Money Matters With Wes Moss

The finance industry has innovated exponentially in recent decades, but are there some innovations that investors find more helpful than others? In this episode of Retire Sooner, Wes is joined by renowned economist and author of the highly influential book on investing, "A Random Walk Down Wall Street," Burton Malkiel. They dive deep into investing insights for yourself and your family's future and discuss various investment types. In addition, Wes and Burton address multiple ways to handle emotions and expectations during market volatility and how there's no one rule for how retirees should organize their finances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Wes and Retire Sooner producer Mallory Boggs go over Warren Buffett's "secret sauce" published in the Berkshire Hathaway 2022 Year In Review. They talk about how investing is not easy. While browsing through Buffett's rate-of-returns, Wes explains how Buffet's big numbers can equate to a more manageable scale that the average American can work with. He also assures that while Buffett is a special case of investing success, the mogul's lesson that the big wins tend to overshadow the little losses can be applicable to all who invest in stocks. The takeaway? Happy retirees aren't just savers, they're investors, too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would they cast to play you? Today's Retire Sooner guest is Los Angeles Times columnist and four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, Steve Lopez. In Steve's case, Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., plays Steve in the film adaptation of his best-selling nonfiction book, The Soloist. Wes and Steve talk about the story behind the story, as well as how Steve fell in love with Los Angeles and the fateful accident that got Steve thinking about retirement for his latest book, Independence Day. As they dig deeper into the book and discussion around retirement, Steve addresses the importance of structure and planning in retirement, six classifications of happy retirees, and why women can be better at retirement planning than men. Steve later relates advice Mel Brooks and Norman Lear gave him about purpose and passion. Finally, Wes wraps up the episode by asking Steve about his future plans for retirement and core pursuits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/

Can there be progress without pain? The last 50 years have been a rollercoaster in the financial world and the world at large. In this episode, Wes gives a snapshot of key events from decades passed that had a significant impact on both the financial and cultural zeitgeist, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, despite every war, conflict, or struggle, Wes emphasizes the positive developments that keep him (and happy retirees) rationally optimistic. "Tomorrow" can always be somewhere good and great! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Valentine's Day, let's talk about something near and dear to Wes's heart: Dividends! What does it take to be wealthy in America? In this episode, Wes and Retire Sooner producer Mallory Boggs take a look at statistics from a new wealth survey showing what level of earner is considered "wealthy" in this day and age. They also discuss dividend investing, show what a balanced portfolio could look like, and the possibility of enjoying dividend returns in retirement. Wes and Mallory wrap up this episode sharing what they love about Valentine's Day! This information is provided to you as a resource for informational purposes only and is not to be viewed as investment advice or recommendations. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee offered that investment return, yield, or performance will be achieved. Stock prices fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and dramatically, due to factors affecting individual companies, particular industries or sectors, or general market co

