Episodi

  • Borderless FI: Starting Over At 37 After Divorce | Bronwyn Candish | 212
    May 3 2026
    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 mindsetWhy being an accountant did not automatically make her good with moneyLifestyle creep, overbuying on housing, and drifting into paycheck-to-paycheck livingDivorce as a financial wake-up call in her late 30sHow Bronwyn found FIRE through a random article and went deep down the rabbit holeThe role of KiwiSaver, housing, and DIY culture in the New Zealand version of FI Why community and accountability matter so much on the journeyHow Bronwyn turned her accounting practice into a FIRE-adjacent coaching spaceThe 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.
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    57 min
  • The Fog of FI: Overcoming the Fear of Quitting Your Job | "The Long View" Crossover | 211
    Apr 29 2026
    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.
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    1 ora e 5 min
  • Hot Takes & Money Debates: Social Security at 62, New Trump Accounts, & more! | Bill & Jackie | 210
    Apr 26 2026
    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.
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    1 ora e 5 min
  • Why 90% of Families Lose Their Wealth (and How to Stop the Cycle) | Julia Myers | 209
    Apr 19 2026
    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 generationJulia's shift from pharmacist to generational wisdom coach after a life-changing health crisisThe three biggest reasons generational wealth gets lostWhy "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 themHow to talk to kids about money, giving, enough, and expectationsWhy late starters can still change their family's financial storyPractical 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.
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    1 ora e 1 min
  • 20 Questions from 20-Somethings About Money | Dr. DeLong, Emilie Stewart. Britton Carver | 208
    Apr 12 2026
    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 graduationWhy Roth IRAs are such a powerful early-start toolHow to think about saving for retirement versus nearer-term goalsWhat happens to your 401(k) when you switch jobsWhy savings rate matters more than most young adults realizeThe balance between being responsible and being too frugalHow parents, professors, and mentors shape money mindsetWhy financial literacy needs to be practical, not just theoreticalWhat 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.
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    1 ora e 10 min
  • Financial Literacy 101: Live Inside the Classroom at University of Tennessee | Bill & Jackie | 207
    Apr 8 2026
    APRIL IS FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH! What happens when you hand a room full of almost-graduates a microphone, a few $2 bills, and permission to ask the money questions most adults still avoid? In this special on-the-road episode, we take you inside the financial literacy presentation at the University of Tennessee to share a few highlights of our recent talk. It's energetic, imperfect, and deeply encouraging. Financial literacy doesn't have to be stiff or scary. Sometimes it just looks like showing up, telling the truth about your mistakes, and helping the next person get a much earlier start than you did. This episode covers: ➡️ Highlights from Bill and Jackie's live financial literacy presentation at UT Knoxville ➡️ Why young adults need practical money education before entering the workforce ➡️ The difference between being rich and being wealthy ➡️ Why savings rate matters so much for financial independence ➡️ How to think about 401(k)s, employer match, vesting, and job changes ➡️ Why index funds and simple investing often beat picking individual stocks ➡️ Jackie's $2 bill story and how tiny saving habits can shape a lifetime ➡️ Bill's "rich doctor syndrome" story and the danger of lifestyle inflation ➡️ How listeners can adapt this presentation for their own school, church, or community . === 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 BetterInvesting.org 📘 If You Can: How Millennials Can Get Rich Slowly (free digital download) 📄 Copy of Our Presentation Slides to UT Students ⏰ Related Episodes I Have a PhD in Business but Never Had a Personal Finance Class | Dr. Karen DeLong | 206 Questions from Students (coming in April) . 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.
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    45 min
  • I Have a PhD in Business but Never Had a Personal Finance Class | Dr. Karen DeLong | 206
    Apr 5 2026
    APRIL IS FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH! What if one passionate professor, one classroom, and a few brave money questions could change hundreds of financial lives before graduation? We head to Knoxville for a special Financial Literacy Month episode with Dr. Karen DeLong, the University of Tennessee professor quietly doing the work most schools still don't: making sure students leave campus with more than a degree. Karen shares how three advanced degrees somehow included zero personal-finance education and how that gap pushed her to build an annual money session for her students. Bill and Jackie reflect on what it was like to teach these soon-to-be graduates and how any late starter can become a powerful financial literacy advocate in their own little corner of the world. This episode covers: ➡️ Why Dr. Karen DeLong started bringing personal finance into her classroom ➡️ How someone can earn multiple degrees and still never take a money class ➡️ Why college students are hungry for practical money conversations ➡️ The kinds of personal finance questions students are asking before graduation ➡️ How Bill and Jackie prepare for live financial literacy teaching sessions ➡️ Why financial literacy fits into almost any curriculum, not just finance classes ➡️ How Farm Credit Mid-America helped support this student enrichment work ➡️ Why late starters can still become mentors and financial literacy advocates ➡️ A preview of the student follow-up episode answering unanswered questions . === 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 . ⏰ Related Episodes Financial Literacy 101: Live Inside the Classroom at University of Tennessee | Bill & Jackie | 207 Questions from Students (coming in April) 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.
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    36 min
  • Is Your 401(k) a Mess? Do This Now (Step-by-Step Guide) | Bill & Jackie | 205
    Mar 29 2026
    April is Financial Literacy Month and we're starting a little early! That's because we are so excited to launch a new project called "The Great 401(k) Cleanup." What if the easiest way to boost your retirement odds this year isn't reducing your spending or a side hustle, but cleaning up that messy, confusing 401(k) you've been ignoring? We are using Financial Literacy Month to launch a full-on 401(k) intervention with a step-by-step guide including: Access From Home Contributions Beneficiaries Investments Rate of Return What's Next 401(k)s and similar workplace plans like the TSP, 403(b), and 457 have become the backbone of retirement for most Americans. Yet they are often confusing and complicated to the average employee. No wonder so many accounts get neglected and become messy over time. The good news is that 2026 can be the year you clean it all up. This friendly and straightforward guide was created independent of any employer or plan provider, and will help you get going. By the time you're done you'll better understand your 401(k) and feel more empowered to use it as a real tool to build wealth and support your money goals. This episode covers: ➡️ How to clean up a messy 401(k) in less than an hour ➡️ Why year-to-date returns can mislead and longer time frames matter more ➡️ How contribution rate and savings rate shape your retirement timeline ➡️ Employer match, vesting schedules, and why "free money" still confuses people ➡️ Target date funds and simple one- to three-fund strategies ➡️ How to spot low-cost index funds inside an ugly 401(k) menu ➡️ What to do with old 401(k)s when you change jobs ➡️ How AI can help decode plan documents and confusing fund lists ➡️ Why forgotten 401(k)s now total a jaw-dropping $2.1 trillion ==================== DOWNLOAD GUIDE & EDITABLE CHECKLIST 📄 Cleaning up your 401(k) in less than an hour (complete guide with references) 📄 Cleaning up your 401(k) in less than an hour- Editable Checklist (download first) ==================== DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS MONARCH MONEY The modern way to manage money! Monarch will change the way you organize your financial life. Track, budget, plan, and do more with your money – together. Get 50% off the first year using this link and entering code: CATCHINGUP50 For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners 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 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.
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    1 ora e 3 min