Easy Guide to The What, When, Why & How of Bookkeeping and Accounting
In a recent study, the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) discovered that nearly 60% of Americans feel overwhelmed at the thought of managing their finances. Deciding whom to turn to…
Retiring in Scottsdale AZ: Pros, Cons, Costs & More 2024
You're teeing off at a world-class golf course as the sun rises over the Sonoran Desert, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Is this a vacation fantasy…
How Risk Averse Are You? A Guide to Smarter Investing
First it was cryptocurrencies, then meme stocks, then NFTs. Back in 2021 it felt like everyone was taking enormous risks in the hopes of striking it rich. But even though…
Personal Capital Review 2024: Pros, Cons and Features
If you're looking for a tool that will give you Wall Street-like returns (without requiring you to live in New York), consider using Personal Capital. Created in 2009, Personal Capital…
Acorns vs Robinhood, Webull & M1 Finance: Best App in 2024
Are you looking to up your investing game? Do you want the stock market to make your money work for you? Are you sick and tired of sitting on the…
S Corp Filing Requirements by State: 2024 Update, 50 States
If you currently are a freelancer, sole proprietor or independent contractor you very likely could see some great tax benefits by switching to an INC or LLC that files its…
4 Acts to Unlock Early Financial Independence and Living Your Life
You're probably living your life in "3 Acts"---so were we. (This may sound a bit esoteric right now, but just bear with me.) When we finally realized that life was…
Retiring to Jupiter FL? 13 Facts to Know Before You Go
Jupiter, Florida: where golf courses outnumber traffic lights, and the Atlantic Ocean serves as your morning coffee backdrop. Tellingly, IRS data shows Jupiter's population growing 1.5 times faster than it's…
Asset Protection Strategies: How to Safeguard Your Wealth
What do we mean when we say "Asset Protection"? To answer that, we first need to understand to what “assets” we are actually referring. Over the course of your life,…
60k a Year Is How Much an Hour? (And How Do I Budget for That Salary?)
60k a year is how much an hour? And how do you budget for a 60k salary? Let's find out. If you're a high school teacher, public relations specialist, zoologist,…
Retiring to Winter Haven: Pros, Cons & Costs in 2024
Imagine reeling in a trophy bass on a misty morning, then unwinding with lakeside yoga at sunset - not on vacation, but every day of your retirement. In Winter Haven,…
Profitable Land Investment: Belize Lot #8211 Insider Details
Our 5th purchase was beautiful raw land real estate in Belize. We actually ended up visiting Belize after Kristin and I started seriously thinking about early retirement in 2012-2013. Back…
Renting vs Owning: Why Owning Your Home Is a Smart Move
Are you pondering the very often debated topic of renting vs owning a home? Well apparently so are a lot of people these days. I don't know about you, but…
Understanding the 1031 Exchange Timeline and Rules
A 1031 exchange timeline is worth investigating and enduring the hassle of abiding by. Here's why... When you sell an investment property at a profit, you typically have to pay…
Solo 401k vs SEP IRA: Best Retirement Plan for Self-Employed
Self-employment can offer an excellent work-life balance, as well as other freedoms and lifestyle benefits! Hahaha...wasn't that funny. Seriously though, self-employment will likely be the cause of you working 80…
Retiring in Panama City Beach FL? What You Should Know 2024
Sipping a margarita while watching the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico sounds dreamy, yet it's absolutely real for retirees in Panama City Beach. But here's the million-dollar question:…
Adobe vs Avid vs BlackMagic vs Mac: Top Video Editors for 2024
Adobe vs Avid vs BlackMagic vs Mac ...which one is best? With the abundance of websites and social media these days, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. Videos…
Why Retirees Love Greenville, SC (And Why You Might Not)
Picture this: You're strolling down a charming Main Street, sipping locally roasted coffee, while the Blue Ridge Mountains paint a stunning backdrop. Welcome to Greenville, SC - a retiree's paradise…
MPI Account: The Golden Retirement Plan or Risky Gamble?
An MPI (Maximum Premium Indexing) account combines life insurance and a retirement plan. It's pitched as having the ability to compound your wealth at a higher-than-average rate while protecting your…
Uncovering Good Cap Rates: My Easy Cap Rate Calculator
You may have an understanding that real estate is a solid investment choice. You may even be at the point where you have started looking! But once you find an…
Best Business Credit Cards That Don’t Impact Personal Credit
If you’re a business owner of any type, then you should have a business credit card. It’s a great tool to help with day-to-day operations, manage cash flow, and even…
Big Picture Investing 101: Why You Should Care in 2024
If you have been poking around my blog, you’ve probably figured out that my ultimate goal is to help you reach some version of "financial independence" (or even just plain…
Personal Budget Categories: How to Decide +Free Template (GSheets & Excel)
Do you want to maximize your income and invest your savings in order to increase your net worth and maybe even retire early? Well then, it all starts with a…
Retiring in Flagstaff AZ: Pros, Cons, Costs & More, 2024
Would you be surprised to find that Americans looking for retirement destinations search for Flagstaff, Arizona, more than 33,000 times each year? (2024 Semrush search volume data) That’s not a…
1099 vs W2 Tax: Estimate Taxes as Contractor or Employee
Chances are you're reading this because you're an independent "1099" contractor and want to know how much tax you'll need to pay. Or, you're a full-time "W2" employee and want…
17 Mindset Differences: How the Rich Think vs The Poor
I hate to put things in terms of the rich vs poor, but when it comes to amassing and keeping money, wealthy people do think inherently differently from poor people.…
Incorporate Yourself: Save $$, Guard Assets, Gain Cred: 2024
So you are a freelancer or independent contractor and you want to know how to incorporate yourself. Smart. My feeling is that if you are self-employed in this way, you're…
Personal Bookkeeping Mastery: Budgeting, Tracking, Tools, and Techniques
According to a survey published in 2024 by leading financial analyst The Motley Fool, nearly 91 million Americans say that they’d have a hard time raising $400 in a pinch.…
Quickbooks vs Freshbooks, Xero & Quicken: What to Use in 2024
If you are just starting a business, or even if you've been in business for a while, you need to compare QuickBooks vs Freshbooks vs Xero vs Quicken Home &…
Square Payroll vs Gusto Payroll vs ADP: Choosing The Best Payroll Software
As a business owner, you need things to run like clockwork to make the most profit possible. Disruptions can throw off your entire operation and cost you countless dollars in…
Hire a Fractional CFO to Maximize Business Growth
Ever stood at the crossroads of a business decision, longing for expert guidance? Enter the Fractional CFO. A trusted ally who guides your ship through turbulent financial waters. They are…
How Can I Manage My Finances? Your Path to Prosperity!
Do the anxiety-inducing questions, “How can I manage my finances better?” and "Where do I even begin?" constantly plague your thoughts? You're not alone. More than half of Americans are…
Richest Person in the World (And the 9 After Them): How They Got There and What They’re Doing Now.
Money makes the world go round, and nowhere is that more evident than in the ranks of the world's wealthiest persons. From tech tycoons to retail magnates, the world's richest…
The Financial Planning Process: Your Route to Financial Independence!
The financial planning process is all about "planning" for your retirement far before your arrival there. You need to think of retirement as a destination. I like to call it…
W2 vs 1099 Pros and Cons: What are the Differences for Employers
In the past, the most common type of work was 9-5 work, where employees would work a set schedule for big corporations. With the explosion of the gig worker economy…
9 Ways You Can Use Graphs To Enhance Your Business
Graphs have been a staple of business data analysis for decades but are not universally used. According to Analytic Insights, a study of global businesses cited that only 26 percent…
How to Make Your Money Work for You: 7 Modern Methods for Investing in “The Market”
You work hard for your money – but does your money work hard for you? No one wants to work until they die, right?If you feel like you never have…
The 5 Critical Components of Real Estate Investing Returns
Real estate investing is a big piece of my financial pie. I think about real estate investing in the same way I think about public markets investing: I look at…
The Ups and Downs of Reinventing Your Life At 43 With a Kid
So...Hello! We are Joe and Kristin DiSanto, a former executive producer/business owner and a former film/commercial editor from Los Angeles. Since meeting and marrying in Los Angeles, we spent many…
A Robo Advisor Comparison: Can A.I. Get You to the Promised Land?!
I wanted to create a distilled robo-advisor comparison for you to check out. Mainly because they are cool, but also because they are (potentially) a great step closer to financial…
H&R Block vs TurboTax vs an Accountant: 3 Easy Ways to Do Your Taxes
H&R Block vs TurboTax vs an accountant: We will be looking at the pros and cons of these tax preparation solutions to determine which fits the bill for your tax…
How Long Does a Home Inspection Take?
Buying a home is one of the largest investments most individuals will make. While no single item can guarantee a completely stress-free home purchase, a home inspection can provide some…
7 Habits of Highly Effective Remote Workers
When the pandemic hit in early 2020, life changed seemingly overnight. Gone were nights out with friends, happy hour after a long day of work, and the new normal left…
Why You Should Add Strategic Tax Diversification to Your Retirement Portfolio
Have you ever considered the possibility that you may earn a higher income after you retire than you have now? It sounds crazy, I know, but it’s not as uncommon…
The Difference Between Crypto Lending and Crypto Staking
With stocks, investors can earn passive income via dividends. For the longest time, something similar was unavailable in the crypto world. This situation changed when crypto lending and crypto staking…
Real Estate Strategy 101: Learn the Basics, the Lingo, and the Opportunities
Investing in real estate is well-known as one of the most effective ways to increase wealth. It also can have the added benefit of generating passive income, which allows you…
21 Tax Deductions Small Businesses Need to Know
Did you know you can reduce your liability at tax time by using standard business tax deductions? Tax deductions help small business owners reduce the cost of running their enterprise.…
What is the Difference Between Term and Whole Life Insurance?
Are you considering buying life insurance but don't know where to start? Here's a money-saving tip: get it while you're still young(er) and healthy! Now, let's look at the two…
5 Reasons You Should Switch to Gusto for 2023
Well...2022 has (almost) wrapped! And with that comes your 2023 New Year's resolutions. While we all aspire to shape up, lose some LBs, get organized, and generally be better with…
Staying Ahead of Your Taxes as An Independent Contractor
Are you thinking about next year’s taxes? If you’re an independent contractor, you should be. It’s never too early to get your tax documents organized and ready for quarterly filing,…
What is The Infinite Banking Concept? Pros and Cons
You know what’s worse than being broke? Feeling like your money isn't working as hard as you do. Many of us are fed up with the limitations of traditional banking,…
How Long Does it Take to Build Credit (or Improve Your Score)
How long does it take to build credit? Well...a while! That's why it's important to start young. But, it's also important to have a plan and not use the credit…
‘Otherside’ of the Bored Ape Yacht Club Causes Ethereum Crash
On April 30th, 2022, at 9 pm, the massively popular Bored Ape Yacht Club threw a luscious party to introduce their metaverse game, the ‘Otherside’, to reality. The bored Ape…
Turnkey Real Estate Investing: What a First-Timer Should Know Before They Buy
Hey there. So you’re wondering about turnkey real estate investing? Well, a full turnkey property can be an easy entry into real estate investing for a first-timer. But there are…
Legitimizing Your Side Hustle: Is Incorporating Worth It?
A record number of Americans left the traditional nine-to-five workforce this year, and as their side hustles transform into their primary jobs, many are wondering if they should take the…
What is a Personal Loan and How Does it Work?
