BiggerPockets Money Podcast

Are you on track to achieve financial independence? In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench outline the essential financial milestones for your 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. Learn the net worth benchmarks and financial habits that will set you up for a successful journey to financial freedom in EVERY decade. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your strategy, this comprehensive guide will help you plan and achieve your financial goals. 

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Should you retire the second you hit financial independence, or is there value in working just a little longer? Steven faced this exact decision at 40 and chose to work four more years. The result? He added $1 million to his net worth and entered retirement at 44 with $3.5 million and a bulletproof plan.

In this conversation, Steven shares his complete early retirement strategy, including why he delayed retirement past his FI number, how those extra years set him up for flexible spending of $120K-$180K annually, and the specific withdrawal tactics he uses to optimize taxes and health insurance subsidies.

This Episode Covers:

Steven's journey from engineer to early retirement at 44

Why he chose to work four more years after hitting his FI number

Career transitions and strategic income optimization

Investment strategy and asset allocation for early retirement

Planning the transition to early retirement

Flexible spending strategy: $120K-$180K annual range

Navigating the ACA subsidy cliff for health insurance

Strategic Roth conversions and tax optimization

Safe withdrawal rates and managing inflation

Starting new business ventures in early retirement

What daily life actually looks like in early retirement at 44

Steven's story proves that "one more year syndrome" isn't always fear-based procrastination—sometimes it's strategic planning that pays off big. Whether you're close to your FI number or just beginning your journey, his practical approach offers a roadmap for retiring early with confidence.

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Want to reach financial independence faster? The quickest path isn't extreme frugality—it's earning more. And that starts with salary negotiation.

Paula Pant from the Afford Anything podcast joins Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench to break down exactly how to negotiate your salary, whether you're asking for a raise, negotiating a job offer, or realizing you're chronically underpaid.

Paula shares her personal negotiation journey, the strategies that worked (and what didn't), and the mindset shifts that helped her confidently ask for more.

This Episode Covers:

Paula Pant's personal salary negotiation experiences and lessons learned

How to determine your true market value (beyond salary surveys)

Understanding the employer's perspective in negotiations


BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) and why it's your secret weapon

Daily negotiation practice: building the skill in low-stakes situations

Using scorecards and performance reviews to document your value

Perfect timing for asking for a raise (and when NOT to ask)

How to set yourself up for a promotion before you ask

Negotiating strategies in tough job markets and recessions

Aligning your incentives with your employer's goals

Whether you're early in your career, a seasoned professional, or someone who's never negotiated before, Paula's practical advice will help you earn more and reach financial independence faster. Every successful negotiation adds years of compounding returns to your FIRE timeline.

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Want to be a guest on the show? Apply here: https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/contact/

Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarchmoney.com/

Connect with Paula Pant:

Website: https://affordanything.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulapant

Connect with Scott and Mindy:

Scott: https://www.instagram.com/scott_trench/

Mindy: https://www.instagram.com/_mindyatbp/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BPMoney

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You've hit financial independence—now what? How do you actually start spending the money you've spent years accumulating? Bill Yount reached FI at 60 after a 10-year journey, and he's figured out the answer.

Bill shares his complete decumulation strategy—the detailed plan he built with a flat-fee financial advisor to transition from wealth building to wealth preservation. This isn't just theory; Bill is actively living this plan and stress-testing it in real time.

This Episode Covers:

Bill achieving financial independence at age 60

The psychological shift from saving to spending after a decade of accumulation

How to build a comprehensive drawdown plan (and why Bill hired help)

Working with a flat-fee financial advisor vs. AUM advisors

Portfolio rebalancing when transitioning to retirement


Risk parity strategy and how it fits into retirement portfolios

Stress-testing your financial plan: running scenarios to ensure you won't run out

Social security timing decisions and optimization

Retirement withdrawal strategies: the 4% rule and alternatives

How much to actually spend in early retirement

Helping your kids build wealth without jeopardizing your own retirement

Financial independence for late starters: proof it's not too late after 50

Managing the emotional transition from accumulation to distribution phase

Investment strategy changes in decumulation

If you're approaching FI, already there and uncertain about spending, or starting your FIRE journey later in life, Bill's practical, well-planned approach shows you exactly how to transition from building wealth to confidently living off it.

Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter: www.biggerpocketsmoney.com

Want to be a guest on the show? Apply here: https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/contact/

Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarchmoney.com/

Connect with Bill Yount: 

Website: https://catchinguptofi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catchinguptofi/

Connect with Scott and Mindy:

Scott: https://www.instagram.com/scott_trench/

Mindy: https://www.instagram.com/_mindyatbp/

Follow BiggerPockets Money on Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BPMoney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biggerpocketsmoney/
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You're in your 50s, $50,000 in debt, and retirement at 65 feels impossible. We made this episode for you. Today, Mindy and Scott spell out the exact step-by-step plan to go from $50K in debt to a million-dollar retirement—even if you're starting over in your fifties.

Meet Nancy: a recently divorced stay-at-home mom reentering the workforce with significant debt and zero savings. Her story represents millions of people starting over financially in their fifties due to divorce, job loss, or never having saved for retirement. But Nancy's situation isn't hopeless—and neither is yours.

This Episode Covers:

Nancy's starting point: $50K in debt, no savings, reentering the workforce in her 50s

The debt payoff strategy for people who are catching up to FI and how to prioritize which debts to tackle first

Income optimization tactics for your 50s: negotiating salary, side hustles, and career pivots

Smart expense cuts that don't feel like deprivation

Which retirement accounts to prioritize when you're behind (401k, IRA, HSA strategy)

Balancing debt payoff with retirement savings: when to do both simultaneously

The real numbers: how much Nancy needs to save monthly to hit $1 million by 65

Investment strategy for people with a shorter timeline to retirement

Why it's never too late—and the mindset shifts that make comeback possible

Don't give up on retirement—let's show you how to catch up!

Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter: www.biggerpocketsmoney.com

Want to be a guest on the show? Apply here: https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/contact/

Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarchmoney.com/

Connect with Scott and Mindy:

Scott: https://www.instagram.com/scott_trench/

Mindy: https://www.instagram.com/_mindyatbp/

Follow BiggerPockets Money on Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BPMoney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biggerpocketsmoney/
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