Afford Anything
569 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 3.3K ratingsYou can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life.
How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles?
On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing.
But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think.
In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models.
Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.
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Episodes
PSA Thursday - How to Avoid Parental Burnout, with Andy Hill
August 27, 2020 16:33 - 30 minutesAndy Hill, father of two and founder of Marriage, Kids, and Money, joins us to discuss parental burnout in the midst of the pandemic. He shares his best tips on creating a family schedule, learning to embrace the reality of working from home with interruptions, and maintaining sanity as kids venture back to school - all while being a good enough parent and partner. For more PSA Thursday episodes, go to https://affordanything.com/psathursday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho...
Ask Paula: I’m Three Years from Retirement. How Should I Invest?
August 24, 2020 20:03 - 1 hour#272: “Anonymous Moving-Back-home” and her partner earn $150,000 per year after taxes. They’re currently saving 80 percent by living with family. What should they do with their savings? Leigh and her husband are three years away from retirement. They have an extra $50,000 in income this year and plenty of options for where to invest this money. Which one is the best? Kelsey doesn’t feel comfortable investing in total stock market index funds and would rather invest in ESG funds. How can she t...
PSA Thursday - Here's a simple framework for deciding how to earn extra income
August 20, 2020 19:27 - 13 minutesMillions of people are in financial limbo now that the $600 supplemental federal unemployment benefit has expired. The new $300 supplemental benefit is slooowly getting approved by FEMA, state-by-state, through an excruciatingly snail-like process, and you might not have time to wait. This episode will help you take action. We cover how to think about the ways in which you can earn extra income and decide which path is best for you. For more information, check out our guide at https://afford...
Retirement Planning in 2020, with Dr. Wade Pfau
August 19, 2020 20:42 - 1 hour#271: Dr. Wade Pfau, one of the foremost experts in the academic field of retirement planning, joins us to talk about how the events of 2020 might impact your retirement plans. If you’re wondering if you need to change your investing strategy, Wade’s recommendations may fascinate you. Watch out! These are NOT the recommendations you’re expecting from a typical financial independence retire early show. Prepare to be caught off-guard by what he says. For more information, visit the show notes a...
Ask Paula: Buy a Home, Buy Investments, or Pay Off Debt? How Do I Decide?
August 13, 2020 19:16 - 1 hour#270: Briana and her husband want to buy a home, but they don’t have enough saved for a downpayment. They also have student loan debt and a car loan. Which should they prioritize? Javier is sick of being in debt. What can he do to put himself in a better situation? Tracie wants to buy her first rental property, but she has student loans and a car loan to pay off. If she receives $20,000 from a cash-out refi, how should she use this money? Vanitha wants to start a non-profit organization in me...
How to Ask Better Questions, with Charles Duhigg
August 07, 2020 06:00 - 51 minutes#269: Are you scared to take the first step toward the habits that you want to build? Do you believe in your ability to change? Or are you completely lost as to where to start? Charles Duhigg, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author of the best-selling books The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better, and host of the How To! podcast, joins us to tackle these questions. By asking “why” instead of “how,” layer-by-layer we can reveal the factors that truly hold us back from taking actio...
PSA Thursday - Get Ready for a School Year Like No Other with Mandy Bert and Rob Phelan
August 06, 2020 06:00 - 37 minutesDo you have school-age children? If so, then brace yourself for a school year like no other. This year, some children will return to school five days a week. Others will learn from home five days a week, and yet others will experience a hybrid of the two. You and your kids may face wildly different schedules and challenges than anything you've encountered before. How can you cope with this? Mandy Bert and Rob Phelan, who both work as teachers and are on the K-12 Education Team at the Choos...
Ask Paula: Should I Invest or Pay Off My Mortgage Early?
