Hi. I’m someone with narcolepsy. Doctors don’t want me to drive for my and others’ safety, so I’m limited in my ability to transport myself places (can’t just take a taxi every day to and from places if a bus route doesn’t cover where I have to go).
I only just graduated from college with an accounting degree. I’m currently studying for the SIE and want to be a financial planner / paraplanner at an RIA. That said, I don’t think *any* RIA in Austin, Texas (where I live currently) would take on someone just learning the ropes remotely. I have 0 years of experience.
Not sure how to proceed. New Planner Recruiting doesn’t get back to me. Any help? Thanks.

Hi all,
I have read several books on investing and I feel confident in my investing strategy, but the thing I just can't nail down is retirement planning and figuring out my retirement number to determine how much I actually need to be saving monthly. I know it's never going to be perfect because there are too many unknowns but I get overwhelmed with things like: What budget should I expect and realistically need in retirement? (I know this is something I have to answer but I'd like to be able to make a more informed decision) Should I factor in social security? What age is it realistic to retire at? If I can nail down those better then I think I'll be able to have a clearer picture. I'm 33, single, have about 40k invested, no debt except for student loans but doing public service loan forgiveness, and make around 105k. I'm currently saving about 25% of my gross income, but I have other goals like buying a car, buying a house, and having fun/hobby purchases. I'd like to FIRST determine how much I need to save to stay on course and then be able to spend the rest as I please guilt free. I have tried using NAPFA to connect with a fee only financial planner, but no one seems to want to do that. I wish I could just sit down and pay an hourly rate to have someone with experience help me create a plan. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I know I'm taking about a financial planner, I've sat down with two or three in the past. The problem is that every time I've done this I feel like they're just trying to sell me more life insurance or have me roll my current retirements to their company.
What I'm looking for is simple. I want to sit down and lay out all my investments and whatnot on the table and be told if I'm doing well or if I need to make some changes.
I'm 26. My goal is to retire at 60. I have a good job, I have a chance to actually do this. The problem is, I'm actually concerned I might be putting back a little too much?

Hey everyone. I just have a question about where to go for this or any advice.
My wife and I got married 20 years ago in Mexico before we moved to the states. We got married and everything in our lives is pretty much separate erate financially wise.We bought a house here, and the house is only under my name. Recently, I have found myself ill with some medical conditions that are a little worrisome. I am a planner and an overthinker so naturally I started worrying about my wife, kids, etc if something were to happen to me. If I pass, I want my kids and wife to get the house and access to my bank accounts etc.
Is there some contract or something where I put the house under my wife’s name? Please let me know, any advice is welcome. Have a great day.

All,
Would love insights from the various professionals in this group on my strategy to career pivot into personal finance.
I have a bachelors degree (STEM, not finance)
I am considering the following strategy: 1) While maintaining current career, study and obtain a Series 65 License. Leaning towards Kaplan and Dean's videos (series 7 guru)
2) Seek employment at RIA as paraplanner or Associate Planner
3) Once job in #2 is obtained, start education requirements for CFP while logging hours towards experience.
4) Take CFP once education is complete and have some industry experience.
5) Progress towards Financial AdvisoPlanner (ideally hybrid of fee only and fixed/flat fee package offerings).
Likely target client: A) Medical (wife's industry and she works at a Medical College)
B) Utility Employee (my current industry)
C) FIRE and DIY investors seeking a professional/secondary review of their strategies.
Located: Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) of Georgia/South Carolina.

I have always been a bit of a nerd when it comes to managing finances. One day, I was sitting at my dining table, working on my monthly budget. The spreadsheet was riddled with numbers, formulas, and, of course, a few question marks. Transitioning from a casual spender to a precise accountant of my own life had been a seemingly overwhelming journey.
To get better at this, I began to read about mental models, frameworks that give us a simplified understanding of how something in the world works. One of the models that stood out was the feedback loop concept. It basically states that our actions generate consequences that "feed" back into our future decisions. It’s the essence of learning: We act, we see the result, and we tweak our future actions accordingly.
So, I started to implement this in my financial planning. I'd keep track of every purchase, every bill, every penny saved. Then, I'd analyze the data and see where I was overspending or not saving enough. The feedback I got was eye-opening. With each passing month, I was learning more and becoming a better financial planner. I was learning to walk the thin line between indulgence and thrift, between the joys of a hot latte today and the prospect of a comfortable retirement tomorrow.
The most surprising part was the feel-good factor. Engaging in financial planning felt like a game where the rewards were very real. I was playing against my past self, striving to be better every month. And the best part? I was winning.
I realized that learning, like financial planning, is a lifelong process. And the most significant outcomes often come from patience, perseverance, and continual improvement.
P.S. Okay, folks, don't start imagining me as a bespectacled guy with an abacus and a green visor. This story is hypothetical, but it shows how we can use mental models in our daily lives. So, go ahead, apply the feedback loop model in your financial planning, and watch the magic happen (or the debt disappear, whichever comes first!).

