Emotional Balance Sheet with Paul Fenner
Welcome to the Emotional Balance Sheet, the financial planning podcast for working parents who are building careers and raising kids at the same time. If you and your spouse are both senior-level professionals, raising kids in school or college, and are tired of stitching together four different specialists to run your financial life, this show is built for you. Each conversation tackles the planning conversations real families are having: education costs, retirement timing, equity compensation, career transitions, estate coordination, and the emotional weight that lies beneath it all. Hosted by Paul Fenner, Certified Financial Planner®, Enrolled Agent, and founder of TAMMA Capital. Paul is also a parent to four kids, including a set of triplets, so he knows the pace firsthand. TAMMA Capital is a private family office that brings financial planning, tax, and investments under one umbrella. To schedule a conversation, visit www.tammacapital.com or email pfenner@tammacapital.com.
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Two 401(k)s and Nobody Watching
08/06/2026
Two 401(k)s and Nobody Watching
Work with Paul: What if your money problem was never a behavior problem? I keep coming back to the idea that doing well with money is mostly about patience and long-term thinking. I believe that. But what if you're already cleared that bar, and not where you want to be? You saved through every downturn since 2008. You never panic sold. But your financial lives are still not where you want them to be, and it costs real money. I walk through what actually goes wrong: two 401(k)s that were never looked at in the same window, a household stock allocation that nobody chose on purpose, equity comp that quietly builds concentration and leaves a tax gap that shows up in April, and beneficiary forms that have not been touched in over a decade. None of these is a behavior failure. They are decisions with no deadline attached, which is a different problem entirely. I also talk about the deadline I had to invent for myself, and why it’s still uncomfortable to say it out loud. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and you're tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I offer complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The One-Page Form Most Busy Parents Miss
07/30/2026
The One-Page Form Most Busy Parents Miss
Work with Paul: When was the last time you actually read the beneficiary designation on your 401(k) at your previous employer? In May, I sent every family I work with a current readout of their beneficiary designations across every account I track for them. It was the highest-response email I sent all year. For some families, everything was clean. For others, there were gaps we addressed that week. In this episode, I walk through what's actually on those forms, why a beneficiary designation overrides your will, and the technical points that catch busy working families off guard: ERISA spousal consent on 401(k)s, the HSA tax bomb for non-spouse beneficiaries, the SECURE Act 2.0 ten-year rule now in full enforcement, and the difference between per stirpes and per capita. The action this week is simple. Pull up the beneficiary designation on one account, any account, and just read it. If you can't find it, that's the result. Then set a recurring calendar reminder once a year to do the same for every account in the household. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and you're tired of coordinating four different advisors to manage your finances, I offer complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Principles Are Simple. Your Life Isn't
07/23/2026
The Principles Are Simple. Your Life Isn't
Work with Paul: What if you already know the financial principles you need? What if the problem isn't strategy, but execution across a life that's grown too complicated to coordinate yourself? This week, I work through a Morgan Housel idea pulled from a John Reed book. Most fields or industries have three to twelve core principles, with the rest focused on implementation. In finance, the principles are stable. Your life is not. I share a story about a dual-income family with three kids and six accounts spread across three custodians, where nobody was actually steering the ship. And a personal story about how long it takes to act on principles you already know. The action this week is small. Write down the five to eight financial principles you actually live by. Audit your decisions over the last six months against them. The gaps aren't a strategy problem. They're an application problem. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Version of You Your Money Is Still Working For
07/16/2026
The Version of You Your Money Is Still Working For
Work with Paul: When was the last time you actually updated your financial life to match the person you've become, instead of the person you were when you first set everything up? This week, I break down two questions about disagreement and experience and turn them inward. I share the story of a senior director whose retirement contribution rate, cash reserve target, and investment allocation were all set for a version of her that hadn't existed in over a decade. And I share what 13 years of moving taught me about how my 30-year-old instincts still fire in a life that no longer needs them. Try this in the next week: pick one financial habit you've held for more than five years. Ask when you formed it, what's changed in your life since, and whether the habit has actually changed too. Most people find at least two updates waiting. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Your Paycheck is Not Your Safety Net
07/09/2026
Your Paycheck is Not Your Safety Net
Work with Paul: As I reflect on the ideas in this podcast, I realize they all point to the same underlying principle: the importance of creating a gap in my financial life. That gap is the distance between what I earn and what I spend, between the plans I make and the unexpected events life inevitably brings. True freedom isn't about having unlimited wealth; it's about having enough margin to make choices on my own terms and adapt when circumstances change. What stands out to me is how easy it is to confuse financial success with financial security. I can have a strong income, be saving for retirement, and appear to be doing everything right, yet still be financially fragile if every dollar is already committed. Without a gap, any disruption—a job loss, medical expense, or major life change—can quickly become a crisis. The ability to make important life decisions often comes not from certainty, but from having enough financial flexibility to absorb uncertainty. The biggest lesson I take away is the importance of defining what "enough" means for me. If I never answer that question, I'll always be chasing more, constantly moving the goalpost and sacrificing time, attention, and peace of mind in the process. Financial progress isn't simply about accumulating more money; it's about maintaining the margin that gives me resilience, flexibility, and the freedom to live the life I actually want. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on .
