Different than most articles about the Israel-Hamas war, this one draws on actual lived experience. On both sides! — My (Relevant) Background Born in Israel, I spent 27 of my first 30 years there and served in the Israel Defense Force (IDF, Tsahal in Hebrew), in the early 1980s, including (thankfully brief) stints in Gaza and the West Bank. In terms of Israeli politics, I’m left-of-center (though today I’d probably be considered…

A nifty (and legal) way to save tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes… — The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) has some great loopholes that let you dramatically reduce your taxes, in certain situations. It also has pitfalls you’ll need to avoid if you don’t want to pay more taxes than legally required. The 83(b) election is a great case in point… What Is the 83(b) Election? If you work…

So, my sister answered… — I was born in Israel, 61 years ago. Both my (older) sisters still live there, both near Tel Aviv. Here’s my middle sister’s answer to the Guardian… This War Started with Atrocities, What Came Next Was Almost Worse This letter is in response to your question: “People in Israel: how have you been affected by the Israel-Hamas war?” Of course, there’s…

A rigorous look at the costs of buying and owning a home vs. renting — Not everyone should buy a home. 15 Clear Reasons to Absolutely Not Buy a Home But if none of them apply to you, do yourself a favor and buy…themakingofamillionaire.com Not everyone can. Especially not when prices and mortgage rates are both out of control! How Much House Can You Afford? Sadly, It’s Bad News Unless you’re making 6 figures (preferably after taxes…)medium.com

Unless you’re making 6 figures (preferably after taxes…) — After reading a report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies titled, “The State of the Nation’s Housing,” I’m saddened and even outraged. There’s a real disconnect between what most Americans earn and what’s needed to achieve, or even strive for the “American Dream.” The only thing worse than not…

And how much do you need to make to afford either? — It’s one of the fiercest-fought arguments in personal finance. Is it better to rent or buy your home? Here’s why I suspect we’ll never have a final, universally true answer: Housing costs vary from one year to the next (or even from one quarter to the next). Housing costs vary…

And how much you need to earn to afford housing… — Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve seen it and may well be struggling as a result. Housing prices have shot through the roof over the past several years. Rents also soared. According to a report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University titled, “The State…

Here’s what it takes to get there, and what it looks like in terms of earnings, taxes, and spending… — When do you plan to retire (or, as I prefer, reach work-optional status)? Are you expecting to retire early? It isn’t easy and despite the volume of articles talking about people planning to retire in their 50s, 40s, or even 30s, when you survey people about their retirement thoughts, a…

7 ways you can prepare yourself and your budget for your best retirement — Just ask anyone who retired in 2022… The sequence of returns risk is a thing and inflation can turbo-charge it! Stock investments? Dropped by 18.1 percent. Bonds? Lost 16.5 percent. Inflation? Soared 6.45 percent. How 2022 Hammered Retirement Portfolios and Future Prospects Say you retired in early 2022. You managed to amass $1 million, invested 50/50 in large-cap…