Check my post history. I've been here since the beginning and imo I am about as far from a shill as one can get without being DFV or one of the top wrinkle brains.
This sub seems much more against honest discussion at the moment compared to the early days. Any criticism of a GameStop decision is almost automatically FUD or shills. Sure there is tons of shills out there today, but we as shareholders also need to hold RC and the board accountable to us, and not just trust them blindly at every turn.
U/Redacted literally called this share offering yesterday. Everyone told him how wrong he was and that RC "wouldn't dilute again". As soon as the news of 75M more shares being issued is released, the narrative on our end completely changes once again to how this is the greatest news.
Why are apes upvoting sh*t like "75M shares is nothing, look at the volume!" when we know the volume is fake and mostly just hedgie algos trading amongst themselves to control the price?
75 million shares is also roughly how many we have confirmed locked away in computershare. How can anyone logically say GME selling 45M + 75M shares will not impact moass?
To be clear, quick napkin math says MOASS is guaranteed either way. Most of the lowest legitimate short interest projections had it at 125% before the first 45M share sale afaik. It's probably way higher. But I am worried my goals (which are likely your goals as well if you plan on selling during MOASS) and RCs goals may not be aligned here.
I am gonna be honest. I am not holding the majority of my shares to infinity. I'm mostly here for "the short game" (relatively speaking). I will sell for phone number life changing sums of money, and to put some financial terrorists are behind bars. Here are my two main goals
1) I want MOASS to happen soon. I have waited since early Jan 2021 for life changing money. I run a startup and we are bootstrapping. The money I have in GME could have been used to grow my current business, but I know the payoff of waiting with DRS shares will be worth it instead of selling to have more cash on hand right now. Also the sooner MOASS happens, the sooner we can expect arrests of Ken Griffin and the like.
2) I want the highest and longest possible MOASS peak. While it is impossible to time the top, maximizing outstanding short interest would logically maximize the number of parties that need to buy at any price during MOASS. As far as I'm aware higher short interest extends the length and max height of MOASS.
IMO the share offerings show Ryan Cohen is mostly interested "in the long game", creating long term value for shareholders, potentially at the expense of my previously stated goals. He and other board members probably can't sell durring MOASS for legal reasons. So at the expense of our gamma ramp, momentum, and the outstanding short interest amongst others, he is raising capital for an acquisition and the long term viability of the company.
I'm not the wrinkliest of brains, but I'm fairly suspicious of the near universal support on this sub for diluting the float again. While this capital raise may make MOASS come sooner (highly debatable), I find it hard to believe this won't negatively impact the peak price when MOASS does come.
Feel free to downvote. I still think there are more technical and sentiment indicators than ever before or at least since Jan 2021 that MOASS is about to be on. But I would really appreciate critical discussion on this.

I have a to do to setup a meeting with a financial planner, but there is a list of things to do ahead of that. I am wondering if qnyone has found good resources on estate planning, considerations for life insurance etc targeted to wodow(er)s with kids.
Trying to determine how much a term life insurance policy should be is what brought me to this quedtiin.

Choosing the best BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) specialization in Bangalore depends on your career goals and interests. Bangalore, known as the Silicon Valley of India, offers numerous specializations due to its diverse and dynamic business environment. Here are some of the top BBA specializations you might consider in Bangalore:

1. Finance:
   • Why: Ideal for those interested in banking, investment, and financial management.
   • Prospects: Financial Analyst, Investment Banker, Financial Planner.
2. Marketing:
   • Why: Suitable for creative individuals who enjoy strategizing and promoting products or services.
   • Prospects: Marketing Manager, Brand Manager, Market Research Analyst.
3. Human Resource Management (HRM):
   • Why: Perfect for those who excel in managing people and organizational culture.
   • Prospects: HR Manager, Recruitment Specialist, Training and Development Manager.
4. International Business:
   • Why: Great for those who are interested in global trade and international market dynamics.
   • Prospects: International Business Manager, Export Manager, Trade Analyst.
5. Entrepreneurship:
   • Why: For individuals with a passion for starting their own business ventures.
   • Prospects: Entrepreneur, Business Consultant, Start-up Advisor.
6. Operations Management:
   • Why: Suitable for those who like optimizing processes and improving efficiency.
   • Prospects: Operations Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Production Manager.
7. Information Technology (IT):
   • Why: Ideal for tech-savvy students interested in the intersection of business and technology.
   • Prospects: IT Manager, Business Analyst, Systems Analyst.
8. Tourism and Hospitality Management:
   • Why: Great for those who enjoy travel and managing guest experiences.
   • Prospects: Hotel Manager, Event Manager, Travel Consultant.

Top Institutions in Bangalore for BBA:

1. Christ University:
   • Renowned for its BBA program with various specializations and excellent campus facilities.
2. International Institute of Business Studies (IIBS):
   • Offers diverse BBA specializations and strong industry connections for placements.
3. St. Joseph's College of Commerce:
   • Known for its strong commerce and management programs.
4. Mount Carmel College:
   • Offers a reputable BBA program with a focus on overall development.
5. Alliance University:
   • Provides industry-oriented BBA programs with various specializations.
6. NMIMS (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies):
   • Offers a robust BBA program with a focus on holistic education.

When selecting a specialization, consider your strengths, career aspirations, and the market demand for specific skill sets. Networking with industry professionals and seeking guidance from academic advisors
specialization in Bangalore depends on your career goals and interests. Bangalore, known as the Silicon Valley of India, offers numerous specializations due to its diverse and dynamic business environment. Here are some of the top BBA specializations you might consider in Bangalore:

1. Finance:
   • Why: Ideal for those interested in banking, investment, and financial management.
   • Prospects: Financial Analyst, Investment Banker, Financial Planner.
2. Marketing:
   • Why: Suitable for creative individuals who enjoy strategizing and promoting products or services.
   • Prospects: Marketing Manager, Brand Manager, Market Research Analyst.
3. Human Resource Management (HRM):
   • Why: Perfect for those who excel in managing people and organizational culture.
   • Prospects: HR Manager, Recruitment Specialist, Training and Development Manager.
4. International Business:
   • Why: Great for those who are interested in global trade and international market dynamics.
   • Prospects: International Business Manager, Export Manager, Trade Analyst.
5. Entrepreneurship:
   • Why: For individuals with a passion for starting their own business ventures.
   • Prospects: Entrepreneur, Business Consultant, Start-up Advisor.
6. Operations Management:
   • Why: Suitable for those who like optimizing processes and improving efficiency.
   • Prospects: Operations Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Production Manager.
7. Information Technology (IT):
   • Why: Ideal for tech-savvy students interested in the intersection of business and technology.
   • Prospects: IT Manager, Business Analyst, Systems Analyst.
8. Tourism and Hospitality Management:
   • Why: Great for those who enjoy travel and managing guest experiences.
   • Prospects: Hotel Manager, Event Manager, Travel Consultant.

Top Institutions in Bangalore for BBA:

1. Christ University:
   • Renowned for its BBA program with various specializations and excellent campus facilities.
2. International Institute of Business Studies (IIBS):
   • Offers diverse BBA specializations and strong industry connections for placements.
3. St. Joseph's College of Commerce:
   • Known for its strong commerce and management programs.
4. Mount Carmel College:
   • Offers a reputable BBA program with a focus on overall development.
5. Alliance University:
   • Provides industry-oriented BBA programs with various specializations.
6. NMIMS (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies):
   • Offers a robust BBA program with a focus on holistic education.

When selecting a specialization, consider your strengths, career aspirations, and the market demand for specific skill sets. Networking with industry professionals and seeking guidance from academic advisors

Hello everybody,
After a complicated bit of family history I won't get into, I'm unexpectedly set to receive approx 200'000 CHF yearly for the foreseeable future. I'm 27, I have a stable income I'm perfectly happy with, and had already managed to save a fair bit, but this is a completely different scale to me. I plan to invest a large majority of it and donate a good bit too as I don't really need the money at the moment.
I was quite confident handling my savings, investment, taxes, etc. up until now but I really feel like I may need help to make sure I'm doing things right. The tax situation especially as the money is coming from the United States. I reached out to a tax lawyer with some specifics I needed solved. It was worse than useless, and cost me 1000 CHF for absolutely no service in the end.
Just to be extra clear, I'm not looking to dodge taxes, I'm perfectly happy to pay the "right" amount.
Where should I start? Who should I speak to? a Financial planner? a tax advisory? my bank counsellor? should I just take the time to figure it out myself? I obviously understand that quality advice won't be free.
I'm a bit overwhelmed by the situation and welcome any recommendation, I live in Vaud in case any of you have specific services to recommend.
Thank you very much and apologies if my post is incomplete, I'll try my best to clarify anything if need be.

Building wealth doesn’t happen overnight, it takes consistent efforts and smart planning to build wealth gradually.
Even the most loved soccer player Ronaldo went through several challenges before he became successful. Despite being raised in a home that barely made ends meet and having a father who struggled with alcoholism, Ronaldo decided at a young age to be the best in the world and followed his passion. Even when people doubted his future in the sport, saying he was too skinny, Ronaldo would use their doubt as fuel to work harder. And in just six short years after leaving his hometown and family, his talent and dedication made him the youngest player ever to sign a contract with the most prestigious football league. And after that success, he never looked back. He has won hundreds of awards throughout his profession.
Here are some good habits that will help you become rich without much hassle

