Techie Personal Finance Bootcamp: Recent Episodes
Lucas Casarez CFP®
I help tech employees use their finances to create the life of their dreams by helping you take your financial confidence to the next level!Are you a tech employee who wants to learn how to better manage your finances?Working in tech you may experience extreme pay increases, which may allow you the ability to accomplish goals you've only dreamed of. However, if mismanaged, you can also find yourself stressed out and under pressure to increase your income in order to fit your lifestyle.The good news, is through education and a little bit of determination, you have the power to control your future and create your best life.Not only will we cover basic personal finance concepts, but we'll dive deep into tech specific benefits and issues that I regularly help my clients build strategies to maximize. (Examples: working for start ups, restricted stock units, stock options, and layoffs) Also, on a regular basis, I will have special guests that will highlight their stories with unique stories about their tech experiences.
This episode provides an overview of significant changes to tax laws announced on July 4th, 2025. Key points include the permanency of temporary tax laws from 2018, slight increases in standard deductions, and significant increases in the state and local tax (SALT) cap from $10,000 to $40,000. Additional updates include adjustments to charitable contribution deductions, new senior tax deductions, auto loan interest tax deductions, and child tax credits. Other notable changes include the expiration dates for electric vehicle and home energy efficiency tax credits, as well as the introduction of new investment accounts for newborns.
In this podcast episode, Lucas Casarez interviews Rizel Scarlett about her journey into the tech industry, her experiences with family life, and her insights on community building and leadership.
Rizel shares her background, starting from her challenges as an undocumented immigrant in college, transitioning into tech through programs like Resilient Coders, and eventually securing roles in tech companies.
She discusses the importance of learning in public and building a professional network through social media and community involvement.
Rizel also talks about balancing her career with motherhood, emphasizing the need for clear communication with her spouse and employer to manage expectations.
She highlights the value of community support in overcoming career challenges and shares her approach to leadership development by learning from mentors and managers.
The conversation underscores the significance of stepping out of one's comfort zone to achieve personal and professional growth.
Should You Cash Out Your 401(k) Retirement Account?
In this episode of Techie Personal Finance Bootcamp, we explore the critical question of whether you should withdraw from your 401k. We discuss common reasons for considering a withdrawal, such as emergencies and market fears, and highlight the financial downsides, including taxes and penalties. The episode also covers alternative solutions like 401 (k) loans and emphasizes the importance of informed decision-making to avoid long-term financial stress.
00:00 Intro
06:24 10% Penalty
07:04 Federal & State Income Taxes
08:27 Special ROTH Features To Avoid Penalty and Taxes
09:04 Less Resources, Less Time To Build It Back
11:53 401 (k) loan alternative
13:10 Different Exemption Rules To Be Aware Of
14:03 Separation after age 55
15:24 Home Equity Loan/ Line of Credit
17:20
Feeling like you're stuck living paycheck to paycheck? 🤔
Join Lucas Casarez, tech financial planner, as he dives into the hidden financial wins you might be overlooking!
Retirement Savings
Welcome to Techie Personal Finance Bootcamp. Many of you might feel like you're living paycheck to paycheck, not saving as much as you'd prefer. However, if you step back, you'll see activities adding value, akin to savings, even if they're not channeled into emergency funds. For example, significant contributions to retirement accounts can often go unnoticed. Even if you're maxing them out annually, this is indeed a form of savings that many forget to acknowledge.
Employer Stock
Besides regular savings, you might have stock options or employer compensation in stock form. Whether it's through an employee stock purchase plan, RSUs, incentive, or non-qualified stock options, allowing these to build up can reflect significant savings. It's crucial to acknowledge these investments rather than selling them off to fund lifestyles because eventually, they prove to be a powerful asset.
Home Equity
Home equity is another asset often overlooked. If you've owned a home for five years or more, not only has the equity likely increased, but a low locked-in mortgage rate gives you a competitive edge. Especially for younger generations, such equity contributes significantly to your net worth, even if it's not readily liquid.
Catching Up
For career changers, recent tech bootcamp graduates, or anyone navigating a financial catch-up game, there's potential for financial recovery through income increases. As illustrated, transitioning from a $60,000 to a $100,000 income can greatly impact debt and save for future investments. This progression, while it might initially focus on debt repayment, will eventually contribute to saving and investment growth.
Take Advantage of Opportunities to Get Ahead
It's essential to maintain restraint against lifestyle creep when incomes rise. By sustaining a previous lifestyle after significant pay increases, you're paving a path for financial fortification. Avoiding the trap of higher expenditure and focusing on leveraging these seasons of prosperity ensures you'll establish solid financial footing.
In times of emergencies, whether personal or involving close ones, your preparedness from years of wise financial management can provide the flexibility needed to navigate these challenges with less stress. Always remember, life's financial journey is about making informed decisions today to better equip yourself for tomorrow.
If you have any financial strategy questions or require guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out for a consultation. Understanding your comprehensive financial picture might reveal that you're in a stronger position than initially perceived. Let's keep the conversation going to ensure your financial goals align with your life changes.
Navigating Stock Market Volatility: Long-term Investment Strategies Explained
In this episode of Techie Personal Finance Bootcamp, we discuss the current stock market volatility caused by recent tariff announcements and offer practical advice for maintaining a long-term investment approach. Learn why diversification is crucial, how to manage short-term financial goals, and why now might be a good time to invest, especially for younger individuals.
Non-Profit Sponsor: Tech By Choice
In this video, the host explains why paychecks may be smaller in January 2025 compared to December 2024.
The main reason is due to the resumption of Social Security deductions at the start of the year, which cease once annual income exceeds $176,100. This deduction affects high-income earners significantly, making their early-year finances feel tighter.
The host provides tips on managing cash flow and planning financial contributions around the timing of these deductions, ensuring viewers have clarity on the finances to make informed decisions.
In this episode of Techie Personal Finance Bootcamp, we explore the real value of bonuses, raises, and stock options with a focus on how taxes can greatly diminish their apparent worth. We delve into examples to reveal the true post-tax income you can expect. Additionally, we highlight common mistakes like lifestyle inflation and poor financial planning that can lead to overspending and emphasize the importance of intentional money management and the impact of taxation on financial decisions.
Here is a link to access the Real Value of Raise Calculator. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_5oU96ZLYounxhn-SKBCj6YWcU_HfyaxUxgSDzH3a4s/edit?usp=sharing
This episode delves into the financial issues tech professionals face, focusing on the challenge of managing credit card debt despite high incomes.
It discusses how lifestyle creep, unexpected expenses, and high interest rates lead to debt accumulation.
Emphasizing the importance of financial management, the danger of relying on future financial expectations and underscores the consequences of unchecked debt, such as stress and potential evictions. It provides practical strategies like using budgeting tools, setting savings plans, and adopting the debt snowball approach.
Furthermore, it highlights the need for minimizing unnecessary expenses and leveraging all financial resources to expedite debt repayment, ultimately aiming to regain financial control and achieve long-term goals.
Sean Page, a senior technical recruiter at Propel, shares his non-traditional career path from biology major to public health professional to tech recruiter. He emphasizes the increasing competitiveness in the job market, the importance of understanding DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in hiring processes, and the need for clear communication in salary negotiations. Sean highlights the differences between working in non-profit and tech sectors, particularly regarding timelines and meeting cultures. He stresses the role of recruiters as important cross-sectional contributors to business operations and advocates for focusing on senior-level hires for greater DEI impact. Sean offers tips for job seekers on standing out in interviews, leveraging data, and maintaining mental health during prolonged job searches in a challenging market.
In this episode of Techie Personal Finance Bootcamp, host Lucas Casarez, CFP® discusses the process of transitioning out of a tech career, addressing the importance of understanding projected salaries, the impact of lifestyle and expenses on decision-making, and the necessity of financial planning.
He emphasizes the need for thoughtful consideration and planning before making any drastic career changes, suggesting exploring additional opportunities within tech and calculating the necessary income for a sustainable transition. He also provides advice on managing resources, reducing expenses, and planning for a successful career change. The episode aims to help listeners design and build the life they want through informed and strategic decisions.
