it's finance, mate!

The moment every investor dreads... Seeing red across the board. Do you sell, hold, or buy more? And how do you even know which decision makes sense?In this episode, we go deep on what really matters when markets drop: your thesis, time horizon, risk appetite, and emotions. We share our own stories from early crypto trades and gold “theses” gone wrong to classic 25% drawdowns and 80% crashes. We unpack what we learned about conviction, timing, and patience.Learn why “time in the market beats timing the market,” why emotion is the hardest asset to manage, and how to separate belief from bias.Start investing wisely, not emotionally. financemate.de

Living abroad is already complex. If you hold a US passport, your finances just got a lot more so. In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Henkels, a US-based Certified Financial Planner who specializes in working with Americans living in Germany. From passive foreign investment corporations (PFICs) to tax treaties, FATCA, IRA contributions abroad, and the ETF block many Americans run into… we unpack the why, how, and what you can still do to build wealth across borders.Whether you’re preparing to move, already living in Germany, or married to an American, this episode gives you the mental checklist and strategy to stay compliant, invest wisely, and avoid nasty surprises down the line.Share this with your American friends abroad. It might just save them a tax nightmare.Plan smart, start at financemate.deYou can also connect directly to Jonathan here https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanhenkels/https://beaconglobaladvisors.com/Jonathan Henkels' commentary is intended to be informational and educational.  It is not intended to be tax or investment advice.  It is not a solicitation to purchase or sell any stock, security or form of investment.Disclaimer: This video is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered tax, financial, legal, or investment advice. The content presented represents personal opinions and experiences and may not be suitable for your specific situation. Tax laws and financial regulations vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always consult with qualified professionals such as certified public accountants, tax advisors, financial planners, or attorneys before making any financial or tax-related decisions. The creator of this video is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. Your individual circumstances are unique, and what works for one person may not work for another.

Your German payslip hides more than it shows.In this episode, we break down how to actually understand your total compensation as an international in Germany: salary, bonuses, equity, and benefits and how to make each of them work for you.We explain why salary is your stability, bonuses are your flexibility, equity is your upside, and benefits are your protection. From tax classes and social contributions to company pensions, 13th-month salaries, RSUs, and blackout periods, we unpack how German compensation really works, what to watch out for, and how to plan your finances around it.Whether you’re negotiating your next role or finally trying to make sense of your payslip, this episode helps you see your income as a system, not just a number.Ready to turn your compensation into a real plan?Book your first session at financemate.de.

Financemate 2.0 is here. We share why we rebuilt our hybrid financial planning experience and what’s new: a client-led dashboard with lifetime access to your data, shaped by months of real user feedback.  We introduce the Independence Chart that projects your income and net worth across your life so decisions connect (not live in silos).  Then we walk through the upgraded planners: Income (drag-to-forecast), Cash (fund near-term goals), Pension (German + foreign), Portfolio (projection and withdrawal rules), and Real Estate (investment vs. home with after-tax math).  We also cover data security (EU hosting, best-practice auth) and why a living, holistic plan beats static PDFs every time.  Want to see it live? Book a discovery call at financemate.de.

DIY apps or done-for-you wealth managers? We make the case for a hybrid: your numbers in a live dashboard plus a human co-pilot to turn data into decisions. We compare DIY vs. fully serviced, talk bias-free calculators, better visuals and inputs, and why a dynamic plan that adapts with life beats static PDFs so you keep control and still get guidance.  Ready to plan together? Visit financemate.de.

Thinking about a career change, sabbatical, or startup? We sit down with Maritza from ChangePath.ai to connect career design with money: when to resign (bonus/RSU timing, notice period), how to handle housing/mortgages as employee vs. freelancer, and why to move essentials to a runway account and build a 6–12-month buffer. We cover unemployment benefits, company/foreign pensions, and simple ways to build bridge income and cut burn, so your transition is funded, not frantic. Runway creates negotiation power. Sequence the big moves: money first, then the leap.Ready to plan your pivot? Visit financemate.de and changepath.ai.

Everyone makes the same five mistakes at first: the “I’ll figure it out later” trap, flipping between public and private health insurance, calling rent “dead money,” sleepwalking through a company pension, and trusting pensions without running the numbers. We unpack each one with simple, international friendly frameworks: fair rent-vs-buy math, how to think about GKV vs. PKV, what employer “matching” really means in bAV, and why your pension deserves a realistic line in your plan.Ready to fix yours? Book a call at financemate.de.

Independence isn’t a number, it’s choosing how you live, where you live, who you work with, and what you work on. In this episode we each define independence, share client moments (from 80% work weeks for new parents to quitting jobs for a camper van and more family time), and turn it into a practical plan: build runway, adjust risk, time big moves like property vs. starting a business, and treat planning as an ongoing process, not a one-off.  Ready to design your independence? Book a call at financemate.de.

Everyone asks us the same five things: What should I do with my money? Is real estate a good investment? When can I retire? How can I start investing in ETFs? Does my company pension (bAV) make sense for me? In this episode, we tackle each one through a financial planning lens, putting priorities before products and flexibility before hype, and share simple tests you can run yourself. We clear up common misconceptions and give you a reusable framework so you walk away with decisions, not confusion. Ready to plan? Book a call at financemate.de.

You won’t retire on a date, you’ll retire into a global economy. We zoom out to the next 30–40 years: the 1972 Limits to Growth “2030 bend,” AI’s productivity (and job) shock, stubborn energy costs, global debt, China–US shifts, and Europe’s footing. For a mid-30s listener in Germany, we turn those themes into scenarios and a plan: diversified income lanes, skill upgrades, and smart location choices for a resilient retirement.Ready for the future? Start planning at financemate.de.