explains “surveillance pricing”  and money saving tricks of the trade. Plus, at the very end of the podcast Clark has an important tip for Medicare Advantage plan holders. Save On Thanksgiving Dinner: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Savvy Shopping Online: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Aldi's Thanksgiving dinner is just $4 per person The Best Deals of Aldi's Middle Aisle in November #1 Way To Protect Yourself From Credit Card Skimmers Is a HELOC a Good Idea? The Simple Answer How To Get the Best Price Possible Shopping Online How To Use Camelcamelcamel Clark Deals - Laptops Booking a Cruise? Here Are 5 Ways To Do It for Less Don't miss out on the early Christmas gift from your Insurance Company when your Medicare Advantage (MA) plan gets canceled.Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com  /  Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 198 of Ask The Compound, Ben Carlson and Duncan Hill are joined by Ritholtz CFO Bill Sweet to discuss: 50% losses in your portfolio, stock concentration, 401k optimization, HELOC, Roth, and more. Submit your Ask The Compound questions to askthecompoundshow@gmail.com! Visit: https://exhibitaforadvice.com/ for all your charting needs! Subscribe to The Compound Newsletter for all the latest Compound content, live event announcements, find out who the next TCAF guest is, get updates on the latest merch drops, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thecompoundnews.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week on A Week In Her Wallet, we head to Atlanta to follow Kristen, a 40-something clinical researcher who earns about $150K a year and travels nearly full-time for work. She walks us through a week of thoughtful spending, including a $1,300 mortgage payment, $500 toward her HELOC, a $150 yard sale win (promptly spent on music festival tickets), and the small joys that keep her grounded when she's on the road so much.

Andrew Freed began as a project manager before a Rich Dad Poor Dad revelation led him to pursue financial freedom through real estate. Using a HELOC on his Boston condo, he rapidly scaled to 10 properties in two years and now oversees 400+ units with 50 more under contract. Specializing in multifamily, house hacking, and syndications, Andrew is a top BiggerPockets contributor and podcast guest who shares his expertise at meetups, inspiring others to achieve financial independence through real estate.   Here's some of the topics we covered:   From W2 Worker to Real Estate Savage The Secret Hack That Guarantees Success in Anything How Andrew Crushes It Buying C-Class Assets in Massachusetts The Rinse-and-Repeat Real Estate Formula That Keeps Printing Profits  Living Every Day in a State of Abundance The Harsh Economic Reality Hitting the C-Class Market The Truth About Section 8 Housing  The #1 Regret People Have on Their Deathbed  The Hiring Game-Changer That Transformed Andrew's Business   To find out more about partnering or investing in a multifamily deal: Text Partner to 72345 or email Partner@RodKhleif.com    For more about Rod and his real estate investing journey go to www.rodkhleif.com   Please Review and Subscribe

Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks. Also in this episode - Home prices have inflated so much in recent years, and banks are luring home owners to tap that home equity like it's a piggy bank. But what does this do to your overall wealth? Before you're tempted, hear what Clark has to say about HELOCs and home equity loans. Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 Home Equity Decisions: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: Are Extended Warranties Ever Worth It? Term Life vs. Whole Life Insurance: Understanding the Difference 4 Common Scams on Cash App, Venmo and Zelle (and How To Avoid Them) What Is an HSA Account and How Does It Work? Where Should I Set Up My Health Savings Account (HSA)? Report: 10 Used Cars With Big Price Drops HELOC vs. Home Equity Loan: Similarities and Differences Home Equity Loan Calculator - Clark Howard Is a HELOC a Good Idea? The Simple Answer How To Buy a House in 9 Steps What to know about online purchases and tariffs Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com  /  Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices