Lately, I’ve been thinking more about estate planning. Part of it is just getting older.

What if one of the best ways to get wealthy is to trick yourself into

If you’re thinking about investing in venture capital or any private fund, you need to

If you want to FIRE, one of my regrets was pulling the ripcord too early

During a bull market, most investors get excited about chasing risk. Despite sky-high valuations, there’s

The older I get, the more I dislike being a landlord. There’s too much potential

I haven’t checked my net worth for four months until recently. That wasn’t on purpose,

Embattled Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook is facing accusations of mortgage fraud—specifically, owner-occupancy mortgage fraud.

I recently had a zero-coupon Treasury Bill redeem in the amount of $102,000. This money

If you decide to forsake making maximum money to become a FIRE parent or stay-at-home

If my recent posts on the mistake of chasing value stocks or the need to

Back in 2012, I thought I had finally conquered financial FOMO after walking away from

In my post, “How You’ll Feel Achieving Various Millionaire Milestones,” a commenter named Joseph shared these thoughts:

Since writing about FIRE in 2009, I’ve favored investing in growth stocks over value stocks.

This type of post only surfaces during a bull market, when greed tug at us

On the latest episode of the Financial Samurai podcast, I sat down with Ben Miller, cofounder and

After a week of reviewing the tax-free exclusion rule for selling a rental property, I

When I worked in Equities at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse, we would occasionally bring

In Spring 2025, I sold one of my properties and successfully excluded $500,000 in capital

Since starting Financial Samurai in 2009, I’ve encouraged folks to keep an open mind and

As soon as both my children were born in 2017 and 2019, I superfunded their

When I lived overseas, one of the most celebrated aspects of my international schools was

After remodeling a fixer I bought in 2019 between 2019–2022, I swore I would never

One of the main reasons I refused to spend a small fortune renting a vacation

How much money do you need to feel financially comfortable or wealthy? The answer depends

I love index funds and ETFs for their low-cost nature and simplicity of ownership. However,

Imagine spending your life building wealth, investing in real estate, stocks, or your business, with

The value of owning a big, beautiful home is underappreciated. Somewhere along the way, society

One of the things that gives me great comfort about the health of the U.S. economy is

A typical supercommuter spends 90 minutes or more one way commuting to work or school. As the

On July 3, the House narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) with a 218–214

If you became a newly minted millionaire, where would you migrate to? Due to inertia,

Ever since I left my day job in 2012, I’ve used a form of the

We’re staying with our parents for five weeks in Honolulu, and I wanted to share

About a year ago, a relative asked me to help manage her money. She had

I’m convinced that if you wake up just one hour earlier every day for the

When the U.S. bombed three locations in Iran, my initial reaction was a mix of

If you want to grow your wealth faster than the average person, I suggest trying

When I first started Financial Samurai back in 2009, I had idealistic dreams of helping

One of the most overlooked risks in real estate investing isn’t rising interest rates, leverage,

When my son was born in 2017, I decided to focus on being a stay-at-home

In late 2022, my wife and I were finally able to lock in matching 20-year

I recently received a question that boils down to this: How do you know when

Feeling burned out and underappreciated? Tired of managing people and just want to focus on

I’ve been focused on building passive income since 1999, back when I had to be

Have you heard of the no-spend chalenge? It’s a popular concept among budget-minded and minimalist

If you are a parent, your mission is clear: develop into a rich Bank of

There is more wealth out there than you think. But the government and media sometimes

After publishing Why We Keep Spending Even Though We Know We Shouldn’t, I realized something important:

Spending money is an American pastime. With a national saving rate hovering around 5%, it’s

When you decide to sell a house, you might encounter a preemptive offer—a bid that

About once a month, I get an email or comment from a reader criticizing adjustable-rate

Believing you deserve to be rich is one of the most powerful psychological tricks to

I’m bullish on real estate. Yet I recently sold another rental property. This type of

During the recent stock market correction, I decided to buy the dip. But this time,

Before I retired from finance in 2012, I struggled with chronic back pain, sciatica, and

To celebrate the launch of Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures, I want to share

After three years of writing, rewriting, and refining, I’m thrilled to officially celebrate the launch

There comes a moment when your child might look up and say, with wide-eyed innocence:

If we’re not already in a recession, we may soon enter one due to aggressive

If you’re a personal finance enthusiast with kids, you’ve probably wondered: at what household income

Nobody enjoys a stock market downturn, especially those who rely more on returns without active

In 1997, Gary Winnick founded Global Crossing, a company with the bold vision of laying

To celebrate the launch of my new book, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures,

When it comes to saving for retirement, knowing which account to fund first is like

Only when the stock market goes down do people start to wonder whether they have

When it comes to selling a home, first impressions are everything. Yet, many sellers make

The first year after purchasing a house is the most dangerous and potentially challenging period.

