Author: troyashbacher

As someone who has been writing about financial independence and escaping corporate America since 2009, I’ve developed several rules that serve as the backbone for achieving FIRE. They are simple, but not easy. Ignoring any one of them can set you back years. Below are the first two rules as a reminder, followed by the third rule that many people overlook until it’s too late. Lucky for you, you’re reading this post so you won’t look back on your life with this financial regret. The First Rule of Financial Independence: Don’t Lose a Ton of Money If you lose a…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Some may remember the magnifying eyes of our youth while combing through tight quarters to find the candy-cane-striped, beanie-domed Waldo. There were a lot of masquerading Waldos, perhaps with the wire-framed glasses pushed to the side.To our adult eyes, it’s kind of like finding that needle in a haystack. That one-in-a-million feeling isn’t as fond now; adulting pulls all of us in many different directions with many different decisions to make every day.Some are simple — chicken or fish? — some are far more consequential, such as when to engage with a financial adviser and which one…

(Image credit: Getty Images)Interest rate cuts have been at the forefront of financial conversations this year.The Federal Reserve raised interest rates from nearly 0% to over 5% from 2022 to 2023 to help curb high inflation due to excessive spending.The Fed is finally starting to cut rates as it grapples with still-sticky inflation amid a struggling economy with a poor job market. From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters Profit and…

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Call me a financial nerd, but I have always enjoyed the end of the year. Why? Because I get excited thinking about the upcoming TFSA contribution room and how we will optimally invest the money.  In 2026, the TFSA contribution room will stay the same as the previous two years – $7,000. This means that between Mrs. T and I, we can contribute up to $14,000. Because we usually plan ahead, we have already saved up $14,000 and are ready to invest it when the market opens on January 2nd.  The TFSA started in 2009 and it is arguably the…

As a nurse on a med-surg unit, I encounter and take care of wounds every day, some of them shocking in severity. (I will say no more!) But as a human being in possession of skin, you probably also encounter small wounds, scrapes, and cuts on the regular. And if you are a parent, this is particularly true. 😉 Soo, I thought it might be helpful to share a few evidence-based, inexpensive ways to take care of these common injuries. As is my practice when I write on medical topics: I have credentials to speak on this to some degree,…

It’s surreal to say that I completed five years of practice in October 2025, and I am grateful to have broken seven figures in annual income on this journey. I finished interventional pain fellowship after anesthesiology residency, and I accepted my only job offer at a multi-speciality physician-owned practice in the Midwest in October 2020. Unfortunately, 2020 was a terrible year to graduate from anything, let alone fellowship. I had originally accepted a job offer with a local anesthesiology group that was contracted to provide both anesthesia and pain management services at a large hospital system. I was expecting a…

Wow, 2025 is almost over. We only have about 2 weeks left to finish tax optimization. Actually, we have less time than that. I want to get everything done before the holidays. Mrs. RB40 is already in California, and we’ll fly down to join her for Christmas. Who wants to deal with taxes during the holidays? Not me!These days, year-end tax optimization is pretty simple. There are only a few ways to optimize taxes for workers. Here are the main points.Maximize retirement contributionsThe easiest way to reduce your tax liability is to contribute to your tax-advantaged retirement plans. Mrs. RB40…

Roomba maker iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Sunday and will turn over its business to a pair of Chinese companies and go private, capping a years-long fall from grace.

Published: Dec. 14, 2025 at 4:54 p.m. ETKevin Hassett, President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, on Sunday dismissed concerns that he would simply push Trump’s agenda if he’s chosen as the next Fed chair.Speaking on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Hassett said that if were Fed chair, Trump’s voice would have “no weight” on the Fed’s interest-rate decisions.