August 04, 2020 12:40 - 1 hour#268: Natasha has $3,300 per month to either invest or use toward an early mortgage payoff. Which option should she choose? An anonymous caller and military member wants to know if she should move money from a USAA brokerage to Vanguard to pay less in fees. Her goal is to retire in 12 years with $3,000/month in passive income from rental properties, which will supplement her military pension. Should she only contribute to her TSP up to the match, and invest the rest in rentals? Chaim and his ...
How to Talk To Your Tenants About Financial Difficulties
July 31, 2020 22:47 - 24 minutesWelcome back to PSA Thursday, a mostly-weekly segment (sometimes on Thursdays) in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. This week, we continue the conversation on what landlords can do to create and maintain open lines of communication with tenants. Doing so can help you avoid a situation in which your tenants ghost you. If you find these tips helpful, head to https://affordanything.com/psalandlord to download word-for-word scripts you can use ...
This Year’s Financial Reckoning, with Farnoosh Torabi
July 28, 2020 14:10 - 53 minutes#267: This week, one of the most acclaimed names in the world of personal finance journalism joins us to reflect on the events of 2020. Farnoosh Torabi started covering personal finance in 2003 as a reporter for Money Magazine. She later became a correspondent for Jim Cramer's The Street and the host of CNBC's primetime show Follow the Leader. She's the host of the award-winning So Money podcast and the author of several bestselling personal finance books, including When She Makes More: 10 Ru...
Ask Paula: Your Real Estate Questions, Answered
July 22, 2020 22:10 - 1 hour#266: Paul’s parents own a property worth $100,000, and they owe $80,000 on the mortgage. If he wants to buy this property from them, how should he do it? Max is torn between investing in a rental property or taking advantage of a mega backdoor Roth 401k through his company. Which is the better option? Ali is a travel nurse and wants to get into real estate investing. Should she buy a duplex that needs fixing up or a cheaper apartment that’s rent-ready? Kate and her husband own a townhome tha...
PSA Thursday: The Impact of Evictions, with Princeton University Eviction Lab expert Alieza Durana
July 17, 2020 00:14 - 34 minutesWelcome back to PSA Thursday, a mostly-weekly segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. This week, our focus is on answering a question that many landlords in our community have asked in recent months: what do we do when our tenants can't pay the rent, and our bills are due? To answer this, we asked Alieza Durana, a journalist who works with the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, for her expertise. The Princeton Eviction Lab is a g...
Personality Isn’t Permanent, with Dr. Benjamin Hardy
July 14, 2020 22:14 - 1 hour#265: Are you the same person you were five years ago? Ten years ago? Fifteen years ago? Of course not. Things in your life have changed: your interests, hobbies, decision-making process, and habits are different than they were a decade ago. Likewise, our personality changes -- and this means we can decide who we want to become. Today’s guest, organizational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy, literally wrote the book on personality impermanence. During this episode, he shares research on why ou...
PSA Thursday: How to Stay Safe During the Reopenings
July 09, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutesWelcome back to PSA Thursday, a mostly-weekly segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. This week, we focus on life and staying safe when venturing outside of your home. Many of us are concerned with reducing the risk of coronavirus infection in places like grocery stores, gas stations, or backyard BBQs, but the guidelines on how to stay safe aren't always clear. In this episode, we discuss specific precautions to take... When using a pub...
How to Stay Safe During the Reopenings
July 09, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutes - 11.8 MBWelcome back to PSA Thursday, a mostly-weekly segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. This week, we focus on life and staying safe when venturing outside of your home. Many of us are concerned with reducing the risk of coronavirus infection in places like grocery stores, gas stations, or backyard BBQs, but the guidelines on how to stay safe aren't always clear. In this episode, we discuss specific precautions to take... When us...
Ask Paula: How Do I Pick the Right Mix of Investments for My Retirement Portfolio?
July 06, 2020 12:50 - 1 hour#264: An anonymous listener, whom we call “Mary,” is curious about the auto-rebalancing feature offered by M1 Finance. Is it too good to be true? J isn’t happy with the target date retirement fund she chose for her 401k. She has limited options and is wondering: should she move funds around? If so, is now a bad time, considering the market volatility? Another anonymous listener is wondering how to choose the right mix of investments for a retirement portfolio. She also wants tips on rebalanci...
PSA Thursday: The History of the PPP -- and 4 Extra Relief Options for Entrepreneurs
July 02, 2020 20:46 - 29 minutesHere's the sordid history of the Payroll Protection Program, plus four additional options for getting pandemic relief as an entrepreneur. In this episode we share the following resources for small businesses: Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) Employee Retention Credit. SBA 7(a) Program Mainstream Lending Program For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/psa-thursday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How to Build Financial Resilience in 2020, with Dr. Brad Klontz, financial psychologist
June 30, 2020 00:38 - 1 hour#263: It’s been a tough year, and we’re only halfway through it. Today’s guest has insights and actions to help you build financial resilience in 2020. Not only will you emerge from the events of this year stronger, you’ll also face future personal challenges and economic downturns with more confidence and knowledge. Our guest is Dr. Brad Klontz, a clinical psychologist and Certified Financial Planner. He’s the author of five books on the psychology of money, a founder of the Financial Psycho...
Ask Paula: I'm Taking a Mini-Retirement in a Pandemic. What Should I Do?
June 23, 2020 21:00 - 50 minutes#262: Tyson is taking a year off of work and plans to devote some of his time to domestic travel, volunteer work, and bolstering his rental property portfolio. He originally planned to travel internationally, but won’t due to the pandemic. How does this plan sound? Jace is wondering whether she should take advantage of the low stock market prices or keep a larger emergency fund due to the pandemic. Which is the better option, given her goal of financial independence? Jace also wants to know: ...
PSA Thursday - Your Complete Guide to Donor Advised Funds
June 19, 2020 21:07 - 26 minutesFor more information, go to https://affordanything.com/tag/psa-thursday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why I Quit My Job in the Middle of a Recession -- Interview from Lessons from a Quitter
June 15, 2020 06:00 - 53 minutes#261: I quit my job at the beginning of a recession and made it work. Two years ago, I did an interview with Lessons From a Quitter explaining how. Given that so many community members want to leave their jobs for something better in the future, whether it's freelancing, self-employment, or early retirement, I'm re-airing the interview. I hope my story sheds light on what's possible in the most inopportune times. For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode...
PSA Thursday - How Does the CARES Act Impact Student Loans?
June 11, 2020 23:06 - 28 minutesWelcome back to PSA Thursday, a mostly-weekly segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. In this episode, we cover how to manage student loans in the midst of the pandemic with Travis Hornsby, a Chartered Financial Analyst and the founder and CEO of Student Loan Planner. He's an expert in the complex topic of student loans. Travis shares deep insights into the changes that have occurred, and how those changes might alter the way you think...
Ask Paula: Should I Fire My Financial Advisor During a Pandemic?
June 08, 2020 06:00 - 58 minutes#260: Katelyn wants to fire her financial advisor and move her investments from mutual funds into Vanguard index funds. Should she do this during the pandemic? Or should she wait? Marisa asks: can you invest in a Roth IRA if your income is inconsistent and might exceed the cap? Anonymous Moving-for-a-New-Job had a Simple IRA at her old job that she can no longer contribute to. She also can’t contribute to a 401k until she’s been at her new job for a year. Where should she put her money in the...
How to Lead with a Vision, with Michael Hyatt
June 05, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour#259: Leadership comes in all forms. Whether you’re a small business owner, a manager or department head at work, or the head of a volunteer organization, having a crystal clear vision is critical to success. Without a clear vision, you’re likely to stumble along a path that leads to nowhere -- or worse, a dead end. Wouldn’t it be better to have an idea of where you’re going? Michael Hyatt, a prolific bestselling author on the topics of business and leadership, shares the pitfalls of not havi...
