Episodes

This week’s topic comes from a wedding Matt attended in the recent past. As is usual when we tell people we’re a Financial Planner, the questions come flowing! This time, the question was “Should I DIY my Roth IRA?”, which was interesting for a number of reasons. In this episode, Matt and Elliott highlight the pros and cons of DIY Investing. Is it bad? Is it for everyone? Find out in this week’s episode! Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at ma...

With the job market looking a bit rocky, Matt and Elliott wanted to talk about liquidity… or more simply, what is your ability to pay your bills in tough times? While a Net Worth statement is a great tool, it only tells a partial story of your ability to actually pay for things. Many times, the assets on those Net Worth statements will either not be able to be used to pay bills, or will come with some strings attached if you need to use them in a tough time of life. Tune in and hear about Matt...

Welcome to our Estate Planning finale! (For now… at least!) In this episode, Matt and Elliott share some stories of where they have seen issues arise in the past. Whether it’s forgetting (or not doing) the simple things like setting beneficiaries, not having proper control over your assets, or just organizational chaos… there are many things that can go wrong after someone passes away. While there is no legal advice contained in this podcast, we hope these stories can help you think through wh...

We’re closing in on the end of our Estate Planning mini-series, and we’ve saved some of the most important topics for last! Healthcare decisions! While a Will and the other documents we’ve discussed up to this point will help you get money from A to B, or at least be able to have someone in charge of your finances… what about healthcare? Often, end-of-life events are healthcare related. In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss some common things they see, what they’re thinking about, and what...

It’s time for Elliott’s FAVORITE Estate Planning document this week! We’re here to talk about Financial Power of Attorney… and in this episode we cover: Springing vs. Immediate Powers Effective implementation of a POA Understanding what you can grant, or choose to limit Why a POA is likely better than having Joint Accounts Resources: https://www.kitces.com/blog/power-of-attorney-poa-incapacity-access-durability-springing-elder-abuse-rejection-agent/ Have a question for a future show topic...

This week, we continue on our Estate Planning mini-series! In this episode, Matt and Elliott cover: Understanding the difference between a Will and Trust Why Trusts are not just for “rich people” Key aspects to think about when drafting your Will Best Practices when getting your documents drafted Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at www.planwithharmony.com Elliott Appel, CFP® can be reached by email at elliott@...

Welcome to another episode of ME & Money! This week, we are kicking off a mini-series on Estate Planning. In this episode, we cover: The high-level basics of what an Estate Plan is, and what it does Why everyone has a need to either get, or monitor their Estate Plan Key documents and basic terminology of an Estate Plan Basic tools you can make use of to get started Resource: Estate Planning Toolkit – https://planwithharmony.com/resources-estate-planning-toolkit/ Have a question for a fut...

Talking money with kids… it doesn’t happen enough and is probably second only to the “birds and the bees” conversation in terms of things parents dread talking to their kids about. Well, Gayle Reaume (https://www.instagram.com/gayleannreaume/ , https://moolahu.com/) has a solution for you! In this episode, Matt and Elliott talk with Gayle about: Teaching children how to create a spending plan Giving your kids the responsibility for some of your money Why teaching children how to earn money ...

As we close out this experiment of “Would You Rather?”, Matt asks Elliott a mind-breaking question at the end. Stay tuned to hear the spicy conclusion! In this episode we give our take on: Would you rather own Real Estate with 5 Family Members, or Start a Business with 5 Total Strangers? Would you rather gamble $10,000 at the casino, or on r/WallStreetBets? The secret question that broke Elliott’s brain! WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR ANSWERS! REACH OUT AT THE EMAIL BELOW! Have a question for a fu...

We had so much fun doing this last week, we had to do it again! In this episode, Matt and Elliott debate: Would you rather never compare your finances to someone else, or know you’re always beating them? Never stress about money, or never pay taxes? Always feel like you never have enough, or never know how much money you have? Let us know what you think! Shoot us an email! Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at w...

We’re kicking off a little experiment, which started with an interesting conversation we had a couple weeks back off the air. For the next few weeks, we’re going to play a financial version of the classic “Would You Rather?” social game. To kick things off, Matt and Elliott discuss their takes on: Would you rather be Age 40 with $500k, or 65 with $5M? Have $1M now, or $100k/year for life? Make $250k at a job you hate, or $60k at a job you love? Have thoughts on these yourself? Comment or s...

With all the tariff-related market fluctuations, Matt and Elliott take some time this week to discuss market-timing. Is it possible to time the market, consistently? How do you know when to get out? More importantly, when to get in? Why making decisions for days at a time, can have decades of an impact? Horror stories of trying to time the market Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at www.planwithharmony.com Ellio...

