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Join Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench (from BiggerPocketsMoney.com) weekly for the BiggerPockets Money Podcast. Each week, financial experts Mindy and Scott interview unique and powerful thought leaders about how to earn more, keep more, spend smarter, and reach financial independence.
Copyright: © Copyright © 2024 BiggerPockets. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: The information contained in this podcast is for general informational purposes only. In no event will BiggerPockets be liable for any loss or damage derived from the information provided.
For the entry-level worker, employee stock options may seem completely foreign. But for most tech workers, this is commonplace and can be highly lucrative if understood correctly. In short, employee stock options, employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), and restricted stock units (RSUs) all give an employee far more upside (and downside) than a traditional salary. As a result, you’re trading steady take-home pay for the potential to own company stock sharesthat could be valued at even more when you decide to sell. But is this gamble ever worth it?
JT, long-time tech worker, has spent most of his life tinkering away as an engineer at some of the biggest companies in computing. He’s no stranger to the world of stock-based compensation and knows it can be worth the lack of salary if done correctly. In this episode, JT gives a complete overview of what stock-based compensation means, the three different types of stock you’ll be offered, and how this type of payout compares to a regular salary.
He also goes in-depth on timing the sale of your stocks, the tax traps that could cost you thousands, and how to create a plan that lets you profit when getting paid in shares. If you ever foresee yourself working at a startup, tech company, or publicly-traded conglomerate, you MUST know what these types of compensation mean. Or, you’ll risk losing the real reward of a stock-based salary.
In This Episode We Cover
Stock-based compensation explained and why companies would rather pay shares than a salary
ESPPs, RSUs, stock options, and the different ways you could get paid at a tech company
When to sell your company shares and tax tips that can stop you from owning a big IRS bill
Who is eligible to be paid in stock, and whether or not entry-level workers can get access
The stock-payout schedule and when employees can expect to receive full compensation for years of company loyalty
JT’s stock-selling strategy and whether he chooses to sell or hold on to company stock
And So Much More!
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BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
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Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
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Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-379
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“What to do if you win the lottery." This question is getting more online searches than ever before. But what would you do? The wheels start turning as soon as those lucky numbers get picked. You stare down at your ticket in disbelief. Then, you make sure to match the ticket in your hand to the numbers on the screen. You could be staring at a million or billion-dollar prize, and for a second, most of your financial worries start to slip away, soon to be replaced by a new set of challenges. How will you manage it? How much will you owe back in taxes? Should you take the annual payouts or the lump sum? A better question is, “how do I redeem this thing!?”
The lottery is played by millions across the United States, hoping to get their hands on the winning prize. But how does the lottery work? Where does the money you spend on a ticket go? And do you really have a chance of ever winning? Carolyn Becker from the California State Lottery knows more than most. She’s been working with lottery agencies for years, making sure that winners are genuine players and ensuring that a percentage of the lottery profits go to good causes within the Golden State.
She outlines exactly how the lottery works, how the winning numbers are chosen, the philanthropic side of buying a ticket, and what to do when you win millions or billions of dollars at once. She also drops some tips on better ways to play the lottery and why there’s a higher chance of you winning than you think. So, if you’re buying a ticket in hopes of a billion-dollar jackpot, Carolyn’s advice could help!
In This Episode We Cover
The history of the lottery and using ticket sales to fund philanthropic causes
Why Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots are hitting the billion-dollar mark
The actual odds of winning the lottery and the chance of you getting a cash prize
Interest rates and the Federal Reserve’s effect on lottery jackpots
What to do if you win the lottery and why a financial advisor should be your first hire
The “lottery curse” and why so many winners blow their money after hitting a big win
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-378
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Mr. Money Mustache is the internet’s poster child for early retirement. At age thirty, Pete Adeney was able to leave a lucrative job as a software engineer to focus on building a financially free life. He brought the FIRE movement to the mainstream by teaching others online how simple spending skills could allow them to quit their corporate jobs, keep more money while working less, and live a life centered around passion, not a paycheck. His popular blog has garnered millions of visits, as early versions of himself flock to the financially-freeing wisdom so rarely talked about in average American society.
Pete has been retired for nearly twenty years now, meaning he’s been FIRE more than double the amount of time he spent in the working world. So, how does he spend his days? What keeps him going? Does he still have enough money?And how can someone repeat his system? Scott and Mindy spend this episode asking the “life after FI” questions, so you can know exactly what you’re getting into when you retire early. Pete’s answers shed light on often untouched topics that most of the money community can’t answer.
