Afford Anything · March 17, 2026 · 1h 21m

Q&A: Should You Pause Retirement to Buy a Bigger Home?

Paula Pant and Joe Saul-Sehy answer listener questions about financial trade-offs: a couple deciding whether to pause retirement contributions to save for a larger home, a part-time worker balancing 401(k) and IRA contributions, and a listener's personal request for the hosts to reflect on their own unresolved financial uncertainties.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Editorial

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Trade-offs of pausing retirement for a down payment01:36

Paula and Joe discuss the pros and cons of temporarily reducing retirement contributions to accelerate saving for a larger home, especially when planning a cross-country move and keeping the existing home as a rental.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

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Maximizing tax efficiency with 401(k) and IRA37:15

They help Amelia figure out how to allocate contributions between a traditional IRA and an employer 401(k) when income is hourly and part-time.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

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Even experts have unresolved financial questions56:12

After a listener who underwent brain surgery asks what the hosts are still figuring out, Paula and Joe share their own financial and professional uncertainties.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

Misc

✧A listener, Lesley, mentions she recently had brain surgery, which prompted her to reach out with a more personal question about the hosts' own unresolved financial and personal challenges.

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