At the end of every year, I highlight the best posts and podcasts on Financial Samurai. Determining the “best” of Financial Samurai is both objective and subjective. For those new here, I started this site in July 2009, at the depths of the global financial crisis. I had been considering launching the site since 2006, …
The Best Of Financial Samurai 2023 – Posts And Podcasts Read More »
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With stocks again near record highs, it's a good idea to find ways to spend some of your stock market gains. Owning stocks provides no utility or inherent joy (unless you're a lover of money itself), so we must sell on occasion to capture its benefits. When I first began investing in stocks in 1996, …
Top Ways To Spend Your Massive Stock Market Gains Read More »
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The end of the year is always the best time to reflect and plan. I'd like to share several financial moves you should make before the new year in order to protect your wealth and hopefully grow your wealth in a risk-adjusted manner next year. Those of us who invested in stocks, real estate, and many …
10 Helpful Financial Moves To Make Every Year Read More »
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While watching some competitive 5.0 tennis, a top 1% level, I suddenly started to reflect on why the window of opportunity that many of us have is smaller than we think. From 2015 until 2021, I played at the 5.0 level. I lost 69.3% of my matches, but USTA's computer algorithm wouldn't drop me down …
Your Window Of Opportunity Is Smaller Than You Think Read More »
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Anticipating future trends can lead to smart investments. Drawing from my 20 years of real estate investing experience, I expect bidding wars to resurge in the housing market in 2024 and beyond. The main reasons for the return of bidding wars in the housing market are as follows: I Hate Getting Into A Bidding War …
How To Prepare For Upcoming Bidding Wars When Buying A Home Read More »
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In my post, the percentage of homeowners who pay cash, a reader asked my opinion on having home insurance for paid-off properties. Paid off properties include a property you purchased with all cash or a property you own after paying off the mortgage. This is a dilemma I wrestled with after recently paying cash for …
Home Insurance Needs For Paid Off Properties With No Mortgage Read More »
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House rich, cash poor is when you have a lot of equity in your house but not a lot of cash. For whatever reason, a homeowner has untapped equity in their property but is unwilling or unable to withdraw it. Due to excessive spending habits or financial responsibilities, the homeowner feels poor. After paying for my …
House Rich Cash Poor Is A Terrible, But Fixable Situation Read More »
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Now that I've published the 2024 S&P 500 predictions, let's look at the 2024 housing market predictions by various industry experts. The forecast for 2024 home prices ranges from -1.7% to +4.1%. Real estate is my favorite asset class to build wealth because it generates income, provides utility, is less volatile, is more easily understandable, …
2024 Housing Market Price Predictions By Industry Experts Read More »
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In this Financial Samurai podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with 4-time NBA champion Shaun Livingston. Shaun won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors as a point guard and one championship as an executive. In 2018, Shaun reached out to talk about planning for life after basketball. We grabbed some lunch in …
Inside An NBA Champion’s Journey With Shaun Livingston Read More »
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After a bull market in 2023, let's look at the 2024 Wall Street forecasts for the S&P 500 (stock market). Overall, the 2024 S&P 500 targets range from 4,200 to 5,500, implying returns between -8.5% and +19.7% from 4,594. Obviously, anything can happen between now and the new year. In addition, plenty of economic data …
2024 Wall Street Forecasts For The S&P 500: More Positive Outlook Read More »
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Everybody knows that being a long-term investor is the way to go. The longer you can stay invested in the stock market and real estate markets, the greater your chances of making more money. There's just one big problem with being long-term investors. We eventually all run out of time. And if we run out …
The Biggest Problem With Being A Long-Term Investor Read More »
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Just like how the purchase price of a car is not the entire cost, the purchase price of a house is not the entire cost either. In this post, I'd like to discuss all the surprising costs that come after you close escrow. First of all, these are the unsurprising costs after you purchase a …
All The Surprising Costs That Come After A Home Purchase Read More »
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Empower surveyed 2,304 U.S. adults about financial happiness. And one of the most fascinating data points from the survey was that Millennials need to earn $525,000 a year to feel happy! Although $525,000 isn't a top 1% income ($650,000+ is in 2023), it's a top 3% income. And if you need to earn more than …
Why Millennials Need To Earn $525,000 A Year To Feel Happy Read More »
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Partially thanks to high mortgage rates, the percentage of homebuyers who pay cash has risen. As of September 2023, according to Redfin, 34.1% of U.S. home purchases were made in cash. This is up from 29.5% in September 2022, when mortgage rates were lower. Redfin analyzed county records across 40 of the most populous U.S. …
The Percentage Of Homebuyers Who Pay Cash And Why They Do Read More »
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Instead of sharing the usual things I'm thankful for (health, family, being Asian, etc.), I thought I'd share some unusual things I'm thankful for this year! 2023 was supposed to be a return to easy living. Alas, I don't feel very relaxed. The combination of keeping Financial Samurai going and being a dad is grinding …
Five Unusual Things I’m Thankful For, Despite All The Bad Read More »
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I've been trying to leave San Francisco since 2014. After fake retiring in 2012, I thought it was only logical to move to a lower-cost area of the country, like Honolulu, to save money and be closer to my folks. Yes, Honolulu isn't cheap, but it's cheaper than San Francisco! However, every time I try …
Why It’s So Hard To Leave San Francisco: Excitement, Fear, AI Read More »
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The Internal Revenue Service announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2024 has increased to $23,000, up from $22,500 for 2023. In addition, the limit on annual contributions to an IRA increased to $7,000, up from $6,500 in 2023. Not bad! Given the new three legs of the retirement stool …
401(k), 403(b), And IRA Contribution Limits For 2024 Read More »
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If you are curious how attorney Mike Ketchmark and his team were able to win a landmark $1.8 billion class-action lawsuit on price fixing against the National Association of Realtors, Keller Williams, and HomeServices of America, you're going to love this podcast episode. This was truly a David vs. Goliath moment that will change the …
Busting The Real Estate Cartel With Attorney Mike Ketchmark Read More »
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The IRS has introduced new income limits for its seven tax brackets for 2024. Thankfully, the thresholds have all increased by 5.4% to account for inflation. In 2023, the IRS expanded its tax brackets by a historically large 7%, reflecting last year's elevated inflation. Although it's getting harder and harder to earn a top one …
2024 Income Tax Brackets And The New Ideal Income Read More »
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Selling bonds to buy real estate is a much easier decision to make than selling stocks to buy real estate. Real estate acts like a bond plus investment because bonds have more similarities to real estate than stocks do. The word “plus” is added to bonds to describe real estate as a type of bond …
Real Estate Is Like A Bond Plus Investment: More Potential Upside Read More »
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One of the best ways to get a better deal on a home is by paying cash. Sellers prefer all-cash offers because there's less risk the transaction will fall through once in escrow. As a result, some sellers are willing to discount the sales price or take your cash offer over another offer with a …
Paying Cash To Buy A House By Selling Stocks: A Mind Bender Read More »
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If you want to succeed long-term, make sure you are working mostly for intrinsic rewards not extrinsic rewards. I believe the right balance for success is to have >70% intrinsic motivation and <30% extrinsic motivation. If most of the reason why you are doing something is due to extrinsic motivation, you will likely burn out …
To Succeed, Intrinsic Rewards Must Dominate Extrinsic Rewards Read More »
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As a real estate investor since 2003, I've been disappointed by the real estate buying and selling process for a long time. While transaction costs have declined to zero or near zero for every industry due to technology, real estate commissions have remained stubbornly high, partly due to collusion. After I sold a rental property in …
Real Estate Collusion Revealed! Misaligned Commission Incentives Read More »
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One of the things I've tried to work on since middle school is being less judgmental about others. To function efficiently in society, I often have default assumptions about people which can sometimes backfire. I'm also certain that if more people got to know each other there would be less conflict. As a minority who …
A Blind Spot About Private School Families: They Aren’t All Rich! Read More »
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Getting to the top 1% net worth by age is a very impressive goal. But how much money do you need to get there? Overall, to have a top 1% net worth in 2023 requires having at least $13 million. $13 million is $3 million above the ideal net worth amount for retirement based on …
The Top 1% Net Worth Amounts By Age: Are You Rich Enough? Read More »
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With money market interest rates so high, every day you delay closing escrow is one more day of free interest income. You could feasibly extend your escrow period so long that the extra interest income you earn pays for all your closing costs and then some. I've argued why buying a home with contingencies is …
How To Delay Close Of Home Escrow To Gain More Time And Money Read More »
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Well folks, after writing over 2,300 personal finance articles since 2009, my job here at Financial Samurai is done! According to the 2022 Federal Reserve Consumer Finance Survey, the average American household's net worth, adjusted for inflation, was $1.06 million. That's right. The average American household, some of which consists of individuals, is a millionaire! …
The Average American Household Is A Millionaire, Go USA! Read More »
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So you want to publish the next great book! To do so you first need a book proposal. Back in late 2011, I spent hours putting together a book proposal for my severance negotiation strategy book, How To Engineer Your Layoff. After engineering my own layoff three months earlier, I had hoped to get a …
Example Of A Book Proposal That Should Have Been Accepted Read More »
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Local economic catalysts are important for supporting the value of your home. Therefore, before buying a house, you must look into the future as to what might affect the demand for housing in your target neighborhood. We can't control what the Federal Reserve does with interest rates. We also can't force the federal government to …
Look For Positive Local Economic Catalysts Before Buying A House Read More »
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Good fortune tends to come to those who save and invest over a long period of time. However, sometimes your good fortune goes beyond expectations. In such scenarios, you may experience money guilt. Money guilt arises when you don't feel like you deserve your good fortune. With literally eight billion people in the world, why …
Maybe You Don’t Deserve Good Fortune But Enjoy It Anyway Read More »
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One of the concerns about the resumption of student loan payments is that it could tank the U.S. economy. Paying back student loans may cause consumers to reduce spending to the point of causing another recession. About 43.4 million Americans have federal student loans, collectively amounting to $1.63 trillion of debt, according to the National …
Why Student Loan Repayments Won’t Tank The Economy Read More »
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The mortgage interest deduction is a positive benefit for homeowners. This itemized deduction allows homeowners to subtract mortgage interest from their taxable income, thereby lowering the amount of taxes they owe. The current maximum mortgage interest deduction is based on a $750,000 mortgage amount. Before the Tax Cuts And Jobs Act (TCJA) passed in December …
How To Calculate Mortgage Interest Deduction If It’s Over The Max Read More »
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Now that the Supreme Court has outlawed affirmative action in college admissions, it's time to look at the next layer of affirmative action: getting a job based on identity versus merit. This is the diversity hire dilemma some of you or your children might one day face. At the end of the day, the whole …
The Diversity Hire Dilemma: How To Get Paid Based On Identity, Not Merit Read More »
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The longer you are retired, the harder it may be to find a job if you want to go back. In this article, I'd like to share the difficulties I've faced finding employment in a new field. My situation should help folks think more carefully about early retirement and staying out of the workforce for …
The Difficulty Of Finding A Good Job After Retiring For Years Read More »
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Housing affordability is at or near an all-time low and the Fed is partly to blame due to its aggressive rate hikes in such a short time frame. The Federal government is also partly to blame due to excess stimulus spending during the pandemic. However, this is not a post about who is to blame …
The Housing Affordability Problem Is Creating A Nation Of Renters Read More »
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With interest rates surging, oil prices rices, stock markets falling, the government stalling, and the housing market grinding to a halt, it seems inevitable another recession is just around the corner. Surely, there will be a bunch more regional bank failures given Silicon Valley Bank, First Republic Bank, and Symphony Bank all failed when the …
A Recession Preparation Checklist To Survive Bad Times Read More »
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We've all heard of men buying midlife crisis cars to feel more alive. But what about buying a midlife crisis house? Have you ever thought of such an interesting thing? Let's say you're living in a perfectly fine house that fits all your needs. It has the best layout with the right number of bedrooms, …
The Midlife Crisis House Is A Real Phenomenon Read More »
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It's hard enough to retire early, say before age 45. However, I've discovered it may be even harder to stay retired once you retire early! As I was going through my archives, I realized I had a master plan to re-retire by September 1, 2022, several months after my 45th birthday. Given the birth of …
Why It’s So Hard To Stay Retired Once You Retire Early Read More »
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Dual agency is when a real estate agent represents both the seller and buyer. Personally, I've bought bought three homes using a dual agent before. I simply found each listing online, built a relationship with the listing agents, and convinced them to represent me to save on the purchase price. In the end, I believe …
What Is Dual Agency? And Why Some Real Estate Agents Hate It Read More »
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Once I hit 45 in mid-2022, I decided to enter a decumulation phase. Instead of continuing to save and invest aggressively, I decided to spend more aggressively. One way to decumulate is to spend more money on food. Dying with a lot of money is suboptimal. If we do, it will have meant that we …
Spending More Money On Food: An Experiment In Decumulation Read More »
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My first venture capital investment was in 2007. I invested $70,000 in my college classmate's gin company called Bulldog Gin, which ended up selling to Campari in 2017. Looking back, investing $70,000 in a single private company at age 30 was irresponsible! I knew nothing about the spirits market. All I knew was the founder, …
Making Venture Capital Investing Accessible To All With Fundrise Read More »
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Investors and particularly homebuyers are wondering when will the Fed finally start cutting rates? After 11 rate hikes so far since 2022, investors and homebuyers are starting to feel the strain of higher borrowing costs. The longer the Fed Funds rate stays high, the more negative impact it will have on the economy. Ideally, the …
When Will The Fed Cut Interest Rates? A Forecasting Exercise Read More »
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Home insurance costs are going up due to rising home prices, rising building costs, increasing natural disasters, and less appetite for risk from the insurance and reinsurance companies. As a result, more homeowners are looking to save by taking out an actual cash value (ACV) home insurance policy as opposed to the more common replacement …
Replacement Cost Value Versus Actual Cash Value Home Insurance Read More »
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One of the best ways to increase your chances of making more money is to move to a city that has a high number of high-paying jobs. Ideally, you should secure a high-paying job offer first before moving to one of these cities. Otherwise, it may be tough going given the higher cost of living …
Income Ranking By Metro: Cities That Pay The Most Read More »
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If you want to get smarter financially, it helps to think in extremes. Thinking in extremes makes financial concepts easier to understand. Since 2009, I've been using my background in finance to help readers and listeners achieve financial freedom sooner. However, before I graduated from business school in 2006, my confidence in understanding financial concepts …
To Get Smarter Financially, It Helps To Think In Extremes Read More »
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Just like job loyalty, bank loyalty often doesn't pay in the short-term. I made the mistake of being a loyal employee for eleven years at my previous firm. If I had job-hopped, I probably could have made $1 million more in my career. During my capital raising process to buy a home with all cash, …
Bank Loyalty Has Long-Term Benefits But Short-Term Costs Read More »
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Paying all cash for a house is one of the best ways to beat out your competition and get a better deal. With all cash, you don't have to submit an offer with a financing contingency, which sellers dislike. As a result, you increase your chances of winning a bidding war at a reasonable price. …
The Downsides Of Paying All Cash For A House Read More »
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The 60-day rollover rule enables you to borrow money from your retirement plans tax- and penalty-free. Sometimes we just need to find a source of funds to pay for whatever. However, in general, I don't think it's wise to borrow from your retirement plans. If you do, you may get into the habit of robbing …
The 60-Day Rollover Rule To Borrow From Your Retirement Plans Read More »
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If you're thinking about holding individual municipal bonds as a safe and liquid source of funds, think twice. Owning highly-rated municipal bonds is low risk. However, selling individual municipal bonds can be incredibly expensive and cumbersome. Unlike stocks, which now have $0 trading fees and ample liquidity, municipal bonds have a much less liquid market. …
Selling Municipal Bonds Is Incredibly Expensive And Cumbersome Read More »
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As an avid pickleball player and real estate investor, I thought it'd be good to go through a thought exercise on pickleball's impact on real estate prices. More pickleball courts will appear given pickleball continues to be the fastest growing sport in America. Although I love pickleball, as a homeowner, I would not want a …
Quantifying Pickleball’s Impact On Real Estate Prices: Mostly Negative Read More »
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As a homeowner and real estate investor, I want home prices and rents to rise. Real estate is an integral part of my Fat FIRE strategy of perpetually generating six figures in passive income. So when I saw Zillow's latest bullish housing price forecasts, I was thrilled! Zillow believes national home prices will increase by …
Why Zillow Is Wrong Again About Its Housing Price Forecasts Read More »
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Thanks to several commenters in my going back to work post, I'm getting more enthusiastic about sending my kids to community college! As a result, it may no longer be necessary for us to try and accumulate $1.5 million for two children to attend a four-year private college starting in the year 2036. It may also …
Community College May Be The Way: How I Plan To Spend $1.5 Million Read More »
