Don't Retire...Graduate!
Eric Brotman
Don’t Retire… Graduate! is the podcast that invites you to rethink what retirement really means. Hosted by Certified Financial Planner Practitioner Eric Brotman, we’re here to guide you in transforming the traditional concept of retirement into an exciting and enriching graduation—a time to embark on new adventures, embrace lifelong passions, and define what success and happiness look like in this new chapter of life.
Retirement isn’t just about stepping away from a career; it’s about stepping into a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Whether you're on the brink of retirement or just starting to think about it, this podcast will help you discover what it takes to not just survive, but thrive in your post-career years. We’ll explore how to live a fun, productive, and meaningful life by setting new goals, pursuing passions that light you up, and building a legacy that truly reflects who you are.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with a diverse range of guests—from award-winning authors and financial experts to influencers and everyday people with remarkable money stories. Together, we’ll uncover strategies for reaching financial independence, managing your wealth, and making informed decisions that support your dreams. You’ll learn practical tips on everything from saving money and paying down debt to raising financially literate children and growing your wealth at any age.
From personal finance and investing to retirement readiness, taxes, and more, we’re here to provide the knowledge and tools you need to confidently step into this exciting new phase of life. Topics include everything from budgeting, credit, and debt to health savings accounts, insurance, social security, the FIRE movement, and the latest in fintech and finance apps.
But we don’t stop at finances. Don’t Retire… Graduate! also dives deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement. We’ll discuss how to maintain your mental and physical health, nurture relationships, and stay connected to your community. You’ll gain insights on how to design a lifestyle that keeps you engaged, curious, and excited about the future.
Our mission is to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up—even if you’re already grown. We believe that work should become optional, not just because you've reached a certain age, but because you’ve achieved the freedom to choose how you spend your time and energy. Whether it’s volunteering, starting a new hobby, traveling the world, or launching a second career, this podcast is your guide to creating a retirement that’s anything but retiring.
In addition to full episodes, we offer bonus content every other week where you get to meet the team of financial advisors at BFG Financial Advisors and hear their real stories from the frontlines of financial planning.
Retirement is not the absence of work, but the absence of needing to work. So why not graduate into a life of purpose, passion, and financial freedom? Tune in to Don’t Retire… Graduate! and let’s make your retirement the best years of your life.
Retirement isn’t just about stepping away from a career; it’s about stepping into a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Whether you're on the brink of retirement or just starting to think about it, this podcast will help you discover what it takes to not just survive, but thrive in your post-career years. We’ll explore how to live a fun, productive, and meaningful life by setting new goals, pursuing passions that light you up, and building a legacy that truly reflects who you are.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with a diverse range of guests—from award-winning authors and financial experts to influencers and everyday people with remarkable money stories. Together, we’ll uncover strategies for reaching financial independence, managing your wealth, and making informed decisions that support your dreams. You’ll learn practical tips on everything from saving money and paying down debt to raising financially literate children and growing your wealth at any age.
From personal finance and investing to retirement readiness, taxes, and more, we’re here to provide the knowledge and tools you need to confidently step into this exciting new phase of life. Topics include everything from budgeting, credit, and debt to health savings accounts, insurance, social security, the FIRE movement, and the latest in fintech and finance apps.
But we don’t stop at finances. Don’t Retire… Graduate! also dives deep into the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement. We’ll discuss how to maintain your mental and physical health, nurture relationships, and stay connected to your community. You’ll gain insights on how to design a lifestyle that keeps you engaged, curious, and excited about the future.
Our mission is to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up—even if you’re already grown. We believe that work should become optional, not just because you've reached a certain age, but because you’ve achieved the freedom to choose how you spend your time and energy. Whether it’s volunteering, starting a new hobby, traveling the world, or launching a second career, this podcast is your guide to creating a retirement that’s anything but retiring.
In addition to full episodes, we offer bonus content every other week where you get to meet the team of financial advisors at BFG Financial Advisors and hear their real stories from the frontlines of financial planning.
Retirement is not the absence of work, but the absence of needing to work. So why not graduate into a life of purpose, passion, and financial freedom? Tune in to Don’t Retire… Graduate! and let’s make your retirement the best years of your life.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 10, 2022 • 7min
Office Hours: Should I Be Using Cash or Credit?
