A five million dollar house is big bucks in every single city in America. Once you cross the $5 million mark, it is classified in the luxury territory, even for cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York. Therefore, I thought it would be interesting to calculate the minimum income necessary to […]
The Minimum Income Necessary To Afford A Five Million Dollar House Read More »
The 2022 income tax brackets and standard deductions are out! Although the actual income tax brackets have not changed, the taxable income range per tax bracket has adjusted upward slightly to account for inflation. That’s nice of the IRS, but at the end of the day, the government still wants our money!. Here are four
2022 Income Tax Brackets And The New Ideal Income For Maximum Happiness Read More »
I made a mistake with both my children’s 529 plans. Instead of investing in equity index ETFs, I invested in target date funds (TDF). Both target date funds have significantly underperformed, costing my children $40,000+ of lost profits in just a few short years. Instead, I should have invested the 529 plans in an S&P
The Problem With Target Date Funds: 529 Plan Case Study Read More »
Life has a way of throwing us curveballs and throwing us into emergency situations when we least expect them. You might get in an accident and slip into a coma. Or you could catch a surprise illness that takes a sudden turn for the worst. Whatever the case may be, having a death file for
The Death File And Why You Need One Read More »
Before I share the best asset class performers from 2001 – 2020, I want you to guess the following four things: 1) Of the following asset classes, the S&P 500, a 60/40 stock/bond portfolio, Bonds, REITs, Commodity, Emerging Market Equity, Small Cap, Homes, which performed best? 2) What was the annualized return for the best-performing
The Best Asset Class Performers From 2001 – 2020 Read More »
With open enrollment season in full swing, it’s a good idea to go through the many health insurance plans to choose from. The options can quickly get overwhelming. However, understanding the fundamentals will help simplify your decision. By the end of this article you’ll understand the four main types of health insurance and know how
HMO, EPO, POS, & PPO Health Insurance Basics Read More »
The historical gift tax exclusion amount is $19,000 for 2025, up from $18,000 in 2024, $17,000 in 2023, and $16,000 in 2022. As a result, you may want to contribute more to your child’s 529 plan or give them more money if your estate may surpass the estate tax threshold when you pass. Despite paying
Historical Gift Tax Exclusion Amounts: Be A Rich Strategic Giver Read More »
A strong mind is everything. You need a strong mind to get rich. You also need a strong mind to win at sports and get ahead in many aspects of life. One of the goals of achieving financial independence is financial security. We want to feel secure financially so we ironically don’t have to think
The Ultimate Source Of Financial Security: Your Strong Mind Read More »
The maximum 401k contribution limit for 2025 increases to $23,500, up from $23,000 in 2024. Your 401k is one of the three legs of the new retirement stool: you, you, and you. Historically, the 401k contribution limit usually increases by only $500 every two to three years. However, thanks to inflation, the contribution limit has
The Maximum 401k Contribution Limit: What You Could Have If You Max Out Every Year Read More »
In a stunning turnaround, Zillow recently announced it would be getting out of the iBuying business and will shut down its Zillow Offers division. Roughly 25% or 2,000 of its staff will be let go as the company takes a $540 million write-off. “We’ve determined the unpredictability in forecasting home prices far exceeds what we
Even Zillow Can’t Trust Its Zestimates: How To Profit From Its Mistake Read More »
