I recently had dinner with Steve Chen, founder of Boldin, in San Francisco, and I’m excited to deepen my partnership with his company. Since first writing about Boldin (formerly NewRetirement) in 2020, I’ve seen how much the platform has evolved and expanded its offerings. It is one of the most powerful financial planning tools today. […]
Boldin Financial Planner Review: Financial Freedom Made Easier Read More »
There’s a lot of enthusiasm for Roth IRA conversions and Mega Backdoor Roth IRAs—and for good reason. Paying taxes upfront on your retirement accounts can be a savvy move, especially if you’re in a mid-to-lower federal income tax bracket, as it allows for tax-free withdrawals in the future. That said, thanks to the latest standard
Maximizing Tax-Free Income and Withdrawals In Retirement Read More »
The 2025 Wall Street S&P 500 forecasts are rolling in, and so far, the outlook is all bullish. I haven’t found a single bearish forecast, which is somewhat worrisome. Most firms project the S&P 500 will close 2025 around 6,500—a solid 8.3% gain from the 6,000 level. If 2024 ends as expected, with the index
2025 Wall Street S&P 500 Forecasts Are All Bullish – Uh Oh! Read More »
I firmly believe that above-average wealth is largely a result of luck – around 60% – 70%. If we fail to recognize our lucky financial breaks, we risk confusing our abilities with good economic times. This overconfidence can lead to poor decisions and increase the likelihood of financial ruin. Since starting Financial Samurai in 2009, I’ve witnessed
How One Lucky Financial Break Can Change Everything For Good Read More »
The Santa Claus Rally refers to a historically observed stock market phenomenon where U.S. equity markets tend to perform well during the last five trading days of the year and the first two trading days of the new year. Historically, the average gain during this seven-day period is around 1.3%. As time has gone on, largely thanks to
The Santa Claus Rally Phenomenon And Its Origins Read More »
Ever since I started saving for retirement in 1999, I’ve been a proponent of tax-deferred retirement vehicles like the 401(k) and skeptical of tax-now vehicles like the Roth IRA. Working in banking, I was already being taxed out the wazoo and had no desire to pay even more. Frankly, I wasn’t even familiar with the
Mega Backdoor Roth IRA: Supercharging Your Retirement Savings Read More »
Health insurance is one of the most complex and aggravating topics for both consumers and providers in the US. Speak with anyone based outside the US and they all will comment about how much better things are abroad versus here. But as most of you would agree, having health insurance is a financial necessity in
Key Factors To Consider Before Changing Health Insurance Plans Read More »
If you want to optimize your life, it’s essential to understand the concept of Return on Effort (ROE). The higher your ROE, the more you get out of your efforts, making it an invaluable framework for decision-making. ROE can also help you better utilize your time by prioritizing tasks and opportunities that yield the greatest
Return On Effort (ROE) Is Your Key To Unlocking A Better Life Read More »
Being financially independent means having enough passive income to cover your essential or desired living expenses. A common guideline is to aim for a net worth equal to 25 times your annual expenses, often used as a baseline for achieving financial independence. However, this approach is overly simplistic because it depends on the composition and
A Net Worth Equal To 25X Expenses Is Not Enough To Retire Early Read More »
I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Bengen, creator of the “4% Rule” for retirement planning. Bill has been a reader of Financial Samurai for many years and has always been courteous in the comments section when I write about safe withdrawal rates. So, I figured it was time we had a chat to
The 4% Rule: Clearing Up Misconceptions With Its Creator Bill Bengen Read More »
