Debt Ceiling Debacle: Why Not Just Spend More Responsibly?

Not raising the debt ceiling could cause another sell-off in the stock market. If so, history has shown it is worth buying the dip as politicians eventually agree to raise the debt ceiling limit and curb some spending. However, have you ever wondered why the government doesn’t spend more responsibly? After all, we individuals are […]

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How I’d Invest One Million Dollars Today For A Better Tomorrow

We’ve gone through exercises on how I’d invest $100,000 and $250,000. Now let’s go through an exercise on how I’d invest a million dollars today. Investing a million dollars is slightly different from investing $100,000 and $250,000. You can more easily afford to lose $100,000 – $250,000. But if you lose $1,000,000, you might enter

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A Visit To Pity City Shows Your Boss Probably Doesn’t Care About You

Have you ever visited Pity City? You know, the place where you feel sorry for yourself and all your problems? I think we’ve all been there before. At Financial Samurai, we accept our situation and take action to make things better. Complaining why life isn’t fair is not the Financial Samurai way! We are all

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Median Income Earned By Ivy League Graduates: Unimpressive At First

One reason why you might want to attend an Ivy League college or similar college is to earn a higher income. As a parent, you hope your child attending an elite university will make them upwardly mobile. A better life is what every parent wants for their kids. And a better life often means having

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Generational Wealth And The Angst Of The Not Rich Enough Class

Have you ever wondered why there is so much angst and anxiety from some high-income earning households that seem to have it all? Based on my years of research, the three main reasons are: 1) never-ending comparison, 2) a lack of generational wealth, and 3) having children. Generational wealth is next-level wealth. If you have

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Free Money! How To Game The College Financial Aid System

College is expensive and will only get more expensive over time. If you can get good college financial aid in terms of grants and scholarships (free money), as opposed to bad financial aid (loans), attending college will be much more affordable. We’ve already talked about the different ways for us to pay for college. Now

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The Ideal Number Of Banking Relationships To Feel Safe And Secure

Most people have a bank account where they securely receive, withdraw, and manage their cash. But is having just one banking relationship enough today when established banks are at risk to close down overnight? I don’t think so. After the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I decided to review our existing banking relationships and

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The Social Security COLA Is Huge: Traditional Retirees Rejoice!

The 2024 Social Security COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment) for over 71 million Americans is +3.2%. What was even more impressive was the 2023 Social Security COLA was a whopping 8.7%! An increase of that size is both huge and head-scratching. The 2023 Social Security COLA is huge in comparison to 2024 and prior years

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How One Man Negotiated A $40 Million Mass Severance Package

Although it’s a bummer to hear about more layoffs as the economy slows, I also feel a lot of hope and excitement for those who have lost their jobs for two reasons. First, there is the benefit of getting a severance package. Imagine getting a severance package worth six months of salary and then finding

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What If You Take A Leap Of Faith And Your Dreams Don’t Come True

Sometimes you take a leap of faith with and your dreams don’t come true. That’s OK because at least you won’t regret never trying! In this article, taking a leap of faith means trying your hand at entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship means leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck and benefits to make money from an idea.

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How To Become A Good-Enough Investor: Investing Lessons Since 1996

You don’t need to be a great investor to make lots of money. You just need to be a good-enough investor. Once you’re good enough you’ll be able to ride an almost constant tailwind toward financial independence. Further, you’ll learn to no longer blow yourself up and lose all your progress. One of my favorite

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How To Buy Treasury Bonds And Buying Strategies To Consider

With U.S. Treasury bond yields still high, the interest in buying Treasury bonds has increased. Let me show you how to buy Treasury bonds online. I’ll then share some buying strategies to help maximize returns and liquidity. Treasury bonds are risk-free investments if you hold them until maturity. You don’t have to pay state or

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Why I Wrote A New Personal Finance Book: Buy This, Not That

After two of brainstorming, writing, rewriting, and editing during the pandemic, my book, Buy This, Not That: How To Spend Your Way To Wealth And Freedom is now available! Let me share why I wrote a new personal finance book after writing about personal finance since 2009. Buy This Not That became an instant Wall

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Why Cash Flow Is More Important Than Net Worth: Focus On What’s Real

Whether you are a semi-retiree, a traditional retiree living off Social Security, or someone with a day job, cash flow is more important than net worth, especially during an economic downturn. Net worth is often an illusion that only helps to boost your ego when times are good. When times are bad, calculating your net

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Your Financial Independence Number Is Not Real If Nothing Changes

Your financial independence number is the amount of money you think you need in order to be free. Unfortunately, if nothing changes in your life after reaching your financial independence number, then the number simply is not real. You need to accumulate more capital and generate more passive income. Some people continue to believe once

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Why Invest In Private Funds Even Though They Charge Higher Fees

I decided to invest in two private funds: 1) Kleiner Perkins 20 (KP20), and 2) Kleiner Perkins Select2. Kleiner Perkins is a top-tier venture capital shop which has made more recent home run investments in Figma and Ripple. This article will explain why I invest in private funds even though they charge higher fees. KP20

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A Roth IRA Conversion Is Probably A Waste Of Time And Money For Most

A Roth IRA conversion is potentially a way to save on taxes in retirement. However, for most people, converting to a Roth IRA is probably a waste of time. It is highly unlikely you will make more in retirement than while working. As a result, your tax rate will likely be lower in retirement. I

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Primary Residence Value As A Percentage Of Net Worth Guide

Given our primary residence is likely one of our largest assets, buying responsibly is prudent. At the same time, living a better lifestyle by owning a nicer home as we get wealthier is also something many people desire. Therefore, let’s try and figure out what our appropriate primary residence value should be as a percentage

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Focus On Trends: Why I’m Investing In The Heartland Of America

If you want to get rich, you should focus on trends. I believe one of the best long-term trends is investing in the heartland of America due to growth of technology and remote work. People want to live in a lower-cost area of the country that is less dense. Thanks to the pandemic, work-from-home is

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10 Million Dollars: The Ideal Net Worth Amount For Retirement?