We’ll go deep into planning for financial independence, developing “spending skills” that can bring early retirement decades sooner, and the right way to quit your job and wean off work. Pete also shows what the day in the life of an early retiree looks like and how today’s stock market crash has affected his portfolio. Want to retire early? Strap in—we’ve got the man who brought FI to the masses on today’s show!
In This Episode We Cover
Pete’s repeatable plan for FI and the simple steps that can lead to financial freedom
Quitting your 9-5 and why leaving work all at once could be a big mistake
Why most early retirees never touch their nest egg (and why you probably won't either)
Whether or not early retirement truly lives up to the hype
The 2022 stock market crash and how it’s affected Pete’s portfolio and investing mentality
Stocks vs. bonds and why someone who’s chasing early retirement should choose one over the other
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Find an Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agent
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
The Surprising (Scientific) Truth Behind What Makes You Successful
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-377
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Margin loans could be the sneakiest way to snag a low-interest rate loan in today’s Fed-influenced environment. What most investors don’t know is that you can use your stock portfolio as collateral to get massively discounted lending, but it comes with considerable risk. Carl and Mindy Jensen used this type of lending to buy their most recent real estate purchase, a medium-term rental renovation project in the same neighborhood as their primary residence.
At the time, Carl could get an interest rate so attractive that it was almost impossible to pass up. We’re talking about mortgage-sized loans with less than 2% interest! This seemed like a steal at the time, but as the market started to tank and big tech stocks like Tesla took a tumble, Carl and Mindy’s margin loan began getting hit. They faced a tough decision: either get liquidated and lose much of their stock portfolio or come up with the difference themselves.
In this episode, you’ll hear exactly how Carl and Mindy grew their stock portfolio to multiple millions in worth, the mistakes they made along the way, why they took out a margin loan, and whether or not they’d do it again. If you’ve got a sizable stock portfolio but don’t know how to get funding for your real estate deal, stick around! Margin loans could be an option for you, but you’ll need to know how to work them first.
In This Episode We Cover
Margin loans explained and the risk that comes with a low-interest rate loan
Investing in tech stocks and whether or not they’re worth it now that stock valuations are down
Index fund investing and why single stock-picking may be riskier than you think
What getting a “margin call” means, and what to do when your stock values drop
HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) and using them as a safety net for paying off debt
Carl and Mindy’s new medium-term rental and whether the headache was worth the new house
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Find an Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agent
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Carl's Email
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Finance Friday: My Home Renovation Put Me in a HELOC Hole
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-376
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Cryptocurrency is dead in the mind of most investors. What started as an awe-inspiring investment reaching massive multiples in just months, quickly became a subject of contention within the investing community. Some moretraditional investors called cryptocurrency an outright fraud, while others claimed it was the final puzzle piece in the battle for a stable fiat currency. Now, with many crypto prices down, is there any reason to invest?
For long-time listeners of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, you’ll know that hosts Scott and Mindy don’t have a terribly favorable view of cryptocurrency. Not because they think it’s illegitimate, but because of its massive volatility that has borderline bankrupted many inexperienced investors. We wanted a deeper insight into why cryptocurrency could be worth investing in, so we brought Laura Shin onto the show.
Laura is host of the Unchained podcast, where she updates the crypto community on the latest news stories, price action, and more. Laura is an agnostic crypto investor with a level-headed view of the benefits and risks of investing in this volatile asset. She gives us a masterclass on the current state of cryptocurrency, the history of Bitcoin, why assets like Ethereum may be more valuable, and why exchanges like FTX are not to be trusted.
In This Episode We Cover
The history of cryptocurrency and how Bitcoin started a worldwide craze
Ethereum vs. Bitcoin and why “ultra-sound” money could beat the rest
The “crypto winter” and whether or not now is a buying opportunity for investors
Money crypto vs. tech crypto and why there may be more than one coin left standing
FTX, fraud, and how crypto exchanges can lose your coins, and the best way to protect yourself
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Finance Friday: First Down Market? Here’s How to Stop Stressing
Bitcoin: Investing Fad or Final Bullet to Fiat Currency?
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-375
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Private equity is a term often left undefined. Ask most people if they’ve heard of private equity, and they’ll say yes. But ask them to explain what it is or how it works, and most Americans will struggle to come up with even a sentence. The industry of private equity investing is shrouded in mystery, but it probably shouldn’t be. If you know what private equity is and how to invest in it, you could take home passive income that beats the stock market and real estate investing with none of the headaches or short-term panic of either.
