350 - Financial Advisors React: What This $5 Million Roth Story Gets Wrong About Retirement Planning
More Than Commas
In this episode of More Than Commas, Paul is joined by the SFG team for a lively roundtable on a Wall Street Journal article about an 80-year-old couple debating a multi-million dollar Roth conversion. The team dives deep into what the article doesn’t say, from tax realities to financial leadership within marriages. Paul highlights the importance of both spouses understanding their family finances, while Cory and Lance warn about the dangers of financial illiteracy in later life. Together, they discuss legacy planning, donor-advised funds, and how generational wealth can be built through...
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349 - Financial Advisors React to ChatGPT's Retirement Plan!
More Than Commas
In this episode of More Than Commas, the Sound Financial Group team dive into a headline-grabbing article: “I Asked ChatGPT to Plan My Retirement.” The panel unpacks what happens when artificial intelligence is trusted with life-changing financial planning. They discuss missing details like inflation, taxes, and real expenses, and why AI can’t yet replace human discernment or accountability. The team explores the dangers of overconfidence, explaining how small errors compound into massive risks when unverified data drives big financial decisions. They also share insights on how advisors...
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348 - Why Financial Samurai Says He's No Longer Financially Independent
More Than Commas
In this episode, Lance and Paul unpack the viral post from Financial Samurai founder Sam Dogen, who recently admitted he’s no longer financially independent after more than a decade in early retirement. Lance and Paul explore what this moment reveals about the FIRE movement, its strengths, blind spots, and the danger of mistaking “passive” for “permanent” income. They discuss the tension between influence and authenticity, the challenge of lifestyle creep, and the difference between financial sufficiency and true independence. Drawing on real-world client insights and expert...
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347 - Why Start Financial Planning Early
More Than Commas
In this episode, Elijah explores why beginning your financial planning journey early can transform not just your bank balance, but your entire life. He breaks down the compounding power of time, showing how consistent habits, even with modest amounts, lead to lasting financial freedom and flexibility. Drawing on real-life stories, Elijah explains how starting early creates margin, reduces stress, and gives you options that money alone can’t buy. He also discusses the deeper meaning of stewardship, encouraging listeners to model healthy financial habits for their children and future...
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346 - The Truth About 529 Plans | Smarter Ways to Fund College and Your Child's Future
More Than Commas
In this episode, Cory unpacks the truth behind 529 college savings plans, their benefits, drawbacks, and what families should consider before committing their money. While 529s promise tax-free growth for education, Cory explains how they can also limit flexibility, impact financial aid, and tie up funds that could serve broader family goals. Using real-world comparisons, he explores alternative strategies, from taxable brokerage accounts and student loans to securities-backed lines of credit, and how each affects long-term financial outcomes. Full spreadsheet demo: The episode also...
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346 - The Truth About 529 Plans | Full Spreadsheet Demo
More Than Commas
In this special “Behind the Numbers” edition, Cory takes you deeper into the 529 plan conversation with a full spreadsheet walkthrough. He breaks down every scenario from Part 1: Comparing 529 plans, brokerage accounts, student loan strategies, and new Roth IRA conversion rules, using real S&P return data and clear assumptions. Cory demonstrates how small differences in tax treatment, timing, or risk allocation can completely change long-term results, and he highlights the surprising cases where a 529 wins, and where it doesn’t. You’ll see the real math behind college savings,...
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345 - Is This the Most Powerful Speech About Money Ever?
More Than Commas
In this episode of More Than Commas, Paul Adams challenges listeners to consider whether their wealth is a tool or a trophy. Drawing on Dr. Thomas Stanley’s The Millionaire Next Door and Stop Acting Rich, Paul explains how wealth flaunted for status can trap us in comparison, distraction, and fragility, while wealth used as a tool creates freedom, impact, and legacy. He highlights the virtue of frugality once admired in America, contrasting it with today’s obsession with visible success. True wealth, he argues, often hides in 401(k)s, rental properties, and investments no one sees. Paul...
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344 - The Hidden Cost of Chasing More
More Than Commas
In Episode 344 of More Than Commas, Paul uncovers the hidden cost of chasing “more.” From bigger homes and cars to the pursuit of higher income, we often find ourselves on a treadmill, running faster without feeling more fulfilled. Drawing on The Millionaire Next Door by Dr. Thomas Stanley, Paul explains how lifestyle creep can erode wealth across generations. He introduces the concept of the hedonic treadmill, where joy quickly fades as new comforts become the norm. With insights from psychology, scripture, and even Joe Rogan, he highlights the trade-offs of time, flexibility, and joy...
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343 - Financial Advisors Explained: Beyond Investments to Real Peace of Mind
More Than Commas
In this episode of More Than Commas, Cory explores one of the most overlooked roles of a financial advisor: protecting clients from their own instincts. It’s not just about picking investments or predicting the market, it’s about acting as a guardrail when fear and desire tempt us into costly mistakes. Cory illustrates how emotions drive poor financial decisions, from panic-selling during downturns to chasing trends at market peaks. Advisors provide perspective, discipline, and strategy, ensuring clients stay aligned with their long-term goals. Using vivid analogies, Cory shows how...
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342 - Dave Ramsey vs Real Financial Advice
More Than Commas
In this episode, Paul is joined by SFG's new advisor Lance Chisum for a candid review of a Dave Ramsey video on housing and post-divorce financial decisions. Together, they unpack the caller’s circumstances, substantial home equity, low-rate mortgage, and the possibility of a HELOC, while questioning whether Ramsey’s quick advice fully addresses the bigger financial picture. Paul and Lance highlight what’s missing: tax planning opportunities, liquidity strategies, retirement contributions, and vital insurance protection. They also explore the emotional side of money, from staying in a...
info_outlineIn Episode 344 of More Than Commas, Paul uncovers the hidden cost of chasing “more.” From bigger homes and cars to the pursuit of higher income, we often find ourselves on a treadmill, running faster without feeling more fulfilled.
Drawing on The Millionaire Next Door by Dr. Thomas Stanley, Paul explains how lifestyle creep can erode wealth across generations. He introduces the concept of the hedonic treadmill, where joy quickly fades as new comforts become the norm. With insights from psychology, scripture, and even Joe Rogan, he highlights the trade-offs of time, flexibility, and joy that come with chasing more. The antidote is defining “enough.”
By clarifying what enough means, families can align money with values, find peace, and cultivate contentment while still pursuing financial independence. This episode challenges listeners to rethink wealth, not as endless accumulation, but as freedom to live meaningfully.
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Timestamps:
01:15 – The story of the treadmill lifestyle
02:30 – Lessons from The Millionaire Next Door
03:40 – The hedonic treadmill explained
04:50 – Biblical wisdom on money and contentment
06:00 – The real costs: time, flexibility, joy
07:30 – Redefining wealth through “enough”
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