Curious to know the ideal net worth for retirement? As someone semi-retired in 2012 at age 34 with $3 million, let me tell you. $10 million sounds like the ideal amount of money to retire with. With $10 million in investable assets, you can easily generate between $300,000 – $500,000 of low-risk investment income. I

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Fundrise Overview And The Future Of Real Estate

I’m bullish on real estate for the next several years. With multiple efficacious vaccines, high inflation, continued low and negative real mortgage rates, plenty of stimulus, work from home here to stay, and the desire to own income-producing assets, real estate has a bright future. Here is the latest Fundrise overview. Fundrise is a leading

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Your Chances Of Becoming A Millionaire By Race, Age, And Education

Everybody wants to become a millionaire. Unfortunately, not everybody’s chances of becoming a millionaire are the same, partially because the playing field is not even. This article looks at historical data on your chances of becoming a millionaire by race, age, and education. Getting to at least one million dollars in net worth is a

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Scraping By On $500,000 A Year: Why It’s So Hard To Escape The Rat Race

Can you imagine scraping by on $500,000 a year? Well, believe it. Thousands of households living in expensive cities are running on this never-ending treadmill. It’s only when you can lock down expenses, save and invest aggressively, will you ever escape the rat race. They’ve got big mortgages, private school tuition to pay, and fancy

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The Million-Dollar Mindset of Personal Finance Enthusiasts

I keep reflecting on how incredible 2024 was. With the S&P 500 up 23%, Bitcoin surging, and residential real estate climbing in most of the country, personal finance enthusiasts have had an amazing year. The investment gains almost feel like free money—and who doesn’t love getting something for free? With the return of volatility, we

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The Ideal Vacation Property Size To Own Depends On Your Primary Home

Unless you are incredibly rich or lucky, it’s highly likely that your vacation property is smaller than your primary residence. Having a smaller vacation property is a rational choice given you don’t live there as long as you do your primary residence. Further, it’s unlikely you need as many extra rooms for guests, an office,

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Having Kids Might Not Hurt Your Ideal FIRE Lifestyle After All

There are plenty of reasons people choose not to have kids, with the cost of raising them being a major one. Another big factor is the fear that children will disrupt an ideal FIRE lifestyle. Many envision a life of traveling the world, indulging in incredible cuisine, and living spontaneously—things that can feel more challenging

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A Home Within Walking Distance of Everything Might Not Be Ideal

When I lived in the Marina neighborhood of San Francisco, I could walk to endless bars and restaurants within 10 minutes. It was the perfect place for twenty- and thirty-somethings to live, socialize, and indulge in city life. Back in 2005, at age 28, I had just bought my first single-family home—a handsome three-bedroom house

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Partying Like A Young Degenerate Is Not Good For Your Finances

Recently, I went off the deep end—living like a degenerate gambler and party animal—and I wanted to reflect on it. Perhaps to nobody’s surprise, I don’t think having extreme amounts of fun is good for your financial future. It’s probably also not good for your health. In our personal finance world bubble, where we go

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Rewarding Based on Merit Alone: Great in Theory, Tough in Reality

One of the reasons I left my job at Credit Suisse was that I no longer felt I was being paid based on merit. After the global financial crisis, the firm—like many others—faced tough times, and overall compensation steadily declined for years. As a top-three ranked producer, I expected to be compensated accordingly. But I

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Buy A Fully Remodeled, Move-In Ready Home Over A Fixer-Upper

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned the hard way in real estate, it’s that a full-on, gut-remodel can be a nightmare. After years of painful, unpredictable remodeling projects, I can confidently say: I will never do a complete remodel again. Instead, I now favor purchasing a fully remodeled, move-in ready home for any future investments.

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Tax Cuts for the Middle Class and Retirees: A Win for Your Wallet

On February 6, 2025, the White House announced a series of tax cuts primarily benefitting the middle class and retirees. Here’s what’s on the table: The administration is calling this the largest tax cut in history for working Americans, and with Republicans in control of Congress, these proposals are likely to move forward.

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Don’t Lose Financial Opportunities Due To A Lack Of Hard Work

The beauty of hard work is that any able-bodied person can do it. If you put in more hours honing your craft than the average person, chances are you’ll achieve far greater success than the average person. If you happen to be rich, well-connected, and blessed with movie-star looks, combining those advantages with relentless effort

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Trade Wars Could Be What The Housing Market Needs To Heat Up

As a stock market investor and consumer, I’m disappointed in the new tariffs President Trump has imposed—10% on imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada, including a 10% duty on Canadian energy imports (oil, natural gas, electricity). If these tariffs persist all year without resolution, corporate earnings could take a 2%-3% hit, which means a similar

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