Personal Finance Blogs
Featuring the Best Personal Finance Blog Articles
Today's Personal Finance Articles
View articles only on the topic you search below.
Unless you have been sleeping under a rock, there has been much to do about the new box 3 rules for 2028 and beyond. Whereas we started with Box 3 being simple, and paying effectively 1,2% on our wealth (assets minus debts minus a threshold), it already morphed into a monster. But it is about to get a whole lot worse. However, the box 3 solution to deal with this monster might be easier than you think! Box 3 Plans The box 3 solution – more taxes! I have to admit, I still have to do a deep-dive myself into the proposed Box 3 2028 rules and regulations. Especially the implications for real estate investments, but I do have some general notes on this in the next section. The good thing is that there already have been a few bloggers that looked at the new rules, mind you from a stock/ETF/Indexfund/bond perspective. They made nice write up’s too (the comments sections also have some interesting notes). Some examples include (sorry, Dutch only): Mr Elders overview: https://eldersleven.nl/2026/02/box-3-duidelijkheid/ Mr FOB’s overview: https://www.financieelonafhankelijkblog.nl/box-3-2028-vermogensbelasting/ The original law texts and another summary can be found here (sorry, again Dutch only): Wetsvoorstel (Law proposal) and clarifications Summary and analysis Box 3 and shares/bonds All the above noted info boils down to, in 2028, being taxed on the increase in wealth over a year. This is not to be confused with profits (which might come in the following years)! In the case of shares, the increase in stock prices and thus your portfolio value, will determine how much you will need to pay in taxes (tax bracket is 36% here, with a €1.800 threshold). In short, you will be taxed on the difference between December 31 and January 1 of 2028, minus contributions (I’m not considering withdrawals for now, that is a discussion for another day. Dividends are assumed included in the overall returns). For example. You have €1.000.000 on January 1, and you have €1.124.000 on December 31. The difference is €124.000. Let’s assume you added €2.000/month, or €24.000 for the year. Net increase in wealth is €100.000. Deduct threshold of €1.800 = €98.200 * 36% = a tax bill of €35.352. In short ~3,54% of your wealth (as noted in the intro, a long time ago, when we started our FIRE journey, it used to be only 1,2%). Oh, if you make a loss, there is a way to take these losses forward and offset in the next year(s). The Box 3 Solution – Real Estate? Box 3 and Real Estate Based on what I have heard and read so far, which might not be completely accurate as I have not done my homework in detail, is the following: Real Estate is excluded from the increase in property value, you will pay based on actual returns (profits) when you sell a property One will be taxed on rental income Expenses seems to be able to deducted from the rental
First – thanks for all the thoughtful comments on my last post, Teaching Teens to Budget! There was great dialogue in the comments and I can’t wait to give a one-month update after this month passes (February is our first month with this experiment in effect). For today, I’ve got a super long post ahead. Grab yourself a cup of coffee/water and settle in, because this one is a bit of a doozy! I’ve written a bit about my desire to retire early (see my Catching Fire post, or my 2026 Financial Goals post). I’ve been thinking through many of the comments you’ve raised on these posts and wanted to share my thoughts and planning for early retirement. The big caveat is that I’m still figuring this out and am by no means an expert, so these are my early thoughts. If you notice a glaring hole or something I’m forgetting, please let me know in the comments! Timeline for Retirement I’ve had the dream and desire to retire early for years, but now we have a real countdown! Hubs retires in just over 6 years from a government job where he’ll have a pension and enjoy health insurance for life! I’m currently 42 years old, and my retirement timeline is a bit more unclear. I’d love to retire when hubs does in 6 years, but if the girls go straight to college after high school, they’ll be in their sophomore year at that time. Since I work for a major university, I get great benefits for my kids to go to college, and I’d have a tough time walking away from that benefit mid-schooling. For that reason, I think my retirement date is more likely to be 8 years (age 50). That said, I don’t think I’ll really be fully “done” working at that point. For the last year, I’ve been working on some side projects – writing a book and starting my own small business. When I retire from my W2 job, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’d be done working all together. What “Early Retirement” Means to Us This brings up an important point, because neither my husband nor I plan to be fully 100% out of the workforce in the next 6-8 years! When we retire from our W2 jobs, we’d both like to continue working in some fashion. The hope and goal, though, is that we wouldn’t be working for the money. We hope to be able to pursue more “passion” type of job interests. Hubs loves gardening – maybe he’d go work at a plant nursery! I love writing – maybe I can find some more freelance writing gigs?! We both want to stay busy in some way, but we want autonomy over our time. We don’t want the day in and out corporate/government job grind. And we’d like to have enough money in savings/investments that we don’t feel trapped in other jobs for the sake of paying bills. Some people refer to it
