“The Risk Parity Paradox” an Exercise in Simple Complexity? | Frank Vasquez | 124
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Release Date: 03/02/2025
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...
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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 ...
info_outlineFrank Vasquez (also affectionately known as Uncle Frank) is a mostly retired lawyer and host of the 'Risk Parity Radio' podcast. In this episode, he gives us a dose of his investing wisdom complete with his unique 'SpongeBob' sense of humor. We discuss financial independence (FI) in the older years, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the fruits of your labor after decades of saving. We explore diversified portfolios, the principles of risk parity, and introduce listeners to various investment approaches such as the 'Golden Butterfly' and 'Golden Ratio' portfolios. Frank also shares his thoughts on the shortcomings of traditional personal finance gurus, who often fail to provide viable strategies for retirement spending.
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=== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS ===
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Resources mentioned on the show: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Portfolio Charts https://portfoliocharts.com/
Charity: Father McKenna Center
Catching Up to FI podcast episodes:
SpongeBob and Drawdown Strategies | Frank Vasquez | 044
Sequence of Returns Risk: What Every Retiree Needs to Know | Karsten Jeske | 106
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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.