Hi there! I’m Michelle and I live in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. As you may have guessed from the site name, I’m a boomer. I was born at the very end of the baby boom. I am married with two daughters – one in college and one in high school. I have worked in the financial services industry for 30 years and I’m passionate about all aspects of physical, mental and financial wellness. I firmly believe that if everyone makes just a few small changes, we can have a positive impact on the planet. The goal for my blog is to share positive thoughts and simple ideas you can use right away to make a difference.

Anthony has married his passions, investing and education. While teaching social studies full-time, he founded a registered investment advisory firm, where he constructed financial plans and oversaw $50 million in client assets. As a CFP, he has a vast knowledge of personal finance strategies; and, as an educator, he has a natural ability to explain complicated economic and financial concepts, put them into an historical context, and make the practical application of these concepts come to life. Prior to starting his teaching career, he worked in the financial industry, trading foreign currencies. He brings to Ritholtz Wealth Management an expertise of the inner workings of the 403b market. His goal is to build awareness of the conflicted advice and poor options in these plans, and ultimately bring about much-needed reform. His blog, A Teachable Moment, helps educate investors on how to protect their interests.

The name’s Amanda Holden, but my pals call me Mandy, Mandicakes, Manderson Pooper, A.Hol (get it? like J.Lo but…grosser??) and—you guessed it—Dumpster Dog. Ahhhh yes, ol’ Dumpster Dog, that’s me. What you’re probably not thinking is: For a young and single working gal, that is one darling nickname!! It’s okay—I love it. The nickname took root during a eight-month stint where I didn’t buy food (see this post for the gruesome details) and it has really stuck, glued to me like day-old bean burrito guts on a Taco Bell wrapper. The easy fusion was surely thanks to my preference for Birkenstocks and half-eaten gyros over stilettos and grooming; creativity over tedium, always. This brand of scrappiness is the very essence of Dumpster Dog, and accordingly, the perfect name for my blog on money!

We are Todd and Wendy Christensen (aka 50+ and 50-), an average couple on an extraordinary journey from mediocre finances to Financial Independence to Retire Early (FI/RE). As a couple, we don’t want to retire on Social Security and a limited IRA. We have committed to eliminating ALL our debt by our late 50s and early 60s while building passive income streams that will permit us to pursue a meaningful life outside the 8-5 workday.

Blair duQuesnay, CFA®, CFP® is an investment advisor at Ritholtz Wealth Management, LLC. She works with the firm’s clients to create sustainable financial plans and investment strategies. She is a member of the firm’s investment committee, where she provides an advisor’s perspective and has a pulse on the questions clients are asking about their portfolios.

The mission of Financial IQ by Susie Q is to provide clear, practical, unbiased information to help people, Millennials in particular, make better financial decisions. My goal is to help you avoid financial mistakes. As one of my friends said, “Can you imagine how much less painful the 2008-2010 period would have been if everyone had understood their financial decisions?"