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Financial Independence

“I’m 59.5 Years Old And Done Writing About *My* Money”

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We’re aging out. As many of you know from your research, 59.5 is the minimum age for starting optional withdrawals from an IRA. Nearly everyone worries about how they’ll tap their IRA for living expenses when they reach financial independence before 59.5.  (Although there are many penalty-free exceptions to this tax law.) I hit that dubious age … [Read more...] about “I’m 59.5 Years Old And Done Writing About *My* Money”

Fear And Despair In The Time Of Bear Markets

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Let’s discuss your plan for getting through a bear market and reaching financial independence. If you don’t have a plan, then by the end of this post you’ll know how to craft one. You’ll feel good about taking action and you’ll sleep better at night. You’ll cope with these situations every 5-10 years during all phases of your very long life. … [Read more...] about Fear And Despair In The Time Of Bear Markets

Yet Another Decade In Review Post

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  My spouse and I enjoyed a heck of a year. The end of 2019 marks 20 years of our financial independence and over 17 years of my military retirement. I’ve written about military personal finance for over 15 years and I hope I have a few decades left! And yeah, I empathize with my fellow math nerds who insist that 2019 isn’t the end of … [Read more...] about Yet Another Decade In Review Post

Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence

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It’s coming in spring 2020: the book you’ve asked for about teaching your kids how to manage their money. My daughter Carol and I recently signed a book contract with ChooseFI Media to publish “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.” It’s written from your questions asked at financial conferences, at … [Read more...] about Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence

Should You Attend FinCon, Military Influencer Conference, Camp Mustache, CampFI, and FI Chautauqua?

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Your journey to financial independence can be a little lonely if you’re doing it all by yourself. Even social media, podcasts, and videos are poor substitutes for hanging out with people who share your goals. This post will cover different ways to get a little boost of FI endorphins to last for months... or at least until the next boost. Better … [Read more...] about Should You Attend FinCon, Military Influencer Conference, Camp Mustache, CampFI, and FI Chautauqua?

Reader Interview: Planning For The Military Transition

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[Today's military transition advice is brought to you by servicemember Annabel Monroe of Monroe Brothers Investments.  If you're interested in contributing your interview at The-Military-Guide.com, please see our posting guidelines.]   What influenced your decision to join the military, and what's your transition plan to leave active … [Read more...] about Reader Interview: Planning For The Military Transition

From The Mail Buoy: Staying For 20 And Hacking The High Cost Of Living in Hawaii

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A reader writes: "Nords, I’m an avid reader of your website and love your Reddit replies. I’m active duty with 14 years of service.  I’m saving a considerable amount of my paycheck and investing in dividend growth stocks with a portfolio that yields about 3.5%. I can retire at 20 years or try for one more promotion, but I’d do the High Three … [Read more...] about From The Mail Buoy: Staying For 20 And Hacking The High Cost Of Living in Hawaii

“I Inherited Money And Now I Can’t Blog About Financial Independence Anymore”

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  I’m finally ready to write about distributing my father’s estate. As many of you may remember, Dad passed away in November 2017 after more than nine years with Alzheimer’s Disease. For over six of those years, Dad was in a full-care facility while I handled his finances. It only took a few six months to handle his estate and finish his … [Read more...] about “I Inherited Money And Now I Can’t Blog About Financial Independence Anymore”

The 1980s-2000s: How I Wish I’d Invested Back Then

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My spouse and I were not brilliant investors. We made the typical dumb mistakes of our 20s and 30s and we paid ridiculously large fees along the way to financial independence, but a high savings rate overcame all of those errors. Your FI journey will be better (and cheaper!) than ours, but the math is the same. Focus on the factors within your … [Read more...] about The 1980s-2000s: How I Wish I’d Invested Back Then

The Best Books I’ve Read This Year (So Far)

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I’ve read several outstanding educational books this year about financial independence, and if I saved this post for December then it’d be four times as long. I’ll write this one now and follow up with another post later this year. As many of you know, I read a lot. No, seriously, A. Lot. I go through over a hundred books a year (print and … [Read more...] about The Best Books I’ve Read This Year (So Far)