Index funds

Radio Show #125: Student loans, early retirement

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Congress finally acted to fix the student loan fiasco, by linking the interest rate to the 10-year Treasury yield. Just because you can borrow money for college, doesn't necessarily mean that you should...

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We fielded a bunch of questions about college loans and the best ways to save for education, starting with Aaron from MN, who is getting an early start with a three-month old! Also weighing in was Dwight from KY, who found a kindred spirit in being anti-debt and David from TX and Brittany from Boston, both of whom are juggling college and retirement savings.

Early retirement seems like such a 1990’s concept, but it seems to have emerged during this show. Victor was helping his dad figure out whether he can call it quits at 60, while Vicki, Diane and Helen are trying to manage their money more effectively, either with the help of an advisor or on their own.

Joe from Hawaii asked about whether he had too much in emergency reserves. My answer is even if you make a lot of money, maintaining 6 to 12 months of expenses in a safe place can protect you against a variety of unforeseen circumstances.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world, who was alone while Christina the intern was on vacation. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

  • Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

Radio Show #124: When to claim Social Security, Index vs. Managed funds

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Despite the heat wave, listeners are keeping cool when it comes to their money. Interesting questions about when to claim Social Security prove once again, that the answer depends on your unique circumstances.

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Steve from MN is in his early 60s and is concerned about preserving his $3 million nest egg. Is he better off in an actively managed fund or a passive index? Similarly, Bill from Maine needed help allocating his assets.

Helen, David and Ed are all trying to balance the risk of reaching for yield and the need to have access to money, while Henry (a 404 fan) has trimmed his risk by using a bond fund and target date fund in his 401 (k) – should he do something else?

When to claim Social Security is a vexing question, because there is no clear-cut response. At least I could reassure “K” that the system will still exist when she reaches 62. Although I don’t usually advocate claiming SS at age 62, in Nancy’s case, it makes sense. However, for Linda, waiting until age 70 may be a better a bet.

Not everyone needs long term care insurance-really! Listen to my conversation with Nikki from WI to find out who should consider coverage and who can skip it.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world and Christina, who is vying for "Intern of the Year". If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

  • Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE