The Financial Samurai Podcast
Episodes
Recommended 529 Plan Amounts By Age
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
So you want to save for college in a 529 plan but you're unsure of how much to save. Or, you're wondering whether you should contribute more or less. ...
Why You've Got To Push Yourself Hard Before The Lockdown Ends
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Don't you dare slack off. We're almost done with mass lockdowns and now is the time to step things up a notch. There will be consequences if you do no...
Buying Real Estate During COVID-19: Strategies For Getting A Great Deal
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Buying real estate during the COVID-19 pandemic is tricky because of lockdowns and lower inventory. But this is a chance for buyers to get a great dea...
Why The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Could Disappoint And Cause Stocks To Sell Off
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I believe the PPP program is the best economic stimulus program the government has ever created. However, more than one month into the PPP program, ...
Unemployment Benefit Amounts By State
02 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A look at the latest enhanced unemployment benefits and ranking the highest and lowest unemployment benefit amounts by state. See this post for charts...
What The Doomer Bears Got Wrong
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the S&P 500 up over 25% from its lows, let's look at what the Doomers got wrong so we can potentially make better decisions investment decisions ...
Progress During Corona Time Is Being Made
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Just checking in to share that good things have been happening since the last episode. Paycheck Protection Program is awesome if it goes through. ...
How To Predict A Stock Market Bottom
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Are you wondering when the stock market will bottom during a bear market? So am I! Here's an easy exercise all of us equity investors can go through t...
The Bull Market Finally Ends
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was good while it lasted. Now it's time to hunker down.
Overcoming The Futility Of Work When You're Losing Massive Money In The Stock Market
28 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Besides working to pay your taxes, perhaps nothing feels more depressing than going to work only to lose more money in your investments. Here are some...
Navigating The Investment Waters During A Global Pandemic
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coronavirus fears have hit stock markets around the world. Here are my thoughts on how to best navigate the investment waters, what we can learn from...
Not Wasting Another Day
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cherish life. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Early Retirement Failure! And All The Reasons Why
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here are all the reasons why I'm an early retirement failure. It was a good 8-year run, but all good things must come to an end! Read the post here. ...
The SECURE Act Is Better Than A Kick In The Face
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At last! The government doesn't something positive for most American's retirement plans! Let's learn about all the things the SECURE Act does to help ...
The Surprising Unanticipated Benefits Of Early Retirement
27 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
No matter how much you plan, you'll never know all the variables. Here are some unanticipated benefits of early retirement that may surprise you. If I...
A Productive Early Morning May Make You Richer, But Not Happier
19 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Getting a lot of good quality sleep is all the rage now. But if you don't sleep well, you'll probably get a lot richer because you have more time to d...
Smart Year-End Tax Moves To Make
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Here are some smart money moves to make before the new year to reduce your tax liability. Taxes are our largest ongoing liability. It behooves us to s...
Your 401(k) Matters For Retirement - New Max Contribution Limit For 2020
09 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Your 401(k) is part of the three-legged stool for retirement. The other two legs are your after-tax investments and your ability to make side income. ...
Let's Always Be Grateful
01 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This is my favorite time of the year because it's a time where we can all look back and be grateful for all that we have. I'm truly grateful to all of...
Why You Shouldn't Bother Cooking Your Own Food To Save Money
27 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If 70% of Americans are overweight and median retirement savings balance is way less than $100,000, perhaps spending time cooking at home to save mone...
Why Preschool Is Worth The Cost
20 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Preschool can range from $800 - $2,500 a month, depending on where you live and the amount of care you need. Despite the cost, I'm here to argue that ...
A Golden Opportunity To Buy Real Estate Is Upon Us
07 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you're thinking about buying a primary residence or an investment property, now looks like an enticingly good time. I'll share with you a dozen rea...
The Largest Severance Package Ever
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For those who still don't believe you can negotiate a severance package, a guy got a 10-figure severance package despite helping blow up his company. ...
Beware Of Blindspots On Your Road To Financial Independence
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Here are five of the most common financial blindspots people have on their road to financial independence. If you can recognize them, you will better ...
Why Bad Things Stay So Bad For So Long
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
From staying in an abusive relationship, to joining a Twitter mob that bullies others, to not speaking up against corporate and political malfeasance,...
Reasons Why You Should Never Sell Your Profitable Business
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you are a business owner who is burning out and wishing to cash out, here is some perspective of someone who did. He sold his baby for $2.8 million...
How To Retire Early With Kids: A Nearly Impossible Task
30 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Everybody can retire when their investment income is enough to cover their basic living expenses. But when it comes to retiring early (before 60), the...
Get The Best Mortgage Rate Possible By Avoiding This One Crucial Mistake
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Don't make my mortgage refinance mistake that has so far cost me $1,005 in extra interest! Trying to refinance today is a real PITA. It's a bummer bec...
Arbitrage Your Way To A Richer And Better Life
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
You can take advantage of kinks in the system every day to improve your wealth and quality of life. Don't just sit back passively and wait for your in...
Why You Deserve Everything
15 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Every week, there are a lot of funny things that make me scratch my head and wonder WTF. But it is precisely these funny things that make me so positi...
The Average Net Worth For The Above Average Married Couple
09 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Does 1 + 1 = 2 in your marriage? Not according to the government. If you're trying to figure out what combined net worth to shoot for as a couple, her...
A New Adventure For Financial Samurai: Less Retirement, More Entrepreneurship
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After reaching my goal of publishing 3X a week for 10 years, I've decided to focus a little bit more on entrepreneurship. The formula of 90% fun / 10%...
