After working overseas for nearly 20 years I retired in 2021 at age 50. I will quickly answer the two most common questions I am asked. Do I miss my career working as a diplomat? Nope! Do I have any regrets about retiring early. Absolutely not! The last three years have passed quickly, and I cherish spending more time with friends and family as well as enjoying hobbies old and new. Below are six observations of early retirement after three years. Here are the links to my init

I am always interested in learning from other investors about new investment strategies. At a recent real estate meet up, I met an...

As a kid growing up there was a cartoon called the Adventures of Gulliver. One of the characters is Glum , who offers only negativity whenever his team faces a challenge. His comments follow a running theme, "It will never work," "We're done for," or "We're doomed". As a kid I saw this character as comedic relief. But as I got older, I realized this is actually a common mindset, particularly when it comes to personal finance, investing and pursuing financial freedom. Trust D

One of the key advantages of retirement plans like 401k accounts, Thrift Savings Plan for federal government employees or traditional...

Building a diversified portfolio with multiple income streams is a great strategy for financial freedom and early retirement. Income...

The 4% Rule Origin Story Many savers are familiar with the 4% rule for drawing down savings in retirement. William Bengen launched the 4% rule revolution in 1994 with his article Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical Data . Bengen found that a retiree with a portfolio of 60% stocks and 40% bonds could sustainably withdraw 4% of their portfolio each year. Retirees will need to rebalance their portfolio once a year, many choose to use their birthday. Retirees are able t

Retirement should be a period of low stress, financial security and enjoying time with family and friends. A secure and stable retirement...

Annuities Overview An annuity is a financial product investors purchase to receive a series of future payments. For example, Lars pays...

No investor is perfect, we all make mistakes, and sometimes they are big ones. Part of becoming a successful investor is accepting this...

Where is Your Financial Plan? Are you happy with your current financial plans? Did you follow through on your retirement goals from five...

Factors Causing Real Estate Prices to Rise The real estate market remains highly competitive and many buyers are finding it hard to...

The Biden Administration and Congress are working to impose new taxes particularly on higher income earners. This includes raising...

This article is the second in a series, please start with part 1. 6) Don’t Hold Too Much Cash Some investors become more risk averse as...

As you reach age 50 it is time to get serious about your eventual transition to retirement or semi-retirement. Consider these ten factors...

Reverse Mortgage Explained A reverse mortgage (also known as a home equity conversion mortgage or HECM) is a loan available to people who...

Inflation Diminishes Purchasing Power Over Time Inflation causes the gradual rise in prices and the slow decline in the purchasing power...

Is $2 Million Enough to Retire? We have all seen the articles questioning if a certain sized portfolio is enough to retire. Whether it is $1 million, $2 million, or $5 million, this is really not the right question to be asking. The ability to retire is not based on portfolio size, it is based on a retiree's annual household spending and the amount of income generated from their portfolio. To prevent surprises in retirement it is also important to assess how retirement funds