HeyJaredPlanning Made Simple
Welcome to Planning Made Simple, where Paul Durso takes the stress out of important decisions. With a blend of wisdom and wit, Paul delivers insightful, easy-to-understand advice on everything you didn’t know you needed to know about the important aspects of life.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 11
- Latest publication
- Sep 17, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 9, 2026
Latest episodes
How Much Should Be in My Emergency Fund? (opens the original)
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How much money should you actually keep in your emergency fund? The traditional answer is three to six months of expenses—but the right number depends on your household, income, spending habits, and financial responsibilities. In this episode of Planning Made Simple, Paul, Kyle, and Cal explain how to calculate your essential monthly expenses, why an emergency fund should be separate from a sinking fund, and how to begin saving when a large goal feels overwhelming. They also discuss how living b
How Inflation Affects Dividend Investing (opens the original)
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Inflation doesn’t have to arrive all at once to damage your retirement. Even at an average rate of 3%, prices can nearly double over roughly 24 years—meaning a fixed income that feels comfortable today may eventually fall far short. In this episode of Planning Made Simple , we explain why purchasing power matters more than the income number on your statement. We compare fixed income and high-yield investments with dividend-growing companies, explore the hidden impact of subscription and expense
The Debt Diet Cycle: Why You Keep Falling Back Into Debt (opens the original)
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Have you ever paid off your debt—only to watch it slowly return? That’s the Debt Diet Cycle : the financial version of losing weight, abandoning the habits that worked, and gaining it all back. In this episode of Planning Made Simple , we explain why debt is often a symptom of a larger behavioral problem. You’ll learn how to track where your money is going, plan your spending before temptation strikes, prepare for predictable expenses, and create financial boundaries that make impulsive purchase
Do You Know What's in Your 401K? (opens the original)
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What if your retirement account bought a stock you never intended to own... and you didn't even know it happened? In this episode of Planning Made Simple , Kyle, Niki, Cal, and Mike explore how many 401(k)s, ETFs, and index funds automatically purchase companies based on algorithms and market capitalization—not your personal investment decisions. Using the recent SpaceX addition to major indexes as an example, they explain why understanding what you own is just as important as investing itself.
529 or Dividends: What’s the Best College Savings Plan? (opens the original)
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Should you use a 529 plan or build a dividend portfolio to pay for your child’s education? In this episode of Planning Made Simple , we compare the tax advantages and structure of a 529 plan with the flexibility and income potential of a dividend-focused brokerage account. We discuss investment limitations, taxes, scholarships, changing career paths, Roth IRA rollover opportunities, and what happens if your child decides not to attend a traditional college. The right answer may not be one accoun
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