DO MORE WITH YOUR MONEY

Have a game plan for managing concentration risk post IPO. If you're waiting to see what happens with your company's share price, you're leaving yourself open to emotional "in-the-moment" decision making. By having a game plan ahead of time, you can act quickly when it makes sense to carve out your path to financial independence. Join the MWB community and receive weekly tips in the areas of equit...

Join the MWB community and receive weekly tips in the areas of equity compensation, tax optimization, and financial independence directly to your inbox Fridays at 4 pm (ET). It doesn't matter who it is; it's hard to provide specific advice if someone doesn't know everything about your personal situation. While there is a lot of good info on social media and the internet, always keep the proper per...

Join the MWB community and receive weekly tips in the areas of equity compensation, tax optimization, and financial independence directly to your inbox Fridays at 4 pm (ET). In this podcast episode, I revisit the investing debate about real estate (specifically rental properties) vs. portfolio (stocks, bonds, etc.). Each type of investing provides its unique tradeoffs, and each type of investor te...

Portfolio construction can get very complicated very quickly. In this podcast episode, I share my framework for constructing an investment portfolio by focusing on financial planning fundamentals. The more complicated you get with investment selection, the harder it is to manage asset location and disciplined rebalancing across different account types. Hunt the antelope, not the mouse. Join the MW...

"If your financial advisor hasn't recommended Bitcoin yet, fire them." In this podcast episode, I break down why this is an ignorant statement and why a true financial advisor doesn't build recommendations around a single investment. If you're tying the success of a single investment to your career, you're not a true professional who provides personalized advice in people's best interests. Persona...

It doesn't matter how sophisticated a market timing strategy is - it's still a zero-sum game and shares characteristics with gambling. In a zero-sum game, one person's gain is equivalent to another's loss, so the net change in wealth or benefit is zero. This implies that there will be winners. But there will also be (mostly) losers. If you have long-term conviction in an asset - great. Hold for th...

If your income is mainly from vesting equity comp, try and base your personal savings rate on your salary. It's like winning the lottery. Instead of making massive lifestyle changes, coast into your new-found wealth and avoid unsustainable lifestyle creep. In this podcast episode, I share several ideas for coasting into your windfall via equity comp. Join the MWB community and receive weekly tips...

As a married couple, your finances are now combined, especially from a tax perspective. When I sit down with a married couple, I'm showing them how they can use their combined resources to maximize their lifestyle and build towards individual goals. It's ok if you and your partner don't view money the same. The important thing is to have an open and honest conversation (sometimes with an unbiased...

Join the MWB community and receive weekly tips in the areas of equity compensation, tax optimization, and financial independence directly to your inbox Fridays at 4 pm (ET). *Privacy Policy: I hate SPAM and promise to keep your email safe. In today's podcast episode, I provide a Q&A on the most common equity compensation questions I receive:  Q1: I'm interested in leaving my current job for anothe...

The used car market is on fire right now. I can't remember a time when you could sell a used car for more than you bought it. In this podcast episode, I share a recent example of someone looking to arbitrage their lease buyout and sell for a profit in the used car market. I also explore the practical implications of trying to time + arbitrage used car and real estate markets.  Join the Do More Wit...

Is Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) actually 🔥 (something really amazing in a good way)? In this podcast, I explore the potential cons of creating a scarcity mindset to try to achieve F.I.RE.. While I'm obviously a huge fan of planning for future financial success, completely limiting yourself in the present can cultivate an unhealthy relationship with money. Ideally, we should be work...

In this podcast episode, I break down what risk tolerance and risk capacity mean, and which one you should prioritize when starting to determine a portfolio allocation.  Ultimately, the best investment strategy is "the one you can stick with." Working with an unbiased financial planning professional can help you determine your allocation, given your unique financial goals.  

