Dear Financial Samurais,
When Stanley Zhong was rejected by 16 colleges despite a 3.97 unweighted GPA, a 4.42 weighted GPA, and a near-perfect 1590 SAT score, I was stunned. Did he somehow offend every admissions officer in his essays? His academic stats put him in the top 0.1% of high school students—or in personal finance terms, the equivalent of someone with a net worth of at least $100 million not being able to join his neighborhood gym!
He didn’t even get into UC Davis, which has a 42% acceptance rate. As an Asian American parent, my first thought was: If someone this accomplished still gets rejected, what’s the point of my kids trying so hard?
After all, achieving those stats is nearly impossible. I pushed myself in high school and ended up with a 3.72 GPA and maybe a 1,200 SAT score. My family wasn’t about to shell out $2,000+ for a Princeton Review course, so I just flipped through SAT prep books at the library, thinking I was learning—but I really wasn’t.
If a student can excel academically, launch a startup, and still face 16 rejections, what does that tell us? Maybe the system is broken. And if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better for kids to simply enjoy their childhood instead?
Instead of grinding for 18 years just to end up at a dead end, why not have a blast instead? Those 18 years make up about 23% of the median life expectancy—that’s a long time to stress over an uncertain outcome. Imagine going to school purely for the joy of learning, without the pressure to get into a top college just to spend a decade under fluorescent lights optimizing ad clicks. Forget about it!
The Solution To All Our Problems: Money!
Then I had a second thought: There must be a better way. Instead of relying on an unfair system, why not focus on something we can control—building wealth early? If you’re financially independent before leaving home, you’re no longer at the mercy of gatekeepers.
One of the main reasons to attend a top university is to land a high-paying job. But if you’re already financially secure, who cares? No amount of rejection can hold you back.
So with the help of ProjectionLab, I ran the numbers to see how a child could realistically become a millionaire before leaving home. I didn’t know exactly how much money or time it would take, but I figured it was easier than getting an unweighted 3.97 GPA and a 1590 SAT score! And even if the child doesn't become a millionaire, at least they will have a lot more money than the average young adult.
Here are three paths to millionaire status before adulthood:
- Millionaire by 18 (starting from birth)
- Millionaire by 22 (starting at age 8)
- Millionaire by 25 (starting at age 14)
I know some of you might think this is crazy. But as a personal finance enthusiast (new post), I love tackling challenges like this. It brings me as much joy as watching the Warriors win an NBA playoff series. And since thinking is free, why not explore what it takes to make our kids financially independent?
The more we normalize financial literacy in our families, the more naturally it becomes part of their mindset. Who knows—maybe our kids and their friends will grow up to be personal finance enthusiasts too.
Check out: How To Make Children Millionaires Before They Leave Home
Bonds and Housing Are Having Their Moment
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that his proposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada will take effect on March 4, with an additional 10% tariff on China implemented on the same date. The sweeping 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada had been temporarily paused on February 3 but are now back on the table.
Anything can happen between now and March 4, but at this point, it’s best to assume the tariffs are coming. Then, we’ll see which country blinks first in this high-stakes game of chicken.
Meanwhile, economic sentiment is weakening. The Conference Board Index® fell by 7.0 points in February to 98.3—the steepest monthly drop since August 2021. Consumers are increasingly worried about higher long-term inflation, tariffs, government spending cuts, and a weakening labor market.
Geopolitical tensions aren’t helping either. A heated Oval Office meeting took place with Zelensky, Trump, Vance, Rubio, and a room full of reporters. Zelensky made a cryptic remark: “In war, everyone has problems. You have nice oceans. You don’t feel it now, but you will feel it in the future.”
Since English is Zelensky’s second language, it’s possible he didn’t express himself exactly as intended. But his words sounded like a warning that the U.S. could face future attacks if it doesn’t support Ukraine—something that Trump and Vance did not take kindly to. For now, no peace agreement is in sight.
Rally Time
All this uncertainty and fear has fueled a bond rally, with the 10-year Treasury yield dropping from a peak of 4.65% on February 12 to 4.23% today. In turn, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has fallen below 6.75%, just in time to boost real estate demand for the Spring buying season. How beautiful is the below chart?
If you're holding bonds or a 60/40 stock-bond portfolio, you're in good shape this year. And if you own real estate, your assets are looking even better, depending on where the property is located. At last, real estate and bonds are outperforming stocks so far.
If you're looking for a way to passive invest in commercial real estate, check out my private real estate investing center.
Make Sure You've Got a Financial Plan
2025 is shaping up to be a volatile year, making it more important than ever to have a solid financial plan to keep you on track. A great way to do this is by using ProjectionLab, where you can input various “what if” scenarios to project your future net worth. It has certainly helped my wife and me plan more clearly for our children's financial futures.
On a personal note, I’m excited to see San Francisco real estate heat up for a second year in a row, following some intense bidding wars in spring 2025. I’m currently preparing my old primary residence—now a rental property—for sale, and early signs point to strong demand.
I would hold onto it, but I promised my wife (and myself) that I wouldn’t own any more rental properties after purchasing our current home in Q4 2023. That said, I couldn’t quite let go of my pandemic home just yet, so I rented it out for a year, temporarily adding to my rental portfolio.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing insights on whether home staging is worth the cost, how to handle preemptive offers, and how to calculate the premium of an all-cash, no-contingency offer with a quick close versus one with a mortgage and a 30-day closing period, and more. Stay tuned!
To Your Financial Freedom,
Sam
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