I’ve spent the better part of my career helping people avoid paying unnecessary taxes. We’ve deferred income, maximized deductions, harvested tax losses, and generally done everything legally possible to keep the IRS from getting its hands on more money than necessary. And now I’m going to suggest something that seems to contradict pretty much all […]
Why You Should Give More Money to the IRS Right Now…Maybe Read More »
Imagine two people decide they are going to get healthy. The first one goes all in. He finds the newest diet. Buys the supplements. Downloads an app. Watches videos about the perfect workout routine. A month later, he reads something convincing him that carbohydrates are the problem, so he changes diets. Then a friend starts
Good Financial Planning Is Boring Read More »
I think one of the more interesting things about retirement is that two people can retire with roughly the same amount of money, in roughly the same health, at roughly the same age, and end up with completely different retirements. For the sake of making this a little more fun, let’s call them George Jetson
The Retirement Prison No One Plans For Read More »
A friend recently shared the parable of the businessman and the fisherman with me. If you’ve never heard it, the story goes something like this: A wealthy businessman comes across a fisherman relaxing after the day’s catch. The businessman asks why he isn’t out catching more fish. The fisherman explains that he has already caught
The Wealth Of “Enough” Read More »
For decades, the financial industry has pushed a dangerous lie: that wealth is built through discipline, patience, diversification, and decades of consistent investing. Fortunately, nobody has time for that anymore. The truly sophisticated investor knows the shortest path to financial freedom is hearing about an investment from a guy you’ve never met on the internet
Getting Rich Slowly is for Losers Read More »
I recently had the opportunity to give a retirement seminar to a group of hospital employees here locally. We spent time talking through what I believe are the five most important things people should focus on in the five years before retirement. One thing I mentioned during the talk is that some people spend more
The 5 Things You Must Do in the 5 Years Before You Retire Read More »
Perhaps my favorite book of all time is Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALS Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. It’s one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read. So much so that I read through it and discussed it with my older kids when they were 10, 8, and 6.
What Jocko Has to Say About Retirement Read More »
Breaking News! I’ve actually discovered the two best ways to avoid taxes entirely! First option: make no money. None. Zero. Retire to a cabin, grow your own food, and transact exclusively in bartered zucchini. The IRS tends to lose interest when there’s nothing to report. Second option: just don’t pay them and see what happens.
The Simplest Way to Avoid Taxes Read More »
This is a true story involving someone I care about. Certain details have been changed or intentionally left vague to protect their privacy. She was sharp. Independent. Organized. The kind of person who knew where every bill was, managed her own finances, and took pride in not needing help. That’s why it worked. The call
Why Smart, Independent People Get Scammed Read More »
There’s a part of retirement planning that no spreadsheet can fix, and it’s probably the biggest challenge people face. It isn’t investment strategy or tax planning or market volatility. The real hurdle is simple. You’ve spent forty years saving. Now you’re supposed to turn around and start spending. The Challenge of Uncomfortable Emotions People picture
The Biggest Challenge in Retirement: When Saving Becomes the Problem Read More »