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Ben's question: "Is it better to pay in cash for daily purchases or use a credit card?”This answer can vary based on your spending habits, so Eric is here to outline who may benefit from each option. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 3, 2022 • 37min
Find Your Battle Buddy: Helping Veterans Reach Financial Freedom with Dr. Ann James
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! With Veterans Day coming up, we have a very special guest to talk about how she uses her own experience with finance and military service to serve the Veteran community.Dr. Ann James is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a Certified Financial Coach, and the CEO of Financial Freedom Battle Buddies, and is on a mission to help fellow veterans transform their financial well-being. We thank Dr. James and all her fellow veterans for their service and are proud to share her story with you today. In this episode we’ll talk about:• Dr. Ann James’s story of military service, single parenthood of a child of special needs, and how she found her passion for personal finance.• The importance of financial planning as a parent of a child with special needs.• The B.A.T.T.L.E. plan for financial freedom.• The loss of financial security many military families feel when they leave the service.• Necessary versus unnecessary debt.• The unique challenges that are faced by the military community and the challenges that come with working with the community.• Advice for military members who are still serving for transitioning out of the military.• What comes next and what Dr. James wants to be when she grows up.About Dr. Ann JamesDr. Antoinette (Ann) James began her career as an enlisted member in the U.S. Air Force. Over her military career, she held numerous positions which included personnel administration and financial management. Upon earning her commission, she was responsible for executing multi-million-dollar operating budgets within the U.S. and overseas. After 21 years of proud service, she retired and went on to earn her Doctorate of Education. Currently, as a Certified Financial Coach and CEO of Financial Freedom Battle Buddies, Dr. Ann is on a mission to educate and equip military veterans on how to transform their financial well-being using her B.A.T.T.L.E method. She’s been featured and cited on several platforms such as USA Today and the Penny Hoarder. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with family and friends. www.drannjames.comVisit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 27, 2022 • 7min
Office Hours: Regretting a Big Purchase
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Michelle's question: “what's one big purchase you've made and regretted later?"Everyone experiences buyer's remorse at some point in their life, and Eric is no different. Hear what he has regretted purchasing in his life, and send us a message about your biggest spending regrets. Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 20, 2022 • 35min
Money Talk with Tiff and Eric: How Money Nerds Are Making Finance Less Boring
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is Tiffany Grant, a financial counselor and the host of the Money Talk with Tiff podcast. Tiffany is a fantastic content creator within the personal finance space—except for her online quiz that must be broken if Eric did not get a perfect score—and is one of the many money nerds making financial literacy accessible to the public. Listen to her story and take her online quiz (after you listen to Eric giving out the answers, of course) to see if you can beat Eric’s 92%. In this episode we’ll talk about:• Tiffany’s upbringing that led her to financial and professional success • Student loans and how to go through graduate school without paying tuition and/or getting paid• Financial literacy and the lack of education in most schools• Extra credit assignments and why those who need help aren’t the ones who seek it• The Money Talk with Tiff podcast and how it’s helping to spread financial education Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.About Tiffany Grant: Where do I start? I am a self-proclaimed money nerd and proud of it! I live and breathe finances. After years of giving impromptu advice to family and friends, I said why not start a blog? This way all of the knowledge will have an online platform and reach even more people! From a young age, I was always money-conscious. I remember being as young as 6 and clipping coupons. Did anyone use them? Nope, but I found joy in going through the motions. When I got my first job at 16, I used coupons to get more bang for my buck. Once I saw how helpful they were, I used coupons for everything! Cashiers were impressed by a teenager leaving with a cart full of items for only $20. As time progressed, I wanted to do more with my money. I started investing at the age of 19. I had amassed a few thousand dollars but decided to sell it all when times got rough. Big mistake but I had to do what I could. I bought my first house at the age of 26. How? By saving, keeping a close eye on my credit, and living well below my means. Frugal is my middle name! Wealth-building is all about having goals and being laser-focused on accomplishing them. My next goal is to be debt-free (except the house) by age 30.What makes this even more amazing is I did it all while being a single mother of two little boys, working full-time, and going to school. Now, what's your excuse? Let's get started! Time is ticking!I have a Bachelor in Business Administration with a concentration in Management, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC), SHRM-CP, Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and years of experience helping people like you!https://www.moneytalkwitht.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 13, 2022 • 7min
Office Hours: Understanding the 2022 Market Correction
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Emily's question: “how does the 2022 market correction compare to prior market corrections and what should investors do?"The factors causing the current market conditions are unique, but there is a common factor that exists between all the corrections we've seen in the past: fear. This episode will explain what is happening in the markets right now and what investors should be doing.Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 6, 2022 • 41min
The Foreign Language of Finance: Overcoming Cultural, Racial, and Gender Biases to Find Financial Success with the Financially Savvy Latina
