Nobody teaches you the money stuff when you land your first job — and by the time you figure it out, you've already left a lot on the table. In this episode, Kevin Cameron sits down with financial advisor Todd Roselle for a back-to-school special covering student loan caps, FAFSA strategy, your first 401k and the one question you should be asking your manager that nobody else is.
Whether you're heading into college, finishing up, or just landed your first paycheck, this episode gives you the financial and career foundation most people spend years figuring out on their own.
Key Takeaways
Parent PLUS loans are now capped at $65,000 - the college funding conversation has changed.
Take your 401k match - that is free money.
Contribute to a Roth 401k early: pay taxes now at a lower rate and never again on that money.
Build three to six months of emergency savings before investing anywhere else.
The best question you can ask your manager: what can I take off your plate?
Be humble and curious - how popular you were in high school means nothing on day one.
Episode Highlights
The FAFSA tip most parents miss: where you hold your 529 could change what aid you qualify for.
Why the gap between your emergency fund and retirement is where most young people go wrong.
Todd's rule: earn more, spend less, work longer and why earning more is the only one with no ceiling.
Why asking what you can take off your boss's plate is the fastest way to become indispensable.
The sports analogy that explains why career advancement takes longer than it feels like it should.
Timestamps
00:37 — Introduction: back to school special with Todd Roselle
01:38 — How college funding has changed — the parent PLUS loan cap
02:43 — Student loans, trades, and the pendulum swing
03:14 — AI, micro-entrepreneurs, and the future of work
08:13 — Housing reality: what rent and mortgages actually look like
09:06 — FAFSA strategy and the 529 tip most parents miss
14:40 — Starting your first job: the fear nobody talks about
16:43 — Efforting: how to build credibility when you're new
18:07 — Take the 401k match — it is free money
19:43 — Roth vs traditional: why young earners should go Roth
22:07 — The middle gap: when to open a brokerage account
25:00 — Pick a minor that gives you a pivot
28:18 — The question nobody asks their boss — but should
31:09 — Why giving before getting is what actually works
32:44 — Todd's one takeaway: be humble and be curious
Connect With Todd
Find Todd on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddroselle/
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Visit Talent Connect: Website: www.talent-connect.net LinkedIn: Talent-Connect Kevin's LinkedIn: Kevin Cameron PCC
Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/
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