This week’s BudgetDog Academy open Q&A went deep. Students brought advanced investing questions covering tax strategy, retirement account mechanics, employer equity compensation, and the ongoing debate between paying off debt and investing. Here is a thorough breakdown of every topic covered. Vanguard Cash Drag Cash drag happens when money sits uninvested inside a brokerage account,Continue reading “Advanced Investing Questions Answered — Roth IRA Rules, Tax Loss Harvesting, and More”
Tag Archives: Financial education
Your Biggest Investing and Planning Questions Answered — BudgetDog Student Q&A Recap
Every week inside BudgetDog Academy, students bring their real questions to an open Q&A session. These are not hypothetical scenarios — they are the actual investing and financial planning questions people are working through right now, with real money and real stakes. This week’s session covered a wide range of topics. Whether you are justContinue reading “Your Biggest Investing and Planning Questions Answered — BudgetDog Student Q&A Recap”
Mega Backdoor Roth, Solo 401k Limits, and 529 Overages — Q&A Breakdown for the Self-Employed
The open student Q&A inside BudgetDog Academy Q&A consistently produces questions that go well beyond basic budgeting. This week’s session was no exception. Self-employed students, business owners, and investors brought advanced retirement and tax questions that required real, specific answers. Here is what came up — and what you need to know if any ofContinue reading “Mega Backdoor Roth, Solo 401k Limits, and 529 Overages — Q&A Breakdown for the Self-Employed”
Real Estate in S-Corps, Donor-Advised Funds, and the New BDA Tools — Q&A Breakdown
Every week inside BudgetDog Academy, students bring their real financial questions to an open Q&A. No canned answers. No generic advice. Real situations, addressed directly by a licensed CPA. This week’s session covered a wide range of advanced topics — from business structure decisions to charitable giving strategies to a first look at new toolsContinue reading “Real Estate in S-Corps, Donor-Advised Funds, and the New BDA Tools — Q&A Breakdown”
The BudgetDog Financial System: How a Budget, Balance Sheet, and Amortization Schedule Work Together
Most people manage money with one tool — usually a rough idea of what they spend each month. That works until something goes wrong. An unexpected expense, a job change, a growing debt balance — any of these can collapse a system built on guesswork. BudgetDog Academy teaches a three-tool financial system. Each tool answersContinue reading “The BudgetDog Financial System: How a Budget, Balance Sheet, and Amortization Schedule Work Together”
Lump Sum Investing vs. Dollar Cost Averaging: How to Make the Right Call for Your Situation
You have money ready to invest. The question is whether you put it all in at once or spread it out over time. It sounds like a simple decision. It is not — or at least, it is not as simple as most financial content makes it seem. Both approaches have real merit, and theContinue reading “Lump Sum Investing vs. Dollar Cost Averaging: How to Make the Right Call for Your Situation”
How to Find Hidden Fees in Your 401(k) — And Why They Could Be Costing You More Than You Think
Most people have never looked at the fees inside their 401(k). Not because they are careless, but because no one ever told them to — and the financial services industry has not made it easy to find. The result is that millions of American workers are quietly losing thousands of dollars over their working yearsContinue reading “How to Find Hidden Fees in Your 401(k) — And Why They Could Be Costing You More Than You Think”
BudgetDog’s Brennan Schlagbaum Featured in Good Financial Cents on Passive Income Taxation
Budgetdog founder Brennan Schlagbaum was recently featured in a Good Financial Cents article examining how passive income is taxed — a topic that sits at the intersection of two things most people misunderstand simultaneously: how passive income actually works, and what the IRS does with it. The piece, published at goodfinancialcents.com, walks through the taxContinue reading “BudgetDog’s Brennan Schlagbaum Featured in Good Financial Cents on Passive Income Taxation”
The Elixir to Success: Consistency & Laziness
I am often asked about my success and what my special recipe is or the secret elixir to create success. I wish I could attribute it to something innovative or profound. But that is not the case. Truly, my success comes down to two key things: consistency and laziness. If you are ready to take control of your finances but don’t want to waste hours a month, The Budgetdog Roadmap is your key to success. My students learn to stay the course and trust the process and I even give them permission to be lazy – in a good way!