This simple-to-understand but constantly overcomplicated industry could make you better returns, with far less work, investing in businesses you already know and trust. This is precisely what Sachin Khajuria’s book, Two and Twenty: How the Masters of Private Equity Always Win, is all about. As a former partner at one of the world’s largest alternative asset firms with over two decades of experience, Sachin can explain the ins and outs of private equity better than anyone.
Sachin will demystify the often shadowy world of private equity in this episode. He explains why it’s such a lucrative business and how it’s coming close to matching the same firepower as the public markets many of us invest in. With potential returns far higher than traditional assets, Sachin makes a strong case for why you should be looking into private equity now before the masses find out about it and flood the market.
In This Episode We Cover
Private equity explained and the simple yet highly profitable business model behind it
The two and twenty rule and why private equity firms are designed to maximize your money
Private equity returns and whether or not the high profits are worth the long time horizon
The “unloved” businesses that have seen massive growth thanks to private equity
Rising interest rates and how this could affect the value of private equity investments
The businesses you already buy from that are owned by private equity
How to find and invest in private equity even if you’re not a mega-millionaire
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Find an Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agent
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-374
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Mastering personal finance is one of the most important things anyone can do. If you know where your money is coming from, where it’s going, and how to make more of it, you can retire comfortably, retire early, or have less financial anxiety at the end of the day. But, the world of personal finance can be complicated for beginners. With so many spreadsheets, calculators, money methods, and mistakes to avoid, where does someone just getting started go to understand the basics?
We brought Scott and Mindy, our two masters of money, on for a solo show where they walk through some of the top tips in personal finance. They’ll touch on budgeting, saving, and expense tracking so you can know the ins and outs of your finances with far less effort than ever before. You’ll also hear about the different methods for paying off debt, good debt vs. bad debt explained, and the right way to think about interest rates. Finally, Scott and Mindy will go over investments, when the right time to invest is, how to prioritize what to invest in, and when you’re ready to invest in real estate.
No matter where you’re at on the personal finance spectrum, investing or not, debt-free or full of debt, this episode can help you prioritize the dollars and cents in your life so you can reach financial freedom faster. And if you still don’t know where to start, stick around, as this episode is chock full of links to debt payoff methods, investment plans, budgeting examples, and more to help you on your journey!
In This Episode We Cover
Personal expenses vs. business expenses and why you should never mix the two
Expenses explained and what does (and definitely does NOT) count in your budget
The two skills every investor or business owner needs to succeed
The different ways to pay off debt and how to know whether your interest rate is too high
Good debt vs. bad debt and why many investors are choosing to hold on to low-interest loans
The right and wrong way to use a HELOC (home equity line of credit) when investing in real estate
How to prioritize your investments and building a personalized investment plan that will help you build wealth
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
Find an Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agent
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Finance Friday: My Home Renovation Put Me in a HELOC Hole
The Money Date: What You Should (And Definitely Should Not) Do to Align Your Finances as a Couple
Finance Friday: Got Extra Cash? Here’s the Investment Plan for You
Scott Trench’s Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Perfect, 1-Page Investment Plan
Rookie Podcast Episode 200: Scott Trench’s 10-Step Checklist to Buy Your First Rental Property
Scott Trench's Investment Investment Philosophy Worksheet
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-373
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Want to buy a business? If so, you’ll need franchises explained. At first, franchises seem like something only for fast food, gas stations, or hotel chains. But, in reality, a whole world of businesses are up for sale that have proven track records and could put profits into your pocket faster than starting your own business. But first, you’ll need to make sure you’re ready to own and run a franchise, as it’s not always the passive income stream investors believe it to be.
When done right, franchises offer an almost irresistible offer to young entrepreneurs or those trying to escape the corporate ladder. You can trade in your soul-sucking nine-to-five, receive top-tier support and training, and get paid a salary, all while your business grows in the background. But before you start window shopping for which hair salon, water restoration, or pool cleaning business you want to own, you’ll need to talk to someone like Greg Mohr, author of Real Freedom: Why Franchises Are Worth Considering and How They Can Be Used For Building Wealth.
Greg acts as a franchise consultant, helping match potential franchisees to a parent company that works best for their schedule, goals, and income-earning potential. You may think you know how a franchise works, what type you’d like to buy, and how much money you would make, but Greg’s in-depth, multiple-decade-long knowledge may tell you otherwise. So, if you want to run a business but don’t know where to start, Greg may be the perfect person to turn to.
In This Episode We Cover
The history of franchises and why buying a business often beats building one
The true profits of running a franchise and how much an owner can expect to make
How much franchise consultants cost (much less than you’d think), and why you need one
Most common franchise mistakes to avoid and why you should never look at JUST the franchise fee
Funding a franchise and how to use retirement accounts, HELOCs, and more to buy businesses
Business partnerships and who should join forces to buy a franchise together
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
The Benefits of Franchising vs. Starting a Business from Scratch
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-372
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Asking for Bitcoin explained is like asking how a rocket works; it's a little complex. A digital currency is valued at a certain amount of dollars (or euros, yen, etc.) and is used to pay for goods or exchange for other currencies. That makes sense. But things can get complicated as we go deeper into Bitcoin and the blockchain. There's no need to get overwhelmed; we brought Saifedean Ammous, economist and author of The Bitcoin Standard, onto the show to explain.
Saifedean, like many investors, was skeptical of Bitcoin at first. He thought it was merely a fad that would pass away in a few years. But, after researching the history of money, the rise and fall of fiat currencies, and the standard that Bitcoin was built on, Saifedean changed his tone. Now, he's a huge proponent of this new "digital gold" and has spent years of his life warning others of fiat currency's faults and the opportunity behind Bitcoin itself.
In today's episode, Saifedean explains what Bitcoin is, how it works, why the blockchain is needed, and why saving money isn't enough in today's fiat inflationary environment. You'll also hear why "hard money" like Bitcoin beats "easy money" like the American dollar and why the latest cryptocurrency crash isn't as bad as mainstream economists think. So if you've thought of snagging a bit of Bitcoin, this is the best place to start.
In This Episode We Cover
The history of money, fiat currencies, why rare, hard money is always the most safe
The dangers of easy money, debasing currency, and the fallacy of required inflation
How Bitcoin solves the fiat problem and why it can never be inflated or over-printed
The blockchain explained and why it works for Bitcoin and not other applications like real estate
Cryptocurrency's latest crash and why fluctuating Bitcoin prices are more typical than they seem
Whether to bet on businesses, real estate, Bitcoin, or all three when investing
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-371
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How can a simple pressure washing business make you six figures of income a year? With a startup cost of only a couple hundred dollars, today’s guest Chris expanded his pressure washing, Christmas light-hanging, gutter-cleaning operation into a profitable business with multiple employees and a stacked schedule. But, as Chris has started to expand, he’s seen his personal profits decline, so should he outsource less so he can keep more of the revenue he’s working hard to bring in?
Welcome back to another Finance Friday episode, where we talk to Chris, a twenty-six-year-old entrepreneur learning to navigate profits, payroll, customer acquisition, and more in his pressure washing business. Chris found an interesting niche to serve; older communities in his home state of California. He’s been able to build a brand, grow his business, and have a Rolodex full of repeat clients, but he still doesn’t know the best way to scale. Not only that, Chris also started investing in real estate, with a cash-flowing house hack allowing him to eliminate his housing costs.
Chris wants to know the best way to expand his business while still retaining his high margins, what type of healthcareplan he should be on now that he’s twenty-six, when he should look to buy another house hack, and how to keep investing. Chris is on a bright path already, but with a few tweaks, he could be financially free in only a few more years!
In This Episode We Cover
How to build a business that will gross six figures even if you have no entrepreneurial experience
Payroll, employees, and how to outsource more of your work so you can focus on expanding
Turning a service-based business into a profitable, repeatable empire
House hacking explained and using it to reduce your cost of living significantly
Healthcare for entrepreneurs and why the HSA is the “ultimate retirement account”
Growing your business so you can reach financial freedom even faster
And So Much More!
Links from the Show
BiggerPockets Money Facebook Group
Finance Review Guest Onboarding
Listen to All Your Favorite BiggerPockets Podcasts in One Place
Apply to Be a Guest on The Money Show
Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube Channel
Listen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPockets
Check Out Mindy’s 2022 Live Spending Tracker and Budget
Finance Friday: Tips to Build a House Hack STACK in Your 20s
The House Hacking Strategy with Craig Curelop
Click here to check the full show notes: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/money-370
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