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Why We White-Knuckle the Seasons We'll Miss
07/02/2026
Why We White-Knuckle the Seasons We'll Miss
Work with Paul: What is it about May that makes time feel both five months long and two days short? Dr. Jennifer Dragonette is back with me to unpack the season we now call Maycember. The graduations, the finals, the last concerts, the last games, the recitals, stacked on field trips, stacked on state testing. The season that asks senior‑level parents to be in three places at once and bring snacks to all of them. We get into a concept called time travel and why most of us are constantly five minutes ahead or three days behind, but rarely where our feet are. I share a confession about the part I hate most when I am at my own kids’ events, even though I know these are the moments I will later wish I could rewatch. Dr. Jen and I also talk about a reframe I use with families I work with that has changed how I think about my own time. Would you actually trade places with the version of yourself from five years ago, knowing what you know now? Almost no one I have asked says yes. So what does that say about right now? This week, try one thing. When you catch yourself rehearsing the next event while still inside the current one, name one thing you can hear, see, or feel in the room. That is the entire intervention. The presence does not have to be philosophical to count. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Plan I Wrote Fifteen Years Ago
06/25/2026
The Plan I Wrote Fifteen Years Ago
Work with Paul: What if the long-term financial plan I built five years ago is now describing a family I no longer have? That is the question I have been sitting with. December 9, 2010, is the day my triplets were born, and the day I founded TAMMA. Fifteen years in, I can tell you neither plan I wrote that day survived. And that was never the goal. In this episode, I share the number of short runs I did not account for in my own life, walk through a family that has been through five major transitions in five years, and unpack why senior professionals can be sophisticated about iterative planning at work and unsophisticated about it at home. The conflict is not capability; it’s flexibility that is a maintenance burden, and most plans have nobody carrying it. The action step this week takes fifteen minutes. Name the last three transitions your family went through in the past five years. Then ask, for each one, what financial decisions in your current plan still assume you are the person you were before. That is the work. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Most Expensive Story You Tell Yourself
06/18/2026
The Most Expensive Story You Tell Yourself
Work with Paul: What if the long-term financial plan I built five years ago is now describing a family I no longer have? That is the question I have been sitting with. December 9, 2010, is the day my triplets were born, and the day I founded TAMMA. Fifteen years in, I can tell you neither plan I wrote that day survived. And that was never the goal. In this episode, I share the count of short runs I did not account for in my own life, walk through a composite client family who has been through five major transitions in five years, and unpack why senior professionals can be sophisticated about iterative planning at work and unsophisticated about it at home. The dissonance is not capability. It is that flexibility is a maintenance burden, and most plans have nobody carrying it. The action step this week takes fifteen minutes. Name the last three transitions your family went through in the past five years. Then ask, for each one, what financial decisions in your current plan still assume you are the person you were before. That is the work. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Who Gets Your Best Patience
06/11/2026
Who Gets Your Best Patience
Work with Paul: What happens when you spend all your patience at work and come home with nothing left for the conversations that actually matter? If you're a senior professional managing a demanding career and a growing family, you know this tension. You hold complexity all day. By evening, you're running on fumes. Today, I unpack Morgan Housel's idea of saving like a pessimist and investing like an optimist, and why the real challenge for busy parents isn't choosing between optimism and pessimism. It's having the energy left to hold both at the same time when it counts. I share a personal confession about becoming more patient with my TAMMA families and less patient with my own family, and what that pattern looks like in the dual-income households I work with every day. This week's action step: before your next financial or logistical conversation at home, ask yourself whether you're showing up with the patience it deserves, or whether you're running on what's left. If it's fumes, reschedule. The conversation matters too much to rush. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Decisions You Keep Not Making
06/04/2026
The Decisions You Keep Not Making
