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
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...
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Discipline Is Hard To Maintain In The Heat of Battle | Bill Yount | 130
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
'Catching Up to FI' founder and co-host, Bill Yount, appeared as a guest on the EverydayFI podcast with host Meghan Combs. The show explores the lives and stories of everyday people in the financial independence community so Bill opens up about his FI journey as a late starter. He of course represents our Catching Up to FI community. He had a lot to say so this is the second part of a two-part episode. The first part was aired last Wednesday (episode 128) so be sure to check it out. 🌐 🔗 ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at ...
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Not Just Another Album, It’s A Money Revolution! | Alan & Katie Donegan | 129
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
In this episode we welcome back the rebels, Katie and Alan Donegan. They are founders of the Rebel Finance School and have turned the concept of financial independence (FI) into an energetic global movement. We are celebrating the launch of their brand-new music album. But it's not just music, it’s a Money Revolution and the world's first financial independence album! The Donegans give us a behind the scenes look at the making the of the album and a backstage pass to some of the tracks, including: 🎤 4% Rule 🎤 Badassity (Mustachianism) 🎤 Create a Gap 🎤 The Boring...
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Get To Know Your Future Self | Bill Yount | 128
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
'Catching Up to FI' founder and co-host, Bill Yount, appeared as a guest on the EverydayFI podcast with host Meghan Combs. The show explores the lives and stories of everyday people in the financial independence community so Bill opens up about his FI journey as a late starter. He of course represents our Catching Up to FI community. He had a lot to say so this is a two-parter and will be aired over the next two Wednesday episodes. 🌐 🔗 ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at 🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message...
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
🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website
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🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question
=== 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.