1. Read and educate yourself: Read online blogs and articles, listen to podcasts from financial planners, or join a course to gain basic financial knowledge about budgeting, investments, banking, and how interest rates work on different types of loans, and taxation to manage money effectively. No matter how much money you make, if you don't manage it well, you will end up in debt.
2. Choose a career you enjoy: Find your passion, and implement that to build wealth easily. If you love writing you can start your own blogs, if you love cooking you can start a youtube channel. Choosing a career you love will make it so much easier for you to build wealth. Just like the famous Harry Potter, author J.K Rowling persuaded her love to write which helped her become a billionaire, you can build wealth too by doing what you love.
3. Always have a plan and to-do list: Having a plan for the money is essential as it will help you to use your hard-earned money wisely. List the goals you need to do to create wealth and break those into smaller goals with intermediate milestones. Have a to-do list, with the tasks you need to do each day or week, or month to reach your wealth goals.
4. Live frugally: Frugality is the idea to prioritize your spending so you can save and invest more. Therefore at the start of every month, prepare a budget and save 10-20% in a high-yield savings account, and then allow the rest to all the categories you spend on each month.
5. Surround yourself with the right people: Choose those people, who prioritize saving and investing money, are die-hard earners, and have a passion for taking risks. Read about the journey of the wealthy and discuss it with your friends to learn/explore more and to stay motivated towards your wealth creation goal.

Becoming rich is not as tough as it may seem. If you develop and follow the above five habits you will begin creating wealth even if you are starting at zero (or negative). It isn’t going to happen overnight, but your consistent efforts can help you grow money faster.
Hope you find the above habits helpful and do share, what habits you think are important to become rich.
Don't Miss Out on Financial Empowerment! Join Thrive Financially & discover actionable tips to save, invest, and grow your wealth.

Hello Guys! I'm aware that BS/MD is extremely competitive with crazy applicants. I'm just not sure whether my application is even considered competitive for these programs. I understand this is not a chance-me website but I genuinely need some opinion on whether I should apply or it would just be a waste of my time.

Demographics

• Gender: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: Asian (Bengali)
• Residence: Texas
• Income Bracket: $35,000
• Type of School: Rural Public
• Hooks:- Low-Income, Immigrant, First-Gen, Quest-Bridge Scholar ( My parents did go to College In Bangladesh though so Idk if I’ll be considered First Gen or not)

STATS (1st semester Junior Year)

• GPA:- 4.5 Weighted and 3.98 Unweighted (1 B+ :- 89 in 9th grade)
• Rank:- Top 2%, 20/589 (1st semester Junior)
• SAT/ACT:- 1450-1510 (Based on practice SATs, taking SAT in August)
• Major:- Neuroscience/Biology (Pre-Med Track)
• AP/DE courses:- 11 AP courses, 3 Dual Credit, 2 On-Ramps, Rest Honors
• Senior year Course load:- AP CHEM, AP BIO, AP CALC, AP MACRO, AP GOV, AP LIT, On-Ramps COMP SCI, MATH 1314
• Additional Info:- I immigrated to the USA right before 8th grade and that's when we went to lock down for COVID-19 so, 9th grade is basically my first year in an American High School. I didn't know any English at that time so my priority was to learn English freshman year- I learned it through playing video games online💀😭. Due to my late immigration, I wasn’t aware of AP/Honors courses during Freshman year and my school never informed me of such courses and the benefits of it. So, I had to take 2 on-level classes in 9th grade, (Eng-1 and World Geo). I learned about AP/Honors at the end of Freshman year but it was already too late. That is a reason why my rank is behind as well since people who took those classes Freshman year are ahead despite having lower grades and Unweighted GPA.

Awards/Honors (Up until April 2024)

1. Quest-Bridge College Prep Scholar (National -2024)
2. 2024 PATHS UP YOUNG SCHOLAR (National)
3. Barbara James Service Award (National -2024) Given to people who provided 100+ hours worth of community service in the healthcare sector specifically. For me, it was Hospice & Nursing home volunteering
4. National EKG technician (National - 2023)
5. State Certified Nursing Aid (State -2024 )
6. AP scholar
7. Gentiva Hospice Student Volunteer Recognition (Regional)
8. National Honor Society
9. Honor Roll
10. (Future) EMT Certification
11. Presidential Voluntary Service Award (Future)
12. AP CAPSTONE DIPLOMA (Future)

Activities

1. Health-Bridge - Non-Profit, In process… (Founder & Board Member); Holiday Project Initiative (Nov 2023 - Ongoing)

• Health-Bridge has delivered 300+ gifts and Letters to residents across 7 clinical facilities in the Kingwood area - Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, and Hospice care - during Thanksgiving and Christmas to provide comfort to these residents.
• Collaborated with As-Salam clinic ( A nonprofit clinic that provides FREE healthcare to immigrants and Low-income families ) Currently the health bridge team is organizing fundraising events for As-Salam and aims to sponsor 100 patients to get FREE healthcare, $35/patient
• In the future, Health-Bridge aims to collaborate with other nonprofits to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for people

1. Student Welfare Club - Advisor & Donor ( 10,11,12) 1.25 hours/week , 52wk/yr)

• As an advisor participated in virtual meetings to plan initiatives for the club aimed at improving the lives of people in the village of Fulbaria, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
• As a Donor, I have financially supported the projects that the club did since 10th grade ensuring that every initiative of the club can run smoothly to improve the standard of life of people in the village.
• The club raised funds for 60 Families (the whole village) and provided them with necessary food supplies - oil, rice, potatoes, salt, sugar, onions, garlic, etc. Raised total of 40000 BDT ($400) worth of food supplies for the whole village in Bangladesh.
• The next project is to plant 200-300 trees around the mosque in the village.