Achieving financial independence is often easier said than done. However, it’s not impossible, and after hearing about other’s success stories in the arena, you’ll be well on your way toward success. Recently, people met in an online discussion to reveal how they achieved financial independence and shed light on how others can follow in their footsteps. 1. Work Double Duty Image Credit: Shutterstock. If you’re toying with the idea of starting your own business, one person […]
Image source: Amazon Wonder Woman is almost 85 years old now! The character made her debut in All-Star Comics #8 in 1941. Diana Prince became a feminist and a female empowerment icon for generations of women. She is also one of the most popular comic book characters in a medium ruled by male characters. However, Wonder Woman has a sordid history that many do not know about. Did you know that her creator was a […]
YouTube’s biggest creator may have just made one of his boldest moves yet, and it has nothing to do with crazy YouTube challenges. Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, just announced that his company Beast Industries is acquiring Step, a banking app built specifically for teenagers and young adults. And honestly? I wanted to give this one a closer look. Whether you’re a parent trying to figure out the best financial tools for your kid, […]
A funny thing happened at our audiobook recording recently. Our producer, told us that our new book is unlike any other finance book he’s ever read, and he’s produced a ton of them, including Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad Poor Dad”. Then right after that, we got a rave review from Publishers Weekly, saying “Readers will find this a welcome counterpoint to alarmist narratives about the cost of starting a family.” Then after that, we got […]
There are many different strategies for answering the “how much should I spend each year in retirement” question. Which strategy works best for your household will depend on your priorities. (Maximizing expected spending over your life? Maximizing spending in early retirement? Maximizing spending predictability?) Morningstar’s Amy Arnott recently shared the results of her research, together with other Morningstar colleagues, discussing which strategies would be expected to maximize total spending through retirement. Here’s How You Can […]
It is now February and most of people’s resolutions have probably fallen off the band wagon. If you made some resolutions and you are still sticking with it, good on you, it’s probably sticking and will become a habit soon. Last night I went to … Read morePF Blog Round Up: Goals, Goals, Goals Edition The post PF Blog Round Up: Goals, Goals, Goals Edition appeared first on Genymoney.ca.
You’ve probably felt it. That weird, low-grade panic in the background. You sense it in your conversations with friends and co-workers. Every week, there’s another post about “AI taking your job.” Another CEO interview. Another layoff headline. Another chart that screams: nobody is safe. And if you’re a knowledge worker, it hits differently. Because you can actually imagine it. But here’s what I think is really happening. AI will not destroy the economy. It’s here […]
Year 4 of COVID in the Bay Area Year 6, Day 294: I keep wanting to make a box cake. Then I remember: it’s so mediocre I won’t enjoy it. Which, I’ve always known what it is BUT I liked it just fine. I took advice to use butter instead of oil, milk instead of […]
Here’s our latest interview with a millionaire as we seek to learn from those who have grown their wealth to high heights. If you’d like to be considered for an interview, drop me a note and we can chat about specifics. This interview took place in October. My questions are in bold italics and their responses follow in black. Let’s get started… OVERVIEW How old are you (and spouse if applicable, plus how long you’ve been married)? I am […]
🎙️Episode #475 – Most investors miss a powerful tax tool: self-directed retirement accounts. Learn how IRAs and solo 401(k)s can invest in real estate and… The post This Is the Tax Strategy Most Real Estate Investors Miss appeared first on Coach Carson.
Welcome to the first dividend income report of 2026! Since the creation of this blog back in July 2014, I have been sharing our monthly dividend income. Why do I continue to share our dividend … Read more