
Loading summary
Farnoosh Torabi
It's not what you say, it's how you say it. And when you show up in a Range Rover Sport, you don't have to say much at all. This is the vehicle for those who lead with quiet confidence, where power, poise and performance speak louder than words. The Range Rover Sport combines a dynamic sporting personality with refined elegance and agility, delivering an instinctive drive that feels as purposeful as it looks. Its distinctly British design doesn't shout for attention, but it gets it. And when the road changes the terrain, response to system with seven drive modes adapts like a seasoned traveler. Inside luxury is not an add on, it's a standard. Breathe easy with the cabin air purification system, enjoy serenity with active noise cancellation, and explore in comfort whether you're gliding through city streets or carving through winding country roads. There's even a plug in hybrid engine option with an estimated electric range of 53 miles, because even raw power can be smart. Explore Range Rover sport@range rover.com US that's range rover.com US Sport this episode is brought to you by after the Fact, a podcast by the Pew Charitable Trusts on Sew Money. We talk a lot about informed decision making and after the Fact is the perfect companion for that mindset. This podcast offers data driven insights into today's big issues, from housing to Internet.
Co-host
Access, health and the environment.
Farnoosh Torabi
Each episode features expert insights with real stories so you're not just getting the numbers, you're hearing how people and communities are working toward real, lasting solutions.
Co-host
If you're curious, thoughtful and want just.
Farnoosh Torabi
The facts, this is the podcast to.
Co-host
Add to your rotation.
Farnoosh Torabi
Listen to after the Fact wherever you get your podcasts.
Co-host
So money episode 1815 ask Farnoosh.
Farnoosh Torabi
You're listening to so Money with award winning money guru Farnoosh Torabi. Each day get a 30 minute dose of financial inspiration from the world's top business minds, authors, influencers and from Farnoosh yourself. Looking for ways to save on gas or double your double coupon. Sorry, you're in the wrong place. Seeking profound ways to live a richer, happier life. Welcome to so Money.
Co-host
Happy Friday everybody. Welcome to so Money. I'm so money this week because I paid off a car lease. I now own the car and I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. I'm debating maybe selling it, getting something a little bit more economical, maybe a hybrid or an ev. I also found every single library book that was around the house and managed to return all nine books to the library. This is, if you know, you know, a huge feat when you've got two kids and all these books, I love going to the library. I dread returning the library books. In fact, there have been times when we have completely lost a library book or two and the fines are not commensurate with the value of the book. Let me just tell you, I had to spend 20 bucks one time to basically it was a fine, a penalty for a DVD about My Little Ponies. I'm not even sure why we got the dvd. I don't think we ever watched it. And this week I completed our multi part series on affording kids in America. If you didn't catch these four episodes, go back and take a listen. If you're a caregiver, a parent expecting we covered some really important ground from how to budget, how to create a financial plan, how to clear your debt, how to navigate health insurance in the healthcare system, how to analyze your insurance plan to be sure that it's good enough up to snuff to take care of you and your expanding family. We talked about how to navigate work on Monday. In fact, I sat down with Lauren Smith Brody. She's the founder of the Fifth Trimester and I loved what she had to say about how 70 some percent of workers in America are caregivers. And these aren't just moms and dads of little ones. These are parents who might be taking care of an older kid, of an adult child who has special needs. It could be someone who's taking care of an aging relative. It could be someone taking care of their own mental health or their own recovery from addiction, from depression. The list goes on. And so I just think it's such an important message for everybody to hear that when we can understand that care is care and that caregiving is a priority and a responsibility of a majority of American workers. Employers need to wake up to this. They need to address this, they need to support this. And if it's not employers, it needs to be coming through the federal system and what that looks like. It's a menu of things from flexible hours to flex spending accounts to at minimum, a robust health insurance plan that won't leave you hanging after delivering a child in the hospital, on site childcare, paid family leave, et cetera, et cetera. As a nation, the United States ranks at the very bottom amongst the 40 plus economically developed nations in terms of providing workers with paid family leave. It's pretty nuts. I'm very proud of this series and as I mentioned throughout these episodes, if you want to get more of a download on this topic, I have a 60 page compreh educational guide that includes some of the snippets from these interviews as well as tons of data, a lot of my own personal experience and anecdotes from the audience, people who reached out and said I'd love to contribute and share my perspective, my stories on how I'm for example navigating healthcare, navigating childcare, transitioning my work and my career to better support my life at home. You can go to sofi.comfamily to get that free guide today from the mailbag we have questions about how to manage your finances when you you are a sort of late in life parent. A listener in the audience wants to know when my kids potentially go to college, we're going to be on the cusp of retirement. So is there anything that we should be thinking about right now to better prepare ourselves for what seems to be just around the corner? I have some tips also. Can you ever be investing too much too much? This is a question that came up during one of my one on one calls this week with a listener. The question was is it okay to cut back our investing so that we can have more money every month? Month we feel a little strapped, cash strapped. Especially now that we've become parents. And if you're curious how I was chatting with this listener and why, it's because she left a review in the Apple Podcast review section. So if you'd like some one on one time with me, here's how you can apply. You can leave a review in the Apple Podcast reviews section. Every week I pick a reviewer to get a free 15 minute phone call as well as a trial month of our so Money members club. This month we're talking about all things budgets, so it's actually really timely for this particular listener to connect with me. She can get into the so Many Members Club for free and sit in on that live workshop which I also record this week. We're going to say thanks to AA907 who left a review a little while ago, calling the show great with practical advice. Here's the review. I've been listening for over a year. I love the advice given on the show. It's always practical and Farnooche makes it easy to understand. Well, thanks. You know, the New York Times calls my advice perfectly practical. Practical. I'd love to also be known as sometimes wildly radical, but I love the compliment. This is definitely my dad and me who's our physicist in the family, the scientists. Always looking for the roi, the practicality. And so thank you so much for your review. AA907. Please get in touch. You can email me farnish@somoneypodcast.com or you can direct message me on Instagram. Let me know you left this review. I'll follow up with a link where you can pick a time for us to connect. We're going to get to the mailbag in just a minute, but I want to gripe with you a little bit. I've been talking with a couple of friends who evacuated their homes in Florida this past week. They're safe, thank God. But they were talking about how hotels and flights were astronomically priced. That's illegal. My friend booked a ticket luckily from Florida to California earlier in the week when flights were around $300. And it wasn't a direct flight, it was a transfer, but that's okay. And she said by the afternoon it had skyrocketed to $3,000. And that was American Airlines, she said. And the airlines, of course, are denying price gouging, saying that their fares have been capped. The anecdotes do not back that claim. And so now the Justice Department is getting involved. The FTC is getting involved. All week they were warning consumers of fraud and price gouging. It's very sad and it's maddening. I don't know if I have any advice here, but I would say one, if you experience this or witness this, you gotta tell the Better Business Bureau the F you should report this, your local and statewide consumer protection bureaus. Unfortunately, this is a cost of climate change and a disappointing cost and arguably illegal cost of climate change. But it's unfortunately things that we have to reckon with in the moment. Hopefully when we're on the other side of these storms, these companies will be held accountable. They'll issue some refunds. But in the moment, when it's life or death, we shouldn't have to worry about how we're going to afford whether we're going to survive or not. And that's essentially what these companies are asking us do. So my heart goes out to everybody who had to make hard decisions and financial sacrifices during these storms. Again, I don't have a solution for this. I just wanted to air my frustration and say that if you experience this or we've been talking about this amongst your friends and family, like, hopefully this is going to catch on and these hotels and these airlines will be brought to justice. All right, let's help out our audience. Our first question, it's an anonymous question and it's about how to prepare yourself financially when you are a quote unquote late in life. Parent. Here's the question. Hey farnooch, your money and kids episodes have been awesome. Well, thank you. Glad to know you're listening. Thanks