With a likely recession and potentially stagflation on the horizon, I suspect many more families

Creating an investment game plan is a crucial part of building lasting wealth. Without one,

As stocks plummet and recession fears grow, there’s one silver lining worth highlighting: the increasing

Reciprocal tariffs will drive up the cost of most goods, making everyday life more expensive

Well, folks, after 16 years of diligently writing three free posts a week, I’ve finally

Stagflation is a rare and challenging economic condition where slow or stagnant growth, high unemployment,

One of my goals is to put my kids to work so they can earn

Back in 2019, I remember being surprised at a survey by toy maker Lego that

To my dismay, my beloved hot tub stopped working the other day. It had been

Since 2009, I’ve been writing about the importance of working to live—accumulating wealth to achieve

Despite the wonderful peace of mind that comes with owning a home free and clear,

While visiting my parents in Honolulu this past winter, I ended up driving my dad’s

As I sadly watch my stock portfolio correct by over 10%, I find serenity in

Unfortunately, the chances of another recession are increasing, largely due to the uncertainty set forth

Let’s say you’ve come into a large sum of money—perhaps $1 million or more from

With fears of a recession rising again largely thanks to the Trump administration’s aggressive policy

As I watch my stock portfolio correct, I take solace in knowing that my real

I recently came across an eye-opening chart by the National Association of Realtors showing that

If you don’t believe the world will grant your children a fair chance to succeed,

If you knew that no matter how hard you tried, success was impossible or practically

I keep reflecting on how incredible 2024 was. With the S&P 500 up 23%, Bitcoin

Unless you are incredibly rich, it’s highly likely that your vacation property is smaller than

There are plenty of reasons people choose not to have kids, with the cost of

When I lived in the Marina neighborhood of San Francisco, I could walk to endless

Recently, I went off the deep end—living like a degenerate gambler and party animal—and I

One of the reasons I left my job at Credit Suisse was that I no

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned the hard way in real estate, it’s that a

On February 6, 2025, the White House announced a series of tax cuts primarily benefitting the middle

The beauty of hard work is that any able-bodied person can do it. If you

As a stock market investor, I’m disappointed in the new tariffs President Trump has imposed—10%

As someone who literally wrote the book on how to negotiate a severance package, I

One adjustment I’m making to my net worth asset allocation is reducing exposure to closed-end

China’s DeepSeek has shaken up the AI world with the release of an open-source AI

After over two years of writing and editing, I’m thrilled to finally share my upcoming

If there’s one thing I don’t recommend, it’s buying stock on margin. Due to the

In this Financial Samurai podcast episode, I speak to Ben Miller, co-founder and CEO of Fundrise about

A couple earning $500,000 a year should feel rich, right? That’s top 2% territory in

Did you know that a whole life insurance policy can actually help you make money?

With the tragic fire that occurred in Lahaina, Maui, hurricanes ripping through Florida yearly, and

2025 has gotten off to a rough start with devastating fires and corrections in stocks,

With 2024 over, I’d like to share my year in review. For the vast majority

If you’re a FIRE parent, one of your biggest concerns might be raising a spoiled

Artificial intelligence (AI) is causing an existential crisis for many workers, myself included. With the

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the time off and doing some reflecting.

One of the biggest reasons I was against contributing to a Roth IRA is my

One of my goals for 2025 is to simplify life by selling a rental property.

As we wrap up 2024, it’s time to highlight the best posts from Financial Samurai

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! I’m spending the week with my parents in Oahu

When you reach financial independence or retirement you may eventually experience a sense of emptiness.

“Flexing” is a slang term that means showing off or boasting about one’s accomplishments, possessions,

With another strong year in the stock market, it’s time for investors to celebrate! While

After speaking to dozens of parents, a principal a couple of times, and a financial

Real estate is inherently local, with property values closely tied to the economic drivers and

Now that I’ve shared the 2025 S&P 500 target price forecast, let’s dive into housing

Sin—actions deemed morally wrong or harmful—can be difficult to resist, especially when money is involved. A

I recently had dinner with Steve Chen, founder of Boldin, in San Francisco, and I’m

There’s a lot of enthusiasm for Roth IRA conversions and Mega Backdoor Roth IRAs—and for

The 2025 Wall Street S&P 500 forecasts are rolling in, and so far, the outlook

I firmly believe that above-average wealth is largely a result of luck. If we fail

The Santa Claus Rally refers to a historically observed stock market phenomenon where U.S. equity markets tend

Ever since I started saving for retirement in 1999, I’ve been a proponent of tax-deferred

Health insurance is one of the most complex and aggravating topics for both consumers and

If you want to optimize your life, it’s essential to understand the concept of Return

Being financially independent means having enough passive income to cover your essential or desired living

I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Bengen, creator of the “4% Rule” for

After reviewing my analysis on a conversation I had with a financial professional in 2013,

One reason many people shy away from competition is that they dislike losing. With often

The 401(k) contribution limit for employees in 2025 has increased to $23,500, up from $23,000

With Donald Trump set to become the 47th President of the United States, it’s natural

Every time a political candidate asks if you’re better off than four years ago, I

The IRS has announced new income limits for its seven tax brackets for 2025, with

Out of all the things you could donate your hard-earned money to, giving to your

As an investor, it’s essential to understand that risk assets come with no guaranteed returns.

