logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2017
50m 5s

013 | The Unfair (FI) Advantage of Teach...

ChooseFI
About this episode

013 | Our guest: Millionaire Educator shows us how to invest your money. He shows how teachers, firefighters, police officers and public employees can leverage the power of pretax savings to supercharge their retirement , and become millionaires.

Take this information to learn how to invest your money and retires decades before your peers Ed’s journey from a college basketball player to a Spanish teacher Graduate school led to $45,000 total debt at age 33 Taught ESL in Saudia Arabia and paid off debt Returned to the US from Saudia Arabia with a $110,000 net worth Had to figure out the concept of FIRE before it even existed Taught in public school in Georgia for the next 7 years

The two retirement plans available to public sector employees: 403(b) and 457 Teachers can fully fund both of these accounts ($18,000 to each in current year) Putting away this money helps dramatically decrease your taxes

In 2007 his net worth was $400,000 2009: Next phase of their retirement journey 403(b) fees are significant, so it was to their benefit to move jobs to roll their 403(b) accounts to a lower fee (‘separation of service’ clause) 457b is a special account as it doesn’t have the 10% penalty for pre-59.5 age withdrawals

Phase 3 of retirement plan: Starting in 2014 they worked for 2 years and saved $238,000 What they are living on: a) $90,000 from 457s b) 72-T withdrawals from IRAs How to control your tax bracket for big savings (potentially down to $0)

Debt avoidance: debt is paid with after-tax dollars Geo-arbitrage and living abroad or even just a lower cost state 457b account is an emergency fund that is pre-tax dollars

How Brad and Ed are not “perfect” with their investing Pay increases for teachers when attaining new degrees. Raises that last a lifetime Earning extra money for coaching and extended day teaching to max out retirement accounts How they saved over $100,000 in a year towards retirement accounts 

Up next
Jul 7
From Poverty to Semi-Retired | Kristen Knapp | Ep 554
Kristen Knapp shares her journey from a childhood marked by poverty to achieving financial independence and transitioning to part-time work as a television meteorologist. She introduces her new venture, FI Friends Travel, a travel initiative that connects financial independence e ... Show More
58m 59s
Jun 30
Deep Dive: Putting the Middle-Class Trap to Bed | Ep 553
Cody Garrett, (CFP), joins Brad to discuss the pervasive myth of the middle-class trap in the financial independence (FI) community. Through four case studies, they illustrate how individuals often feel trapped financially due to psychological barriers rather than actual limitati ... Show More
1h 6m
Jun 23
Unraveling Your Relationship with Money | Shannah Game | Ep 552
Brad chats with certified financial planner Shannah Game, who shares insights from her book Unraveling Your Relationship with Money. They discuss the emotional and psychological aspects of finance, emphasizing the importance of understanding one's money stories, setting intention ... Show More
52m 2s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Saving for Retirement When You’re Self-Employed: SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs and Other Plans
Learn retirement savings strategies tailored for self-employed individuals to secure a financially stable future.How can self-employed individuals effectively save for retirement? What tailored retirement plans should freelancers and small business owners consider? NerdWallet’s S ... Show More
29m 41s
Oct 2021
244: Finance Friday: Why a $1M Retirement Goal Isn’t Far Fetched For Late Starters
Retirement planning can be complicated when you have so many options to choose from. Do you stick with the Roth IRA, the 401k, the Roth 401k, your employee pension plan, or solely invest in stocks and real estate? With all these different types of accounts and their numerous bene ... Show More
1h 2m
Mar 2017
445-Should we Keep Paying off Our House with Gazelle Intensity or Switch to Saving 15% for Retirement?
Today, we cover this question: Joshua, My husband and I love your show and would LOVE IT if you could help us answer a question from your point-of-view. Facts: We're completely debt-free except for our house. We make around $130,000 per year. We're currently investing 10% for ret ... Show More
29m 48s
Dec 2021
1289: The 411 of 529 Plans and the Best Ways to Save for College and Higher Ed
We take a closer look at one of the most popular college savings vehicles - the 529 plan. Guest Patricia Roberts, author of Route 529: A Parent’s Guide to Saving for College and Career Training with 529 Plans, shares her expertise. For 23. years, Patricia has helped tens of thous ... Show More
38m 8s
Jun 2020
25 Ways to Fix Your 401k
Do you feel just a little bit lost managing your retirement funds? Don't feel like your alone. A recent study shows that MOST Americans have no clue how to pick investments in their 401k, and worse yet, even more people feel like they're investing poorly for their retirement! If ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2021
246: Finance Friday: I Want to Cash Out My 401k Early, Should I?
“Should I cash out my 401k?” That’s a question you never want to ask in an online financial independence forum. It’s been a well-known rule to never cash out retirement accounts due to withdrawal penalties, tax implications, and the possibility of throwing away your retirement pl ... Show More
1h 19m
Feb 2024
503: How to Keep MORE of Your Inheritance From the IRS (Avoid These Tax Mistakes!)
With solid tax planning, receiving an inheritance could provide an enormous boost on your journey to financial freedom. One misstep, on the other hand, and you could be lining Uncle Sam’s pockets. Fortunately, we’ve brought on a tax professional to help you keep as much of your n ... Show More
44m 22s
Mar 2020
Ask Paula: I’m 24 and Won a $1 Million Settlement. How Should I Handle This Money?
#245: Joe has a 24-year-old friend who won a $1 million settlement. How can she use this money to set herself up for financial independence?Jay is 52 years old and wants to retire at 59.5. He began investing in individual stocks to achieve this goal, and has had excellent returns ... Show More
1h 17m
Mar 2021
Why You’ll Never Stop Working for Money
We all define retirement differently. For most, it probably involves an island somewhere, a hammock, a good book, and a glass of wine sitting next to you as you relax for the first time in a long time. In this episode, paper asset experts discuss why for so many people across the ... Show More
45m 59s
Oct 2021
#3: TOP 5 PERSONAL FINANCE BASICS: Money for Beginners
Today, we're looking at the top 5 basics for people who are starting their personal finance journey: Paying off debt strategically Not over-doing the emergency fund Investing early and often in a tax-efficient way Living beneath your means Using credit cards to travel for free RE ... Show More
25m 17s