2017

Is Rule 72(t) the Escape Tool for Me

Is Rule 72(t) the Escape Tool for Me?

12 Comments / Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Spending, Taxes and Financial Planning / /

Rule 72(t).  The name sounds as boring as 401(k).  And it should because it’s from the same place – the Internal Revenue Code. Both are part of the tax law that the IRS gets to govern. Coincidentally, both Rule 72(t) and 401(k) plans are pertinent to this post. I recently wrote a post about our FIRE plans titled The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder Dilemma.  I talked about how we plan on using the ladder to access our tax-deferred accounts earlier than […]

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We’re All on the Same Journey

26 Comments / Motivation, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), General Thoughts / /

The journey to FIRE can be an arduous path. Sometimes I struggle with the content I want to put on this blog.  It’s not due to a lack of ideas, but rather a matter of wondering if the reader can relate. Some of you are just starting to get interested in the idea of financial independence.  Perhaps you’re saddled with debt, but know there’s got to be a way out. Others of you are in your wealth-building stage of your

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The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder Dilemma

The Roth IRA Conversion Ladder Dilemma

13 Comments / Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Spending, Taxes and Financial Planning / /

I’ve been a bit moody the past couple of weeks.  I’ve been focusing a lot on trying to pinpoint our exact retirement date and I’ve been struggling.  The problem all stems from the Roth IRA Conversion Ladder we plan to do. First off, if you’re on the path to FIRE (Financial Independence/Retire Early) and you’re not familiar with how a Roth IRA Conversion Ladder works, this could be important to you. It’s not the end-all-be-all solution, but the ladder is

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What to Do with Your Money Right Now

6 Comments / Debt, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Saving / /

We’re in an interesting cycle of the economy right now.  Things are looking good, which helps boost the value of your money.  When it comes to investments, stock prices and property values are generally up. And if you’re selling, that’s a good thing.  Retirees and folks selling their houses or some of their stock investments are partying it up during these times. However, if you’re still in the wealth-building phase of your life, this isn’t as exciting.  Sure, it makes

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Backpacking Trip... Cross It Off the Bucket List!

Backpacking Trip… Cross It Off the Bucket List!

10 Comments / Travel and Vacation / /

I’m no Mrs. ONL when it comes to the outdoors, but I do enjoy some outdoor time when I can find it.  And there’s been one adventure that’s been on my bucket list for quite some time now. I love camping and enjoy the idea of some of the disaster preparation and survival shows.  So why not combine the two with a backpacking trip for a couple of nights? This trip has been in the making for a few years.  Every

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Property Management Companies – Why I’m Firing Mine

11 Comments / Real Estate, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments / /

Ah, property management companies – the answer to anyone wanting to get into real estate without the headaches, right? The thought makes sense.  Rental properties are a great way to help diversify your investment portfolio and earn a solid cash flow. The only problem… managing the properties. Now, some folks like the idea of running the operation and handling any repairs themselves.  The good news is that they tend to make more money on their properties every month since they’re

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The 10 Commandments for Kids and Money

10 Comments / Kids, Debt, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Saving, Self-Employment / /

When it comes to kids and money, we all want to ensure that they’ve got the greatest chance to succeed in life. We can push our kids to be smart and learn in school.  We can teach them to be good to other kids and to share. We can help them to understand that they should respect others.  We can show them good manners and how to be polite. But what about the money side of the formula?  Isn’t that

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You’re Doing It Wrong! Your Personal Savings Rate

17 Comments / Saving, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Spending / /

Here’s the problem with calculating your personal savings rate… you’re doing it wrong! Ok, maybe you’re not, but I sure was! First off, let’s talk about what your personal savings rate is.  In essence, it’s a metric to be able to determine what percentage you’re putting away in relation to your income. In other words, it provides a good way to tell at a glance how well you’re saving. Someone might make a ton of money at his or her

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The 10 Best Financial Podcasts

The 10 Best Financial Podcasts

24 Comments / Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Investments, Motivation, Saving / /

The 10 Best Financial Podcasts???  Aren’t podcasts for nerds?  Who in the heck would listen to people droning on and on for an hour talk show?! A couple years ago, that’s what I was thinking.  Then about a year ago, I canceled my Sirius XM radio subscription and learned something… local radio sucks.  Maybe that’s not the case for all areas, but where I live in Ohio, it’s horrendous. So I was stuck. Fine, I decided, I’ll give these “podcasts”

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Business Opportunities are Everywhere!

Business Opportunities are Everywhere!

6 Comments / Self-Employment, Financial Independence / Retire Early (FIRE), Motivation, Real Estate / /

When I was younger, I used to think that a lot of the business opportunities out there weren’t for me.  Maybe they weren’t worth the effort or they would take too much money to start. As I’ve gotten older (and a little smarter), I’ve realized that’s not the case.  It’s simply a matter of just opening your eyes and then plucking out those opportunities. A number of years ago, I started playing FreeCell on my phone when I get a

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