Since the bottom of the global financial crisis in July 2009, the S&P 500 has

Before retiring in 2012, I didn’t fear boredom or loneliness. It never occurred to me

October 2024 marks one year since I purchased the most expensive house I could afford.

Empower is offering free financial consultations until October 31, 2024, for anyone with over $250,000

This guest post is by Vaughn, a long-time Financial Samurai reader who retired at 44

One of the worst experiences for a homeowner is filing a home insurance claim only

Retiring early with a severance package is one of the smartest ways to leave the

As a parent, your top priority is to protect your children until they are old

There are two things most financially-conscience people aspire to: retiring rich or retiring early. But

For over 10 years, my father has been my primary editor on Financial Samurai. When

One of the most significant developments to come out of the pandemic, if not the

I remember being a broke college student during my senior year at The College of

Recently, I hit a major milestone in my journey to overcome what I like to

Have you ever walked into a home and instantly felt cozy, even in the heart

At long last, after four years, the Federal Reserve has finally cut the Fed Funds

If you’re increasing your safe withdrawal rate for retirement now, you’re likely making a mistake.

With record-high home equity and declining mortgage rates, the temptation to do a cash-out refinance

In my post about illegal immigration, a commenter pointed out that I was lucky to

Like millions of others, I watched with intrigue the first—and potentially only—Donald Trump and Kamala

At long last, the time has finally come for the Fed to begin cutting rates

In 2013, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) filed a lawsuit against Harvard University in the

One of the investing strategies growing in popularity with the wealthy is Direct Indexing. Before

In April 2017, I made a commitment to be a stay-at-home parent for the first

Since I purchased my house in October 2023, I’ve been feeling broke. I’m living paycheck

Last month, I missed a $25,000 capital call without even realizing it. The Managing Partner

Needless to say, a $20 million net worth is a substantial amount of money. It

Like most people, I enjoyed watching the Olympics. Some of us might even imagine our

If you’re a real estate investor with children, you may face two significant challenges. The

With the real estate industry finally lowering commission rates after August 17, 2024, a battle

I recently received an email from an agent at Sotheby’s, a prominent real estate brokerage

In a previous post, I discussed the futility of working when your net worth is

The latest stock market correction cost me about five times what I made consulting part-time

Life is easier when you can make a positive connection with other people. As I

On July 16, 2024, we had a mini-stock market crash with the S&P 500 declining

Starting at age 45 in 2022, I consciously started focusing on decumulating wealth. I realized

Many of us experience mental health conditions or know someone close to us who does.

Money dysmorphia is a negative and unrealistic perception of one’s financial wellness or position. If

With elections approaching, let the political mudslinging and dirt-digging begin! This time, it’s regarding being

After publishing my post, “When To Stop Contributing To A 529 Plan,” I felt a

After 12 years of FIRE (financial independence retire early), I went back to work. Unfortunately,

I’m a fan of both stock dividends and rental property income, my two favorite sources

There’s a classic saying, “Youth is wasted on the young.” It’s meant to convey that

Everyone with children should contribute to a 529 plan. It is a tax-efficient way to

The failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump reminds us that more important than political bickering

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others

If you have a rental property that is generating positive cash flow and is expected

If you own a rental property and are thinking of selling, don’t do it unless

During a recent liquidity crunch, I kept thinking how nice it would be to have

In the second half of 2023, I significantly impacted our passive income, causing our household

After taking my family on a nine-day vacation to Honolulu, Hawaii, my plan to relocate

As an investor, understanding financial ratios is important to help assess the current state of

A large part of building wealth involves delaying gratification. Therefore, you might find yourself wondering

If you bought a home during a high-interest rate environment, it’s wise to prepare for

Since 1999, I’ve been climbing up the property ladder to find the perfect house in

If you want career, financial, and social success, don’t beat up your opponents too badly

During my days of purchasing homes with mortgages, I had a fondness for adjustable-rate mortgages

When my son was born in April 2017, I promised to become a full-time father

One of the most common pushbacks I get from some of my investing and economy-related