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The Healing Power of Returning to Your Childhood Home - Financial Samurai
One of the main reasons I refused to spend a small fortune renting a vacation property in Honolulu was because I wanted to stay in my childhood home. The home was built in 1986, when I was nine years old, and I’ve been going back almost every year since. But staying there isn’t just about
The Step-Up In Cost Basis And The Estate Tax Threshold - Financial Samurai
Imagine spending your life building wealth, investing in real estate, stocks, or your business, with the hope of leaving a legacy for your children. Then one day, you find yourself wondering: Will the government take a massive chunk of it anyway? If your estate is well above the federal estate tax exemption threshold — $30 million
What It Takes to Feel Wealthy Today Is Less Than Before - Financial Samurai
How much money do you need to feel financially comfortable or wealthy? The answer depends on where you live, your household size, and your lifestyle desires, of course. However, according to the 2025 Charles Schwab Wealth Survey, Americans say it now takes a net worth of $839,000 to feel financially comfortable—up from $778,000 in 2024. More surprisingly, the
How Cultural Differences Can Hurt Your Chances In The Workplace - Financial Samurai
When I lived overseas, one of the most celebrated aspects of my international schools was cultural diversity. At the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Taipei American School, and Canadian Academy in Japan, I had classmates from all over the world. With such a diverse student body, there was a natural openness and acceptance of one
The Richest People Are Not Index Fund Fanatics - Why Are You? - Financial Samurai
I love index funds and ETFs for their low-cost nature and simplicity of ownership. However, if you want to build generational wealth before traditional retirement age, consider looking beyond just index funds and index ETFs. Since starting Financial Samurai in 2009, I’ve written extensively about investment strategies, financial independence, and retiring earlier to do what
The Cost To Remodel A Rundown Two-Bedroom In-Law Unit - Financial Samurai
After remodeling a fixer I bought in 2019 between 2019–2022, I swore I would never take on another remodeling project again. I hate remodeling with a passion, even though I'm always satisfied after the project is done. The delays, cost overruns, and people management completely bum me out. If you want to save your sanity
In Defense Of Owning A Big Beautiful Home Over A Small One - Financial Samurai
The value of owning a big, beautiful home is underappreciated. Somewhere along the way, society began favoring minimalism and smaller living spaces, often dismissing larger homes as “McMansions.” But after spending five weeks living in a much smaller space again, I’ve gained a renewed appreciation for the comfort, privacy, and functionality that a larger home
Low US Household Leverage Bodes Well For The Economy - Financial Samurai
One of the things that gives me great comfort about the health of the U.S. economy is our historically low household leverage (liabilities to net worth). According to the Federal Reserve Board, household leverage is now at an 80-year low—a remarkable sign of financial discipline. So let me be the first to congratulate you for not loading up
The Cost of Supercommuting: Way More Than Just Gas Money - Financial Samurai
A typical supercommuter spends 90 minutes or more one way commuting to work or school. As the cost of living continues to outpace wage growth, supercommuting is growing in popularity. According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report, an estimated 5 million people are now supercommuters—up from roughly 3.42 million in 2012. I hate long commutes. Taking
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's (OBBBA) Impact On FIRE Seekers - Financial Samurai
On July 3, the House narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) with a 218–214 vote. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill will add an estimated $3.3 trillion to the budget deficit over the next 10 years. Trump signed the bill the next day on July 4. To help pay for it, OBBBA
Millionaire Migrations: Where Millionaires Are Moving Globally - Financial Samurai
If you became a newly minted millionaire, where would you migrate to? Due to inertia, I bet most of you would stay right where you are. A lot of us are afraid of change, which is why we stay at jobs we hate and suffer through broken marriages for too long. But how about being
The Dumbbell Investing Strategy: Balancing Risk and Safety - Financial Samurai
Ever since I left my day job in 2012, I’ve used a form of the dumbbell investing strategy to grow my wealth while protecting against large losses. It’s a framework that’s helped me stay invested during uncertain times—especially when I felt the urge to hoard cash or sit on the sidelines. If you’re in a situation
En Suite Bathrooms: The Secret to The Perfect Guest-Ready Home - Financial Samurai
We’re staying with our parents for five weeks in Honolulu, and I wanted to share a little revelation I’ve learned about making a home guest-ready. If you dream of owning a home where friends and family regularly visit—because you genuinely enjoy their company, this post is for you. Not all of us can afford mega-mansions
Why I’ll Never Manage Money for Anyone for Free Again - Financial Samurai
About a year ago, a relative asked me to help manage her money. She had been paying a ~1% asset management fee with Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), even though she wasn’t their typical high-net-worth client. The account had been set up through her ex, but since she wanted a clean break, she was ready
Sleep In, Stay Broke: Wake Up Earlier for Financial Success - Financial Samurai
I’m convinced that if you wake up just one hour earlier every day for the next 10 years, you’ll not only accomplish far more, but also build significant wealth and unlock countless opportunities in life. Conquering the magic of the morning—while most are still asleep—will give you a massive edge. I’m reminded of this truth
Your Perception of War and Death Depends on Your Experiences - Financial Samurai
When the U.S. bombed three locations in Iran, my initial reaction was a mix of hope and sadness. Hope—because I wished it might lead to a reduction in weapons of mass destruction. Sadness—because of the likely loss of innocent civilian lives and the heightened danger now facing Americans abroad. I shared these thoughts and feelings
Think In Two Timelines If You Want To Build Greater Wealth - Financial Samurai
If you want to grow your wealth faster than the average person, I suggest trying to think in two timelines that move together in unison. The first timeline is analyzing what's going on right now. The second timeline is analyzing what could happen in the future, with a consistent spread. It's like having a dual
You Can't Save The World, So Mind Your Own Finances - Financial Samurai
When I first started Financial Samurai back in 2009, I had idealistic dreams of helping as many people as possible achieve financial freedom. My finances were crumbling during the global financial crisis, and I wanted to break free from the corporate grind. So I wrote about how to do just that. But like anything, over
Execution Fear: The Silent Killer of Great Real Estate Deals - Financial Samurai
One of the most overlooked risks in real estate investing isn’t rising interest rates, leverage, or even tenant issues—it’s execution fear. You run the numbers. The property checks all the boxes. It fits your timeline and lifestyle. You can even picture the steady cash flow hitting your account… Yet you still don’t pull the trigger. It’s
Mommies, Nannies, Au Pairs, and Me: The End Of Being A SAHD - Financial Samurai
When my son was born in 2017, I decided to focus on being a stay-at-home dad (SAHD). Every early childhood development book I read emphasized that the first five years are the most critical for a child’s growth. So I figured, why not spend that time with him? It wasn’t a difficult decision since I
A Terrible Life Insurance Mistake That Cost Me A Fortune - Financial Samurai
In late 2022, my wife and I were finally able to lock in matching 20-year term life insurance policies at an affordable rate through Policygenius. For five years prior, I had been concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get approved at a reasonable price—all because of a mistake I made by visiting an overzealous
The Best Way To Determine If You Have Enough Money - Financial Samurai
I recently received a question that boils down to this: How do you know when you have enough money? And once you do, when is it time to shift from chasing excess returns to simply maintaining what you have? There are several ways to approach this question, which I’ll explore in this post. I've come
Descending The Corporate Ladder: A Solution To A Better Life - Financial Samurai
Feeling burned out and underappreciated? Tired of managing people and just want to focus on your craft? Thinking about going back to school to do something more meaningful? If any of this resonates, don’t quit your job. Instead, it might be time to consider a strategic descent down the corporate ladder to take back control
The Hidden Dangers of Earning Risk-Free Passive Income - Financial Samurai
I’ve been focused on building passive income since 1999, back when I had to be in the office by 5:30 a.m. and worked past 7 p.m. often. Weekends were another eight hours or so. I knew I couldn’t sustain a traditional 40-year career working those kinds of hours, so I began saving and investing aggressively
The Time To Participate In A No-Spend Challenge Is Now - Financial Samurai
Have you heard of the no-spend chalenge? It’s a popular concept among budget-minded and minimalist bloggers who encourage us to save more and declutter our lives. The idea is simple: stop spending on non-essentials for a set period and see how much you can save. The more you save (and invest), the sooner you'll achieve
Rich Banks of Mom & Dad Are Everywhere—Accept It and Adapt - Financial Samurai
If you are a parent, your mission is clear: develop into a rich Bank of Mom & Dad to save your children. Without your financial support, they might never launch. If you don’t have wealthy parents yourself, then unfortunately, life might stay on hard mode forever. It’s up to you to break the cycle for
The Rise Of Everyday Middle-Class Multi-Millionaires - Financial Samurai
There is more wealth out there than you think. But the government and media sometimes likes to trick us into believing there is not. Government data says the median net worth in America is around $200,000. Meanwhile, the media keeps highlighting financial struggles, convincing us there’s a looming retirement crisis. But what gets overlooked is
The Choices We Make To Achieve Financial Freedom Aren't For All - Financial Samurai
After publishing Why We Keep Spending Even Though We Know We Shouldn't, I realized something important: the real reason I wasn’t willing to spend on a vacation rental this summer is because we no longer have financial freedom. I didn't think about this fact until after I got a lot of feedback from readers on how
Why We Keep Spending Even When We Know We Shouldn’t - Financial Samurai
Spending money is an American pastime. With a national saving rate hovering around 5%, it's clear we collectively love to spend. And honestly, being able to enjoy our wealth is a beautiful thing. It’s something more personal finance enthusiasts like me—and readers of Financial Samurai—could probably do more of. But like with most things, moderation
Accepting A Preemptive Offer vs. Listing On The Open Market - Financial Samurai
When you decide to sell a house, you might encounter a preemptive offer—a bid that arrives before you list publicly on the open market or reach your set offer due date. This scenario often unfolds in a robust market or when your property is highly sought after. It’s a tempting yet tricky situation: Do you
How An ARM Can Save And Make You More Money On A Home - Financial Samurai
About once a month, I get an email or comment from a reader criticizing adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) as a poor financial choice. Since I’ve been a proponent of ARMs since starting Financial Samurai in 2009, I understand the pushback. Roughly 95% of homebuyers with mortgages get 30-year fixed-rate mortgages. However, I still prefer an ARM
The Best Psychological Trick To Boost Your Wealth Beyond Belief - Financial Samurai
Believing you deserve to be rich is one of the most powerful psychological tricks to boost your wealth. With trillions of dollars circulating in the world, you have to ask yourself: Why not me too? Think about the knuckleheads you grew up with—people no smarter or harder working than you—who somehow ended up making vast
Why Sell Your Rental Property Even If You're Bullish On Prices - Financial Samurai
I'm bullish on real estate. Yet I recently sold another rental property. This type of incongruence between thought and action can feel unsettling and even counterproductive to wealth creation. But it doesn’t have to be. Because while maximizing returns is a big goal on your road to financial independence, it’s not the only goal. Sometimes,
Buying The Dip: Overcome Fear During A Correction And Prosper - Financial Samurai
During the recent stock market correction, I decided to buy the dip. But this time, I didn’t just buy my usual dip-buying amount of $25,000 to $100,000. I went much bigger. All told, I spent over $1 million buying the S&P 500 and various tech stocks like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. Spending over $1 million buying stocks
Health Issues Or A Disability May Force You To Retire Early - Financial Samurai
Before I retired from finance in 2012, I struggled with chronic back pain, sciatica, and TMJ. The stress was so overwhelming, I even paid a dentist $700 to drill divots into several teeth just so I could close my jaw more easily. At only 34, my body was breaking down, and I had no choice
How You'll Feel Reaching Various Millionaire Milestones ($1-$20M) - Financial Samurai
To celebrate the launch of Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures, I want to share how you might feel and what you might do as you hit various levels of wealth. Perhaps by sharing, I'll motivate you to save and invest more aggressively. We'll start with reaching your first million, then move on to $5
Behind The Scenes Of The Millionaire Milestones Book - Financial Samurai
After three years of writing, rewriting, and refining, I’m thrilled to officially celebrate the launch of Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures today! This book has been a true labor of love, not just for me, but for my family as well. It’s the product of countless early mornings, late nights, and weekends hunched
When You Don’t Want Your Kids To Be Just Like You - Financial Samurai
There comes a moment when your child might look up and say, with wide-eyed innocence: “I want to go to the office and type on a laptop all day like Mommy.” “I want to travel abroad for work for two weeks at a time like Daddy.” “I want to have video meetings at home and
What A Recession Is Like For Early Retirees: The Good and Bad - Financial Samurai
If we're not already in a recession, we may soon enter one due to aggressive trade policies that are fueling tremendous uncertainty. As companies and consumers pull back on spending, millions of jobs could be lost, trillions in stock market wealth may disappear, and inflation could persist—potentially ushering in a stagflationary environment. If you’ve been
The Income Limit To Qualify For College Scholarships And Grants - Financial Samurai
If you’re a personal finance enthusiast with kids, you’ve probably wondered: at what household income level will colleges stop offering scholarships and grants (i.e., free money) to help your child attend? What is that income cutoff? Given that the cost of college is already outrageous — and likely only getting worse — this is a