In this podcast episode, I go further in-depth on a tweet I had recently about alternative forms of wealth and living on your own terms. Some alternative forms of wealth I discuss: — Health — Youth — Time — Family — Friends — Community — Purpose While monetary wealth is important, it's only one part of the overall wealth we can attain in our daily lives. By understanding what forms of alternative...

In this podcast episode, I discuss using an equity compensation windfall to fund a prolonged work sabbatical. I break down the high-level framework for how you can start to think about using your windfall to sustain your sabbatical. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. You don't have to sprint towards financial independence. You can (and should) take breaks along the way.

In this podcast episode, I break down the story behind Peter Thiel's $5 Billion Roth IRA (sheesh) and what it means for you. Specifically, the takeaways behind how you can benefit from the thought process Thiel used. ----------------------------------------------- Do you want help managing your equity compensation?   Learn how to: Optimize Taxes Diversify Your Company Stock Solidify Your Path To F...

In this podcast episode, I break down the key things to understand when it comes to interpreting your equity compensation vesting schedule.   It's crucial to understand your vesting schedule so that you can be mindful of your timeline for working at the company without leaving substantial money on the table.   ----------------------------------------------- Do you want help managing your equity co...

In this podcast episode, I share my thoughts around what it means to "win financially in your twenties". By creating a vision early on of where you want to go, and taking micro-actions towards achieving that vision, can help you enjoy the present while not sacrificing your financial future. If you can achieve the balance of enjoying yourself in the present without feeling like you're sacrificing y...

Do you need to be worried about inflation? Why or why not? As always, it depends :)   In this podcast episode, I break down a few key habits that will help you determine if you need to be concerned about inflation expectations.   There's a lot of talk right now about the rising costs of goods and services given the amount of money in circulation from monetary policy response to the pandemic.   Whi...

In this podcast episode, I break down the basics of quarterly estimated tax payments, when you need to make them, and how to satisfy safe harbor rules for avoiding underpayment penalties.   Especially for those with equity compensation, it's crucial to figure out if taxes are being withheld from the various forms of RSUs, options, and ESPP discounts.    That way, you can avoid being caught off gua...

In this podcast episode, I share why you should never sweat the opportunity cost of creating and maintaining a dedicated cash reserve.   I also share some rules of thumb for how you can start to determine the right cash reserve for you.   Can you quantify the expected return on peace of mind? I can't. To me, it's infinite.   ----------------------------------------------- Do you want help managing...

If you're looking to be sold on an investment, eventually, you'll find someone who will sell you an investment. Instead of looking for an investment, ask yourself what you're trying to achieve. What's your why? ----------------------------------------------- Do you want help managing your equity compensation? Learn how to: Optimize Taxes Diversify Your Company Stock Solidify Your Path To Financial...

Do you want help managing your equity compensation? Learn how to: Optimize Taxes Diversify Your Company Stock Solidify Your Path To Financial Independence Click here to start your FREE assessment. ----------------------------------------------- In this podcast episode, I share an assortment of timeless money lessons. I hope you enjoy these nuggets of money wisdom!  

In this podcast episode, I share strategies for maximizing tax-preferential accounts like 401(k)s when creating a large tax liability by diversifying company stock. Make sure that you're fully utilizing a pre-tax 401(k) if you're in an abnormally high tax bracket due to a windfall via equity compensation. Make the most of your resources by filling up tax-preferential accounts in preparation for fi...

Remind yourself that when RSUs vest and you don't immediately sell, you're making an active decision to increase your exposure in your company's stock. Unless you made an 83(b) election at grant, there's no avoiding being taxed as income at vesting. You should be skeptical about pre-paying taxes on equity comp of an already publicly traded company over short time horizons. You can reasonably expec...

In this podcast episode, I share three things you need to do when anticipating a windfall from equity compensation. 1) What type of equity do you own? Restricted Stock Units, Incentive Stock Options, Non-Qualified Stock Options, or a combination? 2) What is the vesting schedule of your equity comp? How much is currently vested vs. unvested? What are the exercise prices and expiration dates on any...