Two Sides of FI

Teaching Our Teens About FI and Money (Part 1)

Having children comes along with many necessary expenses, but also provides a key opportunity to provide them with a solid financial education. In part one of a two part series, we tackle a topic that's been requested many times by viewers: all things relating to kids. Topics discussed in this episode include our own financial upbringing, early attempts to teach our kids about saving + investing, the value of teens having jobs, and talking with them about FIRE. Join us for the first episode of this two-part series.

**Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/kids

Buying Bonds. Still Not Convinced I’m Doing the Right Thing! (Part 2)

I reallocated my investment portfolio, sold out of my 100% equity position and I'm not happy about it. Part two of a two-part series, you'll learn why and how I'm making peace with it. Ensuring that your investment portfolio can fund your lifestyle for the duration of your lifespan is essential to success in FIRE. One of the most impactful elements of that is how your portfolio is constructed, or your asset allocation. In this episode, Eric discusses his desire to reduce the risk of his portfolio with Jason, and ensure he + Laura are set up for success. Topics discussed include the role of bonds + fixed income, the types of investment risk, seeking feedback from internet forums, and tax considerations. Join us for the second episode of this two-part series on Eric's reallocation experience.

**Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/eric-reallocation2

FI-nancial Decisions - Transitioning to FI with Laura + Eric [Bonus Episode]

Making big decisions like reallocating your investment portfolio can be pretty stressful. They're also impactful, so alignment with your partner or spouse on them is essential. In this bonus episode, get a behind the scenes look at how Eric + Laura navigated their decision to add bonds to their FIRE portfolio. Topics discussed include how they determined the stocks / bonds mix, their research process, and how it felt to make these impactful decisions. Their conversation continues into broader FIRE strategy, including saving for college and setting limits for individual discretionary spending.

I Rebalanced My FI/RE Portfolio and I Hate It! (Part 1)

I reallocated my investment portfolio, sold out of my 100% equity position and I'm not happy about it. In this two-part episode, you'll learn why and how I'm making peace with it. Ensuring that your investment portfolio can fund your lifestyle for the duration of your lifespan is essential to success in FIRE. One of the most impactful elements of that is how your portfolio is constructed, or your asset allocation. In this episode, Eric discusses his desire to reduce the risk of his portfolio with Jason, and ensure he + Laura are set up for success. Topics discussed include the role of bonds + fixed income, the types of investment risk, seeking feedback from internet forums, and tax considerations. Join us for first episode of this two-part series on Eric's reallocation experience.

**Show notes: https://twosidesoffi.com/eric-reallocation1

Retirement Is Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be

We all daydream about what retirement will be like, but will reality live up to expectations? In this episode, Eric and Jason are joined by Fritz Gilbert, who blogs at The Retirement Manifesto (https://theretirementmanifesto.com). Now nearly four years after retiring early, Fritz brings valuable experience + perspectives to this question. Our discussion goes well beyond the numbers, covering topics including finding your purpose, working "one more year", determining your FIRE timing, and the keys to success in retirement.

*Be sure to check out the show notes for links to all the blog posts we referenced in the show: https://twosidesoffi.com/fritz-retirement/

Financial Independence, Retire Early...Go Back to Work?

Discussing the concerns, worries, and interests occupying our thoughts right now. A temporal look from their respective sides of FI, Eric and Jason discuss a new job prospect, while Eric is a little too focused on saving to achieve FI. They probe ideas about how "vacation time" is different post-RE, as well as their current favorite podcasts and books.

Comparing our FIRE Portfolios + Asset Allocations (Part 2)

Choosing how to divide your assets among stocks, bonds, and other investment vehicles is a good first step, but asset allocation also impacts your tax rate, portfolio performance, and long-term ease of maintaining it all. In part two, Eric and Jason dig further into their own portfolios from their respective sides of FI and discuss the role of bonds, risk, tools you can use to assess your portfolio and model performance, rebalancing, and an interesting - not often discussed - case for financial advisors.

**Watch Part 1 here: https://youtu.be/OJG8_qct4hc

**Note: This content does not constitute investment advice and is being presented for informational and educational purposes only.

Getting Your FIRE Asset Allocation Right. Here‘s Ours (Part 1)

What is the best way to divide up your investments among stocks, bonds, and other vehicles? Asset allocation is an essential yet confusing topic. That said, it is an area of critical importance when thinking about early retirement. This is because decisions made about asset allocation can have huge implications on portfolio performance, taxation, and ease of maintenance. Join us for this first episode in a two-part series, as Eric and Jason talk about their portfolios, the merits of simple vs. more complex strategies, the role of bonds, and the risks they considered along the way.

**Note: This content does not constitute investment advice and is being presented for informational and educational purposes only.

Have Enough to Retire (Early)? 10 Steps to Make Sure

Will you have enough to money to retire (early or otherwise)? Achieving financial independence requires many key elements to be in place and special consideration if you plan to retire early. You need a plan: what will you do? What will you spend? Where will it come from?

In this episode, Eric and Jason discuss a recent blog post by Fritz @ The Retirement Manifesto where he discusses the "10 Steps to Make Sure You Have Enough Money to Retire". We cover how we've been designing our "dream retirement", how we track current expenses and project future spend, how Jason is drawing down assets and Eric's evolving plan to use "the bucket strategy", and much more.

**H/T to Fritz's post "10 Steps to Make Sure You Have Enough Money to Retire", please see his article at The Retirement Manifesto: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/10-steps-to-make-sure-you-have-enough-money-to-retire-2/

Healthcare is my Second Highest Cost in Early Retirement

Health insurance may not be top of mind in early retirement when you're young and healthy, but it should be. In the US, healthcare costs are a significant line item in our budget. To help us decode what you need to know, we've invited a retirement benefits expert to answer our questions through the lens of those seeking financial independence and early retirement.

To protect against astronomical expenses resulting from unexpected medical issues, it's prudent to carry insurance. If you're retiring before 65 (when Medicare kicks in), you'll be responsible for covering those costs. What do you need to consider? What ARE the costs involved? What insurance shouldn't you purchase? Are there other options for coverage? What about long term care insurance? These are just a few of the topics we cover in this hour-long episode.

Our sincere thanks to Amy Manning for sharing her time, knowledge and expertise with us!

Be sure to check out the show notes at https://twosidesoffi.com/