Do you have expenses that you fail to pay on a regular basis? Or maybe a huge pile of high-interest debt requiring monthly payments that barely even cover the interest…
Coinbase vs Gemini vs Crypto.com vs Kucoin: Comparing 4 of the Top Crypto Exchanges
With cryptocurrency investing taking off, you're likely wondering how you can buy and sell certain coins. The platforms you're looking for are called crypto exchanges, and they allow you to…
The Ultimate Guide To Independent Contractor Taxes
Tax season is often the worst time of the year for most people. You have to scramble around trying to figure out stuff like your gross income and tax deductions,…
How to Create an LLC (Limited Liability Company)
So you've grown your business and decided that you want to incorporate it. You've done your analysis on LLC vs sole proprietorship and decided it's a good idea to start…
How to Make Money Without a Job: 16 Epic Ways!
How to Make Money Without a Job was written by yours truly, Joe DiSanto, for Wealth of Geeks. It has been republished here with permission. Are you looking for an…
What Happens If You Stop Paying Credit Cards?
What Happens If You Stop Paying Credit Cards? Well, not-so-great things will happen...that's what! :( Credit cards are great tools to have if you’re able to use them wisely. Unfortunately,…
How Many Stocks Should I Own (Or Have In My Portfolio)?
"How many stocks should I own?" Whether you're an avid investor or just got into the investing game, this is an important question that you'll likely be asking yourself over…
What is Crowdfunding and How Does it Work?
You don't need to have tons of money to invest in exciting projects nowadays. With that new fangled thing called the internet, almost anyone from anywhere in the world can…
Fundrise vs DiversyFund vs CrowdStreet: The Best Sites for Crowdfunded Real Estate Investing
Real estate investing is an amazing way to build wealth over the long term. There are nearly no other vehicles that allow you to use low-interest leverage for the purchase,…
What Is A Debt Consolidation Loan?
If you've got lots of debt from various sources, a debt consolidation loan could help you organize your finances and set your future straight. "What is a debt consolidation loan?"…
How Does Real Estate Syndication Work?
Real estate syndication is an investment method that allows investors to pool their money and share in potentially massive profits. At some point in your life, you may find it…
The Best Precious Metals ETFs (for 2021)
As the market grows increasingly hot, it's hard not to wonder "when will it come down?" If you're worried about your stock market portfolio is too concentrated, there may be…
Personal Loans For Bad Credit
Many sources assume that you have good or at least neutral credit when looking at loan advice online. As a result, their solutions may not apply to those with bad…
BEST Emerging Markets ETFs (for 2021)
Investing in emerging markets is an awesome way to capitalize on the growing and innovating world. If you believe that the world will get better in the future, then you…
The BEST Small Cap ETFs (For 2021)
Investing is an awesome way to build wealth. You've probably heard the phrase "making your money work for you" and investing in the stock market can help you do exactly…
How To Get Out of Debt Fast: 10+ Tips You Need To Know Now
There are many reasons why people get into debt, but many don't know how to get out of it. This article will show you what you need to do to…
What is An Annuity (and How Annuities Work!)
Imagine getting paid $1000 every month for the rest of your life. You don't need to work for it and you can spend it however you want. Sounds like a…
How Much Does it Cost to Rekey a Lock (And Other Common Real Estate Costs)
If you happen to be a landlord or real estate agent, you know there are little things that always need to be done in order to keep properties in tip-top…
Top Tech ETFs: Quality Funds To Consider (for 2021)
Technology is advancing at a faster rate than ever and there's no better way to profit from it than through top tech ETFs. Technology ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) are baskets…
China ETFs: An Overview of 5 Top Offerings (for 2021)
China ETFs (exchange-traded funds) offer investors an easy way to diversify their investment strategy. In March of 2020, tons of short-sellers rushed into the Chinese markets hoping to capitalize on…
Indexed Universal Life Insurance – The Pros, Cons and Must-Know Information!
As it stands today, you might feel like you need an entire college course on life insurance to simply understand all the available options you have to consider. From navigating…
What Is an LLC? And How Is It Different Than a Corporation?
I know something about the complexities of launching a new business. As the owner of several businesses in the Los Angeles entertainment industry, I know from experience that you'll have…
8 Ways to Digitize Your Business
Digitization of any business involves the implementation of modern technologies, in daily operations, to enhance business growth. A digital transformation can help boost performance by establishing consistency, redesigning profitable systems,…
Investment Vehicles: What Are They and What Are the Risks?