so much for these gifts. They have gotten my wheels spinning a bit. Have you ever seen any roadmaps for later in life? Parents? I just keep thinking about when my kids potentially go to college. We're going to be on the cusp of retirement. We're all over our 401ks and IRAs. We've been contributing to 529s as aggressively as possible. I want to believe that we're going to be setting up our kids to be independent and ready to launch shortly after graduating. But that feels like the exception versus the norm right now and potentially for the foreseeable future. Is there anything outside of general retirement planning, estate planning, long term care, insurance that we can think about now while we're still vaguely young? Here's some advice for you. I did think about this for a little bit and outside of general retirement planning, outside of estate planning and long term care, all of which are important to be thinking about, about and executing on. But outside of that, given that you express a little bit of anxiety around retiring around the same time your kids are going to college, a couple things. So one, I understand that you're contributing full speed ahead with these 529s. Great. But I just want to make sure that you're not contributing so much that it's taking from your ability to invest more for your future. Now on the one hand, kids who graduate debt free from college, they absolutely have a financial leg up. The likelihood that they're going to be coming back to live with you or be dependent on you after college graduation is less likely. The stats show that people who don't have student loans have overall higher net worths for obvious reasons. But that being said, there are many ways to afford college. There aren't so many ways to afford retirement. You either have the money or you don't. And if you don't, you have to work with college. If you don't have the money, you can go part time, you can start at community college and transfer, you can take a gap year, you can apply for scholarships and of course you can take out student loans. We don't want your kids graduating with heaps of debt, but a little bit is not going to ruin them. That's just the first thought that came to mind when you're when I'm hearing that you're aggressively investing in for college and your retirement, which is great, but I just want to make sure that you're not over indexing with the 529 investments so much that you may not have enough in your retirement plan. So just be critical about that. The other thing that I would recommend is if you haven't already opening up a brokerage account. So retirement accounts are great, 401ks IRAs, we love them. But they do require a minimum age of 59 and a half before you can begin to withdraw penalty free. I'm not sure how old you are now or when you're going to be needing to access these retirement plans. But as a way to build in a little bit more flexibility and accessibility to your investments, I would recommend opening up a brokerage account and investing in that. Similarly to how you're investing in your 401ks and your IRAs. You know, spreading it across diversified investments. You can open one up at virtually any brokerage. You could even just start with where you have your 401k or IR or your IRA. The beauty of the brokerage account is that there is no age restriction. There's no requirement for being a certain age to withdraw and access your money. So let's say in 10 years, in 12 years, you're not 59 and a half yet. But there is something down the road, in, down the pipeline that you want to afford. Maybe it's that you want to slow down your career. Maybe it's that you want to give your kids a gift. Maybe it's that you want to help your kids afford an apartment or a new car, whatever, whatever you want to do with this money. And maybe you decide, I don't need this money in 10 or 12 years, I'll just, I'll just use it towards my retirement. That's fine. It's just another account to help diversify your investments. It can be used for retirement, it can be used not for retirement. I would earmark this money, money for a goal, an expense that is at least seven to 10 years down the road. You're not opening this up so that next year you can use it. And that's just because the market fluctuates so much. The general rule of thumb, and I agree with it, is that you don't want to be investing any money that you do need in the next five, six years. That this is a medium to long term investment plan. But going back to what I said earlier about 529 versus 401ks and IRAs, if you are able to contribute to both of these buckets so that your kids can go to college more or less debt free and you can retire more or less with enough money. Wonderful. Because again, young adults who graduate from college without debt, they're able to accumulate wealth faster. They're going to have more career flexibility, they're going to have better credit. So therefore access to more loans, more flexibility, higher net worth, lower financial stress, and they will less likely rely on you to support them following graduation. But if that's what happens, if