Work with Paul: What's the difference between being busy and being afraid? For many families who earn well and work hard, the two look identical from the outside. Today, I share something that's been sitting with me since losing a client earlier this year. It changed how I think about the financial decisions that busy families keep not making, and why the problem usually isn't information, time, or money. It's fear, just showing up in two very different ways. One fear keeps you moving without asking why. The other keeps you from making decisions you know you need to make. This week, I'm asking you to notice which one is running your financial life right now, and whether it's actually taking you somewhere you want to go. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Your Spending Doesn't Lie
05/28/2026
Your Spending Doesn't Lie
Work with Paul: Have you ever looked at where your money actually goes and felt a little uncomfortable? Not because you were irresponsible — but because the numbers didn't match the values you'd say out loud? That gap is what this episode is about. Morgan Housel draws a line between the science of spending and the art of spending. The science is teachable — budgets, bargains, automation. The art is harder: figuring out whether your spending reflects who you actually are or who you've been conditioned to be. I share what I've seen with clients and what I've lived in my own household — and why the most important financial question isn't 'how much' but 'what for.' Before your next few purchases this week, pause and ask: does this reflect what I actually value, or what I'm trying to signal? You don't need to change anything yet. Just notice what the answer tells you. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Financial Case for Doing Nothing
05/21/2026
The Financial Case for Doing Nothing
Work with Paul: When is the last time you had an uninterrupted thought? Not about logistics. Not about money. About your actual life and whether the direction you're running is still the direction you chose? Today, I want to explore why the most productive thinking rarely happens when we're at full speed, and what that costs us as parents and as people trying to make good financial decisions. I share a conversation with a family who named something most busy families feel but rarely say out loud, and reflects on what a pandemic parking lot moment taught me and Theresa about the pace they'd built into their lives. The action step is simple: ten minutes of intentional nothing this week. One question to sit with. No journaling required. Connect with Paul If you're a working parent juggling a senior-level career and a growing family, and are tired of coordinating four different advisors to run your financial life, I do complimentary 30-minute conversations. Schedule one . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode: You Can Always Make More Money, But You Can't Make More Time Creating Balance With Tech, Money, and Family Life
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The Financial Story You Keep Telling Yourself
05/14/2026
The Financial Story You Keep Telling Yourself
Have you ever noticed that when things feel uncertain, you already seem to know how it's going to turn out? You're not predicting. You're confirming. In this episode, I explore why the story you're already telling about your financial life shapes every piece of information you take in and how that filter quietly drives some of the most expensive decisions families make. I walk through two real family situations where fear and overconfidence each created blind spots, and why the problem isn't the information available to us. It's what we choose to look at. This week, I'm asking you to name the story you're currently telling about your finances: fear-based or confidence-based. Spend ten minutes with one source that doesn't confirm it. You don't have to change your mind. Just widen the filter. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Scoreboard We Never Chose
05/07/2026
The Scoreboard We Never Chose
Why do so many people feel financially behind — even when the numbers say they're not? Often, the problem isn't the plan. It's the expectation. Charlie Munger, near the end of his life, gave a one-sentence answer that cuts straight to the point: reasonable expectations. In this conversation, I look at the gap between the life we imagined and the life we're living, and what happens when we never examine where our financial expectations came from in the first place, which may be one of the most underrated financial insights there is. I share the story of a family that had done almost everything right but couldn't shake the feeling of being behind because the scoreboard they were measuring against had been set decades earlier. The action step this week is small but not easy: pick one area where you feel financially behind and ask where that expectation actually came from. Not to fix it. Just to notice it. Because you can't rewrite a story you haven't read yet. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Story That Spent Your Money
04/30/2026
The Story That Spent Your Money