In this episode, you'll learn the answer to the following questions about how your employer stock impacts your taxes, as well as, charitable giving strategies:
- What Is The Difference Between A Private And Public Company
- The Most Common Types Of Employer Stock Plans
- How Your Employer Stock Is Taxed
- Employer Stock Strategies
- Is Your Charitable Giving Is Tax Deductible
- What Is A Donor Advised Fund
- Benefits Of Donating Stock
https://www.techbychoice.org/donate
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/getting-those-big-tech-checks-with-tech-by-choice/
https://the-collab-lab.codes/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/a-co-founders-journey-to-starting-the-collab-lab/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Important-Numbers-2023-1.pdf
https://www.underdogdevs.org/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/creating-a-non-profit-to-help-underdog-devs/
In this episode, you'll learn the answer to the following questions about how your retirement accounts impact your taxes, as well as, how to correctly make Backdoor ROTH contributions.
- What Is A Traditional Retirement Account
- What Is A ROTH Retirement Account
- Do I Make Too Much To Contribute To Certain Retirement Accounts
- What Is A Backdoor ROTH
- Can I Make a Mega Backdoor ROTH Contribution
https://www.techbychoice.org/donate
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/getting-those-big-tech-checks-with-tech-by-choice/
https://the-collab-lab.codes/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/a-co-founders-journey-to-starting-the-collab-lab/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Important-Numbers-2023-1.pdf
https://www.underdogdevs.org/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/creating-a-non-profit-to-help-underdog-devs/
Taxes can be complex and confusing, but it's important to understand them so you can pay the correct amount and take advantage of all the deductions and credits you're eligible for. In this episode, we'll cover everything you need to know about your taxes, from the basics to more advanced strategies.
Topics covered:
- What are the different types of taxes?
- How are taxes calculated?
- What are deductions and credits?
- What is the standard deduction?
- What are itemized deductions?
- What are popular tax credits?
- What are income phaseouts?
- How to calculate your marginal and effective tax rates
- How are bonuses and stock options taxed?
https://www.techbychoice.org/donate
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/getting-those-big-tech-checks-with-tech-by-choice/
https://the-collab-lab.codes/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/a-co-founders-journey-to-starting-the-collab-lab/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Important-Numbers-2023-1.pdf
In this episode, we interview Andrew Hedges, a career changer, startup co-founder, and non-profit co-founder. We talk about his journey from traditional employment to tech, the mission of his startup Assistiv Labs, the most misunderstood thing about accessibility, and advice for founders and co-founders. We also discuss The Collab Lab, a non-profit he co-founded, and the benefits of teaming up with others.
Here are some key questions we will answer in the episode:
- What was the catalyst for your career change into tech?
- What gave you the confidence to leave traditional employment to start your own company?
- What is the mission of Assistiv Labs and why is accessibility online and with software so important?
- What would you say is the most misunderstood thing about accessibility?
- What advice would you give to founders and co-founders based on what you've learned so far?
- What is The Collab Lab and what pushed you to create such an amazing non-profit?
- What has been the greatest challenge your team has run into since launching The Collab Lab?
- What has been your biggest win as a non-profit?
- What is the greatest benefit you see from teaming up with others?
- How can people listening help The Collab Lab?
Join us for this inspiring conversation with a passionate entrepreneur and non-profit leader!
https://the-collab-lab.codes
https://assistivlabs.com
https://mailchi.mp/081b79193143/understand-your-taxes-end-of-year-tax-strategies
This is a part of the non-profit series where I highlight great members of the tech community who play a significant role in running a non-profit.
Valerie is a self-taught developer who is now an engineering manager and the founder of Tech by Choice, a non-profit that helps underrepresented groups enter, stay and thrive in tech.
Valerie talks about her experience as a manager and her work with Tech by Choice. She discusses her biggest challenges as a manager, her goals for the future, and her advice for others who are interested in entering the tech industry.
As the founder of Tech By Choice, Valerie shares her personal stories that inspired the creation of Tech By Choice, the challenges of running a non-profit, the impact she's seeing in the community, and exciting projects that will be launching soon.
https://www.techbychoice.org/donate
https://mailchi.mp/081b79193143/understand-your-taxes-end-of-year-tax-strategies
Valerie's previous interview. https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/the-wealth-of-being-in-tech-with-valerie/
Can you imagine building a thriving career in tech, overcoming societal stigmas, and then going ahead to establish a non-profit to help others do the same? That's exactly what our guest today, Rick Wolter, has done, and he joins us to share his inspiring journey.
Rick shares how he went from being basically tech illiterate to landing a job in tech and helping others with similar backgrounds of being formerly incarcerated to do the same.
Underdog Devs, is a non-profit dedicated to helping individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those with a history of incarceration, kickstart their careers in software development.
Interested in giving back? Visit https://www.underdogdevs.org/ to make a charitable donation or contact Rick if you have equipment you'd like to donate or have time to be a mentee.
https://twitter.com/RwoltX
https://twitter.com/UnderdogDevs
Register for the End Of Year Tax Strategies workshops here
Ever wondered why your spending seems to mysteriously multiply when your income increases? Join us as we dive deep into the world of lifestyle creep - the silent financial nemesis that can sabotage your present financial status and future plans. In today's episode, we unveil the facets of lifestyle creep, explaining how unchecked spending patterns may lead to a personal inflation phenomenon that might just be draining your wallet.
From exploring the ripple effects of a pay rise to breaking down the psychological triggers such as ‘keeping up with the Joneses', we scrutinize the root causes that fan the flames of lifestyle creep. But we don't just stop there - we also provide actionable tips and tricks on how to keep this financial behemoth at bay. We emphasize understanding your financial landscape, setting clear priorities, and making small adjustments to ensure your spending aligns with your long-term financial goals. Whether you're a rookie in your career or enjoying a significant salary bump, tune in for some valuable insights that will keep your financial health in prime shape.
Have you ever wondered how a construction worker would transition into a career in cybersecurity? Our friend Danny, who did just that, offers a riveting account of his unique tech journey.
A Microsoft scam was a pivotal moment that sparked his curiosity and propelled him to explore the complex world of cybersecurity. His story is a testament to the idea that traditional educational background need not always dictate your career path. Danny generously shares several resources for those intrigued by the tech field, especially the realm of cybersecurity.
Shifting gears, career transitions become the focus of our conversation. Those mulling over a career change will find Danny's advice immensely valuable - he stresses the importance of thoroughly researching roles, networking, continuous learning, and the art of asking the right questions.
Personal cybersecurity is another crucial topic we delve into. With insights drawn from Danny's own experience, we discuss the necessity of maintaining digital hygiene and implementing protective measures to safeguard your data.
This episode is a compelling mix of inspiring stories, practical tips, and valuable resources designed to guide you on your path to a successful tech career. So, tune in, get inspired, and get ready to embark on your tech journey.
Danny's Substack
https://zendannyy.substack.com/
Danny's Free Course
https://www.udemy.com/course/intro-to-linux/
Danny's Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@zendanny
What's Next for Student Loan Forgiveness?
In this podcast, we discuss the recent news that the previously announced student loan forgiveness is no longer a legal solution. We cover what to expect now that payments are restarting in October, including the new SAVE repayment plan, and the temporary ramp-up period. We also discuss the new path that the Biden administration is taking to try to achieve student loan forgiveness, and what that might mean for borrowers.
Key takeaways:
- The previous Student loan forgiveness plan is no longer a legal solution, but the Biden administration is working on a new path to achieve it.
- The new SAVE repayment plan will lower payments for borrowers on income-driven repayment plans.
- There will be a temporary ramp-up period of 12 months after payments restart in October, during which borrowers will not be reported negatively to credit bureaus if they miss payments.
- The details of the new student loan forgiveness program are not yet known, but it is likely to be different from the previous plan.
Is Purchasing a Home in 2023 a Good Financial Decision?
In this episode, we'll discuss the pros and cons of purchasing a home in 2023. We'll cover topics such as:
- Why are mortgage interest rates so high?
- Is it financially feasible?
- How does it compare to renting?
- What should you do if you have a home with a low-interest rate?
- What are the risks of homeownership?
- What if house values decrease?
- What if interest rates decrease?
We'll also provide some tips for making an informed decision about whether or not to purchase a home in 2023.
