Catching Up to FI

Bill Yount & Jackie Cummings Koski
  • 5.0 (10)
  • INVESTING

A mindset, money, and life podcast for late starters catching up to Financial Independence.

  1. Why Your Brain is Hardwired to Keep You Working (and How to Fix It) | Aubrey Williams | 214

    10 HRS AGO

    Why Your Brain is Hardwired to Keep You Working (and How to Fix It) | Aubrey Williams | 214

    What if the thing keeping you from Financial Independence (FI) isn't your income, your portfolio, or your math. It's probably the quiet belief that you still need "one more year" when you actually don't. Our guest on this episode is Aubrey Williams, a former particle physicist, radar-tech leader, debt-slayer, and now advice-only financial planner. In this conversation, he flips some of the FI community's favorite assumptions on their head. This is the first of a 2-part episode with Aubrey so be sure to follow the podcast to be notified of the second part of this fascinating conversation. This episode covers: How Aubrey rebuilt after divorce and $90,000 of debt Why savings rate is nonlinear and more powerful than most people realize How a higher savings rate can erase working years faster than expected Why our brains are wired for survival, not modern investing and retirement decisions How to build evidence that you can safely spend instead of just hoard Why living smaller can sometimes create more freedom and more joy How Aubrey reached FI in high-cost Santa Barbara without leaving California Why the FI community itself often knows more than the average advisor The difference between fee-based, fee-only, flat-fee, and hourly advice Why Aubrey believes many FI people are still working too long . === 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=== 🆕Big changes with student loans in 2026. Get help from the experts at Student Loan Planner, all CFP®, CFA and CSLP® professionals. They charge a one-time fee for their thorough review. Our listeners receive $100 off a 1:1 consult using the link below. Flat fee is normally $595, but after your $100 off 'Catching Up to FI' discount, it's $495. 👉🏼 Be sure to use this link: studentloanplanner.com/catchingup    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 Open Path Financial Aubrey's EconoMe Talk (2026): Coming soon! . ⏰ Related Episodes Founder of 'Catching Up to FI' Just Hit Financial Independence, Now What? | Bill Yount | 196  Enoughness: Your Life or Your Money | Vicki Robin | 95 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    59 min
  2. You Might Also Like: The Story of Money

    10 HRS AGO ·  BONUS

    You Might Also Like: The Story of Money

    Introducing They are history’s geniuses. But were they any good at investing? from The Story of Money. Follow the show: The Story of Money Does scientific, artistic or political brilliance translate into investing success? It’s a topical question with hedge funds today accused of sucking talent away from the rest of the economy. So, the FT’s Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth sat down with reporter Toby Nangle, who has dug into the archives to assess the investment portfolios of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, John Maynard Keynes and other widely regarded geniuses of the past. What Toby found may surprise you, as will the historical wildcard he’s unearthed. To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to The Story of Money wherever you get your podcasts, also on the show's dedicated YouTube channel here. Learn more at ft.com/tsom Want more? Read Toby’s full FT article here. Toby’s sources:  On Churchill: https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-More-Champagne-Churchill-Money/dp/1784081817 On J.M.W. Turner: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5718586 On John Maynard Keynes: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2023011 https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2287262 On Einstein: https://einstein-website.de/en/what-happened-to-the-nobel-prize-money/#:~:text=By%20May%201924%2C%20Mileva%20had,visible%20result%20of%20my%20musings%E2%80%9D. On Jane Austen: https://jasna.org/publications-2/persuasions-online/vol36no1/toran/ Hosts: Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth Guest: Toby Nangle Producer: Lulu Smyth Senior Producers: Michela Tindera and Laurence Knight  Executive Producers: Flo Phillips and Manuela Saragosa Original music: Breen Turner Broadcast engineers: Bianca Wakeman and Petros Giuompasis Podcast Development: Laura Clarke FT Global Head of Audio: Cheryl Brumley Video editor: Josh Divney at Podcast Discovery Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. Your FIRE Plan is Screwed Without An Estate Plan! | Allison Harrison | 213

