Financial Literacy and Mastering the Million Dollar Decisions | Paul Merriman | 132
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Release Date: 04/02/2025
A Very Different Voice in Financial Planning | Jackie Cummings Koski | 166
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
In this crossover episode, Jackie joins the 'Wicked Pissah Podcast’, brought to you by the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of New England. She trades in the Sunday sweatshirt for her CFP® blazer but still stays true to openly sharing her fascinating money story and spreading financial literacy. They discuss: The story behind her $2-bill savings habit The divorce-day gut punch that pushed her from $20k to FI Why she is so passionate about the 'Catching Up to FI’ platform and late starters How she demystifies FIRE for financial professionals How she tackled the big skeptic...
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Borderless FI: The Happy KiwiSaver | Ruth Henderson | 165
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Ruth Henderson is the creator of ‘The Happy Saver,’ a beloved New Zealand blog and podcast that brings personal finance down to earth. She transitioned from part-time work to full-time content creation, sharing her journey toward early retirement with honesty, humor, and heart. In this episode we swap notes with her on the financial independence journey of Americans vs. Kiwis (New Zealanders). She also shares with us: Her late starter journey to FI What inspired her to create 'The Happy Saver' to help everyday Kiwis reach FI A breakdown of New Zealand's surprisingly simple ecosystem...
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Tell Your Story With A Book, Here’s How | Azul Terronez | 164
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Azul Terronez went from being an unknown schoolteacher to a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. He is co-founder and lead coach at “Authors Who Lead,” a platform dedicated to empowering authors to share their stories. He turns our conversation with him into a courage clinic for would-be storytellers, late starters, and anyone who suspects their "zone of genius" is dying to be unleashed. He gives us the reframe that authorship isn't about words so much as the message beneath them. === PLUTUS AWARDS: ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO VOTE === We...
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Late Starter Real Numbers: 1.5 M ➜ 864 K — And Back Again | J. C. & Bev Webber | 163
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
J.C. and Bev Webber's late-starter journey is proof that resilience + innovation can outrun even a Great Financial Crisis. J.C. gives us his real numbers and how he sprinted from a net worth of ~$120k (age 51) to $1.5M (age 57)—only to see it crash to ~$864k in early 2009. But that didn't derail their plans because he and his wife Bev still retired early and hit the road in their RV. You could say they reached FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) before it was hot! In this episode they walk us through all the twists and turns, giving us the excruciating details that you rarely hear...
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From Silent Majority to Visible Voices | Bill & Jackie | 162
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
In this midweek episode, Bill and Jackie join the 'The Visible Voices' podcast, hosted by Dr. Resa E Lewiss. We highlight the voice of late starters and discuss: The huge gap that 'Catching Up to FI' is filling and what we mean by the 'silent majority' How shock, regret, and money-trauma can become fuel Unique advantages you may have when beginning your financial independence journey later in life Why micro-steps (Kaizen-style) beat grand gestures every time === VOTE FOR US: PLUTUS AWARDS === We need your vote for the 2025 Plutus Awards! You can now vote...
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Case Study: The Real Numbers That Told Her She Could Quit her Job, Now! | Lisa B | 161
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
We ❤️ Case Studies! Nurse practitioner and mom of three, Lisa, opens up and shares what's in her wallet, and her heart. In this episode we dive into her fascinating late-starter story and financials. She was also this year's brave Case Study at the EconoMe conference and revealed all her numbers in front of a live audience to get crowd-sourced feedback in real time. What transpired afterwards was powerful- she quit her day job and handed in her clinical badge to enjoy a sabbatical she had been longing for! With a little help from some Boldin financial modeling and a Nectarine hourly...
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The $1,000 Gift From Jonathan Clements To 18-Year-Olds | Bill Bernstein & Christine Benz | 160
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Morningstar's Christine Benz and investing-history legend Dr. William Bernstein announces the Jonathan Clements "Getting Going on Savings" Initiative. In 2024, Jonathan was diagnosed with a terminal illness and decided to use the proceeds from a final book to kick-start a new program that will directly help fund Roth IRAs for young adults (especially from low-income households) to the tune of $1,000 each. The John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is assisting with the project and 'Catching Up to FI' is proud to spread the word by replaying this conversation that...
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Forget the Corporate Ladder, Here’s How to Climb ‘The Wealth Ladder’ | Nick Maggiulli | 159
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Nick Maggiulli is the data-driven creator of the blog 'Of Dollars And Data', Chief Operating Officer at Ritholtz Wealth, and author of the newly released book 'The Wealth Ladder'. He joins us on the show to break down his six-level wealth ladder and openly shares some of his steps and missteps as he moved up on his own wealth-building journey. In this episode, we discuss these financial insights he shared in the book: Six Wealth Levels (<$10 K to $100 M+) 0.01 % Daily-Growth Spending Rule Grocery / Restaurant / Travel Freedom progression Cookie-cutter asset allocation across ALL accounts...
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Keeping Up With The Joneses | Bill Yount | 158
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Bill hops onto Jesse Cramer's 'Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors' (formally The Best Interest) podcast. Along with some of our favorite content creators, he shares his crazy spending screw ups-- and the life lessons that followed. Stories from: Bill Yount (Catching Up to FI) Jesse Cramer (Personal Finance For Long-Term Investors) Diania Merriam (EconoMe Conference & Optimal Finance Daily) Justin Peters (FI Minded, formally The Struggle is Real) Jordan (Doc G) Grumet (Earn & Invest) Joe Saul-Sehy (Stacking Benjamins) Jeremy Schneider (Personal Finance Club) ...
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Do This To Simplify Your Next Financial Review... (Part 2) | Jon Luskin | 157
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Bogleheads favorite Jon Luskin, CFP® drops in for part 2 of his masterclass on embracing simplicity. He specializes in providing hourly advice to do-it-yourself investors and is a long-time advocate of simple, low-cost investing. In this second part he shares with us: Simple Investor Policy Statement (IPS) All-in-One Funds: target date and balanced/life-strategy funds as "default simple" solutions Disability, life, and (if appropriate) long-term care insurance This is the second part of a 2 part episode. === VOTE FOR US: PLUTUS...
info_outlineApril 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.
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RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Merriman Financial Literacy Program at Western Washington University
The John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy
‘Catching Up to FI’ Episodes:
We're Talking Millions! Part 1 | Paul Merriman | 008
We're Talking Millions! Part 2 | Paul Merriman | 009
Celebrating Financial Literacy Month with Next Gen Personal Finance | Tim Ranzetta | 072
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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.