Financially Free Era by SLP Wealth

Frugality masquerading as a financial plan is one of the most common traps for high-income professionals, and some of the loudest voices in personal finance are pushing you straight into it. We get into why "live like a resident" and rice-and-beans advice is really fear-based finance, and why math, not emotion, should drive your money decisions — because you don’t want to be the richest person in...

Everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence, and it’s hard to miss how the hype is playing out in the stock market—tech companies are seeing sky-high valuations, and AI has become the next big thing. But is this the same kind of excitement that led to the dot-com bubble, or are we in a totally different moment? I walk through what history can teach us, break down how valuation metrics like th...

Most of us think that financial freedom is just about hitting the next big goal — paying off debt, buying the practice, finally retiring. But what happens when you get there and still feel restless, overwhelmed, or unsatisfied? We sat down with Dr. Stacey Elliott, integrative psychiatrist and addiction medicine physician, to unpack why so many high performers (especially in medicine and law) seem...

Brokerage accounts might be the most misunderstood accounts in personal finance, and the mistakes we keep seeing in portfolio reviews are costing people money, flexibility, and sometimes more in taxes than they need to pay. You’ll learn how to position a brokerage account alongside your retirement savings (no, it’s not just for “rich people”) and walk away with a short homework list to make sure y...

Why do we agonize for 20 minutes over a $10 coupon, then say yes to a $17 margarita without blinking? This is what I call dollar vertigo, a pattern where our brains over-analyze small money choices and grow numb to the bigger, more impactful ones. We get into why this happens and how emotion drives spending (even when we swear we’re being logical). I also share four practical steps to match your a...

A lot of us are walking around with the financial equivalent of one shaved leg: the important thing we know we should handle, but that keeps sliding down the to-do list because life keeps interrupting. We get honest about why even smart, high-earning people drop balls (spoiler: it’s not a knowledge problem), how lifestyle creep quietly undermines your freedom, and why deciding what’s “enough” is t...

A lot of DIY investors look at tax-loss harvesting and decide it's barely worth the trouble, assuming it's just a way for AUM advisors to justify their fees. That math is wrong, and we explain why. We get into the mechanics of tax loss harvesting, what actually happens to your cost basis, why most people underestimate its long-term value, and the costly mistakes you can make if you’re not paying c...

Parents want to know if Trump Accounts are worth the money or just another kids’ investment option. We pull apart what Trump Accounts are, who can open one, and how the rules really stack up against long-standing options like 529s, UTMAs, and minor Roth IRAs. You’ll get a clear breakdown of the pros, the tax catches, when these accounts make sense, and how to actually make the most of them. Key mo...

Making $200,000 to $500,000 a year should feel like you’ve made it, but for many, it’s the most stressful and confusing time in their financial lives. More money brings new complexity: taxes jump, decision fatigue sets in, and suddenly basic “good advice” like maxing your 401(k) doesn’t feel quite enough. We talk candidly about the tension between enjoying your income now versus saving for later,...

AI tools seem to be everywhere right now. It’s only natural to wonder if human financial planning is still worth it, especially as new platforms promise smarter automation and fee compression. I dig into how much the landscape has changed in just months, share behind-the-scenes stories about testing OpenAI, Claude, and emerging tools like Hazel, and get real about what AI can (and absolutely can’t...

We sit down to recap what we saw this season and the fixes you can make before next year's return. You'll learn how Form 8606 keeps your backdoor Roth from getting taxed twice, why earned income still matters in community property states, and how Form 8958 should split income when you file separately. We get into Schedule C pitfalls, the line between a business and a hobby, the home office deducti...

Feelings and headlines can easily influence the choices we make with money—often at our own expense. I walk through how relying on stories or vibes (instead of cold, hard stats) can impact everything from investment picks to whether you stick with a high-value loan strategy like PSLF. We get into cognitive biases that trip up even the smartest people, dig into major financial opportunities that ex...