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With interest rates rising across Treasury bonds, municipal bonds, and corporate bonds, there comes a point where owning bonds becomes more attractive than owning stocks. The objective of this article is to figure out an appropriate stock allocation by bond yield for a better risk-appropriate return. With the 10-year Treasury bond yield rising to as …
Suggested Stock Allocation By Bond Yield For Logical Investors Read More »
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Virtue signaling is the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character, social conscience, or the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue. I don't mind virtue signaling if the person also lives by their beliefs. It is natural to want to demonstrate to the world one's beliefs, especially about a cause one truly believes …
Investor Virtue Signaling In A Capitalist Country Is Fascinating Read More »
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High interest rates could be the best thing for investors, personal finance enthusiasts, retirees, savers, and those seeking financial independence. You know, most of us. Even though it was uncomfortable to lose money when the Fed first started hiking rates in 2022, the Fed may have ultimately did us a favor by hiking 11 times …
Why High Interest Rates Are Great For Most, Even If We Crash Read More »
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I've written about the importance of having a strong money mindset to get richer. But what I've also realized is having a scarcity mindset can also make you richer as well! Could both mindsets lead to good fortune? Let's explore. The Fire Alarm Goes Off Our home's fire alarm started going off one morning, so …
A Scarcity Mindset Will Make You Miserable But Potentially Richer Read More »
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Now that I'm in contract to buy a home with contingencies, I've been wrestling with my emotions on whether buying a new home is a good idea. Perhaps you've also become emotionally attached to your existing home and are questioning your decision to move as well. Maybe this post will help you move forward. I …
5 Ways To Overcome Emotional Attachment To Buy A New Home Read More »
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With the tragic fire that occurred in Lahaina, Maui, it's important to review your home insurance policy and understand what it does and does not cover. You also need to have contingency plans in case your house burns down. If you have not done so already, call your home insurance company to review your coverage …
What’s In A Home Insurance Policy? Know The Details Before A Fire Occurs Read More »
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After successfully replacing her lost passport, my wife finally got to Tokyo, Japan to help her mother out with her mother's sister's estate issues. At times, it felt like mission impossible coordinating the trip, booking the hotels, going to the countryside to place the urn, and meeting with another country's estate planning lawyers. Her mother …
The Things We Learn After Being Apart For A While Read More »
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If you want to get rich, you might as well aim to get really rich. Being so-so rich, or mass affluent, where your household earns multiple six figures and has a single-digit million net worth, is not bad. But you'll likely still suffer from continued angst and anxiety, especially if you're a parent. It's only …
If You Want To Get Rich, Make Sure To Get Really Rich Read More »
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I watched something on TikTok that made a good point. The premise is that Finance is the language of the elite. It sounds presumptuous and elitist, but it could be true! Have a watch or a listen and see if you agree. Here's what he says: Most people are financially illiterate. You know what the …
Finance Is Only The Language Of The Elite If People Don’t Learn It Read More »
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CNBC got folks fired up when it came out with its top 10 worst states to live and work in. Texas, a state with a population of almost 30 million, came in as the worst state. I've been to Austin and Houston a dozen times for work. They are fine cities with some mighty fine …
The Worst State To Live And Work In America Is Texas? Giddyup! Read More »
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In this podcast episode, I speak with Ben Miller, Co-Founder and CEO of Fundrise. We discuss the various opportunities and risks he sees for real estate and stock investors over the next 12-24 months. For the several years that I've known Ben, he has always demonstrated a more measured outlook than other CEOs and investors …
Real Estate Risks & Opportunities With Ben Miller, CEO Of Fundrise Read More »
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In my quest to upgrade homes, I've come to realize that buying a home with contingencies is like getting a free call option. Your likely worst case scenario is that you make nothing. But your best case scenario is that you buy a home at a price that is below market. For the last three …
Buying A Home With Contingencies: Like Getting A Free Call Option Read More »
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Although the Supreme Court striking down of Affirmative Action for college admissions is disappointing for many, there are some positives. One such positive is less stereotyping about how someone got into college. Another positive is that legacy admissions is now on the chopping block. Finally, another positive is how Asian Americans now have better personalities! …
Personality Scores By Race: The Differences Are Unbelievable Read More »
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Now that you know why a home's accurate square footage is important, it's time to exploit the inconsistencies and make some money! Every home buyer is a real estate investor, whether they know it or not. I always encourage homebuyers to buy a home for lifestyle first and profits second. However, this doesn't mean we …
How To Make Money On Homes With Wrong Square Footage Read More »
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If you're buying a home, you should compare the home's advertised square footage with the official square footage on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and tax records. Your goal is to uncover any discrepancy and understand why the discrepancy exists. The MLS takes its information from the home's official square footage found in the county's …
When Advertised Home Square Footage Is Different From Tax Records Read More »
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I wrote about the various paradoxes of wealth based on a Charles Schwab Modern Wealth Survey. In this article, I want to highlight another wealth paradox based on the amount people expect they need in retirement versus how much they actually have. According to this new data, I'm convinced Americans really don't know how much …
How Much People Want In Retirement Vs. How Much They Actually Have Read More »
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You know that panicky, sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realize you're in deep trouble? You're so SOL that you don't know what to do. It's Sam's wife Sydney here, and I recently found myself in a bind. Right after I booked flights to Japan, I realized my passport was missing. …
When In Trouble, Remember FULL BENEFIT! A Passport Debacle Read More »
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Everybody should have some investments in stocks. Although stocks provide zero utility, some stocks provide dividend income and all stocks have the potential for capital appreciation. Since 1926 the S&P 500 has returned about 10% on average a year. Further, at some point in your life you should sell some stocks to buy what you …
It’s OK To Sell Stocks Once You’ve Made Enough To Buy What You Want Read More »
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I first wrote this post about financial independence in 2012, soon after I had left my day job in the finance industry. It was a 13-year slog, but I was thrilled and also a little worried about the unknown. The idea of this post was to capture the feeling of financial independence and how it …
Reasons To Strive For Financial Independence: That FI Feeling Read More »
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Let's say you've just graduated college and have a negative net worth due to student debt. Don't fret. You actually have a higher net worth than you think! This post will help you calculate the value of a college degree. A college degree is a valuable asset. Millions of people are willing to dedicate 4-6 …
How To Calculate The Value Of A College Degree Read More »
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After every tennis match I lost in high school, my father would console me by saying, “You just weren't good enough.” Those words stung each time I heard them. But they were true. Over time, my dad stopped coming to my matches because I told him the pressure of his gaze wasn't helpful. With no …
The Joy Of Low Expectations: When Nobody Believes In You Read More »
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The 2023 Charles Schwab Modern Wealth Survey highlights the paradoxes of wealth in America. Over 1,000 individuals of all different backgrounds filled out the survey. Overall, the survey, conducted between March 1 and March 23, 2023, says it takes a net worth of $2.2 million to be considered wealthy in 2023. The net worth amount …
The Paradoxes Of Wealth: Many Misaligned Beliefs About Money Read More »
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Why the heck are home prices not going down more with mortgage rates so high? In many parts of the country, home prices are actually going up! The answer to this conundrum is partly due to the “life goes on” home-buying cycle. Many folks put their lives on hold for one-to-three years during the pandemic. …
Explaining The “Life Goes On” Home-Buying Cycle Read More »
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After a 3-year COVID pause, student loan interest will resume starting on Sept. 1, 2023, and payments will be due starting in October,” according to the Department Of Education. “We will notify borrowers well before payments restart.” Given the pandemic was officially declared over on May 11, 2023, it makes sense that student loan debt should …
Entitlement Mentality Is A Sneaky Wealth Destroyer Read More »
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For those who follow golf, there was a blockbuster announcement that the PGA Tour would merge with the LIV Golf League. Nobody expected the PGA Tour to merge with LIV because the PGA Tour had been adamant in its disdain for the Saudi Arabia-backed league. The LIV Golf League offered obscene amounts of money to …
My Regret Of Not Taking The Money Due To Company Loyalty Read More »
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With the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action in college admissions imminent, I thought it would be fascinating to see what artificial intelligence (ChatGPT) thinks about the topic. This way, we can hopefully get the most balanced perspective about affirmative action possible. After ChatGPT shares its insights on the pros and cons of affirmative action …
An Asian-American’s Perspective On Affirmative Action In College Admissions Read More »