In this episode, guest Kathleen Rehl shares her expertise and experience with widowdom. Widely featured writer and author of the multi-award-winning book, Moving Forward on Your Own: A Financial Guidebook for Widows, Kathleen is a leading authority on financial challenges that widows face with over 17 years of personal finance advice. Wes and Kathleen discuss grief, growth, and grace in widowhood, including how it affects retirement, investing decisions, and getting back into the dating pool. And, in a Retire Sooner first, you can also listen to a little bit of poetry! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find out what helps Wes sleep well at night! In this episode, Wes and Retire Sooner producer Mallory Boggs offer some of their top tips for retirement life. They discuss ideal timeframes to claim Social Security benefits, the advantages of not overspending on your kids and grandkids, a quick way to determine if your pension passes the 6% test, and it never being too late to be a rockstar (or star of whatever side hustle works for you). Aside from sharing the importance of having multiple income streams in retirement, they also address how essential it is to have core pursuits, also known as hobbies on steroids, that can help make you the happiest retiree on the block. The episode wraps up with Wes sharing his core pursuit of snowboarding, rediscovering skiing with his wife, and discussing how trying new things sooner makes having core pursuits easier. For more tips, check out the Tools page on wesmoss.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast episode, Wes is joined by Emily Esfahani Smith, she is the author of the book, ”The Power of Meaning”, and she delivered a TED talk called “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy”. Emily introduces her approach to finding meaning in life which she argues is more important than happiness. She suggests everyone examine and strengthen 4 pillars in their life: belonging, purpose, transcendence, and storytelling. She also shares how growing up in Sufism impacted her study of this philosophy, the rising tide of despair the world faces today, and how we can all find ways to enjoy a full and meaningful life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your new year resolution to retire a little sooner? If so, this episode might be for you. In today's episode, Wes Moss and Retire Sooner podcast producer Mallory Boggs discuss their personal financial resolutions for 2023, Wes's favorite financial advice from 2022, what investors may expect from the markets this year, and why now is the time to reassess your retirement goals. Wes shares his thoughts on some of the biggest stock market challenges in 2022. He discusses why he's optimistic for investors in 2023, what he likes about what he sees with value stocks this year, and how shifts in the bond market, cryptocurrencies, and interest rates may shape the market in 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you live in a great home, why move out of it into a lesser one? Currently working on her eleventh flip, Mindy Jensen is a mom, works her day job at biggerpockets.com, and has bought and sold houses live-and-flip style for over two decades. In this episode, Mindy discusses the process of moving into an ugly house and turning it into a beautiful one through do-it-yourself construction and eye-grabbing kitchens. She also addresses some of the perks of the live-and-flip lifestyle, such as advantageous tax exclusions. Wes and Mindy dig into why real estate is an excellent investment class and cautionary areas for inexperienced buyers, such as overpaying property taxes. They also address loan rates, reverse mortgages, second homes through COVID, and Mindy's preference for local lenders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is money really the greatest need for retirement, or is there something more important to start with that we should all consider? In this episode, Wes is joined by popular newspaper columnist, award-winning college professor, and bestselling author Mike Bellah. Mike makes us think twice about our greatest needs for retirement as he shares his personal experiences with core pursuits that drive this stage of his life and enable him to be one of the happiest retirees on the block. Mike and Wes also address the importance of learning from grandkids and cultivating multiple income streams. They also discuss the need to rebalance, some physical challenges that many retirees encounter during the latter phase of retirement, and the importance of curiosity to keep growing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune in to this episode as Wes Moss uncovers why demographics play an impactful role in shaping your retirement destiny along with his review of population history and statistics of multiple countries. He walks through recent financial headlines and news, reveals what would happen if everyone bought stocks and never sold them, dives into market liquidity, and what adds up to more longevity. Additionally, he addresses market trends and the silent and powerful march forward of economic demand across the globe. Wes wraps up this episode talking about the increasing popularity of pickleball, predictions for the ever-growing population, and unveils two of the most populous regions in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you introduce humor into a serious conversation surrounding finances? You’ll have to listen to find out! In this episode, Wes is joined by financial all-stars and old friends; Emily Guy Birken, author, money coach, and retirement connoisseur and Joe Saul-Sehy, former financial advisor, author, and co-host of the Stacking Benjamins and Money With Friends podcasts to talk finance with a comical twist. Emily and Joe share details about the process of writing their book together, what the book entails, and a useful tool for financial planning. Additionally, the trio dive into discussing stocks and how they can progress in a positive way with time, how the right house comes along at the right time, and why having a financial timeline can help you reach your goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once a financial foundation is built, it’s time for the most important part of the retirement equation; discovering your core pursuits. Whether you have a dozen hobbies on steroids that you’d like to tackle or you’ve been indecisive due to a busy work schedule, this is the episode for you! Listen as Wes Moss reveals why it’s never too late to find your core pursuits, tips for pinpointing what you love doing, and details from an enlightening interview he had with blogger, journalist, and best-selling author, Tom Vanderbilt. Later in the episode, Wes is joined by podcast producer, Mallory Boggs, to discuss the top four core pursuits of happy retirees, hobbies that they have tested so far, and resources Wes has generated to aid in detecting ideal core pursuits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your relationship with money holding you back from finding financial success? Many of us have a rocky relationship with money, but if we looked at our capital from a different perspective this could possibly change our outlook and relationship with money. To aid us in improving our connection with our funds and uncover the trick we need to change our relationship with money, Wes sits down with Ken Honda, a worldwide, well-known author whose books have sold more than 8 million copies, including his latest book called Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace With Your Money. Ken shares how the Japanese look at retirement, explains happy money versus unhappy money, and talks about fairness when it comes to how much money you possess. He also reveals two ways to find peace and happiness with money, how appreciating your funds can help you appreciate other things in your life, and defines invisible and visible assets. To wrap up the episode Ken and Wes touch on teaching children about money, happy money fo