1. Shadowing Medical Professionals (December 2023 - Ongoing) Gained valuable knowledge about the profession and practical insights into different medical fields, enhancing academic knowledge and providing a foundation for a future career in medicine. Shadowed both clinical and procedures of the mentioned doctors.

• Gastroenterologist: 8 Hours
• Internal Medicine: 10.5 hours
• Physical Therapist: 14 Hours
• Emergency Physician (Summer 2024) - Scheduled
• Ophthalmologist (Summer 2024) - Scheduled
• Neurosurgeon ( Still cold calling/Emailing)

1. Internship as a CNA at Heights At Valley Ranch (50hrs, January 2024 - April 2024)

• Completed a 50-hour internship at a local nursing home as a Certified Nurse Aide. Gained valuable patient care skills and was exposed to clinical settings. Worked alongside Nurse and Physical Therapist to provide patient care to the residents. Some performed skills are: Vital signs, changing patients, parental care, catheter care, mouth care, hand/foot care, direct and indirect patient care

1. Student Volunteer at Gentiva Hospice (2hweek, January - Ongoing)

• I do weekly patient visits with Gentiva Hospice. Consistently volunteered 2-4 hours per week since January, providing compassionate care and support to hospice patients, enhancing their comfort and quality of life. Offering crucial emotional support to both patients and their families during difficult times.

1. Research Analyst Intern at RICE UNIVERSITY office of STEM ENGAGEMENT (July 8, 2024 - July 25. 2024)

• Was selected as a Young Scholar for a research internship with Rice University. [Students will work with and combine instruments such as pulse oximeters, accelerometers, GPS devices, speakers, and microphones to understand a major tenet of the research theme and construct an introductory device that mirrors the type of technology being created at the engineering research center.] - copied from the Rice STEM website since I haven't done it yet

1. Independent Research on Thermoregulation (Unpublished…working on to get in Published) (August 2023 - Ongoing)

• Currently researching Thermoregulation -Sleep Temperature- and how can it be utilized to minimize health risks such as Diabetes, obesity, and Other metabolic syndromes from night shift workers. Conducted a cross-sectional survey of 167 Night shift workers from various industries and evaluated the correlation between sleep temperature and their health complaints.

1. Community service with Kingwood Islamic Center (9,10,11,12)

• During Ramadan served Iftar ( the meal Muslim uses to break fast) to 30-50 people for 3 consecutive years around 2-3 times during the month of Ramadan. Helped to distribute food, make the food, cleaning the mosque afterward ( 1 month/yr 5hweek )
• Also cleaned up the mosque for Jummah praye Special Friday prayer during school break to create a better experience for people during prayer.

1. Social Media Business (10th grade Summer)

• Gained 12 Million+ views and gained across 57K Followers across 2 different accounts earning $2000 in revenue in 1 month.
• Gained 9K subscribers and 2M view on YouTube Shorts within 2 months
• Created entertainment video and Education videos on TikTok and YouTube through the usage of AI to automate the process of content creation. Tik-Tok:- u/HistoricalLore (other Entertainment TikTok account got banned💀💀💀💀)

1. Part-Time Jobs (10,11,12)

• Job 1:- Dave’s Hot Chicken -CashieTeam member ( January 2023 - May 2023 ( 6hweek) (May-August - 16 hweek) ( Sept- November 6hweek)
• Job 2:- Shell Time-Wise - Associate (May - Ongoing) - 16hweek

1. SCHOOL CLUBS INVOLVEMENT

• Culture Club (11,12) - Event Planner. Actively involved in planning and organizing cultural events that celebrate diversity and foster an inclusive community environment at school. For example, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, etc.
• DECA (10,11) - Secretary. Kept record of every meeting and Notified DECA members on upcoming meeting/ competitions. Participated in DECA state competition in Entrepreneurship.
• National Honor Society (10,11,12) - Historian. Actively participated in various community service events such as field cleanup, food drive, book drive, etc. Despite my leadership role, I also created community service opportunities for members through my nonprofit, initiative and Hospice connection.
• HOSA (11) - Got recognized for outstanding community service at International Leadership Conference 2024. Participated in various blood drive events at school and conducted a fundraiser for the school's HOSA chapter