According to the 2019 Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, Americans believe someone to be "wealthy" if they have at least $2.3 million in net worth. Arguably, the best approach to building…
5 Ways to Spot Investment Scams
There is always an element of risk versus reward with an investment. You are never guaranteed to get all your money back. However, some investment opportunities are straight-up scams. Ponzi schemes…
What Is a Self-Directed IRA Real Estate Investment (and Should You Do It)?
Why would you buy real estate in your IRA? The biggest benefit of a self-directed IRA real estate investment is the awesome opportunity for your money to grow...tax-deferred! Be it…
Top 5 Personal Bookkeeping Software Options: Personal Capital vs Mint vs Quicken vs Money Dance vs Countabout
Personal Capital vs Mint vs Quicken vs Money Dance vs Countabout are all potential options to help you get a better grip on your personal finances or tidy up your…
What Is a Self-Directed 401k?
Will you have enough money in retirement? The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that only 43% of United States workers participate in a retirement savings plan. This survey was actually specific…
How to Do Your Own Taxes (and Save some Money!)
It may seem terrifying at first, but you can learn how to do your own taxes. Let's take a look at what forms you'll need to fill out, tax credits…
Is Turnkey Real Estate Investing Worth Your Money? A “No-Gimmes” Accounting of 8 Properties in 3 US Markets
Are you interested in turnkey real estate investing, but not sure if it will actually make you money? In an effort to answer that question, I'm going to give you…
Emergency Fund: How Much is Enough?
How much is enough for an emergency fund, you ask? Well, that's a highly debated topic. The answer is (as always), it DEPENDS. Before I get into how much is…
How to Pay Less Taxes: 7 Basic Tax Planning Strategies
To hear some folks tell it, low taxes are basically the Holy Grail of personal finance. Those folks just might be right! Over the course of several years, a few…
What is Bitcoin, Blockchain and “Cryptocurrency”?
Have you been wondering what this "Bitcoin thing" is all about? Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency. And unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely heard of this lucrative, emerging sector…
What Are Stocks? And How To Invest in the S&P 500
Are you a new investor who is looking for ways to build wealth? More than 50 percent of households in the United States invest in some form in the stock market. …
Is Doing A Blog Worth It? My Experience (So Far)
So, you're wondering, "Is doing a blog worth it?" Well, like with most of life’s big questions, the answer is: "it depends"! Sorry, I know, you really wanted me to…
What is a Dividend and Why Would You Invest in Dividend Stocks?
Dividends can be a very valuable part of your investment portfolio. They can reduce your overall portfolio risk, increase your profits, and offer tax advantages. But what are dividends? And…
The Critical Tools I Use for My Blogging Business
If you have decided to join the ranks and become a "blogger," you're most certainly in need of some helpful blogging tools. I want to share my best resources with…
Live and Flips: Scotland Street
Scotland was our 15th real estate purchase, and also our 3rd residence. As I always say, I consider ownership of your residence a real estate investment like any other. However,…
The Financial Independence Mindset is Critical
Many people have heard this term "financially independent," but they’re not totally sure what it means—or if they know what it means, they don’t know how to achieve it. Financial…
7 Awesome Stock Photo, Image Editing, and Graphics Creation Options
Do you ever look at a marketing poster or banner and wonder how it was made? You'd think it took an entire team of designers, photographers, and editors hours and…
Rehabs and Rentals: Robmar Road
Robmar was property number 14! I did a 1031 exchange from the Graham property into this one. I had been looking at the Tampa, FL area for a while, both…
Tips on Managing Remote Teams for Small Businesses
Recent world events have led to a surge in remote working, and the need for managing remote teams. But even so, that upward trend was in place long before the…
Commercial Development: Teale Street
If you just peruse the before and after photos, you can see what a massive transformation project this was. It was my second commercial development project, the funds for which…
The Benefits of a Financial Advisor for Your Investing Future
Want to jump into the world of investing, but don't have the time to learn all there is to know? Well then, you might appreciate the benefits of a financial…