Why did a three-minute sideline conversation with another parent almost make me rethink my entire financial plan? This week, I'm digging into why the financial stories we absorb from the people around us, the casual mentions, the social media posts, the dinner table comments, are doing more to shape our decisions than any spreadsheet or data point ever could. I share what I see when families come into my office feeling behind, even though their numbers say otherwise. I talk about how stories hijack our sense of enough and keep moving the goalpost, and why Theresa and I wrestle with the exact same thing. This one is about recognizing whose narrative is actually running your financial life. Your action step: This week, notice one financial story that gets under your skin, a post, a conversation, a comparison, and ask yourself: Is this my story, or someone else's story trying to rewrite my plan? Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Questions We Forget to Ask Ourselves
04/23/2026
The Questions We Forget to Ask Ourselves
How much of what you believe about money, success, and parenting is actually true, and how much is just where and when you happened to grow up? This week's episode digs into the uncomfortable questions we rarely ask ourselves about our own blind spots, and gives you a practical filter to sort values worth protecting from scripts worth questioning. I share stories about the gap between what we think we know and what we've actually experienced. From parents struggling to accept their kids' different paths to the life transitions that revealed how little we understood, this episode is about getting honest with ourselves without getting paralyzed by second-guessing. This week, when you feel a strong "should" about money or your kids, ask yourself: is this my value, or someone else's script? Use the "says who?" test to check whether your certainty is based on what actually matters to your family, or on something you inherited without realizing it. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Pessimism Sounds Smart, Optimism Builds Wealth
04/16/2026
Pessimism Sounds Smart, Optimism Builds Wealth
Why does bad news feel so convincing while good news feels like a sales pitch? If you've ever caught yourself doom-scrolling financial headlines and then second-guessing your entire plan, you're not alone. In this episode, I explore why pessimism sounds smart, why optimism has been the better long-term bet, and how busy parents can filter out the noise without burying their heads in the sand. I share a story about a client who almost made a fear-driven decision and talk about my own battle with pessimistic thinking. This week's action: notice where your financial anxiety is actually coming from. Is it your own analysis, or someone else's headline? Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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What To Do When The Plan Stops Working
04/09/2026
What To Do When The Plan Stops Working
You made the plan. You ran the numbers. You did everything right. So why does it feel like you're one unexpected expense away from starting over? This week, I am focusing on what happens when the plan stops working, and why that might not be the disaster you think it is. I share a story about a family whose perfect five-year projection fell apart after an unexpected health diagnosis, and what they discovered in the rebuilding. I also cover my own experience navigating career changes and raising triplets +1 when plans rarely survive contact with reality. Your action step: Look at your current financial plan and ask yourself what happens when it breaks. What would you protect? What would you let go? That awareness is the beginning of real resilience. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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The Price and Pressure to Create Perfect Memories
04/02/2026
The Price and Pressure to Create Perfect Memories
What happens when the opportunities we give our kids become the pressure we put on ourselves? Dr. Jennifer Dragonette, our resident therapist expert, is back with us to dig into the gap between what we want for our families and what our families actually want. It started with a cruise my triplets didn't enjoy, a conversation with another dad at a basketball game, and an NHL hockey player from our local high school who was the star goalie in the recent winter Olympics. Our conversation focuses on the instinct to provide our kids with opportunities we never had, and how that instinct can quietly turn into pressure on everyone, especially parents. Dr. Jen shares her own stories of loosening the reins on family adventures and learning to ask rather than guess what her kids want. We explore why teenagers pulling away is developmentally normal, why honest answers from our kids are an act of trust, and how reframing our goal from raising teenagers to raising adults changes everything. If you've ever spent money on a vacation and wondered why no one seemed grateful, or felt the weight of the countdown to when your kids leave home, this one's for you. Try asking your kids one question this week: "What would feel really good to you?" And then actually listen. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Can We Really Do That?
03/26/2026
Can We Really Do That?