Whether you're a first-time homebuyer or a current homeowner, this episode is for you. We'll help you understand the financial implications of homeownership and make the best decision for your individual circumstances.
Listen to the episode today to learn more!
In this episode, we'll talk about how to increase your income. Whether you're looking to make more money to retire early, have more security and flexibility, or simply to make ends meet, there are a number of things you can do to make more money.
How to Know If You Need to Make More Money
There are a few signs that you may need to make more money. If you're living paycheck to paycheck, if there are important goals that seem impossible to achieve, or if you've already dug into your budget and cut out unimportant and low-value expenses, then it's possible that you need to increase your income.
Why Even Though You're Making a Ton of Money It Doesn't Seem Like Enough
There are a few reasons why even though you're making a lot of money, it may not seem like enough. One reason is that the cost of living can vary dramatically from city to city. Another reason is that you may have a high cost of living due to your lifestyle choices. For example, if you like to live in a big house or drive a fancy car, then you're going to need to make more money to support those lifestyle choices. Finally, you may be supporting others financially, such as a spouse, children, or family members. If this is the case, then it's important to factor in the cost of supporting those people when you're considering your income needs.
How to Increase Your Income
There are a number of ways to increase your income. Some of the most common methods include:
- Leveling up in your career
- Changing jobs
- Freelancing
- Being paid for content creation
- Side hustles
- Creating arts and crafts
- Starting or buying a business
Do you own a home with a ton of equity?
In this episode, I talk about the awesomeness of a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC).
I cover the pros, cons, and how they compare to other options that may be available to you.
Isai Cortez is a Tax Attorney and owner of Bismark Tax, Inc in Los Angeles, CA. He's also the founder of SynkBooks and an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University School of Law.
Isai shares his story, which goes all the way back to age 4 when his family was in a situation that made him want to be an advocate and help people understand their taxes.
This episode is full of of great stories and advice that spans entrepreneurship, finances, and life.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isai-bismark-cortez-01048143/
https://app.synkbooks.com/team/
https://bismarktax.com/isai-bismark-cortez-esq/
https://twitter.com/IsaiBCortez
Huge news dropped today regarding student loans. There will be student loan forgiveness! That’s not all, as most people expected, student loan forbearance was extended through December 31st, 2022. Finally, there will be a new income-based repayment plan that will reduce the burden of student loan payments on the remaining balances.
The forbearance is pretty self-explanatory, but they included the wording of “final”. They used similar wording with previous extensions but after the forgiveness announcement, it’d be unlikely additional forbearances will occur.
Here are the big questions around student loan forgiveness and the details I’ve managed to pull together from multiple sources over the course of the day. I was hoping more logistics would be available, but I’ll keep you in the loop as I find out more.
This was a fun episode to record with my mom, Jessica Casarez, who has been working for the same insurance agency for the last 37 years.
Insurance coverage is almost like a foreign language and she does an amazing job and translating and simplifying the information.
Topics covered:
- How much insurance coverage do you need to replace your home?
- The difference between working with a captive agent and an independent agent.
- When umbrella coverage is beneficial.
- Do renters need renters insurance?
- What does comprehensive vehicle insurance cover?
- What does collision vehicle insurance cover?
- Do you need GAP insurance?
- Does your business need insurance?
https://schatzins.com/
Dr. Aimee shares important information about fertility. It's her goal to let as many women avoid saying, I wish I would have known sooner.
In this episode Dr. Aimee answers the following questions:
- The importance of understanding your fertility
- Alternative options to egg freezing
- A range of costs associated with egg freezing and alternatives
- One important thing men should know
- What if you don't want kids today....
https://twitter.com/_EggWhisperer
https://eggfreezingparty.com/what-is-an-egg-freezing-party
Are you worried about a possible recession?
In this episode, I tackle current events that may lead to a recession in 2022 and identify what you need to know to navigate your way through a recession confidently.
- Inflation
- The Stock Market
- Employment
- Interest Rates
- Housing Market
Do you need estate documents?
I invited my friend and Estate Planning Expert, Will Beyers to shed some light on that answer.
Will does a great job summarizing what each document does and provides some context on when and why they will be needed.
The documents discussed in this episode are: Wills, Financial Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney, and Trusts
We also dove into the importance of naming a caregiver if you have children, as well as, why most people drag their feet on setting up their estate documents.
will@beyerslaw.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/williambeyersiii/
https://www.beyerslaw.com/
**In her prior career, Kristal worked as a Software Engineer at BuzzFeed and Marqeta, Director of Operations at a cryptocurrency startup, and as an assistant to executives and leadership at Uber, Affirm, and Sledgehammer Games.
She served the largest Latinx in tech community, Techqueria, as a community leader and helped to grow and nurture the community by thousands of additional members.**
https://joinyearone.io
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kgarcia4/
https://twitter.com/kristal_s_
kristal@joinyearone.io
Do you know all of the amazing benefits and flexibility of an HSA (Health Savings Account)?
The best features are that they are triple tax-free:
- Tax-Reduction on contributions
- Tax-Free growth
- Tax-Free withdrawals
That's not all. There could be real savings just by comparing a high deductible health plan to a pricier option.
In this episode, I tackle a framework I use to help clients make an informed decision on whether they should use an HSA.
Purchasing a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make, but the significant debt you accrue in the form of a mortgage can sometimes carry a lot of emotional baggage.
In this episode, I acknowledge some of the reasons people want to pay off their mortgages, but my recommendation a majority of the time is to NOT pay off their mortgage faster than they need to.
I'll cover 5 major reasons NOT to pay off your mortgage early. The 4th one is maybe one of the biggest reasons, but no one ever talks about it. 🤔
You can explore this topic more by Podcast or Video by clicking the link below.
https://youtu.be/baEWikJ3Bu4
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/5-reasons-not-to-pay-off-your-mortgage-early/
**Jonathan Jennings is a software engineer who works in the AR, VR, and videogame spaces and currently helming his indie VR game at Weird Kid Studios named Galactic Bar fight.
He’s been a guest lecturer at University and National Conferences. His first published essay Black Unicorn is available to read in the book Game Devs & Others: Tales From The Margins.
He’s been involved in multiple development roles including rapid prototyping, core mechanic programming, user Interface engineering, multiplayer programming, and publishing processes for release among others.
He has over 9 years of development across both games and VR / MR / AR applications experience and titles he has worked on have had over 2 million cumulative downloads across several platforms. When not working he is most likely playing and studying the latest giant mainstream release or an obscure indie game.
Galactic Bar Fight : https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/4219555588059267/?locale=en_US**
Weird Kid Studios: https://www.weirdkidstudios.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/notifications/
Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Jonathan-Jennings-5
Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/Jonathanj
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JonnyJ17
The Backdoor ROTH is an advanced planning strategy for high earners and big savers. Should you use a Backdoor ROTH?
Two reasons why you'd use a Backdoor ROTH strategy is:
- You are phased out of making ROTH Contributions due to your high income.
- You are a big saver and have already maxed out your 401(k) contributions
The process to implement a Backdoor ROTH will depend on if you are doing the smaller Backoor ROTH or the MEGA Backoor ROTH.
I also cover the biggest mistake I see when people attempt a Backoor ROTH without assistance. The pain in the butt "pro-rata rule".
This is not a ROTH vs. Traditional debate. You can max out all traditional contributions if that is your tax strategy and then take advantage of the Backdoor ROTH strategies!
My guest today is Gina Covarrubias, Certified Life Coach, B.S. Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (Purdue University), M.S. Mechanical Engineering (University of Utah)
Her distinctive background blends life coaching expertise with 12+ years engineering/technology experience in government, academia and corporate aerospace.
Gina founded Deliberate Doing LLC, an exclusive STEM coaching service dedicated to helping technical professionals defeat career despair. She solves the common STEM problem: “What is next for my life?” As a former engineer, she can identify with technical experts who question their personal or professional existence.
Her function as an Engineering Life Coach is to teach mental strength and conditioning. Just as electronic gadgets require upgrades and reboots, so does your brain. Gina invites you to connect with her for free coaching to start your own mental upgrade today!
deliberatedoing.com/events (for free upcoming webinars),
deliberatedoing.com/resources (for free self-help videos and career blog)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginacovarrubias/
Join me as I interview a real estate expert, Patrick Soukup of Soukup Real Estate Services in Fort Collins, CO.