PSA Thursday -- Actions Speak Louder Than Words
June 04, 2020 21:11 - 7 minutesWe have muted the podcast thusfar this week, in support of the #amplifymelanatedvoices movement and in support of the #theshowmustbepaused movement. We have assembled a list of resources that highlight books, websites, podcasts, nonprofit organizations and GoFundMe campaigns that I would like to direct your attention to in lieu of our normal programming. These resources can be found at https://affordanything.com/psathursday We are also matching $3,000 in donations to the Committee to Protec...
PSA Thursday - Your Guide to Giving: How to Donate, Volunteer and Practice Spontaneous Kindness
May 29, 2020 21:52 - 23 minutesLet's start with the good news: the majority of U.S. households, 6 in 10, donate money to nonprofits and charities, and 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. volunteer their time and talent. The only way our society is going to get through the struggles and the stresses that we face is if we are good to each other. Compassion and common humanity are crucial. In this PSA episode we discuss strategies around giving, including how to donate money and volunteer time effectively, as well as how to embrace t...
Ask Paula: Can I Quit My Job Before I'm Financially Independent?
May 26, 2020 00:06 - 52 minutes#258: “Burned Out in Boston” wants to reach financial independence. But she’s not sure she can stick it out in Boston much longer. She and her husband want to move to an area that doesn’t have many job prospects, and they want to make this leap soon, ideally before they reach FI. How do they know when it’s the right time to jump ship to their dream location? We tackle this topic, plus four other questions about stock market and real estate investing strategy, on today's Ask Paula episode. Enj...
PSA Thursday: Quick Weekly Update
May 22, 2020 21:37 - 6 minutes - 4.48 MBHey there! We're in the middle of enrollment week for our course, Your First Rental Property, which is occupying our time and attention, so unfortunately we won't be airing a PSA Thursday episode this week. Bummer! But don't worry!! We'll be back next week with an "Ask Paula" episode on Monday, a PSA Thursday episode about charitable giving, and an interview with business leader Michael Hyatt that'll air the following Monday. We also have two new blog posts -- which you can read here (...
How to Stop Screwing Up Our Finances, Even in a World That Leads Us Astray -- with Dr. Dan Ariely
May 18, 2020 12:37 - 57 minutes#257: “The checking account is like the trash can of personal finance.” Today’s podcast guest, the famed behavioral economist Dr. Dan Ariely, is not a fan of checking accounts. Or supermarket end caps. Or anything that distracts us from our financial goals. In this episode, he explains why. Dan Ariely is one of the world’s most renowned behavioral economists. He’s the James B. Duke Professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. His TED Talks have been viewed more than 15...
PSA Thursday: How Can I End 2020 in a Stronger Position Than I Started It?
May 14, 2020 14:20 - 31 minutesHow can you find business and investment opportunities in today’s tough pandemic bear market? What should you do to emerge from 2020 stronger than you started? We cover 7 specific, immediate actions that can set you up to succeed in this recession. Here's a peek: think about hiring a team, create an original piece of work, take online classes, and keep your plans intact (even if that means quitting an unfulfilling job). For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanythin...
Ask Paula: Bonds Are Tanking. Should I Switch to Real Estate Instead?
May 11, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#256: Jon is wondering if now is a good time to move his RRSP into a tax-free savings account, given the market downturn. He knows you can’t time the market, but the opportunity is tempting. What should he do? Laurel’s question revolves around the CARE Act and early withdrawal from a 401k. She needs to rebalance her 401k and wants to buy a rental. Instead of selling stocks, should she sell bonds as a form of rebalancing and to withdraw for a rental property? After seeing so many businesses ex...
PSA Thursday: How Is The Pandemic Affecting the Housing Market?
May 07, 2020 15:21 - 19 minutesBefore the pandemic, the U.S. housing market was strong. Home prices were at historic highs. Borrowers were more qualified than ever, with two-thirds of mortgage originations going to borrowers with excellent credit. As of January 2020, delinquencies (borrowers more than 30 days late on a payment) reached a 20-year low. How has the pandemic affected the market? Are we due for another spate of foreclosures? What's going to happen to housing supply? What about demand? Are buyers still buying? ...