Building off of the technical information from last week, Matt and Elliott discuss more about some of their favorite use cases for a Brokerage Account, and who may find them to be a valuable tool. While we don’t know the details of your exact situation, perhaps hearing a few examples may help you understand if this is the right tool for you to consider. (Please consult with your financial or tax professional, first!) Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by e...

“Brokerage Account, what the heck is that?” In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss one of the most confusing accounts in the savings worlds, Brokerage Accounts. These can sometimes just be called “Individual”, “Joint”, or “Taxable” investment accounts, adding to the confusion. While they function much like an IRA, Roth IRA, or any other retail investment account, tune in to learn more about the details, and what to know before opening one yourself. Have a question for a future show topic? ...

In a follow-up to our last episode, we went even deeper into the Roth versus Traditional debate for IRAs and 401ks. We hope you enjoy this nuanced discussion around saving for retirement, and why the best decision for you, is much more the question than listening to the “YOU MUST DO THIS…” news articles out there. Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at www.planwithharmony.com Elliott Appel, CFP® can be reached by ema...

We’re here to talk retirement plan options today! Many times when working with their clients, Matt and Elliott take the approach that many of these accounts are functionally the same thing, but they come with slight variation in how, when, and what you can contribute to them. Think of these accounts as “ice cream”, but with different flavors! In this episode, we talk about: Contribution limits, timing, and taxation Matching provisions Investment choice Roth vs. Traditional and… much more!...

Picking up where we left off last time, we’re here to talk about Health Sharing Plans, which are sometimes used as a replacement for traditional health insurance. In this episode, we talk a bit more about the pitfalls and considerations you should make before signing up for a community/group health sharing program. Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CFP® can be reached by email at matt@planwithharmony.com or at www.planwithharmony.com Elliott Appel, CFP® can be reached by em...

Healthcare is undoubtedly one of the greatest financial concerns for the majority of Americans. With health-related expenses being the #1 cause of bankruptcy, it’s really important to understand what all these letters mean. In this episode, Matt and Elliott share” What is the difference between an HMO and PPO? Deductibles, Max Out Of Pocket, and understanding what annual costs could be What is an Health Savings Account, when is it appropriate? Why picking a health plan is not “set it and fo...

Credit Scores and their importance are one of the most written about topics when it comes to personal finance, yet there is still a great deal of confusion on how they work, what they mean, and what you can do to take care of it. In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss the 5 major factors a Credit Score is based on, some general rules of thumb for how to manage your credit, and what pitfalls to avoid when looking to make use of credit. Have a question for a future show topic? Matt Fizell, CF...

Each year, our world becomes even more “digital”, and with it, this means there are more ways than ever to have your information, identity, and financial life hijacked on the internet. In this episode, Matt Fizell, CFP® and Elliott Appel, CFP® discuss a variety of ways you can protect your finances, and make life a little more secure. While the strategies in this episode are not the only ways you can help secure your online presence, be sure to listen to the end and learn how you can tackle a f...

Tax season is right around the corner! Are you prepared to prepare those returns? Tax filing deadlines can sneak up on us quickly, and make life a bit more stressful than it needs to be. In this episode, Matt and Elliott discuss a few helpful pointers that you can use both when filing that 2024 Return, along with proactive tips to carry with you throughout the year that can make 2025’s Return a bit easier. You can expect insightful conversations on: Making use of a digital tax folder Verify...

Whether it’s a big vacation, your insurance bills, or even the subscriptions to various services, Matt and Elliott share their thoughts on when it makes sense (or maybe doesn’t) to prepay. In a world with increasingly popular “Buy Now, Pay Later” options, it’s important to know why paying in advance might not only help you create a successful financial future, but also feel better when you do spend money. In this episode, we discuss: Why paying for vacation in advance makes it more enjoyable ...

Happy (almost… anyways…) New Year! As we all start looking ahead to 2025, many times it can feel like an opportunity to have a fresh start, make changes, or try to be a bit more proactive on a given habit or aspect of our life. In this episode, Matt and Elliott share how they approach these conversations with their clients in terms of their Personal Finances. You can expect some great conversation around: Planning for goals and larger expenses Reflecting on spending and earnings from last y...

**Episode 12 was also released today, don’t forget to check out our conversation with Olivia Sharp on all things Home, Auto, and Liability Insurance** In this second edition of ME & MONEY for this week, Matt and Elliott sit down with 3 Tax Experts as we enter the beginning of tax season for those 2024 Returns. With our special guests Alicyn McLeod, Ashley Francis, and Logan Graf, we touch on a few key points you should think about while determining whether you’ll self-file, or look to hire a C...