What happens when you're doing everything right on paper but still feel one car repair away from a financial meltdown? Or when you're fully present with your kids today but have no idea how you'll pay for college in five years? Most families I work with fall into one of these two camps, and both are fragile in different ways. This week, I'm exploring Morgan Housel's idea that the best way to deal with uncertainty is to save like a pessimist and invest like an optimist. I share stories of two families on opposite ends of this spectrum, why holding both mindsets at once feels so uncomfortable, and what I've learned about building margin without hiding from life. Your action step: Look at your actual situation this week. Do you have real cash reserves sitting accessible? Are you consistently investing for the future? If one piece is missing, that's where your fragility lives. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Why Quiet Time Is Your Most Valuable Financial Skill
03/19/2026
Why Quiet Time Is Your Most Valuable Financial Skill
I'm wrestling with a question that's been on my mind lately: Have we given money a job it simply can't do? There is a complicated relationship between money and our emotions, and how we sometimes hope numbers and bank balances will take away our fear or anxiety, even though those are emotions, not equations. Inspired by Carl Richards' book "Your Money," I talk about how our financial lives and our feelings are tangled together, especially for those of us in the thick of parenting, where there's never really an "off season." With insights from thought leaders like Morgan Housel, I explore the challenge of defining your goals and finding what "enough" really means, even as the goalposts keep moving. If you've ever wondered why having more money doesn't quite silence your worries or how your money beliefs shape your life, you're not alone. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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When Money Buys Everything Except the Time to Enjoy It
03/12/2026
When Money Buys Everything Except the Time to Enjoy It
You're earning more than ever, but do you actually control your time? Most families discover that financial success came at a cost they didn't expect to pay. In this episode, I explore the real dividend money provides: not fancy stuff, but time autonomy. I share the pattern I see in families who've achieved financial success but lost control of their schedules, and why the finish line with kids at home comes faster than you think. This week's challenge: Name three things you did for money that cost you time. Then ask if the trade was worth it. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Places to Hide Aren't Roadblocks
03/05/2026
Places to Hide Aren't Roadblocks
Ever feel stuck between wanting to start something new and actually making it happen? Whether it's launching a business, updating a resume, or initiating a difficult conversation, something often gets in the way—and it's not always what we think. We often label our hesitation as "roadblocks," but more often than not, those roadblocks are actually places we hide from fear—fear of the unknown, failure, or disappointment. Roadblocks are often external barriers we point to, such as busy schedules or endless tasks, which usually cover our inner fears. What's the thing you've been thinking about—and what's stopping you from moving forward? Let's start calling things what they are and make progress toward what matters to us. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Why Behavior Beats Spreadsheets
02/26/2026
Why Behavior Beats Spreadsheets
Have you ever wondered why two families with nearly identical financial situations can end up in completely different places? It's not because the math was wrong, but because of how they responded when it mattered. Today, I am digging into why financial success has less to do with what we know and more to do with what we actually do when we're staring down competing priorities. I walk through two real client situations in which both families had solid plans but were facing trade-offs among mortgage payoff, 529 contributions, retirement investing, and home upgrades. Same numbers, different behavior. One family saw flexibility as freedom, the other saw debt elimination as emotional relief. I also explore how our sense of security, fear of missing out, and guilt about not doing enough for our kids quietly drive the financial decisions we think are purely logical, and why Morgan Housel's idea that optimism is about perseverance, not perfection, applies to how we parent and plan. Your action step this week: pick one financial behavior that tends to trip you up and simply notice it. Don't judge it. Just observe because you can't improve what you can't see. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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You Can Always Make More Money
02/19/2026
You Can Always Make More Money
How do you put a value on memorable experiences? After reading a moving LinkedIn post from my friend Samantha Russell, who lost her husband and is now raising three kids on her own, I found myself reflecting on my own family's journey. Our triplets started high school this year and our plus-one daughter tackles her own busy calendar. With the chaos of managing busy schedules, there is a temptation to worry about what's next, which can easily cause precious moments to slip by. To help with this chaos, I talk about a meaningful tool I use in my financial planning practice that really puts into perspective just how many summers we have left with our kids. For me, it's not about planning big, lavish vacations, but about making our time intentional, whether it's a dream trip, a simple backyard hangout, or a concert I've waited years to see. Unlike money, once a moment is gone, it can't be replenished. The number of summers left with loved ones is finite, and being aware of this helps us prioritize what matters. I hope by the end of this dialogue, you can ask yourself, what's one simple way you're being intentional with your time this week? Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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What Game Are You Playing