How Your Personality Affects Your Finances, with Dr. Sarah Stanley Fallaw
May 04, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#255: When a crisis hits, do you stay calm and collected, or do you launch yourself down a rabbit hole of worry and worst-case scenarios? When the stock market spirals downward, do you shrug and stay the course, or do warning bells explode in your brain? When news of the pandemic hit, was your first instinct to form a calm and reasoned action plan, or rush to the store to buy months of supplies? Your personality influences your reactions to these scenarios. Today’s guest, Dr. Sarah Stanley Fa...
Ask Paula: Should I Invest During the Pandemic?
May 01, 2020 16:12 - 1 hour#254: Lydia earns income as both a 1099 contract worker and a part-time W2 employee. She filed for unemployment as a W2 worker, but can’t find information on how to file as a contractor. Is there a process contractors can follow to file for unemployment? Florina and her husband have $70,000 in cash to invest. Where should they put this money in light of the current market? Ali and his wife saved eight months of living expenses in their emergency fund in case they get laid off during the pande...
PSA Thursday: How Bad Is the Stock Market Crash?
April 30, 2020 05:00 - 28 minutesWelcome back to PSA Thursday, a segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. Today, our focus is on money - specifically, the stock market. Why did it crash in March? What effect did that have on us as a society? Why has it rebounded in the middle of a shutdown, and what does that mean? Are valuations too high relative to earnings? How can we handle our investments and retirement savings at a time when the movements of the market seem irra...
The Thinker's Guide to Market Volatility, with Dr. Steve Wendel and Sam Lamas
April 27, 2020 22:41 - 1 hour#253: Dr. Steve Wendel is a behavioral economist and the head of behavioral science at Morningstar, an independent investment research firm. Samantha Lamas is also a behavioral researcher at Morningstar. They discuss the hidden biases in our decision making and how these hidden biases affect us - particularly during this pandemic and during times of high anxiety and stress. They also discuss techniques that will help us avoid deceiving ourselves. For more information, visit the show notes at ...
Ask Paula: Will the Stimulus Cause Massive Inflation?
April 20, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#252: The government issued a $2 trillion stimulus. How will that affect the economy? Could we endure massive inflation or hyperinflation? Bradley kicks off today’s Ask Paula episode with this timely question. What inflation rate will we see in 2020, and how can we prepare? How should we hedge against hyperinflation? Anonymous Retiree (whom we call Sequencing Sally) is 64 and retired last year. She lives off of monthly withdrawals from a Vanguard portfolio. Given the bear market, should she l...
PSA Thursday: 31 Tips to Stay Productive as you Work From Home
April 16, 2020 15:26 - 59 minutesDownload the 31 Tips to Stay Productive as you Work From Home at https://affordanything.com/productive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
From High School Dropout to Successful Entrepreneur, Author and World Traveler -- with Chris Guillebeau
April 13, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#251: Do you love the idea of making money on your own -- without a boss? Can you imagine deciding how you spend each day? Are you bored and looking for a challenge? Do you love the thought of adventure? Today’s guest, Chris Guillebeau, knows all about hustling, living an unconventional life, working towards seemingly impossible goals, and combining his interests into an epic lifestyle business that brings him freedom and joy. Chris is the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Non-C...
PSA Thursday: How to Build an Emergency Fund During an Emergency
April 10, 2020 02:56 - 39 minutesA weekly segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the middle of a pandemic. Here's how to build an emergency fund during an emergency, and how the bear market affects your investment strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ethical Investing 101, with Dr. Jon Hale, Head of Sustainability Research for Morningstar
April 08, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#250: Should we invest in sustainable funds? If we choose sustainable funds, will our investment returns suffer? Will our expense ratios be sky-high? What drawbacks might we face? How do we know that these funds are actually ethical? And what choices are out there for people who want to invest ethically or sustainably? We invited Dr. Jon Hale to our show today to answer these questions. Dr. Jon Hale is a chartered financial analyst and the global head of sustainability research for Mornin...
