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Posted on December 22, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Year-End Portfolio Review for High Earners
TL;DR Answer Box Year-end portfolio review should start with cash flow timing, not benchmarks. Map your next 1, 5, and 10 years, fund near-term goals with safer capital, place assets in the right accounts for taxes, and use gains and losses to clean up legacy holdings. Finish with a one-page action plan you can actually […]
Posted on December 15, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Max Your 2025 Benefits: 401(k), HSA, FSA & Mega Backdoor Roth
TL;DR: A 10-minute year-end benefits sweep can max your 2025 benefits: top off your 401(k) (plus age-50 catch-up), invest your HSA for the long haul, clear your FSAs before forfeits, and—if your plan allows—use a Mega Backdoor Roth to expand Roth space. These moves shift thousands from taxable to tax-advantaged, on autopilot next year. Last […]
Posted on December 8, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Last-Chance Tax Moves for RSUs, Bonuses & Variable Pay
TL;DR: December is your cleanup window if RSUs/bonuses pushed you into higher brackets. Patch under-withholding via a W-4 change or an estimated payment, and consider front-loading giving with a donor-advised fund. Then lock next year’s diversification with a rules-based 10b5-1 plan so equity sales run on autopilot—and move you toward a work-optional life. Last updated: […]
Posted on December 1, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Gratitude Ledger: A 5-Minute Thanksgiving Money Habit
TL;DR: Use a simple three-question “Gratitude Ledger” this Thanksgiving to turn appreciation into action. Then, in the weeks right after the holiday, make a few focused year-end moves—retirement contributions, equity/bonus planning, and charitable giving—so 2026 starts strong. Last updated: November 27, 2025 🦃 This Thanksgiving, Try a Gratitude Ledger for Your Money Start with appreciation […]
Posted on November 24, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Reduce Financial Stress with a Control-First Playbook
TL;DR: Reduce financial stress fast with a control-first playbook: route all income to one hub, automate two sweeps (living + wealth), keep a named Stability Reserve, cap single-stock concentration with a rules-based 10b5-1 plan, and run a weekly dashboard + monthly money huddle. Last updated: November 27, 2025 💆 Reduce Financial Stress Fast with a […]
Posted on November 17, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Remote Work Tax Traps for Executives: Avoid These 3 Costly Mistakes
TL;DR: For hybrid and remote executives, three traps create the biggest tax surprises: (1) convenience-of-the-employer rules that can source all wages to a high-tax state, (2) city wage taxes (like Philadelphia) that allow refunds for required out-of-city days, and (3) multi-state equity income allocation on RSU vests and option exercises. Fix it with documented assignment […]
Posted on November 10, 2025 by Dan Pascone
When Interest Rates Fall: Smart Moves for High Earners
TL;DR: When the Fed eases, opportunities appear before the headlines: refinance or term-out variable debt, extend bond duration from ultra-short into short/intermediate, and refresh equity-comp plans (10b5-1, withholding) so you’re positioned if valuations expand. Keep 6–12 months of expenses in true cash; put the rest to work. Last updated: November 10, 2025 Positioning Your Finances […]
Posted on November 3, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Buy Back Your Time: A High Earner’s Guide
TL;DR: At high-income levels, growth comes from doing less, not more. Use a simple framework: if a task can be outsourced for less than your hourly rate, delegate it; if it doesn’t bring joy, delete it; if it increases income, energy, or fulfillment, keep it. Start with one delegate and one invest move this week […]
Posted on October 27, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Donor-Advised Funds: The Tax-Smart Way to Give
TL;DR: A donor-advised fund (DAF) lets high earners contribute in peak-income years, take an immediate deduction (subject to AGI limits), avoid capital gains on long-term appreciated assets, and grant to charities over time, privately, on your own schedule. Last updated: October 21, 2025 Watch/Listen: How Philanthropy Rewires a Life (Podcast, Ep. 26) The Tax-Smart Way […]
Posted on October 20, 2025 by Dan Pascone
Company Retirement Plans: The Ultimate Guide
TL;DR: Start with your purpose, then pick the chassis. For broad employee adoption and higher limits, a safe harbor 401(k) with profit sharing often wins. Public and nonprofit pros can stack 403(b) plus governmental 457(b). Owners who need bigger deductions can layer a cash balance plan. Employees: use both pretax and Roth, turn on auto-enroll […]