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is Natalie Torres-Haddad MPA, AWA, a two-time TEDx speaker, award-winning author, and the host of Financially Savvy in 20 Minutes.Natalie’s story of being raised by immigrants during the LA Riots, experiencing the cultural differences between the rich and poor, and learning about money the same way she learned a second language should serve as inspiration for anyone struggling to reach financial independence. We are so glad to have her here to share her story, discuss what it’s like to be successful in an industry in which you’re underrepresented, and that sometimes you just need to give yourself a little grace. In this episode we’ll talk about:• Natalie’s upbringing and personal finance became a language she had to learn• Being patient with yourself and figuring out what you can learn in 20 minutes each day • Generational and familial differences and how we all struggle differently • The field of finance and how breaking through it as a woman and/or a person of color is still a challenge • Figuring out what works for you and giving yourself grace• Learning from your mistakes more than when things go wellVisit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.About Nathalie Torres-Haddad:She is an international award winning author, educator and bilingual podcast host of Financially Savvy in 20 Minutes. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, LA Times, and many news outlets like Telemundo and Fox. A two time TEDx speaker known for her talk “The foreign language of financial literacy”. Some of her videos have received over a million views and is a sought out keynote speaker all over the country as a financial literacy and mental health advocate. A first generation college graduate from CSULB, in Finance and International Business with a Masters from CSUN, she focuses on helping those with debt and working toward financial independence. Her first children's book in 2020 Made the #1 best seller on Amazon: "A dress to remember" based on the nonprofit LA's Prom Closet she had for several years. Born in El Salvador, and raised in Inglewood she quickly understood that the lack of financial literacy limits her community of basic human rights and equality in resources. She started investing in real estate at age 24 and began her career advocating for financial literacy. http://financiallysavvyin20minutes.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 29, 2022 • 7min
Office Hours: Getting Started as a Beginner Investor
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Tony's question: “What's the easiest way for a beginner investor to get started?”The first step of any journey can be difficult, but in this case we think education is a great place to start. After that, it can depend on your goals and will take practice.Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning, or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours!Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 22, 2022 • 36min
How to Not Lose Money in the Stock Market: Understanding Mainstream Investing with Joseph Hogue
Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s guest is Joseph Hogue, CFA®, the host of Let’s Talk Money! With Joseph Hogue, joining us to break down the art and science of investing and share his rules for making money in the stock market. Investing has become entertainment media and everyone wants to be slinging stocks, but Joseph shares his ideas about why very few people should really own individual stocks and why funds are better for the vast majority. Plus, hear his three rules to follow to not lose money when investing. In this episode we’ll talk about:• What investing really is and how it can give everyone a taste of entrepreneurship • The reason people are scared or intimidated by investing • Human behavior and how we tend to make the wrong choices with our money• Looking at stock market crashes as flash sales• How to tell the difference between good financial advice and not-so good advice • Who should or should not own individual stocks and how to balance your portfolio for growth • The 3 rules to not lose money on stocks • When you should or should not sell your shares • Concentrated stock positions and overweighting your portfolio in one investment, including your own company • Income risk and financial risk in choosing your investments Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode.About Joseph HogueBorn and raised in Iowa, Joseph Hogue graduated from Iowa State University after serving in the Marine Corps. He worked in corporate finance and real estate before starting a career in investment analysis. He has appeared on Bloomberg and CNBC and led a team of equity analysts for a venture capital research firm. He holds a master’s degree in business and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Joseph left the corporate world in 2014 to build his online businesses, first through creating websites and later through his YouTube channel, Let's Talk Money. He's since grown the community to over 550,000 and reaches more than 1.8 million people a month through the blogs, YouTube and a weekly market newsletter. https://www.youtube.com/c/LetsTalkMoneywithJosephHogueCFA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 15, 2022 • 6min
Office Hours: Equitable Divorce Agreements
In today’s Office Hours, Eric answers Julia's question: “I'm getting divorced. How do I know if I'm getting a fair split of marital assets?”This can be a hard situation to navigate, but bringing in a financial professional is a great way to start.Have a question? Tweet it to us at @BrotmanPlanning or post it on our Facebook and it may be used in a future episode of Office Hours! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 8, 2022 • 44min
Good, Bad, and Dangerous: The Best and Worst of Financial Advice and Advisors with Joe Saul-Sehy
Season 5 is here and Don’t Retire… Graduate! is back to share more actionable strategies for reaching financial independence and talk to more money nerds about what they want to be when they grow up. And your eyes are not deceiving you—this season we’re recording in VIDEO! If you’re on an audio-only player, thank you so much for listening. If you’re watching our first time doing this on camera, thank you and welcome! Starting a new season is exciting enough, but we wanted to really kick it off, so we brought back one of our favorite guests and all-time favorite Stacker, Joe Saul-Sehy, host of the Stacking Benjamin’s podcast and co-author of the book STACKED: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management. Joe is back to share some of his experiences from his past life as a financial advisor, including the best and worst advice he’s ever heard and the red flags he’s seen from other advisors that should have you running for the office exit. In this episode we’ll talk about:• Social media and the harmful financial advice that can be found on it• What compliance means and how it keeps financial advisors from sharing bad information• Identifying the filters, credentials, and backgrounds of the people you get advice from online• Bernie Madoff, undisclosed insiders, and schemers to look out for • Red flags of financial advisors you can see just walking into the office—from what’s on the television to the layout of the furniture• Asking who, not how when you need to do learn something new—like writing a great book with Emily Guy Birken Visit dontretiregraduate.com for a full transcript of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