    MAY 10

    Your FIRE Plan is Screwed Without An Estate Plan! | Allison Harrison | 213

    You've worked twice as hard to catch up on your path to financial independence, so why leave your legacy to chance? To help keep your FI plan from going up in smoke we sit down with estate planning and small business attorney, Allison Harrison. It's a fast, funny and slightly alarming deep dive into estate planning for normal people who assume they're "not rich enough" to need one. This episode covers: Why your FI plan is incomplete without basic estate planning  The real cost, delay, and public exposure that can come with probate Why many people think they need a trust when they actually don't  When a trust does make sense, especially for control and complex family situations  The simplest ways to avoid probate using beneficiaries and transfer-on-death designations  Why healthcare and financial powers of attorney matter just as much as a will Estate-planning blind spots for small-business owners and side hustlers The role of umbrella insurance, LLCs, and business agreements in protecting your assets Why digital accounts, passwords, and two-factor authentication are now part of estate planning What parents of newly minted 18-year-olds need to handle before college or adulthood begins . === 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=== STUDENT LOAN PLANNER Big changes with student loans in 2026! Get help from the experts at Student Loan Planner, all CFP®, CFA and CSLP® professionals. They charge a one-time fee for their thorough review. Our listeners receive $100 off a 1:1 consult using the link below. Flat fee is normally $595, but after your $100 off 'Catching Up to FI' discount, it's $495. 👉🏼 Be sure to use this link: studentloanplanner.com/catchingup    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 Allison's EconoMe Talk (2026) -Coming soon- ALH Law Group See Us Mob Podcast ALH Law Group Youtube Free Estate Planning Guides, Infographics and More (no email required) Safe Sendoff (Legal Planning for Young Adults)  . ⏰ Related Episodes Attorney Spilling all the Legal Tea on Estate Planning | Jenny Rozelle | 121 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    1h 9m
  4. Borderless FI: Starting Over At 37 After Divorce | Bronwyn Candish | 212

    MAY 3

    Borderless FI: Starting Over At 37 After Divorce | Bronwyn Candish | 212

    What do you do when your accountant brain knows the numbers, your life blows up anyway, and the answer turns out to be halfway around the world in a weird little movement called FIRE? We head to New Zealand to talk with Bronwyn Candish, a chartered accountant, community builder, and one of the clearest Kiwi voices in financial independence movement. She talks to us about starting over after divorce, rebuilding from the middle, and discovering that "doing money right" has a lot less to do with credentials than with courage, alignment, and actually taking action. This episode covers: Growing up with scarcity in New Zealand and how that shaped Bronwyn's money mindset Why being an accountant did not automatically make her good with money Lifestyle creep, overbuying on housing, and drifting into paycheck-to-paycheck living Divorce as a financial wake-up call in her late 30s How Bronwyn found FIRE through a random article and went deep down the rabbit hole The role of KiwiSaver, housing, and DIY culture in the New Zealand version of FI  Why community and accountability matter so much on the journey How Bronwyn turned her accounting practice into a FIRE-adjacent coaching space The creation of Black Friday and the growth of the Kiwi FIRE community  What it looks like to be "mid-journey" and still deeply love the path . === 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=== 🆕Big changes with student loans in 2026. Get help from the experts at Student Loan Planner, all CFP®, CFA and CSLP® professionals. They charge a one-time fee for their thorough review. Our listeners receive $100 off a 1:1 consult using the link below. Flat fee is normally $595, but after your $100 off 'Catching Up to FI' discount, it's $495. 👉🏼 Be sure to use this link: studentloanplanner.com/catchingup    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 KiwiFI and Black FI Day website Sheppard & Ormsby PocketSmith Personal Finance Software . ⏰ Related Episodes Borderless FI: The Happy KiwiSaver | Ruth Henderson | 165 Borderless FI: Australian Paramedic Healing Her Own Trauma | Tasch Rogers | 143 Indiana Jones and an Extraordinary Life with the Donegans | Alan and Katie Donegan | 079 Borderless FI: Thunder Down Under | Late Starter Fire | 004 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    57 min
  5. The Fog of FI: Overcoming the Fear of Quitting Your Job | "The Long View" Crossover | 211

    APR 29

    The Fog of FI: Overcoming the Fear of Quitting Your Job | "The Long View" Crossover | 211

    What if the biggest shift in your FI journey isn't hitting the number—but finally realizing you need a life plan, a tax plan, and maybe even a fiduciary teammate to help you spend it? Bill steps into the guest chair with Morningstar's Christine Benz for a thoughtful, surprisingly candid conversation about going from financially illiterate "rich doctor syndrome" to fully conscious wealth stewardship. He walks through the entire arc. But this episode goes deeper than a standard "how I retired" story. This episode covers:  ➡️ Bill's path from paycheck-to-paycheck physician to financially independent late starter ➡️ How childhood money scripts and "rich doctor syndrome" shaped his early financial mistakes  ➡️ Why the Great Financial Crisis and burnout became a wake-up call ➡️ What changed when Bill moved from financial consumer to conscious wealth steward ➡️ Why accumulation can be DIY—but decumulation often gets more complex  ➡️ How Bill searched for a fiduciary, flat-fee, life-planning-oriented advisor ➡️ Why risk parity appealed to him for retirement and sequence-of-returns protection  ➡️ The role of a modern advisor as behavioral buffer, tax strategist, and cognitive-risk safeguard ➡️ Why FI gave Bill leverage to redesign work instead of just quit cold turkey  ➡️ How Bill is thinking about legacy, living giving, and helping the next generation now, not just later . === 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=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial.   👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started:  Go.boldin.com/catchingup   Personal Finance Club: Use code CUTOFI to get $30 OFF any investing course   Nectarine: Advice-Only and Flat-Fee Hourly Fiduciary Financial Advisors (Catching Up to FI will be compensated by Nectarine if you use our affiliate link, which creates an incentive and conflict of interest. We are not current clients or employees of Nectarine.)   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 Long View podcast  The White Coat Investor George Kinder  William Bernstein  . ⏰ Related Episodes Founder of 'Catching Up to FI' Just Hit Financial Independence, Now What? | Bill Yount | 196 Flashback to Episode 1: 'A Boat Named YOLO' | Bill Yount | 197 Retirement Remix: Crafting Financial Futures with Purpose | Christine Benz | 117 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    1h 5m
  6. Hot Takes & Money Debates: Social Security at 62, New Trump Accounts, & more! | Bill & Jackie | 210

    APR 26

    Hot Takes & Money Debates: Social Security at 62, New Trump Accounts, & more! | Bill & Jackie | 210

    What happens when the two co-hosts stop being polite, start being honest, and publicly debate the money moves they still don't agree on? We throw open the doors on four of our favorite friction points: Simple index-fund investing versus "modest complexity"  Whether high school personal finance classes are actually helping  What to make of the new 530A Trump accounts  Taking Social Security at 62 versus waiting   The fun here is that neither of us is playing a character. Jackie comes in swinging for simplicity, practical execution, and "please stop overcomplicating this for normal people," while Bill makes the case for curiosity, customization, and not sleepwalking through important financial choices. Along the way, we swap real stories about helping kids with 401(k)s, seeing bad default investments in the wild, what personal finance education gets wrong, and why Social Security advice may be more nuanced than the "always wait until 70" crowd admits. It's a reminder that thoughtful disagreement can sharpen your own plan faster than blindly copying someone else's. . === 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=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial.   👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started:  Go.boldin.com/catchingup   Personal Finance Club: Use code CUTOFI to get $30 OFF any investing course   Nectarine: Advice-Only and Flat-Fee Hourly Fiduciary Financial Advisors (Catching Up to FI will be compensated by Nectarine if you use our affiliate link, which creates an incentive and conflict of interest. We are not current clients or employees of Nectarine.)   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 Check your social security estimates Mike Piper's Open Social Security Calculator  Next Gen Personal Finance Trump Accounts . ⏰ Related Episodes Is Your 401(k) a Mess? Do This Now (Step-by-Step Guide) | Bill & Jackie | 205 These New Rules Will Change The Way You Think About 529 Plans | Patricia Roberts | 193  Celebrating Financial Literacy Month with Next Gen Personal Finance | Tim Ranzetta | 072 Social Security Made Simple | Mike Piper | 054 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    1h 5m
  7. Why 90% of Families Lose Their Wealth (and How to Stop the Cycle) | Julia Myers | 209

    APR 19

    Why 90% of Families Lose Their Wealth (and How to Stop the Cycle) | Julia Myers | 209