1. EMT Clinicals/Internship (This would be next year for the certification program) I don't have any info on it yet.

It was daba and then Tammy show. Now it’s supposedly corgi and Tess demanded 100k. Then changed it to one bit coin.
Amanda tried deleting truth but couldn’t. So is corgi supposedly alive or plastic? She only threw $1 worth of roses BUT we have screen shots that showed more then that. She use to do corgis and crowns when messy put it as her goal.
I have never heard so many lies come from one persons mouth. Terresa Shkoukani took that winner status.
Tess is creating the drama. She said corgi was in the room and you could see/hear her typing. Then corgi would supposedly comment. So that means the fake Dana’s were all Tess too. So Tess goes on peoples Facebook and steals their pics to make fake accounts to harass herself. Or has Amanda do it for her.
She now has 2 restaurant owning sons that supposedly been harassed. Financial planner to restaurant person now? I can’t remember what other stupid things messy said. Who’s next? Beth? Gina? Because she said she meet her in another live?
Funny how Amanda gave out all this information on others. I know she wanted my tt name. She wanted tori’s tt and cell number.
I hope someone recorded the 100k comment. Blackmail is illegal. Threatening to incite harm to one is illegal. Doxing is illegal. You’ve done it ti 3 women lately. What other things did she threaten? She has no money to get but a psych evaluation and jail time would be awesome!

While the most common question I get here at The White Coat Investor is “Should I invest or pay down debt?”, this post is the answer to many of the other most common questions I receive such as:
While it is easy and tempting to give a quick off the cuff answer, it is actually a disservice to these well-meaning but financially illiterate folks to answer the question they have asked. The best thing to do is to answer the question they should have asked, which is:

The answer to all of these questions then is…

You Need an Investing Plan

Once you have an investing plan, the answer to all of the above questions is obvious. You don't try to reinvent the wheel every time you get paid or have a windfall. You just plug the money you have into the investing plan. It can even be mostly automated. A study by Charles Schwab and Strategic Insights showed that those who make a plan retire with 2.7X as much money as those who do not. Perhaps most importantly, a plan reduces your financial stress, which according to the American Psychological Association, is the leading cause of stress in America.

How to Get an Investing Plan

There are a number of ways to get an investing plan. It's really a spectrum or a continuum. On the far left side, you will find the options that cost the least amount of money but require the largest amount of interest, effort, and knowledge. On the far right side are the most expensive options that require little knowledge, effort, or interest. Here's what the spectrum looks like:

There are really three different methods here for creating an investment plan.

#1 Do It Yourself Investment Plan

The first method is what I did. You read books, you read blog posts, and you ask intelligent questions on good internet forums. This can be completely free, but usually, people spend a few dollars on some books. It will most likely require a hobbyist level of dedication. That's okay if you have the interest, being your own financial planner and investment manager is the best paying hobby there is. On an hourly basis, it usually pays better than your day job. I have spent a great deal of time over the years trying to teach hobbyists this craft.

#2 Hire a Pro to Create Your Plan

On the far side of the spectrum is what many people do, they simply outsource this task. This costs thousands of dollars per year but truthfully can require very little expertise or effort. In order to reduce costs, some people start here and have the pro draw up the plan, then they implement and maintain it themselves. I have also spent a lot of time and effort connecting high-income professionals with the good guys in the industry who offer good advice at a fair price.

#3 WCI Online Course

However, after a few years, I realized there was a sizable group of people in the middle of the spectrum. These are people who really don't have enough interest to be true hobbyists, but they are also well aware that financial services are very expensive. They simply want to be taken by the hand, spoon-fed the information they need to know in as high-yield a manner as possible, and get this financial task done so they can move on with life.
They're not going to be giving any lectures to their peers or hanging out on internet forums answering the questions of others. So I designed an online course, provocatively entitled Fire Your Financial Advisor.
While more expensive than buying a book or two and hanging out on the internet, it is still dramatically cheaper than hiring a financial advisor and so is perfect for those in the middle of the spectrum. Plus it comes with a 1-week no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. To be fair, some people simply use the course (especially the first module) to gain a bit of financial literacy so they can know that they are getting good advice at a fair price. While for others, the course is the gateway drug to a lifetime of DIY investing.
And of course, whether your plan is drawn up by a pro, by you after taking an online course, or by you without taking an online course, it is a good idea to get at least one second opinion from a knowledge professional or an internet forum filled with knowledgeable DIYers. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to identify a crummy investing plan once you know your way around this stuff.
So, figure out where you are on this spectrum.
If you find yourself on the right side, here is my

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For the rest of you, keep reading and I'll try to outline the basic process of creating your own investment plan.

How Do You Make an Investing Plan Yourself?

#1 Formulate Your Goals

Be as specific as possible, realizing that you’ll make changes as the years go by. Examples of good goals include:

1. I want $40,000 for a home downpayment by June 30, 2013.
2. I want to have enough money to pay the tuition at my alma mater in 13 years when my 5-year-old turns 18.
3. I want to have $2 Million saved for retirement by Jan 1, 2030.

Any goal is better than no goal, but the more specific and the more accurate you can be, the better.

#2 Set Up a Plan for Each Goal

The plan consists of identifying what type of account you will use to save the money, choosing the amount you will put toward the goal each year, working out an asset allocation likely to reach the goal with the minimum risk necessary, and identifying a plan B for the goal in case the returns you’re planning on don’t materialize. Let’s look at each of the goals identified in turn and make a plan to reach them.

