Flashback to Episode 1: 'A Boat Named YOLO' | Bill Yount | 197
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Release Date: 02/18/2026
Catching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
This episode is a little time-travel experiment with a flashback to the first episode (A Boat Named YOLO) that started it all. We're celebrating three years of 'Catching Up to FI' and Bill officially coming out as reaching Financial Independence (FI). He started late at 50 but now FI at 60! Be sure to go back and listen to this past Sunday's episode, where Jackie interviews Bill and he openly shares all the juicy details. ➡️ ==================== DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS: The modern way to manage money! Monarch will change the...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Don't miss this special 3-year anniversary of 'Catching Up to FI' as Bill marks the moment by doing something he's been helping everyone else do for years: officially 'coming out' as financially independent (FI)! It is hard to believe that the show has been around for 3 years, 196 episodes, 20k Facebook Community members, 1.4M audio downloads and 300k views on YouTube. Is this real? Today we celebrate Bill’s journey from Episode #1: 'A Boat Named Yolo', to officially reaching FI, but feels more like the 'The Fog of FI'. During this interview, Jackie gets Bill to open up and vulnerably...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Do you want to own your time, work less, and live more? What if the point isn't maxing out every account forever, but designing a week you don't want to escape from? This is the Coast FI life built by our guest today, Andy Hill. He shares the steps you can take to put your family first and escape the 9-5 grind: for good! He takes us through the full arc: starting married life at –$50K net worth, killing the debt in a year with budget parties, saving 40–50% to hit around $500K in investments by forty, then realizing that number was enough for Coast FI. With all that, he realized that what...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Strap in, because Jackie joins Brad Barrett for a crossover episode on the ChooseFI podcast, home of the world’s largest FI community! Together, they rewind all the way back to 2017, when Jackie first stumbled onto ChooseFI… and everything changed. She recounts her journey to reaching early retirement by December 2019, and using that freedom to go back to school, get her CFP, and write 'F.I.R.E. for Dummies'. Then the two of them dive deep into the fundamentals and break down what financial independence really means. They explain why even ten dollars a month can spark a lifelong investing...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
529 plan expert Patricia Roberts blows up the myth that 'it's too late' and '529s are just for rich people with toddlers and Ivy League dreams'. She is author of the book 'Route 529' and shares some big changes with 529 plans that make them an incredibly flexible savings vehicle for more than just college. In this episode we cover: How state tax deductions, credits and 'parity states' work for contributions The shockingly long list of qualified uses including trade schools, apprenticeships, non-degree credentials, K–12 tuition, tutoring, test prep and even student loan repayment ...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Dan Haylett gives us a late-starter masterclass on why retirement is a human problem long before it's a math problem. Dan is a UK financial planner, creator of 'Humans vs Retirement' podcast, and author of 'The Retirement You Didn't See Coming'. He walks us through how that outdated 'retire from work and fade away' script clashes with modern 50- and 60-somethings who still have health, curiosity, and huge ambitions. In this episode he also: Reframes risk as the possibility of dying with plenty of money but too few memories Unpacks why spreadsheets never quite make us feel safe Lays out...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
The cost of college is skyrocketing! To make sure you're not paying those sticker prices, we brought in New York Times 'Your Money' columnist, Ron Lieber. He is also author of 'The Price You Pay for College' and joins the show for a brutally honest walkthrough of what is actually going on behind the scenes. In this episode he breaks down: List price vs. cost of attendance Why most families don’t pay rack rate How to read a school’s 'Common Data Set' Merit vs. need-based aid How net price calculators and pre-reads can keep you from falling in love with a school you can’t afford ...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Bill joins Jordan 'Doc G' Grumet for a community episode on the Earn & Invest podcast. They stress-test what happens when someone asks ChatGPT: 'What should I do if I'm retiring in five years?' Bill talks about turning 60, being told he's officially reached financial independence, and shifting from accumulation to a more defensive, retirement-ready nest egg. DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS: The modern way to manage money! Monarch will change the way you organize your financial life. Track, budget, plan, and do more with your money –...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Chris Corinthian is the 'Fin Lit Guy' and knows his way around scholarships and other high-return ways to earn money for college. He joins the show to give us a masterclass on paying for college without wrecking your retirement. Chris opens with his own financial setbacks, including a layoff and a devastating fire, which helped him realize the importance of financial literacy. In this episode, you will learn: Chris' Debt-free degree triangle How teens as young as 13 can earn free college credits His scholarship system that treats applications like a part-time job Specifics of where and how to...
info_outlineCatching Up to FI: Financial Independence for Late Starters
Rose Lounsbury likes things simple. Her specialty is helping people embrace the art of decluttering and she joins us on the show today for a New Year's reset that goes way beyond junk drawers. Rose tells us how decluttering is really about creating space— for FI, for generosity, and for the surprising next chapter. After this episode you'll be ready for a clean start for 2026 as she walks us through: Her own minimalist journey that led her to getting rid of 70% of her stuff, while raising triplets! The generational scripts behind our clutter and how to fix it Why we should own our...
info_outlineThis episode is a little time-travel experiment with a flashback to the first episode (A Boat Named YOLO) that started it all. We're celebrating three years of 'Catching Up to FI' and Bill officially coming out as reaching Financial Independence (FI). He started late at 50 but now FI at 60! Be sure to go back and listen to this past Sunday's episode, where Jackie interviews Bill and he openly shares all the juicy details.
➡️Founder of 'Catching Up to FI' Just Hit Financial Independence, Now What? | Bill Yount | 196
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