We cover a wide range of topics from real estate as an investment and personal residence.
Patrick also shares his insights on whether we are in a real estate bubble, how to search for a home when you're out of state, and his real estate investment philosophy.
https://www.soukuprealestate.com/our-team
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-soukup-cpm-36497225/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjpWM9lXcMIEMktSjR_DCg
Orlando shares his journey from finance, Peace Corp, back to finance and then breaking into tech by writing a jingle.
Despite having an MBA and finance background, it took him over 8 months to break into tech.
To stand out from the crowd, Orlando wrote Jingles and leveraged Twitter to directly connect with companies.
Orlando Gomez is a First-gen Mexican-American from Chicago's South Side. Parents are from Guanajuato and his Dad settled here as a steelworker after working the fields in California. He brought my mom over and I was born here.
Orlando received his Bachelor's in Business Management from Robert Morris University-Illinois in Chicago, then went to work at a Walmart store in Columbus, Ohio. He realized retail wasn't for me and soon after switched to finance. He received his investment licenses at Charles Schwab in Indianapolis, then moved back to Chicago to work in Private Wealth (Credit Suisse).
After private wealth, he joined the Peace Corps and lived in the sierra of Peru for two years advising small businesses, teaching youth entrepreneurship, leading financial literacy workshops, and starting a baseball little league.
He came back to the US and started business school at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and that eventually took him to Investment Banking in NYC (CS - Industrials).
The shift to WFH enabled him to return to Chicago where he set out to explore opportunities in Tech and eventually landed at Drift helping build out their Drift for Startups program
.
https://www.drift.com/startups/
https://twitter.com/OrlandoGomezzz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/orlandogomez13/
I'm a big fan of 401(k) loans, but they shouldn't be taken out lightly.
In this episode, I cover the basic rules of a 401(k) loan, the pros, and the cons.
Josiah Haswell, in addition to being a good friend, is the CoFounder of Sunshower. IO. The first comprehensive, provider-agnostic cloud management platform. In this episode, you will hear how Josiah shifted from corporate tech to being an employee at Startups and ultimately starting up his own companies. Like any business, startup life ebbs and flows, and Josiah shares some of the challenges, he’s faced with his startups over the years.
Without further ado, here is Josiah’s interview.
- Discovering the power of software
- Unique contrast between old tech and new tech
- Vetting a cofounder
- Hiring and firing as a startup founder
- Importance of sales for a business
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiah-haswell-4b116823/
https://sunshower.io/
If you are anything like my family, your spending habits have changed significantly during the pandemic. If you managed to maintain employment throughout this whole period, then you may have found that your savings accounts actually increased.
Or maybe you are a stress shopper and managed to find more ways to spend money now that you have more time on your hands.
Either way, your spending habits are likely to change again as we approach what will be a new normal.
How have your spending habits changed during the pandemic?
Make SMART Financial Moves in 2021
We made it to 2021! A year like 2020 stretched us thin in many aspects of our lives and that may have included your finances. If you feel you can improve on your finances in 2021 and want to make it a priority, I want to provide you a framework to get started in 2021.
Improving your finances is more than dollars and cents, which is why it is so important to start with a vision... a purpose….. a why…... Call it what you want, but you need to focus on what you actually care about. The best way to hone in on this is by reflecting on your life and what gives you the most joy and what you value the most.
What will your life look like if you improve your finances?
How will you feel with finances that are in better shape?
What else is possible if you can take control of your financial situation?
Next, you need to plan. Sustainable improvements do not happen by accident. You need to create a plan that allows you to be successful. You’ve probably heard of making SMART goals. The reason for having SMART goals is so you have a roadmap on how to achieve your goals, which will make it easier for you to get started and easily track your progress.
Let’s break down SMART goals.
Specific: It needs to be as specific as possible. The vaguer you are, the less you’ll care about actually achieving it.
- Non-Specific Example: I would like to be better with my finances
- Specific Example: I will pay off all of my credit card debt.
Measurable: The nice thing about finances, is it can be easily measured. With debts, we want to see the number go down. With assets, we want that number to go up. Additionally, when you can measure progress, you can create byte-sized goals to achieve along the way.
- Non-Measuable Example: I want to feel better about my finances.
- Measurable Example: I would like to contribute 10% of my income towards my 401(k)
Attainable: You want to believe that you are capable of achieving your goal. Did you know that confidence in being successful is a big factor in actually being successful? If it’s a pipe dream, then you likely won’t even try.
- Non-Attainable: I want to make a million dollars this year without having to work.
- Attainable Example: I want to increase my earning power by 10%.
Relevant: You have to care about your goal. If it’s not relevant to what you care about, then you won’t put in the work to make it happen, or worse, you’ll invest your time, energy, and money into something you didn’t even want.
- Non-Relevant Example: I want to get a master’s degree because it’s what you’re supposed to do for your current career trajectory, but you really want to make a career change.
- Relevant Example: I want to attend a Tech Bootcamp so I can make a career change into a field that I’m excited about.
Time-Based: Deadlines help us be more productive. Without a time constraint and because of human nature, we’re more likely to put off starting in the first place.
- Non-Time-Based Example: I would like to get married soon.
- Relevant Example: I would like to get married next year.
All of these examples are from conversations I’ve had with clients. It’s amazing how making SMART goals help you start to build the life you actually want to create and stop saying one day I’ll …… or it would be nice to …….
Michael Liendo recorded a live stream with me for this episode.
Michael is a self-taught developer who is currently a senior software engineer and AWS community builder.
In this episode, Michael shares his career journey and how his family has been a massive motivation in not only breaking into tech but also not settling for positions that are not a good fit, even if it comes with a lot of perks. As well as, the tips and tricks he's used to constantly find the next level of growth opportunities.
Here are a few of the fun topics Michael covers:
- Being a self-taught developer
- Rapid prototyping and learning
- Finding a good fit and ways to prepare to walkway if it's not
- The AWS Community
- TDD (Talk Driven Development)
- Why he creates content
- Knowing when to ask for help
- Importance of communication
- Navigating parenthood
https://twitter.com/mtliendo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtliendo/
https://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelLiendo
Sorry for any spoilers, but this movie came out in 1946 so….
A few reasons why this movie has been one of my favorites for most of my adulthood is because I worked at a community bank, similar to the Bailey Bros Building and Loan & when I was 20 one of my close childhood friends passed away.
Not a money lesson, but just something interesting that happens early in the movie. The Spanish flu kills Mr. Gowers’s son and although there is nothing financial to talk about that, I just thought it was interesting to see a similar type of scenario of COVID documented in one of my favorite movies.
- Inflations impact on a million dollars
- How do you balance profits and supporting the common good?
- The cost of college has always been expensive & we are all on different timelines.
- Your goals can change.
- Homeownership affordability.
- Why we have insurance on our bank accounts.
- Why the rich get richer.
- Memories over dollars.
- Life is more valuable than assets & the importance of life insurance.
- Community is a powerful force.
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/its-a-wonderful-life-10-money-lessons/
Joe Previte is a developer, a teacher, and creator of Vim for VSCode. In his spare time, he enjoys creating videos for egghead, writing articles relating to coding, and participating in an online meditation study group.
Joe shares the details of his journey from his decision to drop out of grad school and pursuing a career as a developer. Be sure to listen to the end where he opens up about the early obstacle he faced that not many people would have been able to overcome.
- Dropping out of grad school
- Choosing Free Code Camp over a Coding Bootcamp
- Participating in #100 days of code
- Pair programming to stay focused
- Immersing yourself into the tech world
- Tips to reach out to strangers to build your community
- 2 Week Product Challenge & Indie Hacking
- VIM for VS Code Book
- Freedom of time
- How to come back from failure
Joe's Links
https://vimforvscode.com/
https://twitter.com/jsjoeio
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/replacing-foreign-languages-with-coding-languages-with-joe-previte/
Have you seen the rough estimates that you should have saved at various ages?
These rough targets are useful, but may not be entirely accurate to you and your unique circumstances.
I cover the importance of at least being aware of targets for the amount of money you should have saved in retirement accounts.