Investing Plan Goal Examples

Goal #1 – Save Up for a Home Downpayment
Choose the Type of Account
In this case, the best option is a taxable account since it will be relatively short-term savings and you don’t want to pay a penalty to take the money out to spend it. A Roth IRA may also be a good option for a house downpayment.
Choose How Much to Save:
When you get to this step it is a good idea to get familiar with the FV formula in excel. FV stands for future value. There are basically 4 inputs to the formula-how much you have now, how many years until you need the money, how much you will save each year, and rate of return. Playing around with these values for a few minutes is an instructive exercise.
Also, knowing what reasonable rates of return are can help. If you put in a rate of return that is far too high (such as 15%) you’ll end up undersaving. Since you need this money in just 2 ½ years you’re not going to want to take much risk, so you might only want to bank on a relatively low rate of return and plan to make up the difference by saving more. You decide to save $1400 a month for 28 months to reach your goal. According to excel, this will require a 1.8% return.
Determine an Asset Allocation:
This is likely the hardest stage of the process. Reading some Bogleheadish books such as Ferri’s All About Asset Allocation or Bernstein’s 4 Pillars of Investing can be very helpful in doing this. In this case, you need a relatively low rate of return. The first question is “can I get this return with a guaranteed instrument”…i.e. take no risk at all.
Usually, you should look at CDs, money market funds, bank accounts, etc to answer this question. MMFs are paying 0.1%, bank accounts up to 1.2% or so, 2 year CDs up to 1.5%, so the answer is that in general, no, you can’t.
One exception at this particularly unique time is a high-interest checking account. By agreeing to do a certain number of debits a month, you can get a rate up to 3-4% on up to $25K. So that may work for a large portion of the money. In fact, you could just open two accounts and get your needed return with no risk at all.
A more traditional solution would require you to estimate expected returns. Something like 0% real (after-inflation) for cash, 1-3% real for bonds, and 3-6% real for stocks is reasonable. Mix and match to get your needed return.
“Plan B”:
Lastly, you need a plan in case you don’t get the returns you are counting on, a “Plan B” of sorts. In this case, your plan B may be to either buy a less expensive house, borrow more money, make offers that require the seller to pay more of your closing costs, or wait longer to buy.
Goal #2 – Saving for College
4 years tuition at the Alma Mater beginning in 13 years. Let’s say current tuition is $10K a year. You estimate it to increase at 5%/year. So 13 years from now, tuition should be $19,000 a year, or $76K. Note that you can either do this in nominal (before-inflation) figures or in real (after-inflation) figures, but you have to be consistent throughout the equation.
Investment Vehicle:
You wisely select your state’s excellent low cost 529 plan which also gives you a nice tax break on your state taxes.
Savings Amount:
Using the FV function again, you note that a 7% return for 13 years will require a savings of $4000 per year.
Asset Allocation:
You expect 3% inflation, 5% real so 8% total out of stocks and 2% real, 5% total out of bonds. You figure a mix of 67% stocks and 33% bonds is likely to reach your goal. Since your Plan B for this goal is quite flexible (have junior get loans, pay for part out of then-current earnings, or go to a cheaper school,) you figure you can take on a little more risk and you go with a 70/30 portfolio.
“Plan B”:
Have junior get loans or choose a cheaper college.
Goal #3 – $2 Million Saved for Retirement by Jan 1, 2030
Let’s attack the third goal, admittedly more complicated.
You figure you’ll need your portfolio to provide $80K a year (in today's dollars) for you to have the retirement of your dreams. Using the 4% withdrawal rule of thumb, you figure this means you need to have portfolio of about $2 Million (in today's dollars) on the day you retire, which you are planning for January 1st, 2030 (remember it is important to be specific, not necessarily right about stuff like this–you can adjust as you go along.)
You have $200K saved so far. So using the FV function, you see that you have a couple of different options to reach that goal in 19 years. You can either earn a 5% REAL return and save $49,000 a year (in today's dollars), or you can earn a 3% REAL return and save $66,000 a year (again, in today's dollars).
Remember there are only three variables you can change:

1. return
2. amount saved per year
3. years until retirement

Fix any two of them and it will dictate what the third will need to be to reach the goal.
Investment Vehicle:
Roth IRAs, 401K, taxable account
Savings Amount:
$49,000/year
Asset Allocation:
After much reading and reflection on your own risk tolerance and need, willingness, and ability to take risk, you settle on a relatively simple asset allocation that you think is likely to produce a long-term 5% real return:
35% US Stock Market 20% International Stock Market 20% Small Stocks 25% US Bonds
“Plan B”:
Work longer or if prevented from doing so, spend less in retirement
You have now completed step 2, setting up a plan for each goal. Step 3 is relatively simple at this point.

#3 Select Investments

The next step is to select the best (usually lowest cost) investments to fulfill your desired asset allocation. Using all or mostly index funds further simplifies the process.