02/12/2026
What Game Are You Playing
Why does it feel like everyone else can afford the vacation you can't? You make good money. You're doing everything right. But your Instagram feed is full of beach photos while you're staring at a windchill warning and wondering what you're missing. In this episode, I talk about the trap of comparing your entire financial situation to someone else's highlight reel. I share a recent conversation with a family who was crushing their financial goals but felt like failures because they couldn't keep up with their friends' travel schedule. And I explore why the real question isn't "how can they afford that?" but rather "what game am I actually trying to win?" This week: Take five minutes and name your game. Write down what you're actually trying to accomplish with your money so you can stop checking the scoreboard of a game you're not even playing. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Why Your Goals Keep Failing - Dr. Jennifer Dragonette
02/05/2026
Why Your Goals Keep Failing - Dr. Jennifer Dragonette
Why do most resolutions fail by mid-January? Maybe because we're starting in the wrong place. Before we can sustain any meaningful change, we need to know why we're doing it in the first place. Dr. Jennifer Dragonette and I dig into the difference between purpose and objectives, and why confusing the two can leave you feeling empty even when you hit your goals. We talk through George Kinder's three questions, a powerful framework that uses time horizons to cut through the noise and reveal what actually matters. We also explore the unusual eulogy exercise, the permission trap that keeps people stuck even when they have the means to act, and why retirement may be one of the most underrated transitions you'll ever face. This week, try writing your own eulogy or obituary. Not to be morbid, but to get clear on what you want people to say about how you lived. That clarity can become the foundation for every objective you set. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Jennifer Dragonnette. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Inflated Expectations: The Hidden Force Undermining Financial Peace
01/29/2026
Inflated Expectations: The Hidden Force Undermining Financial Peace
Today’s economy doesn’t just create wealth. It creates the ability to show off wealth, and that visibility inflates expectations so quickly that even high-achieving parents often feel behind, overwhelmed, or financially stretched. Today, I break down why expectations rise faster than real progress, how that impacts family decisions, and why the small behaviors you repeat consistently are far more important than dramatic financial moves. If you’ve ever felt like your life looks “successful” on paper but still feels stretched or pressured in real time, you’ll want to hear this episode. Connect with Paul If you're a family with multiple kids who feel like your money should be working harder but aren't sure where to start, I do complimentary 30-minute financial reviews. Schedule a meeting . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on . Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Are you Rich Yet? Why Families Still Struggle to Feel Wealthy
01/22/2026
Are you Rich Yet? Why Families Still Struggle to Feel Wealthy
I came across a Wall Street Journal article about families making over $250,000, putting them in the top 10% of all household incomes in the country, who still don't feel wealthy. One family earning $350,000 (in the top 4%) owns two homes, has three kids in club sports, and can't shake the feeling that they're struggling. In this episode, I explore why modern life makes it so hard to feel like you have enough. How our standards of living have improved dramatically, but we've just created different problems. Why kids' activities drain families more than almost anything else. And how the real challenge, as Morgan Housel says, is getting the goalpost to stop moving. This week: Look back at where you started instead of comparing yourself to some moving horizon ahead. Check your household income against national percentiles. You might be surprised how far you've come. Connect with Paul Contact Paul or schedule a time to meet with Paul . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on and . And feel free to email Paul at with any feedback, questions, or ideas for future guests and topics. Resources Featured in This Episode:
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Bucket List Item Don't Need To Be Big
01/15/2026
Bucket List Item Don't Need To Be Big
When was the last time you said yes to something small that mattered? Last year I checked something off my bucket list. Not a grand adventure or expensive trip, just a concert I'd been wanting to see for 30 years. The Barenaked Ladies finally made it happen, and what surprised me was how much emotion came with something so small. In this episode, I talk about why we wait for the big moments while ordinary experiences slip past us. Why music can take you back to exactly who you were. And why little adventures with the people you love might matter more than the trip you keep postponing. This week: Put one small thing on your bucket list. Something you could do this month, not someday. Connect with Paul Contact Paul or schedule a time to meet with Paul . For resources discussed in this episode, visit . Follow Paul on and . And feel free to email Paul at with any feedback, questions, or ideas for future guests and topics. Resources Featured in This Episode:
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