The Market Dropped. Did You Collect Your Tax Refund?
The standard mental model for investment losses is backwards. When a position in your taxable brokerage account goes down, most investors experience it as a pure negative — a paper…
The 529 Isn’t Just a College Bet. It’s a Tax Break You’re Taking This Year.
The mental model most parents have about 529 plans goes something like this: put money away for eighteen years, hope the markets cooperate, hope your kid goes to college, get…
Salary Negotiation Isn’t About Persuasion. It’s About Position.
The outcome of most compensation conversations is largely determined before anyone sits down to talk. Salary negotiation advice almost never says this. The person who gets the raise or the…
The Retirement Account Most Freelancers Don’t Know They’re Ignoring
The IRA contribution limit in 2026 is $7,000. The Solo 401(k) contribution limit is $69,000. Both are available to self-employed people. Most freelancers, consultants, and side business owners are using…
The 5% HYSA Window Is Closing. Here’s Where the Money Still Works.
The peak was October 2023. The Fed funds rate hit 5.5% and online banks were competing aggressively for deposits — Marcus, Ally, CIT, Discover all pushing rates above 5% to…
The Roth vs. Traditional Debate Is Already Settled for Most High Earners
The standard framing of this question — “Roth if you expect higher taxes in retirement, Traditional if you expect lower” — sounds like advice. It’s actually a placeholder for advice,…
LinkedIn Is a Search Engine. Most People Are Using It as a Resume.
I spent some time a few years ago watching a recruiter work through LinkedIn Recruiter — not the consumer version most people use, but the paid platform with Boolean search,…
The Remote Work Tax Deduction Most People Get Wrong
The confusion around remote work deductions runs in both directions — people miss real ones and claim ones they don’t qualify for. If you receive a W-2, you almost certainly…
