Optimization is everywhere in the personal finance world. If we just invest perfectly, we’ll get where we want to go, faster… What's not to love?! Well, retirement planning might be a lot more like horseshoes and hand grenades, where getting close enough is actually good enough. And chasing perfection? That can come with some real downsides. Our guest today is a dear friend who brings clarity to the world of personal finance. Jesse Cramer began his career as a mechanical and aerospace engineer designing telescopes, and now brings that same precision (plus a genuine desire to help people) into the way he thinks about money. He writes over at The Best Interest, hosts his podcast Personal Finance For Long-Term Investors, and today we discuss:

• Choosing to not max Roth IRAs
• How to know if you’re Coast FIRE
• Striking the balance between optimizing your finances and enjoying life
• Reversion to the mean and this year’s stock market returns
• The crushing cost of conservative retirement planning
• Alternative investments
• Does retiring earlier mean living longer
• Aligning your money with your life
• And much more!

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• Money Gears: knowing what to do with your money is crucial to your personal finance journey.
• MG7: and maybe you’re well on your way to financial independence but you’re looking for some financial reassurance, that’s when heading over to HowToMoney.com/Advisor and getting matched with a highly vetted financial advisor makes sense.

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Best friends out!