Personal finance, written carefully
Long-form guides on compound interest, investing, and retirement — written for people who want to understand the math, not just see a chart. Every article is reviewed for accuracy against primary sources like the Federal Reserve, BLS, SEC, and peer-reviewed academic research.
- May 28, 2026·11 min read
Compound Interest, Explained: A Plain-English Guide With Real Numbers
What compound interest actually is, how the formula works, why it feels slow at first, and how to use it to your advantage over a 10-, 20-, and 40-year horizon.
Read article - May 20, 2026·9 min read
The Rule of 72: Where It Comes From, How Accurate It Is, and When It Breaks
A 700-year-old mental-math shortcut still used by professional planners. Here's the math behind it, the rates where it's nearly perfect, and the rates where it's wrong by more than a year.
Read article - May 12, 2026·13 min read
S&P 500 vs Bonds vs Savings: 30 Years of Real Returns, Side by Side
What $10,000 invested in stocks, bonds, and a high-yield savings account would have grown to over the last three decades — and what that means for how you split your money today.
Read article - April 30, 2026·14 min read
How Much Do You Actually Need to Retire? A Realistic 2026 Breakdown
The 25× rule, the 4% safe withdrawal rate, where they came from, where they fall short, and a step-by-step way to size your own number for your zip code and lifestyle.
Read article - April 18, 2026·10 min read
Dollar-Cost Averaging vs Lump-Sum Investing: What the Data Actually Says
Vanguard, Morningstar, and academic research have studied this question for decades. The answer surprises most investors — and the right choice depends less on math and more on you.
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