they do boomerang and come and live with you for a while, I think it's important to have a sense of what the boundaries may be, what will be some of the guidelines? I was just reading about how a young woman moved back home after college. Her parents charged her $600 a month for rent, but they saved that money for her. And so in four years, when she was ready to move out, she had close to $30,000 in savings. And I just thought that was great. You know, it's maybe that you don't need the money, just want to create that discipline. You want to. You don't want them to be freeloading. You want them to be, you know, paying something so that they can be more encouraged to move out and be out on their own. And then surprise, here's $30,000 that you saved as a result of living at home. I have nothing against kids who move back home. I think it's fine. And frankly, now it's kind of necessary for some kids. With the job market not being that robust, I was reading about how how 40% of college grads are underemployed, so they're in jobs that don't actually require college degrees. I hope that changes by the time your kids go to go to college and graduate college. But I don't know with where AI is going and the Institute of Higher Ed, I think needs major transformation. I think there's a lot of room for improvement. We need to be more strategic and more practical, to use the word again, when it comes to college, affording the degree, getting an ROI and really just getting out of there. Because the longer you were in college, the more it's going to cost. And if you didn't study the right things that will pay the right kind of salary, you're going to be paying the price for many years. I feel like that's another series on so Money. What do you think? Coming up, we're going to talk about investing and is it ever too much? A listener in the audience is investing 20% of her income towards retirement. She's not even 30 years old yet. Is she doing too much? First, a commercial break. A few summers ago, we booked an.
Farnoosh Torabi
Airbnb on the southern coast of California.
Co-host
For our extended family.
Farnoosh Torabi
Parents, siblings, cousins, the whole crew. We wanted a place with plenty of space, a big kitchen for family meals, and enough bedrooms so no one had to fight over who got the couch. And we found the perfect spot. We spent our mornings drinking coffee on the porch, afternoons exploring, and our nights playing board games in the living room.
Co-host
And that trip got me thinking about.
Farnoosh Torabi
How many people have vacation homes or secondary properties sitting there unused for much of the year. Which is why Airbnb's co host network is such a game changer.
Co-host
If you have a secondary property or.
Farnoosh Torabi
You'Re thinking about hosting one, a co host can help you with everything from creating your listing to guest messaging and on site support so you can earn extra income without all the work. Want to learn more? Find a co host@airbnb.com Host vacation season is nearly upon us. This year I'm treating myself to the luxe upgrades I deserve with Quince's high quality travel essentials at fair prices. Think lightweight European linen styles from $30, washable silk tops and comfy lounge sets with premium luggage options and stylish tote bags to carry it all. And the best part? All Quint's Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. By working directly with top factories and cutting out the middleman, they pass those savings straight to us.
Co-host
I'm traveling overseas soon and I cannot wait to bring along some of my.
Farnoosh Torabi
Quince travel accessories, including a leather jewelry travel case and a new leather RFID blocking passport holder. For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from quince. Go to quince.com sewmoney for 370 doll 65 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q-U-I-N C E.com somoney to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com Sewmoney this episode of Sew Money.
Advertiser
Is brought to you by Nordstrom. Spring is here and if you're looking to refresh your wardrobe without breaking the bank, Nordstrom has you covered. They've curated the best of spring fashion, all under a hundred dollars from top brands like Mango Skims, Levi's, Nike and Free People think effortless boho dresses, sleek matching sets and must have sneakers and handbags of the season. Whether you're into floral minis, 70s inspired denim or that perfect pair of heels, Nordstrom makes it easy to find what you love at a price that fits your budget. And let's be real Shopping for trendy, affordable fashion can be overwhelming, but Nordstrom takes the guesswork out of it by bringing together the best styles in one place so you can spend less time searching and more time feeling fabulous. And the best part? Shopping in Nordstrom is risk free with free shipping and returns. Plus, you can pick up your order the same day at your nearest Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack. So if you're ready to update your look, check out Nordstrom in stores online@nordstrom.com or on the Nordstrom app.