The State Of The Housing Market And Higher Lending Standards
29 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As mortgage interest rates tumble, the housing market is becoming more interesting. Inventory is already up in many of the nation's once hottest housi...
Achieve Your Dreams By Doing One Hard Thing For 10 Years In A Row
26 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Don't quit before giving your effort a chance to produce amazing results. If you can do one hard thing for 10 years in a row, I'm sure good things are...
The Best Life Hack For Americans, Taking Advantage Of Canada
22 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Getting ahead is very competitive in America. Thanks to living in a capitalist society, we're driven by money, fame, and success. As a result, not eve...
The Median Net Worth For The Middle Class, Mass Affluent, And The Top 1%
19 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. The top 1% have gotten really rich, but the middle class have fallen seriously behind. Let's ...
How To Get The Lowest Interest Rate Possible
16 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Here's my method to always get the lowest mortgage rate possible, no matter the interest rate environment. I've refinanced multiple mortgages multiple...
What To Do Now That The Yield Curve Has Officially Inverted
14 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The yield curve has officially inverted in 3Q2019. The 10-year bond yield is now lower than the 2-year bond yield. Let me explain from different persp...
The Importance Of Feeling Consistently Uncomfortable For Personal And Financial Growth
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As a parent, you want the best for your kids. However, there's a risk parents over-protect their kids from harm's way. It is through difficulty and co...
The Rapid Decline Of A Harvard Degree
10 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A college degree is depreciating in value, yet tuition is at all-time highs. For those parents and students looking to attend a private university lik...
The Not So Obvious Reasons Why People Want To Retire Early
08 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Retiring early is a dream come true for many. However, there are some not so obvious reasons why people want to leave work early, and they aren't very...
How To Survive The Pressure As The Sole Income Providing Parent
06 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Being the sole income earner can be brutally difficult and stressful. Money strains can jeopardize a marriage and can create a tremendous amount of re...
New Wedding Spending Rules To Follow If You Don't Want To Get A Divorce
04 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The average wedding cost is over $30,000. That's a ridiculous sum of money given the median household income is only about $62,000 before tax. Here ar...
A Fed Rate Cut Is An Ominous Sign For Us To Buckle Up
02 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At last! After 10 years, we've finally got our first Fed rate cut. Here's some logical analysis as to why we should all spend a little less, save a li...
Quitting Your Job Is Selfish, Engineering Your Layoff Is The Right Thing To Do
01 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Since publishing my book, How To Engineer Your Layoff, in 2012, I've had a number of people tell me that engineering your layoff is morally or ethical...
The New Three-Legged Stool For Retirement
31 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The old three-legged stool for retirement consisted of: 1) Pension (Company), 2) Social Security (Government), and 3) Personal Savings (You). The NEW...
The Negatives Of Early Retirement Nobody Likes Talking About
26 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Being able to retire early is great, but there are a number of downsides to content with. After leaving work for good in 2012, I'd like to share some ...
Reflecting On Two Years Of Being A Stay At Home Dad
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Without a doubt, being a stay at home parent is harder than any day job out there. For those of you who are considering giving up your day job to spen...
Your Chance Of Becoming A Millionaire By Age, Race, And Education
18 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Everybody wants to be a millionaire! Alas, only about 12 million households, or 3% of the U.S. population are millionaires. Here's a deep dive look in...
How Much Money You Need To Retire Early And Live In Abject Poverty
16 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As more people look to retire early before 60, more people are looking for shortcuts in order to get to early retirement quicker. What I've noticed is...
What Age Do Most People Retire In America
15 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of people want to retire early, but more than 80% of Americans retire after the age of 60. Let's look at some of the details. Don't get too much...
The Bull Market Checklist To Living Your Best Life Today
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There's no point making money if you don't use it to improve the quality of your life. Almost every asset class is going bonkers right now. It feels ...
Financial SEER - A Way To Quantify Risk Tolerance And Determine Appropriate Equity Exposure
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast is for someone who is wondering: Whether they have the proper asset allocation How to reduce investment stress while still benefitting fr...
Solving The Happiness Conundrum In Five Moves Or Less
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I think money counts for at most 40% of our happiness equation, but we're spending the majority of our time thinking about how to get more money, more...
If I Could Retire All Over Again These Are The Things I'd Do Differently
10 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Retirement has been great so far. But if I could rewind time, here are five things I would have done differently that may help you better plan for you...
FS20, A New Property Leading Indicator That Gives Buyers Confidence
04 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Want an edge when buying property? Follow the FS20 rule to take advantage of people who are not as sharp as you. View episode charts and comments he...
Move Over FIRE, Welcome DIRE - Early Retirement Just Got More Difficult
15 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With a recession looming, the FIRE movement is going to get extinguished. In its place will rise the DIRE Movement: Delay, Inherit, Retire, Expire! Th...
Why $5 Million Is Barely Enough To Retire Early With A Family
01 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
$5 million is a lot of money. But it doesn't go very far if you want to retire early with a family in an expensive city like San Francisco. This episo...
The Importance Of The Yield Curve: A Prescient Economic Indicator
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The yield curve has been flat or inverted many times in 2019. It's important to understand what the yield curve is, what it means, and how it can affe...
Welcome To The Financial Samurai Podcast: An Introduction
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the Financial Samurai podcast! Here's a quick intro of who Sam Dogen is and why you should listen to the podcast. The FS podcast is hoste...