Taxes are a headache. Audits are worse. Nobody wants to deal with the IRS sending a letter, asking for records, and possibly demanding more money. But is an audit something most people should actually worry about? My CPA friend Bo from The Crunch has gone through IRS audit data to separate fact from fiction. Bo…
Retirement should be about freedom, not watching money drain away on things that don’t matter. The truth is, small, unnecessary expenses add up fast. Smart retirees know that keeping more cash in their pockets means more control over how they live. The Spending in Retirement Survey found that inflation is forcing many retirees to rethink…
Saving money isn’t complicated. People just make it that way. You don’t need another budgeting hack, a fancy app, or a financial guru telling you to “cut back on coffee.” What you need is to stop wasting money on things that give nothing in return. Most people don’t realize how much cash slips through their…
When buying a house, many people are aware that they can negotiate the price. Some might even consider asking for a home warranty to be included in the deal. Home warranties are a common negotiation point because agents often receive commissions for selling them. But here’s the thing: you can negotiate much more than just…
Poverty isn’t just struggling to make ends meet. It’s waking up every day knowing that no matter how hard you work, it’ll never be enough. People who have never lived it love to give advice, but they don’t understand what it actually feels like. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in 2022, 37.9 million people…
Retirees aren’t just sitting on the sidelines anymore. Some miss the routine, some want extra cash, and others are just plain bored. Jobs that younger workers are ditching are wide open, and plenty of retirees are stepping in to fill the gaps. A recent survey shows that 13% of retired seniors plan to re-enter the…
Inheritance used to feel like a sure thing. Parents worked, saved, and left something behind. Maybe it’s a house, an investment account, or even just enough to clear a few bills. After all, Boomers are one of the wealthiest generations in history. Turns out, that’s not happening. A lot of Boomers aren’t planning to leave…
With over 24 years of experience as a real estate investor, I’ve seen countless homes struggle to sell. The reason? First impressions matter more than you might think. When potential buyers walk through your door, they’re not just looking at your house, they’re imagining their future home. A recent study by Strutt & Parker found…
Prices keep climbing, and there’s no end in sight. Groceries, rent, gas, everything costs more, and budgets are feeling the squeeze. It’s easy to wonder if anything still holds steady. A recent report confirms what most already suspect, purchasing power keeps shrinking. Inflation at 2% or 4% may not seem like much at first, but…
Taxes feel confusing when you’re just starting out. Forms, deductions, credits, it all sounds like a foreign language. Mess up, and the IRS might take more than its fair share. Get it right, and you could keep thousands in your pocket. A recent survey found that 44% of tax filers stress over doing their taxes,…
Rich people live in a different reality. What they see as everyday conveniences are luxuries most people can’t afford. Having things done for them, upgrading whenever they feel like it, and never worrying about price tags isn’t normal, it’s a privilege. Numbers don’t lie. In early 2024, the top 10% of American households controlled 67%…
Most people want to get rich, but few ever figure out how. Warren Buffett didn’t just figure it out, he mastered it. In 1999, when he was worth around $30 billion, someone asked him straight up: How can I do what you did? His answer came at the 1999 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting, as reported…
Saving money isn’t complicated, but a lot of people still struggle with it. Paychecks come in, bills get paid, and somehow, there’s never enough left over. The problem isn’t always income, it’s the habits that drain money before it even has a chance to grow. More than half of American workers say setting aside cash…
As a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with over 20 years of experience in finance, including managing Investment Risk and Investment Product Teams, I’ve seen countless individuals make costly mistakes with their 401(k) plans. A 401(k) is a powerful tool for building retirement wealth, but many people fail to optimize its potential. Below, I’ll outline some…
Some people get rich and stay rich, while others work their whole lives and barely get ahead. It’s not because they hustle harder, it’s because they play the game differently. The wealthy don’t just earn money, they use strategies that keep it growing while everyone else falls behind. A recent study by the St. Louis…
Are you dreaming of breaking free from the 9-to-5 grind decades before your peers? Maybe you’re wondering if you’ve saved enough, if your investments will last, or if you’re just plain crazy for thinking about retiring so young. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re considering early retirement. When I retired early, it wasn’t just…