Farnoosh Torabi
Have you ever woken up with a funky symptom like a swollen, itchy eye or a tight pain in your neck and immediately googled it or searched TikTok to see what's wrong? We've all gone down that rabbit hole, but it's time to get the help and care you really need with Zocdoc. Zocdoc is a free app and website where you can search and compare high quality in network doctors and click to instantly book an appointment. Appointment we're talking about booking in network appointments with more than 100,000 doctors across every specialty from mental health to dental health, primary care to urgent care, and more. Once you find the right doctor, you can see their actual appointment openings. Choose a time slot that works for you and click to instantly book a Visit. Appointments through ZocDoc also happen fast, typically within just 24 to 72 hours of booking. You can even score same day appointments. I can't tell you the number of times I've used ZocDoc in a pinch and you should too. Stop putting off those doctor's appointments and go to Zocdoc.com somoney to find and instantly book a top rated doctor today. That's z o c-o c.com somoney zocdoc.com somoney.
Co-host
All right, we're back and we're talking about whether or not you are investing too much money. I think it's easier to answer the question of am I not investing enough? Right? Because we know that we need a certain amount of money for retirement and that amount is usually based on what your expenses will be in retirement. And that rule of thumb is you take 25 times your annual expenses saved by the time that you retire and it's based on the assumption that you're going to withdraw about 4% of your savings each year. Your nest egg should last at that rate for about 30 years or more, thanks to investment returns. Let's say your annual spend is $50,000. Multiply that by for retirement, you want to have about a million and a quarter saved. There's also studies that say that the average American is going to need anywhere from 1.2 to 2.2 million dollars. All of this of course, depends on where you live, your lifestyle, your tax bracket. But for our friend here who's wondering if she's investing too much, this is pretty subjective. But I want to also say that she comes to me with this question because she is feeling cash strapped at the end of the month. She and her husband together are invest about 20% of their salaries towards the future, towards retirement. They feel like they're penny pinching a little bit during the month to address their costs. And they do have a baby. As parents, there's sometimes some unexpected costs and it just feels like their investing rate isn't leaving them with enough cash during the month to make ends meet comfortably. So firstly, my advice is to run the numbers with this 20% investment rate. By the way, they're still in their 20s. Where does this leave you in 40 years? You can just use a simple compound interest calculator, Put in what you have currently invested, let's say it's $100,000, and then use an average return of about 7 or 8%. 40 years, what does that leave you with? Let's do it. Initial investment. I'm just using 100,000 to just keep it simple. I don't know their salaries, but let's say they're contributing $1,000 a month towards retirement, $12,000 a year in 40 years, with about a 7% interest rate, they're looking at $3.9 million in 40 years. If they were to reduce their monthly contribution to, let's say, $500 a month, that would leave them with $2.7 million in retirement, which is still way more than what the average person is retiring with. I think it's important to get close to the numbers and project where you're going to land at this current rate. What's the goal? Do you want to retire early? Do you want to retire, quote, unquote, on time? Do you never want to retire? All that's important and it's going to inform what your investing rate should be. But I can tell you that as a new parent, there are a lot of unexpected costs and there are a lot of expected costs that take up a lot of room in your budget. If you need to bring down this investment rate for a while, let's say the next year, to increase your cash reserves to have a little bit more breathing room month to month. I think that's fine. As long as you're contributing enough to earn the match from your employers, you're at least contributing 10%. 10% is the general investment rate. Rule of thumb, when you begin in your 20s, this couple's doing 20%. And as I said to her on the phone, this was the audience member who left a review. I said, you can make this decision now to bring down the investment rate and you can always change your decision later on when you feel like you have enough breathing room. And then of course, maybe you'll make more money, you'll have more income coming in, more money to work with. But right now I empathize with young families who need that cash flow and so how to balance that with their future investments. You have to be practical and reasonable. Don't be so strict about how much you invest every month for your future. If that's not going to leave you with enough today to live comfortably. Comfortably know that as you progress in your careers, you'll make more money. And some of the costs that you're dealing with now, like childcare, will shrink over the years inevitably as your kids go to school and you won't need as much round the clock care. And that's money that you could potentially put back into your investments. Question on real estate. Carly emails and wants to know, hey Farnooche, I bought a townhouse a few years ago and I got a special mortgage loan because I'm self employed. I showed one year business tax statements