Blog

Finding a way to legally use the same dollar twice is the ultimate win in tax planning. Orchestrating Violet’s Roth Maximization explores how a 14-year-old achieved a 183% savings rate using just a few Saturday mornings of work. By aligning a Roth 457(b) workplace plan with a Roth IRA, this strategy demonstrates how to move over 100% of a minor's wages into tax-free accounts. This "Roth Maximization" refactors part-time wages into a serious retirement power-up.

Check out the book club notes from The Seattle ChooseFI group's first meeting on Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement which cover key strategies for early retirees. The discussion focused on optimizing Roth conversions by targeting the lowest tax brackets (0-12%) and managing future Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). Other topics included Roth contribution techniques, the importance of global investment diversification, and critical strategies for managing income to maximize Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and navigate the 'shadow tax.' The next meeting is scheduled, see you there!

The 2026 "Subsidy Cliff" is returning, but for the proactive retiree, it isn't just an obstacle—it's a strategic pivot point. If your financial roadmap makes a fall off the subsidy edge inevitable, why wait to be pushed in your 60s when age-rated premiums make that fall $25,000 more expensive? Using local Pierce County, Washington data, we explore the "Art of Cliff Jumping"—the proactive choice to recognize income now while you're "nimble" to secure massive subsidies for the years that matter most.

2026 is the critical planning year for 2027 WA property tax savings. With qualification thresholds expected to increase for all homeowners, "income engineering" this year is vital. Even though Washington has no state income tax, these property tax reductions effectively act as one. This guide highlights updates for everyone, including expanded access for veterans via HB 1106. Disabled veterans now qualify with a 40% rating regardless of age, and some VA benefits can be excluded under the "invisible income" rule.

I’m heading to the Green Lake Library to join a panel of financial nerds for a live "code review" of the new operating manual for our community: Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement by Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney. If you view your finances as an Operating System, taxes are just latency—and latency can be engineered out. In my latest post, I share my pre-game notes on the first 120 pages, covering the "Compelling Three" architecture and why "close enough" isn't good enough for tax planning. But great code handles edge cases, and that’s where things get interesting for Washington residents.