    What if the real reason family wealth disappears by the third generation has almost nothing to do with investing, and everything to do with what parents fail to teach at home? We sit down with Dr. Julia Myers, founder of Generational Wisdom, for a conversation that goes way past trusts, spreadsheets, and "someday" estate plans. Julia shares the medical crisis that abruptly ended her pharmacy career, the mindset shift that followed, and why she now believes legacy is not what you leave to your kids, but what you leave IN them. Together we unpack the three silent killers of generational wealth: no skills, no goals, no expectations, and explore what it looks like to raise kids who understand money and values, before the world teaches them. If you've ever wondered how to build wealth without accidentally raising entitlement, or how to recover from your own money story before passing it on, this episode is a gold mine. This episode covers Why 70–90% of family wealth disappears by the third generation Julia's shift from pharmacist to generational wisdom coach after a life-changing health crisis The three biggest reasons generational wealth gets lost Why "wealth without wisdom is wasted" How to build a family constitution around values, not just money  The difference between leaving wealth to your kids versus leaving legacy in them How to talk to kids about money, giving, enough, and expectations Why late starters can still change their family's financial story Practical ways to make values visible in daily family life . === 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=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial.   👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started:  Go.boldin.com/catchingup   Personal Finance Club: Use code CUTOFI to get $30 OFF any investing course   Nectarine: Advice-Only and Flat-Fee Hourly Fiduciary Financial Advisors (Catching Up to FI will be compensated by Nectarine if you use our affiliate link, which creates an incentive and conflict of interest. We are not current clients or employees of Nectarine.)   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 Charity: Hope International 🌐 JuliaMyers.com  Julia's Youtube Say This, Not That (free guide) Free Audiobook "Wealthy and Well Known"   . ⏰ Related Episodes Enoughness: Your Life or Your Money | Vicki Robin | 95   Doña Quixote, Life Energy, and The Coming of Aging | Vicki Robin | 94 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    1h 1m
  8. 20 Questions from 20-Somethings About Money | Dr. DeLong, Emilie Stewart. Britton Carver | 208

    APR 12

    20 Questions from 20-Somethings About Money | Dr. DeLong, Emilie Stewart. Britton Carver | 208

    APRIL IS FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH! What do you get when two late starters hand the mic to two twenty-somethings and let the money questions fly? In this unusually fun follow-up to the University of Tennessee classroom visit, we bring Dr. Karen DeLong and two of her students, Emilie and Britton, onto the podcast to tackle the real questions young adults ask when money stops being theoretical and starts getting personal. Emilie – Majoring in Finance and International Business with a minor in Agricultural Business and will be pursuing a career in Wealth Management. Britton – Interning with Wells Fargo in their Investment Banking - Commercial Real Estate division and will be pursuing a career in that post grad. . This episode covers The real money questions college students are asking before graduation Why Roth IRAs are such a powerful early-start tool How to think about saving for retirement versus nearer-term goals What happens to your 401(k) when you switch jobs Why savings rate matters more than most young adults realize The balance between being responsible and being too frugal How parents, professors, and mentors shape money mindset Why financial literacy needs to be practical, not just theoretical What late starters can teach young adults before they make the same mistakes . === 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=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial.   👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started:  Go.boldin.com/catchingup   Personal Finance Club: Use code CUTOFI to get $30 OFF any investing course   Nectarine: Advice-Only and Flat-Fee Hourly Fiduciary Financial Advisors (Catching Up to FI will be compensated by Nectarine if you use our affiliate link, which creates an incentive and conflict of interest. We are not current clients or employees of Nectarine.)   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   🌐 Dr. Karen DeLong  Farm Credit Mid-America 📘 If You Can: How Millennials Can Get Rich Slowly (Bill Bernstein) 📕 The Simple Path to Wealth- Updated 2025 (JL Collins) 📗 Your Money or Your Life (Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez) 📙F.I.R.E. For Dummies (Jackie Cummings Koski)  📘Money Letters 2 My Daughter (Jackie Cummings Koski) . ⏰ Related Episodes I Have a PhD in Business but Never Had a Personal Finance Class | Dr. Karen DeLong | 206 Financial Literacy 101: Live Inside the Classroom at University of Tennessee | Bill & Jackie | 207 . If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating and review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you! . 📌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.

    1h 10m
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Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

A mindset, money, and life podcast for late starters catching up to Financial Independence.

Information

  • Creator
    Bill Yount & Jackie Cummings Koski
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    216
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Catching Up to FI

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