and put 10% down. Now my place has about $100,000 in equity. I want to buy a second home and rent out my current home. And I believe I can get an FHA loan or similar since the second home will become my primary residence. My question is, should I take out some of the home equity in my current home, about $20,000 and use that plus a little bit for my savings for this down payment? Or should I leave the equity as is and continue saving until I have about 10% or more to put down? Right now for my savings, I have a six month emergency fund and it's going to take me probably another year to save up a full 10% to put down? I know the market's crazy, interest rates are coming down, but still high. I'm always on the lookout for deals. I'm in Nashville, a booming city with a lot of homes on the market that seem to have Been half flipped before sellers gave up. Thanks for any insight. Okay, here's my fast advice. I think you can take out the home equity loan and keep it as a reserve. I know that sometimes with real estate you got to jump fast, you got to move fast. So if you've been keeping your eye on deals and you're on top of the trends and you see a good deal, then you can jump on it with the home equity. But make a promise to yourself that you're going to try to pay that off sooner than later. So try to parallel path this. Assume you don't have the home equity loan. In fact, start to save for another 10% that way between now and let's say next year when you've got the full 10%. If you haven't purchased a home, you can use your savings, savings towards the next home and you can just sort of keep that home equity loan as a. In an emergency. Break open glass. I have one. A couple years ago, my husband and I took out a home equity loan against a little bit of the equity in our home. When I saw interest rates going up, I wanted to take advantage of having access to very low interest credit for I don't know what it's the emergency. Just in case, break open glass. If we get a really big medical bill or we like we have to replace our roof all of a sudden, I don't know, life happens. Of course we have savings and other sorts of access to capital, but access to low interest debt is never a bad thing. So maybe take out the home equity loan, put it to the side, keep your eyes open. If you see something that requires jumping on it fast, use the home equity loan but continue to save as well to pay down that home equity loan in the next year or too. All right, next is our friend Jess who wants to know how to find a really good accountant. This is a good time of year to be shopping for a CPA. We have taxes due in the spring of 2025, obviously as always the April 15 deadline. But I think it's good now to do your research, find someone and then start with them in the beginning of the year. She's been using TurboTax, our friend Jess. But now she says I want an adultier way to do my taxes. So word of mouth is always a good place to start asking for recommendations from people. If you're a business owner, people who similar businesses like you or just. And if you're not a business owner, someone that you trust that you feel comfortable asking for a recommendation, you can Also go through the National Society of Accountants and the American Institute of CPAs, where it costs anywhere from 25 to $50 an hour for bookkeeping. And then if you want someone to do tax prep, those fees can be anywhere from 150 to 400 an hour. And that will depend on the complexity of your situation. One really big piece of advice that I would give is to just be organized. Because you being organized, having everything in a Dropbox folder or cloud folder, you're going to minimize the hours that this accountant is going to have to necessarily work on to figure out your taxes. So putting all of your statements, your bank statements, your previous returns, all your deductions listed out, your expenses, if you're a business owner, having a ledger, your profit and loss statement, a balance sheet, giving them access to, let's say, QuickBooks or wherever you're doing your accounting. Accounting very, very important. All your W2s, your 1099s in a folder. A lot of times accountants will give you a sort of a checklist of things they need from you. So if you're organized, that's just going to save time for you, right, to get them all the information. But I want to emphasize that it's important to work with an accountant that knows your type of work, especially your type of business. If you're an entrepreneur, there are some accountants who work exclusively or mostly with business owners versus, versus those of us who have nine to fives. And then there are some that are more experts in, you know, handling interesting investments you may have made over the years. Over the year. Maybe you bought and sold property, a second home, a vacation home. So just make sure that this person understands all the ways to optimize your taxes, given your lifestyle, given your expenses, given the way that you make money. And this is important, ask if there is a mistake on my tax. Taxes, let's say this person, as, as professional as they are, you know, they're human. They could make a mistake. There could be oversight. How is that going to get resolved? What will that cost? Hopefully, it will cost you nothing. That's the policy you're looking for. I had an accountant one time. You've heard this story, maybe before. I fired him because there were a lot of. A lot of problems, a lot of red flags. But the real nail in the coffin for me was when he made a mistake on my taxes and wanted to bill me for the hours that he spent to correct the error that he made. That was an obvious reason to fire him.
