This episode brought to you by Abound Wealth. Take the relationship to the next level and become a client: https://moneyguy.com/become-a-client/ At 27 years old, Melissa has already built a $61,000 net worth on a $65,000 salary—proving you don't need a six-figure income to build wealth. Brian and Bo break down her investing strategy, Roth IRA contributions, 401(k), HSA, emergency fund, car loan, and savings rate while showing how small financial decisions compound into long-term financial independence. They also discuss the Financial Order of Operations (FOO), whether to prioritize investing or paying off debt, and how someone earning a moderate income can still become a millionaire through consistent investing and smart money habits. If you're building wealth in your 20s or 30s, this episode offers practical personal finance lessons you can apply today. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind on retirement savings or starting to invest later in life? Brian and Bo break down how to catch up on retirement in your 40s and 50s, including how much you should have saved by age, retirement savings rates, 401(k) and Roth IRA strategies, catch-up contributions, Social Security, and the power of working longer. You’ll see how increasing your savings rate, reducing high-interest debt and fixed expenses, and growing your income can dramatically change your retirement trajectory. If you feel behind financially, learn the practical steps that can help you build wealth, invest for retirement, and create a realistic financial independence plan. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much do you actually need to retire—and are your retirement savings on track today? We’re introducing the new Know Your Number retirement calculator, a completely free tool designed to help you estimate how much money you may need for retirement based on your age, spending, current investments, annual contributions, retirement age, expected returns, and withdrawal rate. We’ll walk through retirement planning examples for someone starting at 25, navigating the messy middle at 33, and catching up at 40. Whether you’re calculating your retirement number, evaluating your savings rate, or building a long-term investment plan, this tool can help you understand your next move.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Start a free trial, and get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core Tier with code MONEYGUY at monarch.com Financial advice on YouTube can sound convincing—but should you actually follow it? Brian and Bo react to viral money advice about 401(k) loans, investing, credit cards, covered calls, tax deductions, 529 plans, home buying, saving money, and building wealth. They break down which personal finance tips hold up, which leave out important risks, and why boring long-term investing can beat complicated strategies. If you’re trying to improve your finances, invest for retirement, build credit, reduce taxes responsibly, or reach financial independence, these real-world reactions can help you separate useful money advice from financial advice that sounds better than it really is. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode brought to you by Abound Wealth. Take the relationship to the next level and become a client: https://moneyguy.com/become-a-client/ Want to retire early but worried your retirement money is locked up until age 59 and a half? Brian and Bo break down 5 early retirement strategies that can help you access your investments sooner, including taxable brokerage accounts, the Rule of 55, 72(t) distributions, Roth conversion ladders, and Coast FIRE. Learn how early retirement withdrawals work, the tax implications to consider, and why the best financial independence strategy may involve combining multiple account types. Whether you want to retire at 50, reach FIRE, optimize your 401(k), or simply own your time sooner, understanding these retirement planning strategies can help you build a more flexible financial future. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retirement happiness isn’t just about how much money you’ve saved—so what actually matters most? Brian, Bo, and retirement researcher Wes Moss put it to the test with a Retirement Happiness Draft, taking turns building their ideal retirement from 12 choices like $100K of income, eight hours of sleep, close friends, travel, hobbies, a paid-off home, and multiple income streams. Who builds the happiest retirement? Along the way, they unpack new research on happy retirees, retirement planning, financial independence, health, relationships, and purpose after work—and reveal what the data says really separates a fulfilling retirement from an unhappy one. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch Daniel & Hannah’s original episode here: https://youtu.be/vn4VyUtE1j8 This episode brought to you by Abound Wealth. Take the relationship to the next level and become a client: https://moneyguy.com/become-a-client/ One year after appearing on Making a Millionaire, Daniel and Hannah return to show what really happens when life interrupts your financial plan. Between a totaled car, emergency surgery, Disney vacation, new debt, and unexpected expenses, this couple still increased their net worth from $104,000 to $154,000. Brian and Bo revisit the Financial Order of Operations (FOO), emergency funds, Roth IRAs, the 20/3/8 car-buying rule, renting vs. buying a house, retirement investing, and real-world wealth building. If you're in the messy middle balancing kids, debt, investing, and financial independence, this episode shows how consistent financial habits can keep you moving forward—even when life doesn't go according to plan. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Choosing a financial advisor is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make—but do you actually need one? Brian and Bo break down the uncomfortable truth about financial advisors, including advisor fees, fiduciary standards, commission vs fee-only advisors, behavioral coaching, retirement planning, tax planning, estate planning, investing, and why portfolio management is only a small part of real financial planning. You'll also learn when DIY investing makes sense, how advisor value is measured, and the biggest mistakes people make when hiring an advisor. Whether you're building wealth, approaching retirement, or deciding if professional financial advice is worth the cost, this episode helps you make a more informed decision. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you actually wealthy for your age—and how much money should you have saved by 30, 40, 50, or 60? We compare income, debt, net worth by age, retirement savings, and financial flexibility to reveal which numbers actually measure wealth. You’ll learn why a six-figure salary doesn’t necessarily make you rich, how investable net worth differs from traditional net worth, and how your retirement savings compare with other Americans. Plus, see the Money Guy wealth benchmarks by age to determine whether your savings, investments, and financial independence journey are on track—and what really matters when building long-term wealth. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Financial Advisors React is back, and this time Brian and Bo break down some of the internet's funniest viral money clips—from confusing credit score advice and investing memes to entrepreneurship, student loans, stock market hype, budgeting, and even a monkey explaining retirement accounts. Along the way they separate great financial advice from misleading money myths using the Financial Order of Operations (FOO), long-term investing principles, index funds, credit score fundamentals, and practical wealth-building strategies. Whether you're trying to build wealth, improve your financial literacy, invest for retirement, understand personal finance, or simply enjoy hilarious internet finance content, this episode delivers entertainment with actionable money lessons. ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach your goals faster with our products⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the relationship to the next level: become a client⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with us on social media for more content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bring confidence to your wealth building with simplified strategies from The Money Guy. Learn how to apply financial tactics that go beyond common sense and help you reach your money goals faster. Make your assets do the heavy lifting so you can quit worrying and start living a more fulfilled life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices