The Stacking Benjamins Show

Joe Saul-Sehy and Josh ‘OG’ Bannerman, CFP
  • 4.4 (2K)
  • Investing
  • Semiweekly

Named Best Personal Finance Podcast by Bankrate.com and Kiplinger — and the only podcast the Plutus Awards retired from competition after winning twice — The Stacking Benjamins Show is personal finance that doesn’t put you to sleep. Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy (former 16-year financial advisor, ex-WXYZ-TV “Money Man”) and Josh “OG” Bannerman, CFP (Certified Financial Planner, Bannerman Wealth) sit around the card table in Joe’s mom’s half-finished basement in Texarkana and talk money with the smartest guests in personal finance, investing, and behavioral economics. As Fast Company wrote, the show “strikes a great balance of fun and functional.” Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: expert guests, real headlines, listener questions, and Doug’s trivia. Topics include investing, retirement planning, budgeting, real estate, behavioral finance, taxes, and financial independence — for anyone who wants to be smarter about money without being talked down to. Subscribe to The 201 — the free newsletter that goes deeper than the show — at stackingbenjamins.com/201

  1. 1d ago

    How to Turn Retirement Confidence Into a Real Plan (Even If You Feel Behind) SB1923

    More of us feel good about retirement than we did a year ago, yet fewer of us are doing the things that get us there. Two new surveys, one on confidence and one on how each generation is tracking, put that gap in plain view. Joe Saul-Sehy and Doug sit down with contributors Paula Pant, Chris Luger, and Evan Raidt to ask what to do about it. The answer is less about willpower and more about swapping a feeling for a plan, then starting before it feels perfect. If you suspect you’re behind, this is a friendly place to begin. What You’ll Walk Away With Why confidence is a feeling and “on track” is a number, and how the two can pull in opposite directionsWhy popular rules of thumb can leave you falsely comforted or needlessly discouragedA better starting point than a rule of thumb: define the life you want, then work backwardWhy people with a written plan tend to feel more on track, and the honest caveat about cause and effectWhat “step zero” looks like before you do any mathHow to play with your timeline instead of giving up on itWhy swinging for the fences to catch up usually backfiresWhy so many retirements arrive on someone else’s schedule, and what that means for planningA quick round of Myth or Monster on credit cards, buy now pay later, and moreWhy This Matters Now Rising costs keep tugging at the same dollars we’d like to send toward the future, and it’s easy to confuse a good mood with a good plan. The Confident Explorer in all of us wants to move forward without making an irreversible mistake or feeling judged for where we’re starting. This conversation lowers the stakes. It shows that a rough plan beats a perfect one, and that the smallest first step counts. From the Basement Joe Saul-Sehy and Doug (Joe’s mom’s neighbor) keep things playful with horror-movie trivia and a few stories about email and insurance renewals that quietly cost real money. Doug’s closing lesson is a reminder to read the fine print before you buy insurance. For Financial Coaches If you’re a financial coach who wants coaching on running your business, write Joe at stackingbenjamins.com. Resources Mentioned 2026 MFS Global Retirement Survey coverage: https://401kspecialistmag.com/retirement-confidence-surges-despite-financial-pressures-mfs/Goldman Sachs Asset Management 2026 Retirement Survey press release: https://am.gs.com/en-us/advisors/news/press-release/2026/retirement-survey-press-releaseAfford Anything: https://affordanything.com/Heavy Metal Money and the Extreme Personal Finance Show: https://heavymetal.moneyInvesting for Beginners and At Any Rate: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  2. 3d ago

    The Advice Pros Give Their Own Families (and How to Tell If Your Advisor Would Too) SB1922

    What do finance professionals say to their own relatives when nobody is paying them to say it? Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Doug sit down with Jenny Harrington, co-author of Investment Wisdom for Our Friends and Loved Ones, to find out. Jenny helped gather lessons from top finance experts, and she shares what she’d tell the people she loves. The conversation then turns to a Stacker’s question about an orphaned retirement account and whether an advisor is worth keeping. You’ll get a practical way to judge the advice you’re getting, minus the jargon and the guilt. What You’ll Walk Away With The one question that shows whether an advisor’s guidance is built for you or for their businessWhy the advice pros give their own families tends to be simpler than you’d expectA quick “must know versus nice to know” game that sorts the money basics from the triviaWhat to do about an old workplace retirement account that’s been sitting with no one watching itWhy treating your advisor like an investment (and checking what they add) beats just comparing price tagsThe case against splitting your money between several advisors, and when it quietly works against youHow to tell whether a lower fee is saving you money or costing you in other waysWhy having people in your corner only helps if they’d give you the advice they’d give their own familyWhy This Matters Now Most of us have someone in our financial corner, whether that’s a pro, a friend, or the loudest voice online. It’s hard to know whether their advice is any good, and nobody wants to make an irreversible mistake or feel judged for asking. A simple test helps: would they say the same thing to their own family? This episode gives you that test and the language to use it, so you can keep good help, move on from the rest, and tackle the leftover accounts you’ve been avoiding. From the Basement Joe Saul-Sehy walks Jenny through the book and the big lessons in it. OG and Doug join in with questions from the basement, and Doug keeps Veterans Day in view with trivia about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Joe, OG, and Doug then take on Better Call Saul, Sehy and OG, answering a Stacker’s question that carries the advisor conversation from theory into real life. Doug closes with his takeaways, plus a few bathroom-adjacent observations about gas station sushi. Resources Mentioned Investment Wisdom for Our Friends and Loved Ones by Jenny Harrington and Rebecca Patterson (Harriman House): https://harriman-house.com/authors/jenny-harrington/investment-wisdom-for-our-friends-and-loved-ones/9781804094426Jenny Harrington’s author page: https://www.harriman-house.com/authors/jenny-harrington/48930 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  3. 5d ago

    Year-End Money Moves: What to Do Before December 31 So January Doesn’t Suck SB1921

    December has a way of arriving all at once. Joe Saul-Sehy and OG each bring a top-five list of money moves to make before the calendar flips, and compare them in real time while Doug watches for overlap. The lists cover taxes, retirement accounts, investments, and one move that has nothing to do with money and everything to do with how 2027 will feel. Do the work now,before Thanksgiving sneaks up on us and the holidays are off and running. What You’ll Walk Away With Why a quick tax projection now can spare you an April surpriseHow tax-loss harvesting works, why most of its value shows up earlier in the year, and the wash sale rule that trips people upWhich retirement and HSA deadlines hit December 31, and which ones you can finish after New Year’sHow to max out contributions by leaning on your cash cushion, and when that is smart or riskyWhy buying into a taxable mutual fund in December can hand you a tax bill on gains you never earnedWhat an FSA deadline really means, and how to avoid a contact lens stockpileWhy Roth conversions come down to an educated guess, and how to make a choice you will not regretHow giving to charity straight from a retirement account can lower your taxes, and what changed this year for charitable deductionsThe calendar move that has nothing to do with money, and why it came in at number oneWhat a retirement plan that sailed off the map teaches about planning for the unexpectedWhy This Matters Now Year-end deadlines do not move, and the holiday season is when budgets get tested. A few hours of attention before the spendiest month of the year means January starts with a clean sheet instead of a cleanup. This episode is general education, and a tax professional can apply it to your situation. From the Basement Doug challenges everyone to say a very difficult tongue twister about Bitcoin five times fast, then runs trivia about the back of the $5 bill. OG explains his holiday budget approach, which involves fun coupons, and Joe Saul-Sehy and OG debate whether one-click shopping is genius or a trap. Doug also offers a “Dougalicious” tip for next year. Resources Mentioned Planning for charitable contributions in 2026: a guide to what changed this yearEndless cruise goes broke: coverage of the story about retirees stranded abroadYour own top five: share yours at stackingbenjamins.com/basementIf you heard a rumor about a children’s book on what money really means, Mama, Are We Poor?, we can neither confirm nor deny where. But if you happen to want a copy, here’s a link. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  4. Nov 6

    Should You Cut Your 401(k) When Money Gets Tight? How to Handle Higher Prices SB1920

