Catching Up to FI

What if the smartest financial planning move isn't a 100-page plan, but one question that makes you stop and say, "Wait... I can do that?" In this crossover with the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, Jackie puts on her professional hat for two conversations about the small ideas that can create much bigger financial wins. First, she and host Cary Sinnett unpack five high-impact planning opportunities involving 529s, 72(t)s, HSAs, charitable giving, and forgotten retirement accounts. Then they zoom out to the bigger question: why financial literacy, not products or strategies, is the foundation for better decisions and greater financial independence. Jackie also tackles FIRE stereotypes, the shame late starters often carry, and the "superpowers" that can emerge once people stop beating themselves up and start asking better questions.

This episode covers

1. Five small financial-planning conversations that can uncover much bigger opportunities
2. New and expanded ways families may be able to use 529 plans
3. How 72(t) distributions can help some people access retirement money before age 59½
4. Why HSAs can be much more than simple medical spending accounts
5. Charitable-giving strategies ranging from smaller deductions to donor-advised funds
6. How to search for forgotten 401(k)s and other unclaimed assets
7. Why financial literacy should come before complicated products and strategies
8. How money beliefs and behavior can overpower mathematically "correct" decisions
9. Why FIRE doesn't require copying someone else's lifestyle
10. The late-starter journey from shame and guilt to action, confidence, and financial "superpowers"

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===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast

Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database

National Association of State Treasurers (Missing Money)

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

Need to figure out health insurance on your own? It's a little scary if you don't get it through an employer and too young for Medicare, but there are lots of options. In Part 2 with health insurance broker, Lyndia Cunningham, Bill and Jackie put early-retirement healthcare planning to the test with three very different case studies. Jackie rewinds to age 49 and walks through the decisions she faced before leaving work, including ACA subsidies and income planning. Bill brings a high-income household with no employer benefits and explains how stumbling into Tennessee Farm Bureau coverage slashed his monthly premiums by thousands. Then listener Brooke explores whether health insurance really needs to be the golden handcuffs keeping her in a W-2 job.

This episode covers

1. How Jackie could have evaluated healthcare before retiring at 49
2. Why retirement timing and modified adjusted gross income can dramatically affect ACA costs
3. Bronze versus Silver plans, cost-sharing reductions, and HSA eligibility
4. How to make sure an ACA plan actually includes the doctors you want to keep
5. What Jackie ultimately paid for healthcare after retiring
6. Why Bill chose Farm Bureau coverage instead of the ACA marketplace
7. How medical underwriting and non-ACA major medical plans work
8. Health insurance options for adult children aging off a family plan
9. How association plans, college health plans, and HSAs can expand your choices
10. Whether healthcare really needs to keep Brooke (or anyone else) tied to a job

.

This is the second part of a 2-part episode. Be sure to subscribe the show and catch part 1 (episode 239) from 9/27/26.

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=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Move Health

Move Health YouTube

Health Insurance for Early Retirees

ACA Health Insurance Marketplace

.

⏰ Related Episodes

How to Get Health Insurance When You Retire Early | Lyndia Cunningham (Part 1) | 239

Mind Blowing ways to Maximize Your Health Savings Account (HSA) | Jeff York | 98

Maximizing HSAs Part 2: Devising Drawdowns, Badass Scenarios, Listener Questions | Jeff York | 99

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

What if the biggest thing standing between you and early retirement isn't your savings... it's your health insurance? Bill and Jackie welcome Lyndia Cunningham of Move Health to tackle the healthcare headache that keeps so many Americans working until 65. From COBRA and short-term medical plans to faith-based health sharing and the Affordable Care Act, Lyndia walks through the options that could change your retirement timeline. Throw in retroactive COBRA, Medicaid, college health plans and direct primary care, and suddenly the path to healthcare freedom looks a lot less mysterious.

This episode covers

1. The health insurance options available to early retirees before Medicare at 65
2. How COBRA, short-term medical insurance, Farm Bureau plans and healthcare-sharing programs compare
3. The important differences between ACA-compliant insurance and other types of coverage
4. How spouses, dependents and college students can access alternative coverage
5. Retroactive COBRA and planning for the transition out of employer-sponsored insurance
6. ACA essential health benefits, provider networks and out-of-state coverage limitations
7. How ACA premium subsidies interact with household income, Roth conversions and HSA contributions
8. Medicaid eligibility and the complications that can arise for early retirees and their families
9. Dental, vision, accident and critical illness coverage beyond a basic health insurance plan
10. How HSAs and direct primary care can fit into a broader retirement healthcare strategy

.