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As a landlord who did a post-mortem pandemic review, I've come to realize renters also won big once the lockdowns began. I'm not talking about the renters who decided to stop paying rent even though they continued to be gainfully employed. Many mom-and-pop landlords got hurt by these non-paying renters since the landlord's expenses still …
Why Renters Also Won Big During The Pandemic: Higher Utilization Rates Read More »
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The Easiest Way Landlords Can Automatically Increase Rent (With Minimum Tension)
12:31 PMEvery landlord wants to increase rent to at least keep up with inflation. However, regularly increasing rent is hard to do. Let me show you how you can increase rent with minimum tension. Recently, I received a surprise automatic rental increase from my newest tenants in the amount of $200. They pay electronically on the …
The Easiest Way Landlords Can Automatically Increase Rent (With Minimum Tension) Read More »
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On August 1, 2020, I took out a 7/1 adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) at 2.125%. I could have gotten a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for 2.75%. However, I wanted to save 0.625% in interest. Years later, mortgage rates have zoomed higher thanks to the pandemic, massive stimulus spending, a war in Ukraine, and supply chain issues. …
No Regrets Getting An ARM Despite Higher Mortgage Rates Read More »
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I currently have an opportunity of upgrading homes but am unsure whether it's the right move. Maybe you're going through this dilemma as well and need to talk things through. The house I wanted to buy a year ago failed to sell because it was listed too high. Then the S&P 500 corrected by 19.6% …
The Risks Of Upgrading Homes Nobody Really Thinks About Read More »
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Have you ever wondered why wealthy people are more willing to invest in hedge funds, venture capital, venture debt, private equity, and specialty funds? These are all actively-run funds that mostly have a history of underperforming the S&P 500. Yet, billions of dollars still pour in each year. Some of these active funds are also …
Active Funds: Why Wealthy People Continue To Invest In Them Read More »
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to retire in a cabin in the woods? My dad did it, and I'm here to share some fascinating insights on his experience and how he ended up there. Who knows, if you prescribe to Lean FIRE, it might be just the type of retirement adventure
The post What It’s Like To Retire In A Cabin In The Woods: Minimalism FIRE appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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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
The post Debt Ceiling Debacle: Why Not Just Spend More Responsibly? appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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Thanks to reader feedback, I realized one financial move that was not included in my top financial moves to relieve stress list, was paying off your home. Even though I thought long and hard about what to put on the list, paying off your home didn't get a dedicated bullet point. For those who are
The post Paying Off Your Home May Not Provide The Joy You Expect appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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Now that COVID is over, my wife and I went to an indoor social event along with well over one hundred people. It was our son's school fundraiser for teachers and low-income household families. The thing is, I almost didn't go. I had been running around all day with the kids and just wanted to
The post What It’s Like Attending A Fancy Private School Fundraiser appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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I realized something important after writing about the best reason to retire early. Money doesn't buy everlasting happiness. However, having more money can reduce stress and anxiety. The goal of achieving perpetual happiness is not realistic. Happiness ebbs and flows. It's more exciting to be an 8 out of 10 on the happiness scale because
The post Top 10 Financial Moves To Reduce Stress And Anxiety appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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One of the main reasons why I retired at age 34 was to hedge against an early death. When I was nine, my grandfather died from cancer and I clearly remember seeing my mother distraught for months. Then when I was 13, my 15-year-old friend died in a car accident. Here today, gone tomorrow is
The post The Pandemic Was An Experience In Hedging Your Life appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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Bear markets and bank runs aren't good for most people. But let's try to look at the upside if the Fed destroys the middle class, shall we? Thinking in extremes provides clarity to help make better decisions. To set the stage, we know at least these three things: The last time the Fed hiked to
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I’m a late adopter, which is why I haven’t thought too much about artificial intelligence (AI). I’d rather have all the early adopters figure out all the kinks first so I can better spend my time using the technology. However, at a kid’s birthday party one Saturday, a dad, who works in finance, came up
The post Artificial Intelligence: How To Protect Yourself And Benefit Financially appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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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
The post A Visit To Pity City Shows Your Boss Probably Doesn’t Care About You appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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If you’re looking at buying a house in 2023, I believe a window of opportunity has emerged. Let me share the reasons why with some background to start. In my 2023 housing predictions, I estimated a 8% decline in the national median home price. The reasons include: Latest Housing Price Situation In 2023 Due to
The post Buying A House In 2023: A Window Of Opportunity Emerges appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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Are you trying to determine your level of financial satisfaction or dissatisfaction? After all, if you’re more satisfied financially, you should also be happier and less stressed. Good news! The FS Wealth Reality Ratio (FSWRR) will help you quantify your feelings and reveal the unhappiest cities in America! The core attribute about the FS Wealth
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One reason why you might want to attend an Ivy League 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. However, the median income earned by Ivy League graduates from
The post Median Income Earned By Ivy League Graduates: Unimpressive At First appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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The older you get, the more you will value life because you have less of it. If you want to live longer, you should aim to grow richer and live in a more hospitable place. As you will see in this article, the correlation with life expectancy, wealth, and location is strong. Sadly, life expectancy
The post Your Life Expectancy Depends Greatly On Wealth And Location appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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Are you finding yourself stressed out more often? Are you feeling burned out after the pandemic? If so, maybe the source of all stress in life is giving a giant crap. The less you can give a crap about things, the less stressed you will be and vice versa! Let’s talk about how we can
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In 2010, Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton from Princeton University argued that $75,000 was the ideal income where happiness increased no further. As someone who made as little as $4/hour at McDonald’s to multiple six figures a year working in investment banking, it was clear to me happiness continued way beyond the
The post Why Nobel Prize Winners Were So Wrong About The Ideal Income For Happiness appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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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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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 to pay for college. Now let’s discuss
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One of the main reasons why I read lots of books is to learn from people who’ve been there before. And after reading The Price You Pay For College, one of my biggest blind spots I realized is that I don’t have to save so much for college anymore! If you are a parent who’s
The post The Different Ways To Pay For College: My Surprising Blind Spot appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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During the bull market, I shared my belief that the need for liquidity is overrated. Now that we’re in a bear market, I thought I’d revisit my thesis to see if it still stands. So far, I think it does. You’ve heard the recommendations of always having an emergency fund equal to 3-12 months of
The post The Need For Liquidity Is Overrated (If You Are Financially Competent) appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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As the economy goes down the tubes thanks to a Fed-induced recession, anger against anybody who is perceived to have more wealth or success will go up. As a result, it’s important to practice Stealth Wealth to stay safe and happy. I know anger has increased since the bear market began because I run a
The post A Stealth Wealth Case Study On What Not To Do To Blend In appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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After the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I decided to review our existing banking relationships and see if we are well positioned to weather another potential bank run. I also wanted to share with you the ideal number of banking relationships to have to feel safe and sound. When I first started Financial Samurai
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Sadly, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB, $SIVB), the 16th largest bank in America at the end of 2022, experienced a bank run. Now the contagion has spread to other regional banks such as First Republic Bank, Signature Bank, Zions Bancorp, and Charles Schwab. Even the largest banks were getting hit as well. Ultimately, The Federal Deposit
The post How To Prepare For Another Bank Run As The Contagion Spreads appeared first on Financial Samurai.
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Are you interested in learning about the secret to perfect happiness? The answer is to make over $500,000 a year, a top one percent income. In an amazing Gallup poll highlighted by the Wall Street Journal, it says that 100% of those who make more than $500,000 are “very happy”! That’s right. Not 98%. Not
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