Good excuses why you may not be on track early on in your career
Why the older you get, the more relevant the targets become.
And how to catch up if you feel you are not on track to hit your retirement goals.
I have Jason Humphrey on the show and I met Jason online originally because he creates a ton of value-packed content on LinkedIn. And when you create awesome content, people tend to like it and share it. And that's how it came across my feed.
Jason helps coding Bootcamp, students to land their first high paying job as a professional software developer. And in this episode, Jason talks about his own personal journey where he wasn't as career-focused early on in his career. And how advice from one of his mentors transformed his career! He also shares tips on prepping for your interview and how crucial emotional intelligence is in your career.
- Driving value in communication
- Power of one good question
- Coaching's impact on Jason's career
- Understand what the market is telling you (market analysis)
- Mine LinkedIn for Data
- What words to use on LinkedIn
- How to be confident
- Controlling the 24-hour window before an interview
- The importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in your career
jason@codingcareerfastlane.com
https://www.facebook.com/jasonhumphreyofficial/
(5 places spending time will drive results)https://www.linkedin.com/in/meet-jason-humphrey/
Do you struggle with your finances during the holidays? I cover 6 tips to take control over the holiday season.
This episode was originally created for a live video challenge I'm doing on my social networks, but I wanted to share it with you!
- Set a limit (budget)
- Research
- Free Shipping
- Make something
- Be present
- Experiences over things
Arnold Morales is the son of two immigrants from Honduras. He started his career with a GED and working at a warehouse where he is wasn't happy. Looking for more he pursued a community college and took an aptitude test that steered him towards mechanical engineering.
He co-founded his community college's first Engineering Society. Since then he's earned a Masters Degree and is currently working for his dream employer, Boeing.
It wasn't a straight shot to Boeing though, he was rejected 5 times before finally breaking in.
- Importance of taking feedback
- Navigating tech as a Hispanic
- The power of reputation
- Why representation matters
- The value of mentorship
- The benefits of volunteering
- Connecting with followers
- Why he started his podcast, Nontraditional College Success
- Have fun while getting better every day
- Not allowing anything to get in your way.
https://nontraditionalcollegesuccess.buzzsprout.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnoldmorales/
Justine is a UX/UI Designer and UI Developer on a mission to create a meaningful impact on people’s lives through her craft.
She was born and raised in the Philippines. In 2008, she and her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received her B.S. in Entertainment Engineering and Design.
In the summer of 2012, she was accepted in the internship program at Cirque du Soleil, where she honed her skills as an Automation Technician at the show “The Beatles’ LOVE”. Shortly after her internship, she became a full-fledged Automation Technician for another Cirque show, “Mystere”.
She moved to Texas with her husband the following year so he could pursue his career as an officer of the US Army. During their stay there, she worked as an AutoCAD designer for a civil engineering firm in Temple, Texas.
They returned to Las Vegas in 2015, where she was once again able to pursue her career as an Automation Technician at Cirque. This time around, she worked at the show “KA”. She had a magical 3 years at the show, but the late nights and working on weekends and holidays made for a lifestyle that was not sustainable for her. So in 2018, she decided to pivot careers and pursue one that would allow her to chase both passions in art and technology, and that is UX Design.
Beyond her skills and experience in human-centered design and UI development, she possesses a drive for learning, creative problem solving, and making a difference in peoples' lives. Outside of her UX/UI work, she is a wife, a mother, and a writer. She also enjoys good food, good whiskey, good music, and puppies.
Summary of the interview topics:
- UX Design is humanizing technology
- Making a career change for balance.
- Navigating unemployment during COVID
- Having a job offer rescinded
- Getting clear on what you want in your career
- Importance of community support
- A designers advice for developers
- Normalizing balance
- Coping with Trauma
- The power to choose how we move forward
- Remember you are not alone
https://twitter.com/justinechlorine
When it comes to your financial life, it's very easy to rely on the guidance of others, especially since most of our generation were not taught these important topics in school.
This episode is to warn you of the financial advice you should BEWARE of as you start to build your financial strategy guide and financial confidence.
People and sources who offer advice solicited or not.
- Family
- Friends
- Coworkers
- Salespeople
- Social Media
- News
- Books
- Podcasts
- Experts
- Fortune cookies
Why not all advice is created equal
- Limited experience
- Dunning Krueger Effect
- Most people are starting from a different point
- Difference goals
- Making the most money/quality of life
- Timelines of goals
- Biggest areas where bad advice can really be damaging
- What your goals should be
- Career
- Timelines and Milestones
- What your goals should be
- Get rich quick - scams
- Tax planning
- Proper tax planning should look at more years than just this year.
- Tax law is constantly changing
- Investment advice
- Most people don’t have a grasp of risk
- Talk about investments the same way gamblers talk about wins
- Debt management
- No debt ever
- Home purchase
- Good debt and leverage
- Credit card rewards
- No debt ever
- Use advice as a starting point
- Level Up education, confidence
Look for additional education and resources
Josh shares his awesome story on his path into tech. Early on Josh showed an interest for tech and started taking college courses, but a conversation changed his career trajectory.
Josh decided to not pursue a tech career and bounced around with different jobs and ended up getting into trouble. He talks about the challenges of finding a job in tech with a felony.
Even with the hurdle of having a felony, Josh shared his story on Twitter and it became a really great experience for him.
He also shares a fun and awesome project that he and his wife are working on to bring smiles to everyone in hopes of improving mental health.
https://twitter.com/smiledailyus
https://twitter.com/joshbuchea
I share my personal story of quitting my job to start my business, Level Up Financial Planning.
While working in a position many would consider a dream position, with a 6-month-old at home, I quit my job. It was the scariest decision I ever made.
In addition to my story, I share a few of the financial steps I took before quitting and a couple of things I wish I had done differently.
- Job hunting
- Leaving your team
- Reducing expenses
- Building a plan
- Importance of spouses support
- Health insurance
- Being smart about side hustles
- Creating content
- Choosing a niche
Leo Yockey is a Software Engineer, Writer, and Speaker from Los Angeles. He runs a digital agency called MangoBass Consulting and is an advocate for underrepresented people in the tech industry.
Leo shares his unique story and perspective as a transgender black man in tech.
- Making a career change
- Self-taught and coding bootcamp resources
- Importance of a mentor
- Real-world example of systemic racism
- Creating multiple streams of income
- Monetizing your expertise
- Unlearning money myths
- Breaking the cycle
- Burning out and tips to navigate it
https://www.leoyockey.com
https://twitter.com/leovolving
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leoyockey/
https://www.mangobassconsulting.com/
https://www.techbychoice.org/
Credit Cards Are Awesome!
Regardless of what you may have heard, credit cards are pretty awesome financial tools. It’s one of the best forms of credit that you can access and use to help you reach your financial goals.
Unfortunately, credit cards can also be one of the biggest culprits of financial chaos.
Credit cards are a tool. They are not evil, though you’re open to criticize credit card companies and other financial institutions.
- Maybe not an expert level, but being able to maximize the benefits of credit cards and limit the potential downside takes a strong understanding of your finances.
- Downside: spending more than you should
- Paying interest (as high as 25%!)
- Can weaken your credit score
- Relationship tension
- The amazing benefits when you do know where your money is going and have financial control are very generous:
- Sign Up Awards
- Cashback & Travel Miles
- No payment for a month
- Build a strong credit score
- Never pay a cent!
- Tips:
- Annual fee may make sense if you spend a certain amount.
- Do the math to see if your expected spending would benefit from the additional boost
- Calculate the best sign up award based on your NORMAL spending
- Never spend more than you need for REWARDS still a percentage.
- Automatically pay in full every month.
- Don’t try to do this manually.
- In case you have a few different cards or accounts, use something like Mint or my clients have a Wealth Management portal to see everything in one spot.
- Can optimize for spending categories (dining out, entertainment bonus points)
- Can optimize for rewards (travel, cashback)
- If you’re not ready, don’t try. Like I mentioned you have to have good habits of understanding where your money is actually going in order to maximize your credit card benefits and not have things backfire on you.
- Supposed to be helpful, but if it’s going to be stressful don’t bother.
- Review credit cards with annual fees regularly. If you have multiple credit cards with fees that may take away from the benefits.
- We run everything through one.
- Don’t pay the minimum!
- Carrying a large balance owed relative to the credit line can hurt your credit score
- Annual fee may make sense if you spend a certain amount.
Will Johnson is a self-taught developer who broke into tech using Twitter. As you can imagine, his path to break into tech wasn't easy. He used a lot of different ways to learn and work towards his goals of becoming a developer so that he could create a comfortable life for his family.
Here are the topics we cover in Will's interview
- Will's path as a self-taught developer
- Repeating courses to solidify knowledge
- The struggle of having no experience (being destroyed by lost opportunities)
- Knowing where to focus your energy
- Understanding what language is in demand in your area
- How he built his network both online and offline
- Using social media to break into tech
Break Into Tech With Twitter E-BOOK
https://anchor.fm/infinite-loop
https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamjohnson85/
https://tinyletter.com/willjohnsonio
https://twitter.com/willjohnsonio
If college planning is important to you, then you want to listen to this episode to understand how a 529 plan may be a solution to help you maximize your college savings.
- 529 Tax benefits
- 529 Rules
- Impact on financial aid
- Alternative Savings Strategies
- What if my child doesn’t go to college?
- What if my child receives a full ride?
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Subscribe
Video
Valerie is the Executive Director at Tech By Choice and a Senior Software Engineer at Mastery Logistics. She holds a BS in Psychology & Art. Valerie is passionate about creating secure human-centered digital experiences. As a successful self-taught developer, Valerie started Tech By Choice to give back to the community that helped her succeed.
Valerie shares her journey into tech from being a Psychology major to becoming a senior software engineer and the founder of Tech By Choice.
We cover the following topics in her interview:
- Choosing tech over her psychology & art degree
- Tech is more than just coding
- What is the "black tax"
- How she discovered the importance of managing her money
- Helping others enter and Level Up in tech
- Being kinder to ourselves
https://www.techbychoice.org/
https://twitter.com/DigitalBlkHippy
https://twitter.com/TechByChoiceOrg
https://www.facebook.com/TechByChoiceOrg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-by-choice-org/about/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIGG1X---Ky9UVSKyciad9Q
https://www.instagram.com/techbychoiceorg/
Fee-Only Financial Planner
I'm excited today to be talking about how financial independence is in your control.
One of the biggest factors in whether you will be successful in reaching financial independence is first believing that you can achieve this goal.
- How to increase your financial confidence
- How your incomes impact your ability to reach financial independence
- Understand that everyone has their unique financial challenges
- Creating your own opportunities for success
- Remember everyone starts with a different financial background
- Importance of investing
- Wants vs. needs
Fee Only Financial Planner
Danny Thompson is a passionate software engineer who is on a personal mission to help people find their path into tech.
This episode is packed with great information and action items on how to stand out as you seek to land that first or next developer position.
Here are just a few of the pieces of wisdom Danny provides in this episode.
- PHD Not Required
- Free CodeCamp
- Benefits of Meetups & Finding and Building Community
- The Worst Possible Thing to Say to Aspiring Developers
- Showing Passion to Land a Tech Job
- Motivation Vs. Drive
- Creating Time for Your Dreams
- Writing Your Goals Where You Can See Them Every Day
- Being Clear with Your Vision
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannythompson901/
https://anchor.fm/commityourcode
https://twitter.com/DThompsonDev
https://www.youtube.com/DThompsonDev
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Most people work with their financial planners for the rest of their lives due to the unique relationship that is formed by trusting each other to tackle important life goals. With that in mind, it is important to make sure you have a planner that is going to be a good fit for you. The variation in choices and fits are as unique as the options of bread that you can choose at most supermarkets. To help you determine the right fit with a potential planner, here are the top ten questions to ask your financial planner.
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Video
How to Choose the Right Advisor
Should you refinance your mortgage loan?
This has been one of the most popular questions I've helped my clients tackle over the last few months. When weighing the pros and cons of refinancing your mortgage, you should consider the following:
- How Long Do You Plan To Stay
- How Much Will It Cost
- When Do You Breakeven
- Should You Do A Cash-Out Refinance
- Alternatives To A 30-Year Mortgage
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Nannearl Brown is a user experience researcher who journeyed into the field by way of systems engineering and the social impact space. Most recently, she led the UX, product management, and design efforts for over a year as the Director of UX for the LA-based beauty tech startup, Emma Beauty. She cares greatly about creating a shared understanding of the tech industry with all, most especially with Black people and other marginalized groups. Nannearl shares her knowledge by leading design workshops, serving as a mentor and design technical expert for the Thinkful and Bloc online design bootcamps, and through her YouTube channel, Unpacked Angles. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Virginia in engineering science and systems engineering (respectively) in addition to a master’s degree from the University of Southern California in nonprofit leadership and management, with a focus in social entrepreneurship. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and in her spare time, she enjoys creative projects, archery, and volunteering as a technical instructor for Black Girls Code.
- UI vs UX
- Finding 1st Job After College
- Value of Creating Content
- Leveraging Online Resources
- Having a mentor
- Being specific with your job search
Nannearl BrownLinkedIn, Twitter, Website
Unpacked Angles
Twitter, Website, Podcast, YouTube
Mentioned in EpisodeUdemy, Skills Share, Black Girls CodeFee-Only Financial Planner
Chad is a non-technical team member at the quickly growing startup Career Karma.
Chad made a career transition to land his role and in some ways, it's fitting as Career Karma helps users identify and review Bootcamp options to make career transitions into tech.
- The Fallacy of Sunk Cost
- Remote Work
- Time Management
- Importance of Following Up
- Value of Clear Goals
- Career Karma’s Story
- Income Share Agreements (ISA)
You can connect with Chad using the following social media platforms.
Twitter
LinkedIn
In this episode, I cover What To Do With Old 401(k).
In addition to your normal options, you'll also find some new rules and strategies as a result of COVID-19. Most are for 2020 only though so be sure to listen to the end.
- First, you need to find your old 401(k).
- Then evaluate it: expense ratio, site usability,
- Keep it where it’s at?
- Roll it into an IRA (more control)?
- Roll into new 401(k)?
- Cash Out? Taxes, Penalties
- Special COVID Rules for 2020
With the coronavirus causing the stock market to meltdown almost overnight, I have been receiving the same question.
Should I buy stock now?
The stock market is essentially on sale now relative to a few months ago, but that doesn't necessarily mean you should be buying now.
Listen to hear about the process I use with my clients to think through this decision to make sure you are making the smartest move.
If you have earned income, then you are eligible to create a retirement account (or if your spouse has earned income). Your employer may even provide one in the form of a 401(k). If your employer doesn’t offer you a retirement plan, then you still have access to an IRA account.
That might seem simple enough, but where it starts to get complicated is determining whether you should choose Traditional contributions or ROTH contributions. (This article was inspired by a conversation I had on Twitter, thanks Michele!)
Traditional Contributions: 401(k)s & IRAs
- Most common
- Pre-tax contributions: Tax-deductible, which essentially reduces your taxes
- Growth: Tax-free
- Withdrawals:
- You pay taxes when you withdraw at your future tax rates
- 10% Penalty to withdrawals made prior to age 59.5 (few qualified exemptions)
Roth Contributions: 401(k)s & IRAs
- After-tax contributions: which means you do not receive a tax reduction for contributions
- Growth: Tax-free
- Withdrawals:
- Tax-free withdrawals!
- Contributions can be withdrawn without penalty
- 10% Penalty for withdrawals that exceed the contributed amount prior to age 59.5 (few qualified exemptions)
So which one is the best? That depends on where you expect your tax rates to be in the future when you begin to withdraw funds compared to your tax rates today,
If you expect your future tax bracket to be higher, then the Roth account would be more favorable to reduce your taxes overall. This tends to be the case for many people who are early in their career today with plenty of room to grow both in income and professionally.
Alternatively, if you expect your future tax bracket to be lower, then the Traditional accounts will allow you to reduce your taxes by the greatest amount. If you are a high-earner in the top tax brackets, but a low spender, you may benefit from reducing your tax rates now and creating a distribution strategy that allows you to control your future taxes.
What made sense previously may not make sense in 2020 and what you choose for 2020 might not be the best thing forever. Each year you should evaluate the Traditional Vs. Roth debate and make an intentional decision. I actually, love it when my clients have a mixture of Roth and Traditional investments because it allows for more advanced tax strategies when they retire.
https://northfortynews.com/retirement-accounts-traditional-vs-roth/
It's the 2020 tax season and I'm bringing short episodes regarding important topics you should understand when it comes to filing your taxes.
In this episode we cover:
- Deductions
- Increase of standard deductions
- Removal of exemptions
- Credits
- Phaseouts
poweruptaxplanning.com
levelupfinancialplanning.com
The 2020 tax season is upon us and so I'm busy answering tax questions for clients.
When it comes to your tax rates, it may be confusing because the U.S. tax system is progressive.
This means you have two tax percentages to be aware of: your marginal tax rate and your effective tax rate.
https://youtu.be/zjiCjgVCQoA
http://poweruptaxplanning.com/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/
Understand the basic components of a budget, as well as advanced strategies.
I cover the following:
- Why most people avoid budgeting
- The core parts of a budget
- The part you should focus on
- Common budgeting tools
- Budgeting tricks and tips
- The importance of emergency savings
- How to plan for irregular expenses
- A reflection on your lifestyle creep
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/how-to-be-a-baller-on-a-budget-strategy-guide/
https://youtu.be/HgpkWBzF4J0
Not all debt is created equal.
In this episode we cover the different types of debt and why some debts may actually be considered good debt.
Most importantly we dive into debt repayment strategies to help you take your financial confidence to the next level.
In order to improve your financial situation, it is helpful to understand where you are today. That is what your net worth can help you identify.
In this episode I cover:
- Defining net worth
- Calculating net worth
- Types of assets
- Bad Debt vs. Good Debt
- Keeping perspective when analyzing your net worth
YouTube Video
Kyle is 30, and a brand new software engineer using angular. He went to a sponsored full-stack web development bootcamp that was mostly about java, Prior to that he was working 12-15 hour days as a construction materials tester and studying IT support at night after his wife and 1.5-year-old boy went to sleep.
Kyle's story is inspiring, we discuss the following topics in his interview:
- Life before a developer
- Living off no income
- The stress of Coding Bootcamp
- Helping others behind you
- Balancing remote work with a family
- Being a leader as a new developer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksjphx/
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/techie-personal-finance-bootcamp-podcast/
Paul Foley is the Colorado Capital Mobilization Director for RVC, Managing Director for Denver Angels, and the CEO of SmartCapital, a software that helps manage and run angel groups. He is also a member of the Colorado Blockchain Council focused on passing regulation to help innovative FinTech companies grow in Colorado. Prior to his current initiative, he co-founded and sold a tech startup Augur to BounceX.
We explore the following in this episode:
- Paul's roadmap to becoming an entrepreneur
- What is angel investing
- The value of mentorship
- Building teams
- Requirements to be an accredited investor.
- Colorado Capital Mobilization Project
- The role of education for accredited investors.
- Is angel investing a good fit for your startup?
- Networking with purpose
- Importance of just starting
https://coloradostartups.org/
https://www.rockiesventureclub.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfoleylinkedin/
https://paulnfoley.com/meet
https://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/techie-personal-finance-bootcamp-podcast/
I share with you the framework needed to take your financial confidence to the next level.
- Identify your why and where you want to go.
- Understand where you are today.
- Fill your gaps and blindspots.
- Micro Goals
- Importance of believing you are capable of achieving your goals
Stephanie Judd is the cofounder of Wolf & Heron, a company that develops experiences designed to empower leaders at all levels to be more influential.
Follow her story from her tech origins to helpings leaders and team members to be more influential.
- Dark Side and Light Side of Influence
- From CS graduate to the real world
- How she navigated the feeling of being underqualified
- The 9 sources of influence power
- Influence pathways
- Relationships being the most valuable currency
- Why storytelling is so effective
- Skills from tech that help her today
- Importance of finding community
http://www.wolfandheron.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juddstephanie/
Do you ever suffer from impostor syndrome? Maybe you are starting a new career, maybe there is a promotion you want to ask for or a raise you think you deserve.
Here are a few ways I navigate my impostor syndrome whenever it flares up.
- Talk about it
- Over prepare
- Recognize that you are in a position of growth/opportunity for a reason
- Creating a pick me up folder
- Playback your greatest hits
- Remember that it is okay to not know everything
Sam shares his journey of escaping from his soul-crushing cubicle job to find his way into UX.
His story is great and he has a lot of great resources that will help you think of additional tips and tricks to land your job in UX.
Here is what we cover:
- Navigating your career as a young professional
- Leveraging interests and experiences to create opportunities
- Challenging yourself to build skills and a portfolio
- Experiencing a layoff
- Utilizing a resume expert
- Critical steps you need to take in order to find a job in UX
- Creating meaning within life
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
Your UX Boot Camp Will Not Get You a Job Unless You Do These Critically Important Steps
Sam's LinkedIn Profile
Sam's Podcast
Fee-Only Financial Planner
I love Employee Stock Purchase Plans. Depending on your employer's ESPP plan, you may be able to increase your annual income by 1% or greater.
Here are a few topics I cover:
- ESPP Basics
- ESPP with Look Back Provision
- ESPP Tax Treatment
- ESPP Strategies
- Risks of ESPP
YouTube Video
ESPP Return Calculator
ESPP Strategy Guide w/Cheat Sheet
Fort Collins Fee-Only Financial Planner
Chris Huie shares his unique career path that found him with a passion for teaching, supporting, and inspiring the community through technology and computer science.
- From accounting to tech evangelist
- Leveraging tech in non-tech career
- Importance of technology acceptance
- Progression of knowledge to youth
- The new way of learning
- Inspiring community through technology and computer science
- Bridging skills and background to your next position
- Analyzing the impact of a business decision beyond finances
- Importance of being curious
Chris's LinkedIn Profile
Data Dorks Video Series
Fee-Only Financial Planner Fort Collins, CO
RSUs are a popular form of tech employee benefits and can make up a huge portion of your income.
In this episode, I cover the basics and advanced strategies:
- What are RSUs
- RSU Grants
- How are RSUs Taxed
- Risks of RSUs
- How to Determine Your Risk Level
- Strategies: New RSUs
- Strategies: Old RSUs
- Advanced RSU Strategies
YouTube Link
Related Resources:
RSU Strategy Guide
RSU Tax Calculator
John Marty has had a crazy career.
After starting his career as a young entrepreneur he found a lot of success. However, things changed rapidly and he was soon unemployed with no real prospects.
Listen to the episode to see how he reinvented himself and is now a Product Manager at Amazon and uses his experience to empower others through content on LinkedIn, YouTube, and public speaking.
We cover the following in the show.
- Navigating Entrepreneurship
- Struggling with Unemployment
- Asking Yourself Meaty Questions
- Learning Through Reading
- Coding Bootcamp while Hating Coding
- Making Bold Moves
- MBA Wasn’t Enough
- Leveraging the Power of LinkedIn
- Researching College and Career Path
- Investments in Property
The Happiness Hypothesis
Man's Search for Meaning
John's YouTube: Career Strategies to Land in Big Tech
LinkedIn Profile
Fee-Only Financial Planner Fort Collins, CO
Buying a house is a big deal. You want to make sure you don't get sway by common myths and know the real questions that you need to answer to begin to build a plan that gives you confidence.
- Do You Really Want to Buy a Home?
- Should I Wait Until the Housing Market Bursts?
- What If Interest Rates Go Down?
- What Can I Afford?
- What Do I Need?
- What Are Your Other Goals?
- What Does the Future Look Like?
- What Are the Real Risks of Purchasing a Home?
St. Louis Federal Reserve Historical Home Price Tool
Should I Buy a House Strategy Guide
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Before becoming a programmer, Stephanie Ogburn's first career was as a public radio journalist covering science and the environment.
Stephanie shares her experience making the career transition:
- Having a supporting spouse
- Diverse backgrounds In tech
- Women Who Code
- Challenges as a bootcamp graduate
- Building confidence to overcome impostor syndrome
- Finding her first Job
- Prepping for a bootcamp
- Avoiding student loan debt
Women Who Code (Official Site)
Women Who Code (Fort Collins Meetup)
Fee-Only Financial Planner Fort Collins
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
I have a really great guest for today’s episode. His name is Cory Pease and his story proves that second chances really do exist. Cory is a felon who also recently successfully started his software engineer career after attending a bootcamp.
We cover the following:
- Inspiration for his "Daily Do Betters"
- Navigating life with a felony
- Financial literacy
- Transitioning careers
- Galvanize Bootcamp
- Creating your own opportunities
- Benefits of conferences
I apologize for the sound quality. Cory was at Develop Denver and his episode was too awesome to have to rerecord it.
You can find links to Cory's social media profiles:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Fee-Only Financial Planner Fort Collins, CO
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
A common question I receive is "is now a good time to invest in the market".
This episode was actually inspired by a conversation I had with a friend/listener of the show.
In this episode I'll cover:
- Average investor performance versus the "market"
- 9 Human behavior biases
- How to avoid these biases
- The conversation that inspired this episode
- Hindsight review on past market commentary
- Non-market examples of growth and recessions
Additional Resources:
Invest Composure Assessment
How Could a Recession Impact You Strategy Guide
Referenced Article from 2015
Explore additional resources @ Level Up Financial Planning
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Stephen actually has a background in financial services and entrepreneurship. He shares how his previous experiences inspired him to build a Startup Engine (ecosystem development system).
Summary of topics covered:
- Drawing from previous career
- Accelerator
- Cold calling/emailing
- Venture capital
- Silicon Valley
- Road blocks
- City benefits of workforce development
- Minority founders
- Startup engine (ecosystem development system)
- Strengthening communities (Introduce 30,000- 50,000 jobs)
- Scaling
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Qualities of Founders
- Founders Financial Foundation
Referenced Resources
https://www.knowcap.io
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/
https://angel.co
https://twitter.com/salred3
Video Version
https://youtu.be/nICy4JoRMkw
Fee-Only Financial Planner
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
If you are in tech, you have probably heard of cryptocurrency, but should it be a part of your financial plan?
To shed some light on this I will address the following:
- The dutch and crazy expensive tulips
- Invest in what you know
- How cryptocurrency compares to other popular investments?
- Understanding the risks
- How does cryptocurrency compare to gambling?
- A plan is better than a wish
- Focus on what you can control
- My thoughts generally on cryptocurrencies
- Sticking it to the man
- There are a lot of them
- Security features
- What happens if they do become mainstream
Show Notes
https://www.investopedia.com/news/largest-cryptocurrency-hacks-so-far-year/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dutch_tulip_bulb_market_bubble.asp
https://deadcoins.com
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Sami Gardner is not your typical career coach. Her unique background and skills have allowed her to build multiple income streams while traveling the world as a digital nomad.
Hold onto your seat because we cover a lot of ground in this one and practically anyone who listens should easily be able to find at least one take away.
- Discovering your why
- Being an introvert
- What is a digital nomad
- Career volatility
- Changing your narratives
- Confidence
- How to stay fresh
samigardner.net
LinkedIn
Career Kickstart Podcast (also on Google Play, Spotify, IHeartRadio, and more)
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
In honor of Independence Day, I was inspired to record a Early Retirement / Financial Independence Podcast.
After listening to the show, you'll have a better idea of what you need to do in order to set yourself up for the ability to retire early and reach financial independence.
- What to Do in Order to Retire Early
- Save, Like A lot
- Live as a Minimalist
- Debt Free (Should You Payoff Your Debt)
- Investments
- What You Should Watch Out for to Retire Early
- The Easy Button
- Inflation
- Medical Expenses
- Long-Term Care
- Taxes
- Recessions
- Withdrawal Rates
Video Version
Referenced Episode: Early Retirement as a Working Parent w/ Kathy Haselmaier
You can read the written version by visiting the online strategy guide:
http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/how-to-retire-early-strategy-guide/
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Today's guest, Charles Max Wood, discusses his career path from initially thinking programming was dumb to realizing how programming can make life easier, to his aggressive goal of providing a podcast for every programming community.
- Layoffs
- Employee Vs. Freelancing
- Podcasts
- Emergency Savings
- Team Work
Business Freelancer
- List of Impactful Books
- Business Coaches
- Importance of Processes
- Do What You Love
Charles' Info
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesmaxwood/
https://devchat.tv
http://podwrench.com
Resources Mentioned
Profit First
Let Your Business Burn
12 Week Year
How to Get Your First Coder Job
Communities:
Keepcurrentacademy.com
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
I know how overwhelming it can be to have access to a 401(k), but be intimidated that you don't have any idea and probably not even the time to understand why you need one or how they work.
After listening to this episode you'll have a solid understanding of how your 401(k) works, so that you can more confidently put yours to use.
- My First 401(k)
- Why a 401(k) is Important
- Power of Time and Compound Interest (link to visuals in the show notes)
- Benefits
- Traditional Vs. Roth
- How Contributions Work
- How Distributions Work
- Cool Features (like BrokerageLink)
- Costs
- Investment Options
- FAQs
You can find the show notes and images @ http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/what-the-tech-is-a-401k/
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Guest, Kathy Haselmaier shares so many great perspectives on her career and raising children. Here are a few of the topics covered:
- Tech Layoffs
- Empowerment of knowing your financial situation
- Responsibility is our own when it comes to retirement
- Importance of communication with significant other
- Balancing new parenthood and careers
- Knowing what you value and what you don't
- Learning from mistakes/financial scares
- Independent adult children
If you want to learn more about Kathy or Working Parent Stories, you can find more information at:
Kathy's LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathycalderhaselmaier/
Working Parents Site https://www.workingparentstories.com/
Purchase Book https://www.workingparentstories.com/store.html
You can also find additional details on how to retire early by checking out my strategy guide:
http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/how-to-retire-early-strategy-guide/
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Most Americans are spending way more than they should just to keep up with their friends and family. This causes their finances to be out of line with what truly is important to them. If this rings true for you, I want to suggest a few ways that you can cut back on spending, but still feel like a baller. I broke out the strategies by difficulty level so it’s easy for you to dive in where you feel comfortable. I apologize in advance, most of these involve food.
- Easy
- Share Meals
- Skip the Extras
- Copycat Recipes
- Buy in Bulk
- Buy Sunglasses and Go Outside
- Take Advantage of Launches
- Condo with Kitchen During Vacations
- Hard
- Sometimes It Is Better to Be Late
- Free Trials
- Meal Prep
- Expert
- Buy Quality for Long-Term Use
- Organics
- Use Credit Cards Wisely
Link to full written strategy guide: How to Be a Baller on a Budget
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
An intro to personal finance:
Money impacts every aspect of your life, if you want to acknowledge it or not. We will cover why money exists, trade-offs and alternatives, self-awareness, how to create good financial algorithms, and common negative algorithms that we create for ourselves.
Level Up Financial Planning, LLC
http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com
Show notes and informative images:
http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/why-money-is-important-podcast/
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Nick comes from a family developers, so it wasn't a shock when he started his tech career.
However, his career journey took a dramatic change when he was faced with a life-threatening and life-changing event.
- His thoughts on "impostor syndrome"
- Self-awareness/discovery
- Navigating a life-threatening event
- Having a mentor
- Working with people that are smarter than you
Stay till the end where Nick shares some financial wisdom and I wrap up on a few financial scenarios that Nick found himself in to shed some additional context in case you ever find yourself in a similar place.
Video of episode can be found at https://youtu.be/-XYORt-Nrp8
WTF Marketing
https://wtfmarketing.com/
Fort Collins Comic Con
https://fococomiccon.com/
Level Up Financial Planning, LLC
http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com/
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
In this episode I outline the major challenges facing tech employees in their 20's & 30's that play an important role in their life.
These challenges don't just impact your financial confidence, but bleeds into all facets of your life: employment, personal health, family life, and social interactions.
My goal of this show is to provide you the education and knowledge you need to increase your financial confidence so that you are empowered to live the best life possible.
In addition to educational based episodes, I'll also have special guests who are related to the tech industry to share their unique stories and provide additional insight into how you may navigate your career path.
Level Up Financial Planning, LLC
http://www.levelupfinancialplanning.com
Music: 80s Motivational Chiptune by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com