A lot of you have been asking the same question: what do you actually do with your portfolio when the Middle East is at war, oil is above $100 a barrel, and the headlines are doing their worst? We walk through why timing the market during global crises almost always backfires, how to think about your money by time horizon, and why international stocks are quietly outperforming US stocks year-to-da...

We're surrounded by messages telling us to want more: more income, more accounts, more complexity. But the winners in both golf and personal finance are usually the ones who do less, better. I pull lessons from the Masters tournament to show how lowering your financial "score," whether that's your interest rate, your stress level, or your monthly obligations, can help you actually win with money....

Spring isn't just for your closet or car — it's the perfect time to clear out financial clutter and get intentional about where your money's going. We're walking through a step-by-step guide to help you refresh your tax strategy, optimize your credit and accounts, rethink your spending, and set up automation so you're not relying on willpower to stay on track. You'll get practical tips for streaml...

Most people's New Year's resolutions fall apart by spring — research says the average resolution lasts about 3.74 months, and we're right at that tipping point. So let's get honest about how behavior — not just the calendar — shapes the path, and why it's so easy to talk ourselves out of the dreams that matter most. Many of the limits we put on our financial lives aren't handed down by a judge. In...

AI is reshaping every corner of finance, and we know there's a lot of noise out there about whether artificial intelligence can actually replace your financial advisor. We get real about what AI tools can — and can't — do for your money, especially when it comes to financial planning, coaching, and those pivotal life decisions. You'll hear why tech can help with tasks like data analysis or budgeti...

Most people with big student loans assume they'll be grinding until their 60s before they can finally breathe, but that math is usually way off. Most professionals have far more control over their work-life balance than they realize. You'll hear practical ways to rethink saving, spending, and career planning so you can reclaim time, energy, and purpose right now (not just decades from now). Learn...

Most people hear "debt restructuring" and immediately think bankruptcy, but that's not what we're talking about here. This episode is about reshuffling your debt stack in a way that frees up cash flow, takes advantage of interest arbitrage, and gets you to your goals faster. We walk through how rethinking which debts get your extra dollars — based on deductibility, interest rates, and after-tax co...

For years, the internet's favorite investing advice was simple: buy VTSAX and chill. But it's long overdue for a reality check. We'll talk about the downsides of a one-fund portfolio and why recent international and small-cap value outperformance should give you pause. You'll learn how diversification, smart portfolio rebalancing, and practical investment management can protect your goals (and you...

Going from DINKWAD (Dual Income, No Kids, With A Dog) to new parent is a wild ride. I'm sharing exactly what I did to financially prepare for birth and the first two weeks postpartum — from simplifying bills and meal planning to hospital supply hacks, Amazon returns, and freeing up mental space for the emotional ups and downs of new parenthood. If you're in the newborn stage (or almost there), thi...

What would you do if you were sliding backward down an icy mountain at 11 p.m. with your kids in the car? We walk through a terrifying near-miss and the powerful financial lessons that came from it: overconfidence bias, underinsuring your life and disability, and why preparedness isn't fear-based — it's freedom-based. You'll also hear why reflecting on your mortality might actually help you live (...

Parent PLUS loans have always been complicated, and recent rule changes have made them even more confusing. Learn what's changed, what still works, and where parents need to take action now. You'll hear real-life experience from a Parent PLUS borrower, clear explanations of new deadlines, and practical strategies for families still paying for college — or getting ready to. Key moments: (05:20) How...

What if your tax return could quietly point out investing mistakes that are costing you real money? In this episode, we walk through the three most easily spotted investing blunders we find over and over. Learn why missing out on tax-loss harvesting, donating cash instead of appreciated stock to charity, and not maximizing backdoor Roth IRAs can slow your financial progress. If you've been DIY-ing...

Most people aren't doing anything wrong with their taxes, they're just missing a few key details that quietly add up. In this episode, I'm joined by Sim Terwilliger, CFP®, CSLP®, our chief tax planner at SLP Wealth, to break down the most common (and totally normal) tax mistakes we see that can cost people thousands. From backdoor Roth errors and brokerage account missteps to missed deductions and...