#243 What are the key metrics to determine if you have reached financial independence and can retire early. How major stock market losses can derail early retirement plans and what to do about it. Thanks to Sleep Number and Blinkist for sponsoring the episode. For show notes and more information on this episode click here. [0:19] Interview opportunity with Suze Orman.[1:15] FIRE: Financially Independent Retire Early.[2:06] Suze’s response to the FIRE movement.[3:36] Controversy over the motives driving FIRE.[6:42] Understanding the math of early retirement.[12:46] How a market loss would affect your early retirement plan.[17:26] Would the FIRE community be better prepared for a market crash?[19:03] Modeling out different paths to help prepare against catastrophe.[22:28] Utilizing different portfolio drivers.[23:53] Viewing early retirement success in terms of probability. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#241 Why modern monetary theory isn't worried about federal budget deficits, why budget deficits never go away and what are the risks if budget deficits get too large. We also explore what else proponents of modern monetary theory believe. For show notes and more information on this episode click here. [0:22] What is Modern Monetary Theory?[3:20] Taxes create demand for fiat money.[5:32] Taxes and government bonds don’t finance the federal government.[8:56] Budget deficits increase the net financial assets of theprivate sector.[13:16] Taxes destroy money.[13:46] The private sector determines the size of the budget deficit.[14:58] The concerns of crowding and losing faith.[19:08] Even government spending has to be constrained.[20:02] The dangers of the Federal Reserve controlling interest rates.[21:45] Modern Monetary Theory is correct in terms of how the economy actually works.[23:25] Do federal budget deficits matter? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.