Humans encounter numerous fears throughout their lifetime. Some of those fears include public speaking, being locked in an unknown space, and even the fear of spiders. However, there’s another fear that consumes many, and that’s outliving our money. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter where you are financially in your life, the panic of running out of funds can often surface, especially for early retirees. To give listeners a piece of mind and a simple combative strategy, Wes Moss reveals ways to have income for life during this episode. He also uncovers why having multiple income streams is essential and the importance of financial planning. Wes also talks through the benefits of income investing, the average longevity of S&P 500 companies and how possessing a diversified investment portfolio can provide some income and inflation protection. This is provided as a resource for informational purposes and is not to be viewed as investment advice or recommendations. This information is being presented withou

Financial literacy is the blueprint to building financial success for the younger generation. In general, that could lead to earning your children early financial independence and increased happiness in retirement. To help us learn more about educating the rising generation regarding their finances, we called on Dan Sheeks, Owner and Founder Of Sheeks Freaks LLC, author, high school business/marketing teacher, personal finance advocate, and real estate investor for this week’s episode.  Dan shares details about his life and his real estate investments along with five takeaways from his book to tell your kids about getting to a million dollars. He also reveals why he never uses the word “retire,” whether or not having a college degree is crucial, and talks through real versus false assets. Additionally, Dan and Wes discuss the difference between income versus wealth, address the happiness curve, and touch on credit cards and retirement accounts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Although numerous habits make up the structure of a happy retiree, financial habits play a large part in creating the fulfilling retirement you’ve always dreamed of and being able to fund your additional interests. In this episode, Wes breaks down the five financial secrets of the happiest retirees based on research from his latest book, What The Happiest Retirees Know, and reveals how these patterns are fundamental to building wealth and living a comfortable retirement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A sense of belonging, support, and accountability; these benefits come with joining a community. In this episode of Retire Sooner, Wes sits down with Jan Cullinane, award-winning and best-selling author, speaker, and consultant to discuss just how important communities are. Jan described what questions you can ask yourself regarding where you are in life. She also shares the five P’s for starting a business in retirement or otherwise, uncovers why strong social support is essential, and how the ability to renegotiate roles can be helpful in relationships. She addresses the importance of having a purpose in life and why women need to prepare to be in charge of their own financial decisions. To conclude, Wes and Jan talk through determining where to live in retirement, niche and non-traditional retirement lifestyles, and the psychology of money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune in as Wes Moss discusses the investment math, data, and history that could make a major difference in your early retirement plans. Listen as Wes walks through the history of market recovery, what happens when you miss a handful of market up days as an investor, and the importance of participation over perfection when it comes to sticking it out in the market. He also shares how challenging and risky it can be to hop in and out of the market, the importance of protecting your purchasing power, and when the dry powder principle can come in handy. Furthermore, Wes expresses the significance of utilizing history as our guide in combating market downturns and timing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices