Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for Families

How to Pick Investments in your 401k


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Setting up your 401 (k) can feel overwhelming, especially when you are faced with a long list of investment options. To make it easier, we welcome Zina Kumok, financial advisor and money expert, to explain how to choose wisely. Zina covers the importance of the employer match, diversification, and automation so your retirement savings can grow without stress.

In the second half, we sit down with Jessica and Corey Fick of The Fioneers, who reached Coast FIRE in their early 30s. They share how they built a million-dollar portfolio, left corporate jobs that no longer fit their lives, and created a business that supports the lifestyle they truly want.

If you are just starting out with your 401k or aiming for Coast FIRE, this episode will give you both the tactical steps and the long-term inspiration to succeed.

RESOURCES
⁠Sponsors, Deals, and Partners that Support the Show

  • Sponsors, Deals & Partners – See all current offers in one place.

    MKM RESOURCES

    • Own Your Time – Pre-order my first book today!

    • MKM Coaching – Get 1-on-1 support with your family finance journey.

    • Coast FIRE Calculator – Find out when you can slow down or stop investing for retirement.

    • Mortgage Payoff Calculator – See how fast you can become mortgage free.

    • YouTube – Subscribe for free to watch videos of episodes and interviews.

      RECOMMENDED RESOURCES (SPONSORS & AFFILIATES)

      • Monarch Money – Best budget app for families & couples.

      • Empower – Free portfolio tracker.

      • Crew – HYSA banking built for families (Get an extra 0.5% APY with my partner link).

      • Ethos – Affordable term life insurance.

      • Trust & Will – Convenient estate planning made easy.

        Podcast Chapters

        00:00 – Why your 401k match is part of your compensation
        00:28 – Welcome and overview of today’s episode
        01:00 – Introduction to Zina Kumok
        02:15 – What a 401k is and why it matters
        03:30 – Understanding employer matches
        05:00 – Choosing investments in your 401k
        06:30 – Risk tolerance and diversification explained
        08:30 – Automating your 401k contributions
        09:20 – Alternatives to a 401k (IRA, HSA, brokerage)
        13:00 – The importance of capturing your employer match
        14:30 – Where to connect with Zina Kumok
        15:17 – Coast FIRE couple spotlight: Jessica and Corey Fick
        16:20 – The Coast FIRE Five
        18:00 – Their journey from early investing to Coast FIRE
        22:30 – How burnout pushed them to redesign their lives
        25:00 – Reaching Coast FIRE and slowing contributions
        27:00 – What their portfolio looks like today
        29:30 – Household income range over 15 years
        31:30 – Growing investments without new contributions
        33:30 – How they control expenses in New England
        35:20 – Advice for others pursuing Coast FIRE
        37:10 – Why Coast FIRE is more approachable than full FIRE
        40:00 – Where to learn more from The Fioneers


        HOW WE MAKE MONEY + DISCLAIMER

        This show may contain affiliate links or links from our advertisers where we earn a commission, direct payment or products.
        Opinions are the creators alone.
        Information shared on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice.
        Marriage Kids and Money (www.marriagekidsandmoney.com) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

        CREDITS

        Podcast Artwork: Liz Theresa
        Editor: Johnny Sohl
        Podcast Support: Andy Hill


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        Marriage Kids and Money: Personal Finance for FamiliesBy Andy Hill

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