This is the first part of a 2-part episode. Be sure to subscribe to the channel and catch part 2 next week (10/4/26).

.

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Move Health

Move Health YouTube

ACA Health Insurance Marketplace

.

⏰ Related Episodes

Mind Blowing ways to Maximize Your Health Savings Account (HSA) | Jeff York | 98

Maximizing HSAs Part 2: Devising Drawdowns, Badass Scenarios, Listener Questions | Jeff York | 99

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

Exposed! We go behind the scenes with industry experts and disrupters in the retail car-buying market, Ray and Zach Shefska. They are the powerful father-son team behind CarEdge, a car-buying platform that's fighting fiercely for transparency. Ray brings 43 years of dealership experience and Zach brings the modern tech (like AI agents) and viral moments when he exposes dealers misbehaving. Together, they reveal how dealerships really make money, including things like dealer fees, financing, and often unnecessary ad-ons. Don't miss this breakdown of smart ways for you to research, shop, avoid games some dealers play, and get the fairest price on your next car.

This episode covers

1. How dealerships use monthly payments to distract buyers from the total cost of a car
2. Why negotiating a vehicle can be especially difficult for women and minority buyers
3. Using AI agents to obtain and negotiate real dealer pricinng
4. The fees, add-ons, and protection packages buyers should question
5. Why "if it's taxable, it's negotiable" is one of Ray's favorite rules
6. How to get and compare a true out-the-door price
7. Why a pre-purchase inspection is critical when buying a used vehicle
8. The pros and cons of CarMax and Carvana
9. How pre-approved financing can protect you from dealer interest-rate markups
10. Cash versus financing, leasing and total cost of ownership
11. Ray's ultimate rule: buy what you need, not just what you want

.

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

CarEdge (Research, Dealer Ratings, Car-buying Service)

CarEdge Podcast

CarEdge YouTube

CarEdge Live YouTube

Shady Car Dealers are Done! Fair Pricing Summit DC

Zach's AI Summit Talk

Ray's letters to his late wife Suzanne

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

What if the biggest retirement risk isn't running out of money, but being too afraid to spend the money you worked decades to build? Personal finance icon Jean Chatzky joins Bill and Jackie to tackle the psychology and math behind turning a lifetime of savings into a Forever Paycheck. Jean shares her own late-start reset after losing her father, getting divorced, and getting fired within a single year. She then explains why retirees often happily spend Social Security and pensions while fiercely protecting their investment balances. Together they explore Jean's tools that can create both security and permission to spend. Jackie even runs her own numbers and discovers her forever-income gap might be surprisingly easy to fill.

This episode covers

1. Jean Chatzky's own financial reset after a series of major life changes at 40
2. Why retirees can become surprisingly reluctant to spend their accumulated savings
3. The "decumulation gap" and the psychology behind creating a retirement paycheck
4. How to build a "moat budget" around essential expenses and important wants
5. How risk tolerance and FOMO can shape your retirement-income strategy
6. Why Jean changed her long-held opinion about annuities
7. How home equity, insurance, HSAs, and other assets can become retirement resources
8. Why late starters need forgiveness, benchmarks, and trusted guidance, not perfection

.

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

📺 Watch & Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

📙The Forever Paycheck

Her Money

Her Money Podcast

Guaranteed Income: A License to Spend (A research paper by David Blanchett and Michael Finke)

.

⏰ Related Episodes

Are Pensions Really Dead? The Surprising Value of Modern Pensions | Andy Panko | 233

How To Build Your Own Paycheck: From Saver to Spender | Fritz Gilbert & Dana Anspach | 171

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

What happens when you finally reach financial independence and your brain responds with, "Great, now what?" In this special crossover from ChooseFI, Ginger turns the microphone on Bill and digs into the part of financial independence that spreadsheets rarely prepare us for. He shares how a lawsuit and burnout woke him up financially at 50 and how he and his wife flipped from single-digit saving to intentional wealth building. Bill also explains why reaching FI at 60 created a whole new problem: actually giving himself permission to leave work.

This episode covers

1. Bill's financial wake-up call at age 50 and his "trifecta" of late-starter mistakes
2. How he and his wife moved from single-digit saving to a 30–40% savings rate
3. Working through regret, shame, anger, and scarcity after a late start
4. Why lifestyle downsizing felt more freeing than depriving
5. The "fog of FI" and why reaching your number does not automatically make retirement easy
6. One-more-year syndrome, professional identity, and creating a gradual glide path out of work
7. How FI gave Bill leverage to cut shifts, reduce night work, and reclaim his time
8. The advantages late starters still have despite missing decades of compounding
9. Why health, relationships, community, and purpose become more important after the math is solved
10. Bill's belief that relationships may compound even better than money

.

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

ChooseFI https://choosefi.com

⏰ Related Episodes

Founder of 'Catching Up to FI' Just Hit Financial Independence, Now What? | Bill Yount | 196

.

⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

A 72(t) plan is little-known IRS provision which gives you a perfectly legal way to access your retirement money before 59½ without the 10% penalty. In this second half of the 2-part episode, Jackie brings back Mr. 72t, William (Bill) Stecker, CPA and founder of 72tcalc.com. This episode takes on the practical half of their deep dive into 72(t) plans as they move from theory to execution. Jackie puts her own plan on screen to let Bill do what he does best... audit it! He scrutinizes her $240k starting balance, $15k annual withdrawals, plan timeline, and the surprising fact that her account has actually grown even though she's been taking money out.

This episode covers

1. Why Bill strongly favors the amortization method for most practical 72(t) plans
2. How the 5% interest-rate floor changed SEPP planning
3. The three basic inputs needed to calculate a 72(t)
4. How to document the correct starting IRA balance
5. What records to keep in case the IRS ever asks questions
6. Why annual withdrawals may reduce opportunities for mistakes
7. How to handle a 1099-R that says "early distribution, no known exception"
8. Jackie's real-life 72(t) setup, asset allocation, and withdrawal schedule
9. How 72(t)s can work alongside Roth conversions and other income strategies
10. Why some people may qualify for better early-withdrawal exceptions and not need a SEPP at all

This is the second part of a 2-part episode. Be sure to subscribe the show and catch part 1 (episode 234) from 8/30/26.

.

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

🌐72tcalc.com Website

Free consultation with Bill Stecker's Firm (The Marble Group)

• email: [email protected]
• Phone: (312) 361-0221

Official IRS Tax Code 72(t)

IRS Notice 2022-6 (sets a new floor interest rate of 5% for calculating 72(t) distributions)

72(t) Calculators

• 72tCalc
• FI Tax Guy 72(t) using Google Sheet
• Dinkytown
• CalcXML
• UngrindFi

.

⏰ Related Episodes

Retiring Early? CPA Explains How To Use A 72(t) to Escape The 10% Penalty | Bill Stecker (Part1) | 234

72(t) Expert Tells All: No More Secrets About Early Withdrawals (Part 1) | Bill Stecker | 131

Cashing in on 72(t): The Goldmine of Early Retirement Rules (Part2) | Bill Stecker | 133

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

You won't find a more comprehensive resource on the topic of 72(t) plans and substantially equal periodic payments (SEPP). This little-known IRS provision gives you a perfectly legal way to access your retirement money before 59½ without the 10% penalty… and almost nobody in finance wants to touch it! So, Jackie brings back the one expert that lives and breathes 72(t)s, William (Bill) Stecker, CPA and founder of 72tcalc.com. Bill picks up where he left off when he last appeared on the show in 2025. He further explains the nuances of 72(t) plans and how to avoid common mistakes. Hear how 72(t)s can be incredibly powerful tools for early retirees, laid-off workers, and anyone ready to leave the traditional "hours-for-dollars" trade.

This episode covers

1. What a 72(t) or SEPP plan actually is
2. Access to retirement accounts before age 59½ without the 10% penalty tax
3. Why so many financial professionals hesitate to work with 72(t) plans
4. The minimum plan period and why modifying a SEPP can become extremely expensive
5. How to determine how much early retirement income you actually need
6. The differences between the Rule of 55 and a 72(t) strategy
7. Why Bill usually prefers moving money from employer "plan land" into "IRA land"
8. How brokerage accounts, Roth contributions, part-time work, and SEPPs can work together
9. Why inflation and unexpected expenses need to be built into an early-retirement income plan
10. How splitting an IRA into separate accounts can create flexibility and isolate potential mistakes

This is the first part of a 2-part episode. Be sure to follow the show and catch part 2 next week (9/6/26).

.

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

🌐72tcalc.com Website

Free consultation with Bill Stecker's Firm (The Marble Group)

• email: [email protected]
• Phone: (312) 361-0221

72(t) Calculators

• 72tCalc
• FI Tax Guy 72(t) using Google Sheet
• Dinkytown
• CalcXML
• UngrindFi

Official IRS Tax Code 72(t)

.

⏰ Related Episodes

72(t) Expert Tells All: No More Secrets About Early Withdrawals (Part 1) | Bill Stecker | 131

Cashing in on 72(t): The Goldmine of Early Retirement Rules (Part2) | Bill Stecker | 133

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

What happens when one of investing's original disruptors buys one of the industry's newest disruptors? Barry Ritholtz thinks investors may be the biggest winners and Bill and Jackie dig into why. This special breaking-news is an excerpt from an upcoming Catching Up to FI episode, recorded on 8/26/26. Barry reacts to Vanguard's newly announced agreement to acquire Altruist, the fast-growing technology and custody platform built for independent financial advisors. Barry also gives an important disclosure: he's an Altruist investor, so yes, he has a dog in this fight. From there, he explains why combining Vanguard's enormous scale with Altruist's technology could quickly reshape the custody business, put fresh pressure on Fidelity and Schwab, and potentially extend the famous "Vanguard Effect" into another corner of financial services. Bill calls it "disruptor squared." Barry sees an industry that never stands still. And if competition drives prices lower again, investors may ultimately be the ones cashing the biggest check.

This episode covers

• Barry's immediate reaction to Vanguard's agreement to acquire Altruist

• His disclosure that he is an Altruist investor and financially benefits from the deal

• Why Altruist's clean-sheet technology made it an attractive challenger to legacy custodians

• How Vanguard's scale could immediately change Altruist's competitive position

• Why Fidelity and Schwab may suddenly have a much larger third competitor

• The "Vanguard Effect" and how competition can push fees lower across an industry

• Why Barry believes investors could be the biggest winners from the acquisition

• How Schwab and Robinhood previously disrupted investing through lower-cost and free trading

• Why Vanguard was a logical potential acquirer given its earlier relationship with Altruist

• Barry's larger lesson that financial technology never stands still

The Full Episode with Barry Ritholtz will be coming out soon! Be sure to follow the show or subscribe to the channel on YouTube, so you don't miss it!"

=== SUPPORT THE SHOW ===

📩 Sign up for our newsletter

🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website

🔗Connect with us

☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"

🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question

.

===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS===

F.I.R.E. For Dummies

Did you know that co-host Jackie Cummings Koski, CFP®, AFC® is also author of "F.I.R.E. For Dummies"? This is the perfect guide for anyone looking to move from the basics of their finances to reaching F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and enjoying the time freedom it creates. Even if you feel behind on your finances, the steps in this book will help you catch up sooner than you ever imagined.

• Learn from someone who actually achieved F.I.R.E. in her 40s even after getting a late start
• Covers everything from basics to advanced strategies in one guide
• Practical solutions for early retirement obstacles like health insurance and early withdrawal penalties

📕 Get Your Copy (currently 40% off on Amazon)

For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners

.

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Official Vanguard announcement – Vanguard to Acquire Altruist, Expanding the Reach and Impact of Financial Advice View the August 26, 2026 Vanguard announcement

Vanguard FAQ – Vanguard to Acquire Altruist Read Vanguard's acquisition FAQ

Altruist's official acquisition announcement Read the Altruist announcement

Ritholtz Wealth

https://ritholtzwealth.com/

How Not to Invest

https://a.co/d/07ZHXM8h

.

📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.

What if that old pension you barely think about is secretly one of the most valuable assets in your retirement plan? Bill and Jackie welcome back financial planner and educator, Andy Panko for a deep dive into the increasingly rare (but far from extinct) world of pensions. They explore plans from private and government employers and why a seemingly small monthly check can dramatically change the work the rest of your portfolio has to do.

This episode covers

1. Why pensions are less common but still relevant to millions of workers
2. What it actually means when an employer "freezes" a pension
3. How to think about a pension as part of your overall retirement portfolio
4. The risks behind private, federal, state, and municipal pension promises
5. Lump sum versus lifetime monthly payments and the trade-offs of each
6. Single-life, joint-and-survivor, period-certain, and inflation-adjusted pension options
7. Why guaranteed income can give retirees psychological permission to spend
8. When comparing an employer pension with a commercial income annuity may make sense
9. Andy's four-question framework for deciding whether lifetime payments fit your plan
10. Jackie's pension options and her final decision to turn on lifetime monthly payments
11. Where to find old or forgotten pensions from previous employers

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RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

Tenon Financial website

Retirement Planning Education website

Andy's podcast

Andy's Youtube

Andy's LinkedIn

Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)

Dinkytown.net- Pension vs. Lump Sum Payout Calculator

Estimate Immediate Annuities

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📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.