How to Talk to Your Parents About Retirement and Beyond — with Cameron Huddleston
April 03, 2020 21:54 - 1 hour#249: I’m recovering from Covid-19 at the moment, so I couldn't put together a new episode this week. But in honor of the First Friday of the month, I wanted to re-air this interview with Cameron Huddleston, which we originally aired in August 2019. In this interview, we discuss how to have those important but awkward conversations with your parents and grandparents about estate planning, wills, trusts, power of attorney, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...
PSA Thursday: I Tested Positive for Coronavirus. Here's What It Feels Like.
April 02, 2020 21:30 - 26 minutesPaula describes the experience of having Covid-19, the illness caused by coronavirus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Covid-19 and the Bear Market
March 25, 2020 21:32 - 58 minutes#248: We are living in a time of extreme uncertainty. Many of us are questioning how we can best use the funds we have to survive it. “Should I sell the funds I have invested in the market, or keep contributing?” “Should I continue with my plans to invest in real estate?” “Should I hoard all of my cash in case this gets worse?!” My friend and former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy joins me on today’s show to shed light on the answers and how to handle the stock market collapse. Here are the...
OMG Monday: Welp, I Have a Fever of 102.3 Degrees
March 23, 2020 18:54 - 5 minutesIt's Quarantine Day 10, and thank goodness I've been staying in, because yesterday I learned that I have a 102.3 degree fever. I don't know if it's Covid-19 or if it's a fever with extraordinarily bad timing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
PSA Thursday: Social Distancing is Social Solidarity
March 19, 2020 05:00 - 20 minutesA new segment giving tips to help flatten the curve and manage your money during this global event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ask Paula: Is the Stock Market Going to Crash in 2020? How Should I Invest in a Bear Market?
March 16, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#247: Caroline wants to buy her first home in Denver, CO. How can she calculate how much mortgage she can comfortably afford? Anne plans to retire later this year on rental income (woohoo!). She’s saved up a hefty emergency fund for her properties, and she wants to know 1) if she should invest a portion of this in index funds, and 2) whether she should rebalance her portfolio to account for this huge cash allocation. Anonymous Nurse has over $100,000 in debt, not including their mortgage. The...
Pain, Grief, and the Pursuit of Financial Independence, with Jillian Johnsrud
March 09, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 47.4 MB#246: At 19 years old, after completing her first year of college, Jillian married her husband. During their first year of marriage, they lived in a camper and earned a combined salary of $12,000. One year later, Jillian's husband graduated college and joined the military. They relocated to Washington D.C., where they earned a combined $60,000 per year. They saved half of their income and used that savings to chip away at $55,000 of debt. At 22 years old, Jillian and her husband adopt...
Pain, Grief, and the Pursuit of Financial Independence, with Jillian Johnsrud
March 09, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour#246: At 19 years old, after completing her first year of college, Jillian married her husband. During their first year of marriage, they lived in a camper and earned a combined salary of $12,000. One year later, Jillian's husband graduated college and joined the military. They relocated to Washington D.C., where they earned a combined $60,000 per year. They saved half of their income and used that savings to chip away at $55,000 of debt. At 22 years old, Jillian and her husband adopted a so...
Ask Paula: I’m 24 and Won a $1 Million Settlement. How Should I Handle This Money?
March 06, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour#245: Joe has a 24-year-old friend who won a $1 million settlement. How can she use this money to set herself up for financial independence? Jay is 52 years old and wants to retire at 59.5. He began investing in individual stocks to achieve this goal, and has had excellent returns so far. Is this a sound plan for early retirement? Or should he work until age 62 for Social Security? Steve is 54 years old. He plans to retire at 60, which is when he can collect 67 percent of his pension. A Vangu...