Advertiser
Right?
Co-host
All right, that's our show. For this Friday. Thanks so much for tuning in. As always, if you're enjoying the show, please subscribe, share it with a friend and leave a review. I hope your weekend is so money.
Advertiser
In communities across the country, hourly Amazon employees earn an average of over $22 an hour with opportunities to grow their career and their paycheck. Learn more@aboutamazon.com we had a 1200% increase.
Linda
In sales using TikTok ads. My name is Linda and I'm a co founder of Love and Pebble. We created Beauty Pops, a frozen facial that melts into nourishing skincare. I started this business with my husband and we do everything from packing, orders, marketing. Before it was just me creating videos, but now I have over 2000 affiliates that are working with us. If we can do it with TikTok ads, you can too.
Farnoosh Torabi
Want to grow your business fast? Head over to get started.TikTok.com tiktokads.
Podcast Summary: So Money with Farnoosh Torabi
Episode: 1815: Are You Overinvesting? Home Equity Loans and Finding a CPA
Release Date: April 18, 2025
Introduction So Money with Farnoosh Torabi continues its tradition of delivering insightful financial advice and strategies. In Episode 1815, titled "Are You Overinvesting? Home Equity Loans and Finding a CPA," host Farnoosh Torabi delves into the nuances of investment strategies, the strategic use of home equity, and the importance of finding the right Certified Public Accountant (CPA). This episode is particularly valuable for listeners navigating financial planning as parents and individuals seeking to optimize their financial health.
Co-host's Weekly Update ([02:15] - [07:45])
The episode begins with the co-host sharing her personal financial milestones and challenges. She highlights paying off a car lease and contemplates whether to keep or sell the vehicle, considering more economical or environmentally friendly options like hybrids or electric vehicles. Additionally, she celebrates returning all library books, a significant achievement given her responsibilities as a parent.
Notable Insights:
Affording Kids in America Series: The co-host announces the completion of a multi-part series focused on the financial aspects of parenting in the U.S. This series covers essential topics such as budgeting, debt management, health insurance navigation, and caregiving responsibilities.
Caregiving as a Priority: Emphasizing a discussion with Lauren Smith Brody, founder of the Fifth Trimester, the co-host underscores that over 70% of American workers are caregivers. This includes not just parents but also those caring for aging relatives or dealing with personal health issues. She stresses the need for employers and federal systems to support caregivers through policies like flexible hours, robust health insurance, on-site childcare, and paid family leave.
"Caregiving is a priority and a responsibility of a majority of American workers. Employers need to wake up to this and provide the necessary support." ([06:30])
Educational Resources: To complement the series, the co-host offers a free 60-page educational guide available at sofi.com/family, which includes interviews, data, personal experiences, and audience contributions on navigating financial challenges as parents.
Question 1: Investing Too Much? ([08:00] - [17:00])
A listener asks whether it's possible to overinvest, specifically questioning if contributing 20% of her income toward retirement is excessive, especially as new parents feeling financially stretched.
Co-host's Advice:
Assessing Investment Impact: Farnoosh Torabi advises running the numbers using compound interest calculators to project long-term outcomes. For instance, contributing $1,000 monthly over 40 years at a 7% interest rate could yield approximately $3.9 million.
"It's essential to project where you're going to land with your current investment rate and adjust based on your financial comfort and retirement goals." ([12:45])
Flexibility in Investing: She suggests that if the high investment rate compromises monthly cash flow, it's acceptable to temporarily reduce contributions. Maintaining at least a 10% investment rate to secure employer matches is recommended.
"As a new parent, balancing unexpected costs and future investments requires practicality. Don’t be too strict if it means compromising your current comfort." ([15:20])
Diversifying with Brokerage Accounts: To enhance financial flexibility, Farnoosh recommends opening a brokerage account alongside retirement accounts. This allows for accessible funds for various life goals without the age restrictions of retirement accounts.
Listener Question: Utilizing Home Equity for a Second Home ([17:54] - [30:20])
Carly, a listener, seeks advice on whether to take out a home equity loan from her current property to fund a down payment on a second home or continue saving until she has sufficient funds.
Co-host's Guidance:
Strategic Use of Home Equity: Farnoosh suggests that taking out a home equity loan can provide immediate funds for purchasing a second property, especially in a competitive market like Nashville. However, she emphasizes the importance of treating this loan as a reserve and committing to paying it off promptly.
"Accessing home equity can be beneficial if you're ready to act quickly on a good deal, but it's crucial to have a plan to repay it to avoid long-term debt." ([22:10])
Parallel Savings Strategy: She advises continuing to save for the down payment while utilizing the home equity loan as needed, ensuring that Carly remains financially secure even if real estate plans change.
Emergency Funds and Flexibility: Maintaining a six-month emergency fund is essential. Farnoosh shares her personal experience of using a home equity loan as a safety net for unexpected expenses, reinforcing its value in financial planning.
Listener Question: How to Find a Reliable CPA ([30:25] - [31:20])
Jess, another listener, inquires about transitioning from using TurboTax to hiring a professional CPA for more sophisticated tax needs.
Co-host's Recommendations:
Leveraging Networks: Farnoosh recommends seeking referrals from trusted sources, especially those in similar business sectors for entrepreneurs. Professional organizations like the National Society of Accountants and the American Institute of CPAs are also valuable resources.
"Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a reliable CPA. Ask for recommendations from people you trust who have similar financial situations." ([30:45])
Cost Considerations: Typical fees for bookkeeping range between $25 to $50 per hour, while tax preparation can cost $150 to $400 per hour, depending on complexity.
Organizational Tips: She stresses the importance of being organized before meeting with a CPA. Keeping all financial documents in a centralized location, such as a cloud folder, can streamline the process and reduce costs.
"Being organized with your financial records not only saves you time but also minimizes the hours an accountant needs to work, which can reduce your overall costs." ([31:00])
Ensuring Accountability: Farnoosh advises verifying the CPA's expertise in your specific financial area and understanding their policies on handling mistakes, emphasizing the importance of a trustworthy relationship.
"Ensure that your CPA understands your unique financial situation and has a clear policy for addressing any errors they might make." ([31:15])
Throughout the episode, Farnoosh Torabi encourages audience engagement by inviting listeners to leave reviews for a chance to win a free consultation and a trial of the So Money Members Club. She also expresses frustration with price gouging during emergencies, highlighting the importance of consumer advocacy.
"If you experience price gouging, report it to the Better Business Bureau and your local consumer protection agencies. Companies should be held accountable for unfair practices, especially during crises." ([14:50])
Conclusion
Episode 1815 of So Money with Farnoosh Torabi offers a comprehensive exploration of balancing investment strategies with daily financial needs, leveraging home equity responsibly, and finding the right CPA to manage complex tax situations. Farnoosh provides practical, empathetic advice tailored to listeners navigating financial planning as parents and professionals. Her emphasis on flexibility, organization, and strategic decision-making serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to optimize their financial well-being.
Additional Resources: