You’ve been hustling at your tech job for a few years and now it’s finally starting to pay off. Your finances are looking healthier than ever and goals that once seemed distant are now within reach. You’re thriving… vibes are high… life is good. Then, right on cue… here comes a random LinkedIn message from an investment advisor. Your first thought? “Do I really need help with this? Isn’t that…
Good financial advice boils down to a few simple principles: spend less than you make, maintain a healthy savings rate, invest prudently, manage risk, avoid unnecessary debt, and do your best to plan ahead. Follow these rules of thumb, and chances are, you’ll be in good shape. Sounds straightforward, right? But here’s the thing, what’s simple isn’t always easy. It’s like saying ‘eat healthy and exercise more, you’ll live longer.’…
You’ve likely heard of the 80/20 rule before; if you haven’t, prepare to have your mind blown … (just kidding). The 80/20 rule, aka the Pareto Principle, is a phenomenon which states that roughly 80% of results come from just 20% of inputs. Using the 80/20 rule as a framework for decision making can help you focus your limited resources on actions that are the most impactful. When it comes…
Earlier this month, our team had a meeting with Fidelity Charitable. Although they share the Fidelity name with Fidelity Investments (the custodial firm), they operate as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. Fidelity Charitable works with donors to maximize their philanthropic wishes through a donor-advised fund, commonly referred to as a DAF. What makes a DAF so great that I needed to write about it? DAF’s are unique in that they…
FOMO is the new catchy acronym for a very old phenomenon we know as the “fear of missing out.” While the term is often used in social contexts, FOMO is extremely prevalent when it comes to our personal finances. Oftentimes, we just don’t realize it. In this blog post, we’re going to highlight some common situations where we may feel financial FOMO as it relates to our lifestyle, investing, and…
In today’s world, where information about the stock market is readily available at our fingertips, it can be easy to overlook the importance of developing good savings habits. While investment returns are a critical part of any financial plan, developing consistent savings habits is a tried-and-true way to build financial security over the long run. The investment landscape is always going to be ever changing and as investors, to a…
If you were to ask someone “What are the best benefits an employer could offer?”, most would respond with perks like health insurance, time off, remote work, and if it’s been a long day… a company sponsored happy hour might be a popular choice. They’d also be remiss if they didn’t mention the valuable 401(k) match, which is a benefit that’s often used synonymously with the phrase “free money”, and…
During most years, the stock market tends to go up in value, 73% of the time since 1928, to be precise.1 Using historical returns as an indicator, in any given year, you’re usually better off investing in ‘the market’ than not investing at all. Unfortunately, the S&P 500 (often referred to as the ‘the market’), is having one of its worst starts to the year ever and at the time…
Given the growing popularity of equity compensation plans amongst the country’s largest corporations, offering stock to employees has become a crucial employee benefit. One of the most common forms of equity compensation are known as Restricted Stock Units, or RSUs for short. According to a 2020 survey from Charles Schwab, 5 in 10 millennials said that equity compensation was one of the main reasons why they took their job. Clearly,…
Each year the Social Security Administration releases their Annual Trustees Report, which provides information about the projected funding levels of the Social Security trust fund. Unless you’re looking for great bedside reading material, you probably haven’t read this year’s report. Here’s the TLDR version – the Social Security trust fund will run out of money by 2033. Society has accepted many things as common knowledge, like swallowed bubble gum taking…