Investment Plan Example #1 – Retirement Portfolio

Let’s take the retirement portfolio. You have $200K in Roth IRAs and plan to put $5K a year into your IRA and your spouse’s IRA each year through the back-door Roth option. You also plan to put $16.5K into your 401K each year. Unless your spouse also has a 401K, you're going to need to use a taxable account as well to save $49K a year. Your 401K has a reasonably inexpensive S&P 500 index fund which you will use as your main holding for the US stock market. It also has a decent PIMCO actively managed bond fund you can use for your bonds. You’ll use the Roth IRAs for the international and small stocks. So in year one, the portfolio might look like this:
His Roth IRA 40% 25% Total Stock Market Index Fund 20% Total International Stock Market Index Fund
Her Roth IRA 45% 20% Vanguard Small Cap Index Fund 25% Vanguard Total Bond Market Fund
His 401K 5% 5% S&P 500 Index Fund
His Taxable account 5% 5% Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund
As the years go by, the 401K and the taxable account will make up larger and larger portions of the portfolio, necessitating a few minor changes every few years.
After this, all you need to do to maintain the plan is monitor your return and savings amount each year, rebalance the portfolio back to your desired asset allocation (which may change gradually as you get closer to the goal and decide to take less risk), and stay the course through the inevitable bear markets and scary economic times you will undoubtedly pass through.

Investment Plan Example #2 – Taking Less Risk

Let’s do one more example, just to help things sink in. Joe is of more modest means than the guy in the last example. He works a blue-collar job and can really only save about $10K a year. He would like to retire as soon as possible, but he admits it was hard to watch his 90% stock portfolio dip and dive in the last bear market, so he isn’t really keen on taking that much risk again. In fact, if he had to do it all over again, he’d prefer a 50/50 portfolio.
He figures he could get 5% real out of his stocks, and 2% real out of his bonds, so he expects a 3.5% real return out of his 50/50 portfolio. Joe expects social security to make up a decent chunk of his retirement income, so he figures he only needs his portfolio to provide about $30K a year. He wants to know how long until he can retire. He has a $100K portfolio now thanks to some savings and a small inheritance.
Goal:
A portfolio that provides $30K in today’s dollars. $30K/.04=$750K
Type of Account:
He has no 401K, so he plans to use a Roth IRA and a SEP-IRA since he is self-employed.
Savings Amount:
He is limited to $10K a year by his wife’s insistence that the kids eat every day.
Asset Allocation:
He likes to keep it simple, so he’s going to do: 30% US Stocks 20% Intl Stocks 25% TIPS 25% Nominal bonds
He expects 3.5% real out of this portfolio. Accordingly, he expects he can retire in about 29 years. =FV(3.5%,29,-10000,-100000)=$760,295
Plan B:
His wife will go back to work after the kids graduate if they don’t seem to be on track
Investments:
Year 1
Roth IRA 30% VG TIPS Fund 25% TBM 5%
Taxable account 65% TSM 30% TISM 20% TBM 20% (he’s in a low tax bracket)
SEP-IRA 5% VG TIPS Fund 5%
So now we get back to the questions like those in the beginning of this post: “I have $50K that I need to invest. Where should I put it?” The first consideration is why haven’t you invested it yet? You should be investing the money as you make it according to your investing plan. If your retirement accounts have already been maxed out for the year, then you simply invest it in a taxable account according to your asset allocation.
A few last words about developing an investment plan:
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Any plan is better than no plan.
The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.
There are no old, bold [investors].
What do you think? What is the best way to get an investment plan?
Why do so many investors invest without a plan?

I took the SIE and wanted to share what worked for me . I used security institute of America, if you you google you can find 10 or 15% , I got the full package. It comes with a physical textbook that covers everything on the exam, but isn't overly long. You read the book and watch the videos on each chapter (also not so long)
There are quizzes for each chapter so you can make sure you've mastered a topic before moving on to the next one
When you're ready you start taking practice exams. The real exam felt a little easier to me than the practice, so I would say once you can pass the practice exams you're definitely ready.
I can't compare this company to the other providers because it's the only one I tried. I do know that they're part of Wiley (or partners maybe) which is probably the biggest financial education publisher along with Kaplan
I plan to take series 65 next because it doesn't require firm sponsorship (I don't work for a firm) and allows you to charge for financial advice (register with your state until you manage $100 million then you register with SEC)
you can also get a license from your state to sell life insurance and annuities and then you're ready to be a full service financial planner (you can go for CFP but seems that's more for prestige than anything else) seems like most people need help planning for retirement above all else
If you have a job/sponsor, probably the best is to take series 7 and series 66 as then you're fully covered , but if you don't then get your series 65
Hope this helps someone

The QBO Cash Flow Planner is…bad. I like that it can pull my credit cards and bank account data directly in, but other than that it is seriously lacking.
What do you use? Do you integrate your financial accounts or plug the data in?
Thanks!