A friend of mine was trying to figure out why his financial advisor was underperforming the market so badly. Over the past 5 years (November 15th, 2019, to November 15th, 2024), his portfolio was up just 4.8% annually vs. 13.8% for the S&P 500. He’s not the kind of person who checks his portfolio every…
So much has changed in the world of personal finance and investing over the past 30 years. ETFs and index funds have replaced individual stock portfolios and managed mutual funds. Investing moved online, then to mobile. Online brokers eliminated commissions and now encourage fractional share purchases for as little as $0.01. Tax laws and planning…
Thanks to everyone who responded to the recent book giveaway. Your encouragement and kind words were uplifting. The responses gave me lots of topics to focus on in 2025. I received 104 responses. Congrats to the winners. Also, a few weeks back, I asked for your help in getting me over the 1,000 subscriber mark…
The Roth conversion is a popular year-end tax maneuver for DIY retirement planners. It works just as well at the start of the year, but more people are interested in December. The move involves transferring retirement assets from a traditional IRA, 401(k), or other pre-tax account into a Roth IRA. Conversions incur a tax consequence…
A more in-depth talking head version of this article is available on YouTube (view below). I chased early retirement for almost two decades. My early retirement goal made me a disciplined saver and investor, but I wholeheartedly believe early retirement is the wrong goal. This is humbling to write. In this article, I’ll provide three…
The FIRE movement made the rounds in national news for a few years and still gets a head nod here and there. The early retirement (RE) part of FIRE always received more criticism because it’s the goal when someone doesn’t like their career choice and wants to escape. In hindsight, this was me. Both financially…
My Dad retired in 2002 with a 403(b) and lifelong teacher’s pension. Unsure of his retirement savings, some fellow retired teachers recommended a financial advisor who “specialized in retired teachers”. So he converted the 403(b) to an IRA, transferred his and my Mom’s IRAs to the advisor, and trusted him to manage their money for…
The financial independence number is a benchmark to determine retirement preparedness. It’s also known as the FI number. Financial independence is achieved by: building enough passive income to cover annual expenses, or amassing a lump sum of enough savings and investments to cover living expenses through withdrawals, or a combination of #1 and #2. The financial independence…
My parents lived in their first home for more than 50 years. But they stayed too long. They thought the house would be their forever home for most of their lives, but also didn’t think they’d live so long into retirement. It’s been a year since they’ve settled into a more suitable home, and now…
ProjectionLab is a powerful financial planning tool that empowers do-it-yourselfers to set and track financial goals and forecast how their wealth will change over a lifetime. We can use it to experiment with various scenarios and assumptions to help us determine if we have enough to retire or achieve other financial milestones. This retirement planning calculator is far…
I named this blog after a goal I set back in 2002 to retire at age 55, one year before the age my Dad retired. The objective has driven many financial decisions over the past 20 years. My goal had all the markings of a SMART goal — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. But…
I’ve been a self-directed investor for almost thirty years. Self-managing my investments has saved me tens of thousands in fees, though I’ve been susceptible to my own investment biases and mistakes. Overall, I believe the tradeoff favors do-it-yourself (DIY) investing. This article explores the pros and cons of DIY investing compared to hiring a financial…
TD Bank interviewed me on this topic. Check out the interview on YouTube or below. I’m 48. It’s been 28 years since I invested in my first stock. Twenty-eight years from now, I’ll be 76, about the same age as my parents. My parents recently fired their financial advisor and asked me to assist in…
I’m a DIY financial planner and investor. Hiring a financial advisor never made sense since I studied finance and enjoy money management as a hobby. I almost became an investment advisor a few times. My financial situation has never been that complicated. I keep my investments, taxes, and personal finance activities within my capabilities, so…