Stacking Benjamins: Your Gateway to Financial Independence

At some point you feel fried. Been there? Today's guest, Nicole Lapin, has been there. She thought she could outrun her problems and find success...and today we'll hear how that worked out. Nicole is a New York Times best selling author of both Rich Bitch and her second title Boss Bitch. Today she's back with a new guide to help us figure life out. We'll talk about balance, acceptance, and not trying to outrun your problems on today's show. In our headlines segment, how's your will looking? The wills of a couple people in the news lately are UGLY. We'll focus on the wills of Jeffrey Epstein and Aretha Franklin today, and some huge questions that have come up because of weird circumstances in both (very different) cases. Then, we'll pivot to a chat about wine destinations (how fun is that???). Good news: one recent piece says you don't have to go to Venice or Napa, and to get a great vacation you might not even need a passport. There are low budget destinations for whatever fun you have planned in places you wouldn't believe. After a little dose of Doug's trivia, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to Rina, a concerned mother who asks how she can set up a Roth IRA for her child.

Would you know what to do in the 24 hours after a car accident? What about that next 7 days? The days following an accident is a stressful time, but following the right steps can make a big difference. On today's show we'll talk to Elizabeth Calora, partner at PCVA Law, to talk about what you should do after you are involved in an accident. During our headlines segment, one retiree placed her life savings into an annuity without knowing the full consequences, (on the advice of a financial advisor). After an uphill battle, PNC bank has finally agreed to refund her money...but is that the full story? Of course it isn't. We'll share the not-so-obvious conclusion during our breakdown. PLUS, we bring you a slice of sunshine (because that's what we do best). It turns out that average 401k savings rates have hit record levels. That's neat...but as yours? Becky calls our Haven Life Line today. She's over 60 (we didn't ask....she told us!), and she shares that she's worred that she has close to ZERO cash in after-tax accounts. She has good news, though....she DOES have money in Roth accounts that have sat for over 5 years. So does she need an after-tax account? Is she missing anything? Of course, we'll always have time for Doug's trivia and bunches of fun. Thanks to Skillshare for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get TWO months of courses for free at to get started. Credit lines subject to review and change. Individual requests for capital are separate installment loans issued by Celtic Bank, Member FDIC.

"Speed kills" is a popular phrase, but in business, you already hear that faster = better. But is it? If you make a mistake with your money, whether it's making it, spending, tracking or investing...how important is speed (or slowing down) in your decisionmaking? We'll take this philosophical discussion and dive in today with Amy Blacklock from Women Who Money, Len Penzo from LenPenzo.com, and our very own OG. It's a lively discussion that ping-pongs between deep philosophy to light tactics, and, of course, a little fun. Halfway through the show, our roundtable discussion will take a break for our Fintech segment. Aditi Shekar takes a trip down to the basement to re-introduce new listeners to Zeta! We've had quite a few people in our Stacking Benjamins Basement Facebook group ask about apps for couples, and Zeta is exactly that. Aditi will talk about what's changed with Zeta in the last couple years, beyond helping couples track their transactions and develop a budget for their money management. Plus, we'll answer a voicemail from D during our Magnify Money segment. D is wondering about the details of a taxable brokerage account. D and his wife save up for a goal, and when they reach that goal, they no longer want that item. D was curious if moving those savings to a brokerage account would be more financially lucrative. Thanks to Grammarly for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Get 20% off a Grammarly premium account, go to

Have you ever thought about investing in the wide world of real estate but weren't sure whether it was for you? Today's guest, Michele Cagan, says that it probably IS for you...but maybe not in the way you'd traditionally think. Sure, you can go fix up and flip houses or become a landlord, but Michele shares LOTS of other ways to invest in real estate as well, and gives us five reasons why you should at least think about it. Whether you're a seasoned real estate investor or newbie, there's something for everyone today in Michele's visit to the basement! In our headlines segment: what's the WORST age to take social security? How does the system work in the first place? While it's complicated, we'll share the worst of the worst AND give you some basics on how to start thinking about YOUR payout. In our second headline, Charles Schwab is seeing HUGE returns from their new hybrid robo-meets-human advisor program. It seems these people chasing robos might just want some human advice...strange (smell the sarcasm in that sentence? We'll explain.) After a dose of Doug's amazing trivia, we'll throw out the Haven Life Line to a lucky caller, as usual. Just another fun day here in the basement... Thanks to Clearbanc for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Are you doing over $10,000 a month in revenue? Find out how you can receive Clearbanc capital by getting your 20 minute term sheet at .

Do you want better answers in your life? It may seem like a simple solution, but Andy Andrews, New York Times best-selling author, says you just need to be asking better questions. He'll share secrets from his new book, Bottom of the Pool, on today's show! In our headlines segment, we'll ring up Christine Benz on Joe's Dad's shortwave radio. She's the director of personal finance at Morningstar, and we'll ask her how some of our listeners who are new investors can get their retirement plans rolling. In true Andy Andrews spirit, she'll make sure you're not just asking questions about your retirement plans, but asking the right questions. Plus, in our second piece, one article says that millennials should be the new face of the retirement crisis. As two guys who are NOT millennials (but often act like millennials), Joe and OG share their thoughts. During our Have Life Line, we'll answer a voicemail from Bill, who has a life insurance policy with a cash value. Bill's thinking about stopping it and putting it into a long term care policy or something similar. Thoughts? Thanks to AcreTrader for supporting Stacking Benjamins. Learn more at .