    Social Security checks are getting a raise because everything costs more. Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Doug are joined by a Brooklyn financial planner who works with creative people on lumpy incomes and Jesse Cramer of Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors to ask whether you should trim retirement savings when the budget squeezes. They play “Cut It, Keep It, or Crank It” and “Who Gets the Next Dollar?” with realistic households. The goal is to keep a temporary squeeze from turning into a permanent setback. What You’ll Walk Away With Why a Social Security raise is both good news and a sign your costs went upWhat a single inflation number misses about how prices actually hit your householdThe first signs your budget is leaking if you have never tracked your spendingA quick way to see price changes by scrolling through your online shopping cartsWhat “enoughness” means and how to use it when prices shiftWhen to cut your 401(k) contribution, when to keep it, and why many of the panelists would hold it at the employer matchWhy it is easier to keep a small retirement contribution going than to restart a stopped oneA financial triage order for deciding where each new dollar goesWhether to pay a car repair from cash or a credit cardWhy a 401(k) loan is rarely better than pausing contributionsWhy retirement comes before college savings, even for loving parentsHow to handle lumpy income and set aside taxes before a windfall arrivesWhy asking for what you need in a negotiation costs you nothingWhy This Matters Now Prices are rising unevenly, with groceries, gas, and airfare moving in different directions, and many people are trimming retirement savings to cope. Year-end is when budgets get reset and benefit elections get made, which makes it a natural time to decide your plan before the squeeze decides it for you. This episode gives you a framework you can use without feeling judged for being behind. From the Basement Doug’s trivia goes back to a sailor in 1492 who brought smoking home to Spain and got locked up for it, then to the giant settlement that came centuries later. He also confesses to once trying to smoke a Slim Jim, and nearly gets the guest’s name right while inventing a few new words. Everyone swaps stories about their love of the Sizzler salad bar, and OG tries to hold on to his lead for the “You suck the least” trophy. Resources Mentioned Creative Money: New Financial Rules for Artists, Innovators, and Misfits: the guest’s new book, out Tuesday, Nov 10Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors: Jesse Cramer’s podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  5. Nov 4

    How to Stop Your Brain From Wrecking Your Portfolio With Dr. Daniel Crosby (SB1919)

    Most investing advice starts with what to buy. Dr. Daniel Crosby, behavioral finance expert and author of The Behavioral Investor, starts with you. He tells Joe Saul-Sehy and OG why a brain built for survival on the savanna makes a poor money manager, and how four predictable troublemakers (ego, conservatism, attention, and emotion) show up in real portfolios. Then they play a round of “Who Broke the Portfolio?” In the headline segment, Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, and Doug look at why companies that lean on AI are running into an insurance problem, and what that means for protecting your own finances. Last Call: Veterans Day Giveaway Enter by Friday, Nov 6 at stackingbenjamins.com/veterans for a chance to win a Solo Stove, given away next Wednesday on Veterans Day. Veterans and active duty service members get three entries, and everyone else gets one. If you already get the 201, you can still enter. What You’ll Walk Away With Why the first investing question is not what to buy but how you will act when things get scaryWhat a plane crash with monkeys and humans reveals about why we herdWhy your brain is old, hungry, and impatient, and what that means over decades of investingThe four troublemakers and how to spot each one in the wildWhy loud financial news can switch off your critical thinkingA game of “Who Broke the Portfolio?” with company stock, AI stock envy, and “this time feels different”The difference between risk tolerance, risk capacity, and risk composureThree simple fences: education, environment, and encouragementWhy diversification is humility made visibleA four-letter check to run before any money decisionHow to figure out which of the four is most likely to get youWhy insurers are getting nervous about AI errors, and why that is a good reminder to check your own liability protectionWhat an umbrella policy does on top of your auto and home coverage, and why lawsuits tend to arrive from left fieldWhy This Matters Now Market noise gets louder at the end of the year, and so do tempting ideas from coworkers and group chats. Having fences in place before the next surprise is cheaper than a mistake you cannot reverse. The same goes for your safety net. Year-end is a natural time to look at how well your insurance covers what you have built. This episode helps you learn your own patterns without feeling judged for having them. From the Basement Doug’s trivia heads to the 1922 discovery of a long-sealed tomb and the legend of its curse, then to his metal detector and the cash he buried years ago and still hasn’t found. He also reports on his lifetime ban from the Sizzler dessert bar, as ruled by Todd, and OG and Joe Saul-Sehy compare their fast food glass collections. Resources Mentioned Veterans Day giveaway: enter to win a Solo StoveThe Behavioral Investor: Dr. Daniel Crosby’s book, with a new edition from Harriman House due Nov 10 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  6. Nov 2

    How to Build Your Perfect Portfolio With Peter Lazaroff (Plus Who Gets Your Life Insurance) SB1918

    Most portfolios are built for nobody in particular. Peter Lazaroff, chief investment officer at PlanCorp and author of The Perfect Portfolio, tells Joe Saul-Sehy and OG why the right mix starts with your goals, not a list of funds. He also shares a four-question filter for deciding what earns a spot in your portfolio. Then a listener asks who to name on life insurance for his kids, and the panel disagrees sharply with the advice he got from his agent. Veterans Day Giveaway Enter by Friday, Nov 6 at stackingbenjamins.com/veterans for a chance to win a Solo Stove, drawn on Veterans Day. Veterans and active duty service members get three entries, and everyone else gets one. If you already get the 201, you can still enter. What You’ll Walk Away With Why “perfect” is personal, and what a steak dinner on paper plates has to do with itThe sign that a portfolio was built for nobody in particularWhy your first stated goal is rarely your real oneHow to tell discomfort from danger when markets dropWhy owning a loser in your portfolio means you are diversifiedThe four questions that decide whether an investment earns a seatA quick round of “Does It Earn a Seat?” with international stocks, AI stocks, and bondsWhat belongs on a one-page investment policy statement, and why rules matter most when everything looks brokenWhy naming a guardian on life insurance and hoping the money reaches the kids can go wrongWhat a court does with money left to a minor, and how a trust changes thatWhy This Matters Now Financial news is built to make you react, and most investing success comes from avoiding mistakes. Year-end is a natural time to write the one-page plan you will follow when markets get loud. If you have kids, it is also a good time to check who is named on your beneficiary forms. The estate discussion is general education, and an estate attorney can set up the specifics for your situation. From the Basement Doug’s trivia asks what “alpha” means in finance, after he makes his case for being the alpha of the basement because he controls the trivia microphone and the thermostat. Joe Saul-Sehy and OG compare notes on how warm mom likes the house. Doug also gives the Bay Area another reason to write in with “San Fran.” Resources Mentioned Veterans Day giveaway: enter to win a Solo StoveThe Perfect Portfolio: A Proven Guide to Smart Investing for Long-Term Success: Peter Lazaroff’s book from Harriman HouseThe Long Term Investor podcast: Peter’s showPeter Lazaroff at PlanCorp: his bio and firmMind the Gap US 2025: Morningstar’s research on the gap between investor and fund returns See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  7. Oct 30

    8 Tricky Money Decisions: When to Cosign, Stretch, Take the Job, or Walk Away SB1917

    Every money decision comes with a basement door. Sometimes you go down and find a great deal, and sometimes you should run. Joe Saul-Sehy and OG run a Halloween game show in which the panel rules on eight real-life dilemmas, including a stock that has tripled, a dream house that leaves almost no cash, and a car loan a parent is asked to cosign. The panel disagrees, and the reasoning behind each answer is the useful part. Veterans Day Giveaway Enter for a chance to win a Solo Stove at stackingbenjamins.com/veterans. Veterans and active duty service members get three entries, and everyone else gets one. If you’re already in the 201 email series, you get an entry too, and you can earn more by referring friends. What You’ll Walk Away With What to do when your company stock has grown into a huge slice of your portfolio, and why a gains budget beats waiting for the perfect momentWhy optimism about your employer is not the same as a good price on its stockHow much house is too much, and why the bank’s limit is not your limitWhat a thin cash cushion after closing really risks, and when a plan to rebuild it changes the answerHow to weigh a bigger paycheck against a boss who keeps losing people, and the airport layover test for judging a future managerWhy a tax bracket jump does not cost you more than you earnHow to say yes to helping an adult child with a car while keeping the title, insurance, and risk in your own handsWhy many people treat family loans as giftsEmergency fund or great credit? Low fixed expenses or great insurance? High savings rate or diversification? High income or financial knowledge? The panel picks sidesWhy This Matters Now Big decisions rarely arrive with a clean right answer, and the fear of making an irreversible mistake can stall good choices. Hearing smart people disagree, and explain why, builds your own judgment faster than a rule of thumb does. Year-end is a natural time to look at your concentrated holdings, your housing costs, and your cushion. From the Basement Doug arrives in a tin foil hat to resist Federal Reserve brainwaves, the panel shows up as a genie villain, a wreath-wearing leaf pile, and an Oktoberfest regular, and Doug’s trivia asks where “I’ll be back” ranks among the greatest movie quotes ever. He also reports that the Terminator spoke very few words in the whole film and that he once lost an argument at The Sizzler over the senior discount on shrimp cocktail. OG explains his Halloween yogurt policy, and a new traveling trophy with an honest inscription makes its debut. Resources Mentioned Veterans Day giveaway: enter to win a Solo StoveAFI’s 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes: the list behind Doug’s triviaAfford Anything: a podcast from one of the panelistsPersonal Finance for Long-Term Investors: a podcast from another panelist See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  8. Oct 28

    Why Everyone Needs an Estate Plan (and How to Avoid a Surprise ACA Subsidy Bill) SB1916

    Amy Wilson and her husband did nearly everything right on the road to financial independence, and the one task they kept postponing turned out to matter most. She shares what happened when a sudden loss met an unfinished estate plan, how she rebuilt her financial life on her own, and what she’d want you to do this week. Then Joe Saul-Sehy and OG explain how a change in IRS guidance can turn marketplace premium help into a bill for early retirees and side hustlers, with a quick round of income detective to show what counts. What You’ll Walk Away With Why “we’re married, so it all goes to each other” isn’t a planHow beneficiary designations and default rules can pull in different directions across accountsWhy your state already has an estate plan for you, and how to find out what it saysWhat mattered, and what didn’t, in the first hours after a lossWhether to do nothing with your money for a while or dive into the details, and how to tell which fits youWhat it’s like to go from saving to spending overnight, and why a money nerd hired an advisorThe small clues that told her an advisor was the right oneA simple allowance system that keeps spending steady and leaves room for big plansWhy advance premium help is an estimate, not a price guaranteeThe change that removed the cap on repayments, the income line that can cost you the entire credit, and what to recalculate before year-endWhy This Matters Now Plans get interrupted, and the paperwork we postpone is usually the paperwork that matters most. Year-end is when open enrollment arrives and good intentions pile up, which makes it a natural time to finish the estate documents and recheck your income estimate. If you worry about a mistake you can’t undo, this episode treats both as checklist items you can finish, not worries to carry around. From the Basement Doug’s trivia is about cacao beans as currency, which leads him to try paying for dinner at The Sizzler with a bag of chocolate chips. Then OG explains his Halloween policy of yogurt only, with a granola exception. Resources Mentioned Repayment caps eliminated for excess advance payments of the Premium Tax Credit: IRS guidance on the changeQuestions and answers on the Premium Tax Credit: IRS answers on how reconciliation worksHealthCare.gov: where to update your income estimate with the marketplaceCamp FI: in-person gatherings for the financial independence community, where Amy is a regular See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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About

Named Best Personal Finance Podcast by Bankrate.com and Kiplinger — and the only podcast the Plutus Awards retired from competition after winning twice — The Stacking Benjamins Show is personal finance that doesn’t put you to sleep. Hosts Joe Saul-Sehy (former 16-year financial advisor, ex-WXYZ-TV “Money Man”) and Josh “OG” Bannerman, CFP (Certified Financial Planner, Bannerman Wealth) sit around the card table in Joe’s mom’s half-finished basement in Texarkana and talk money with the smartest guests in personal finance, investing, and behavioral economics. As Fast Company wrote, the show “strikes a great balance of fun and functional.” Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: expert guests, real headlines, listener questions, and Doug’s trivia. Topics include investing, retirement planning, budgeting, real estate, behavioral finance, taxes, and financial independence — for anyone who wants to be smarter about money without being talked down to. Subscribe to The 201 — the free newsletter that goes deeper than the show — at stackingbenjamins.com/201

Information

  • Creator
    Joe Saul-Sehy and Josh ‘OG’ Bannerman, CFP
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.6K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © SB Podcast LLC | Gamut Podcast Network
  • Show Website
    The Stacking Benjamins Show

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