Confessions of a Co-host: I broke some FI Rules | Jackie Cummings Koski | 126
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Release Date: 03/12/2025
The Father of Financial Life Planning (Part 1) | George Kinder | 140
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
In part one of this enlightening two-part series, we are joined by George Kinder, founder of the Kinder Institute. He’s best known as the Father of Life Planning and creator of The Three Kinder Questions that probe deeper into our hopes, dreams, and fears. In this episode we discuss: The essence of financial maturity The profound practice of living in the present moment to achieve true freedom The power of envisioning meaningful goals and the practical steps to integrate them into your financial planning Tips to embark on your own hero's journey towards financial and personal fulfillment ...
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Vote Your Money: Values Aligned Investing | Janine Firpo | 139
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Today on the show we welcome Janine Firpo, an accomplished speaker, author, and social entrepreneur, dedicated to empowering women through values-aligned investing. She has a relentless drive to make a difference and poured it all into her book, 'Activate Your Money: Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World'. In this episode, you will learn: How Janine transitioned from a lucrative career in big tech to impact investing The importance of aligning financial goals with social values How to integrate ethical considerations into your investment portfolio Practical steps you can take to...
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Catching Up to FI in Uncertain Times | Bill & Jackie | 138
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
In this episode, Bill & Jackie joined Doc G (Jordan Grumet) on the 'Earn & Invest Podcast' to talk about what it feels like to be a late starter in these uncertain times. Questions about a recession are looming and it's scary, especially for those just waking up and trying to catch up. They discuss the ups and downs and how late starters can still stay on track. 🔗 ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question === DEALS AND DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED...
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International Educator, Bali FIRE | Amy Minkley | 137
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Amy Minkley is the founder of FI Freedom Retreats, a passion project that was born out of her love and gratitude for the F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement and community. In this episode, she shares her journey to achieving financial independence (FI) while living in Bali, Indonesia. Amy gives us a glimpse into her lavish yet affordable lifestyle, spending only $30k a year. She details her frugal upbringing, early teaching career in Japan, and subsequent well-paid international teaching positions that allowed her to save aggressively. The episode also highlights Amy's...
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Our Team is Growing: Welcome Patrick! | Patrick McDonnal | 136
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
We're excited to introduce you to our newest 'Catching Up to FI' team member, Patrick McDonnal. In this episode, you'll get to hear some of his money story and how he'll be helping with the show. Patrick discusses his career transition from engineering to financial planning and openly shares how the early financial education he got from his grandfather helped shape his journey. We're also celebrating with Patrick because he just sat for the very challenging, CFP Exam in March and got a preliminary 'Pass'. He is now well on his way to earning his Certified Financial Planner credential. ...
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How to Bake a Cake: An Asset Allocation Mashup | Rick Ferri & Paul Merriman | 134
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Joining us on this episode is not just one, but TWO titans in the investing and financial literacy space, Rick Ferri and Paul Merriman. These two great minds go head-to-head on topics like asset allocation, and the risks/rewards of small cap value funds vs. total stock market funds. Through this high energy debate, they also provide expert insights into the various stages of your investing journey. Rick and Paul both share how they empower investors through their platforms and continue their relentless mission of spreading financial education. 🔗 ☕ Like what you hear on...
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Bonus Episode: The Market is Crashing, Now What? | Bill & Jackie | 135
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
📈 Between April 3rd and 4th, the stock market dropped 10% and the S&P 500 is down nearly 15% so far this year. That's huge in such a short period of time and downright frightening! So, what do you do? Start by listening to this episode where Bill and Jackie take a deep breath, and discuss the impact of these recent market declines. There is a natural human reaction of fear, but they share tips on tempering those emotions and remaining levelheaded during volatile times. They also talk through the importance of understanding stock market history and cover practical strategies like...
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Cashing in on 72(t): The Goldmine of Early Retirement Rules (Part2) | Bill Stecker | 133
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
One of the most frequent questions we get about retiring early is: 'How do I get money out of my retirement accounts before age 59.5, without paying the 10% penalty'? This episode answers that question and more with CPA and 72(t) expert, Bill Stecker. Bill is the founder of The Marble Group which specializes in federal income taxes and early retirement distributions. He's also the brilliant mind behind the website '72tcalc', hands down the most comprehensive resource we've found specifically focusing on 72(t)s. Cohost Jackie knows because she set up her own substantially equal periodic...
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Financial Literacy and Mastering the Million Dollar Decisions | Paul Merriman | 132
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
April is Financial Literacy Month, and to help us celebrate we brought in a returning guest, Paul Merriman. Paul has been on the show before to discuss investment portfolios, but today he talks with us about some extraordinary strides he's making as a financial literacy advocate through his nonprofit, The Merriman Financial Education Foundation. We also share some of our favorite financial literacy resources. 🔗 ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question ...
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72(t) Expert Tells All: No More Secrets About Early Withdrawals (Part 1) | Bill Stecker | 131
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
One of the most frequent questions we get about retiring early is: 'How do I get money out of my retirement accounts before age 59.5, without paying the 10% penalty'? This episode answers that question and more with CPA and 72(t) expert, Bill Stecker. Bill is the founder of The Marble Group which specializes in federal income taxes and early retirement distributions. He's also the brilliant mind behind the website '72tcalc', hands down the most comprehensive resource we've found specifically focusing on 72(t)s. Cohost Jackie knows because she set up her own substantially equal periodic...
info_outlineJackie Cummings Koski is co-host of the 'Catching Up to FI' podcast and author of the book 'F.I.R.E. For Dummies'. In case you're new here, FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. In this episode, Jackie comes clean and publicly shares her non-FIRE confessions. Recorded at a CampFI near San Diego, she reveals surprising financial decisions that didn’t exactly follow the 'rules' of FI, and some are downright shocking… such as taking a 401(k) loan (don’t judge too soon😁). These moves may have gone against traditional FI principles, but they didn't ruin her plans or curb her enthusiasm.
From her early life in poverty to building wealth through strategic saving and investing, Jackie provides a transparent look at her imperfect journey, aiming to inspire others on the path to FI. She not only shares her real numbers, but also her genuine thoughts and feelings beyond the math. Join us to learn from her experience and embrace the big takeaway that 'precision is not required' to reach your financial goals, even when you’re getting a late start.
🗣️ SHARE YOUR CONFESSION! Do you have a non-FI confession to make??? Leave us a voice message and we may just play it on a future show! Use this link to record a message from your computer or right from your phone: 📲 https://catchinguptofi.com/contact-us/#voicemail
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=== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR ===
📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement) is our newest sponsor! Boldin is retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. With Boldin, you can:
✅ Track your savings
✅ Get personalized retirement advice based on your goals
✅ Explore investment options to grow your wealth
✅ And create a strategy that’s built for your unique needs
You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial. Be sure to use this link to get started: Go.boldin.com/catchingup
For a full list of our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners
Resources mentioned on the show:
🌐Jackie's website FInomenalWoman.com
🎙️From Poverty to Wealth and Early Retirement | Jackie Cummings Koski | 007
📕Jackie's book: 'F.I.R.E. For Dummies'
📈Jackie's Investment Club through BetterInvesting.org
Watch other inspiring talks on CampFI's YouTube channel
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Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.