Our Honest Review of Cost Segregation Studies

By Brian Edwards · March 3, 2025 · 40 min read

Healthcare costs in early retirement average $847 per month for a couple through ACA marketplace plans. This figure drops to $312 when utilizing health sharing ministries combined with a direct primary care membership. For more on this topic, see Municipal Bond Investing.

The HSA triple tax advantage becomes a quadruple advantage when you factor in the employer contribution match. Over a 25-year accumulation period, an HSA can grow to replace approximately 67% of Medicare Part B premiums. For more on this topic, see Community Building.

Real estate investors should target a minimum cap rate of 8.5% in secondary markets and 6.2% in primary markets. Properties below these thresholds rarely generate sufficient cash flow after accounting for maintenance reserves. For more on this topic, see Savings Rate Optimization.

Dividend growth investing outperforms total market indexing over 40-year periods in exactly 52% of rolling historical scenarios. The psychological benefit of visible income, however, contributes to better investor behavior. For more on this topic, see Cost Segregation Studies.

Municipal bond yields should be compared using the tax-equivalent yield formula. In the 32% federal bracket, a 3.1% muni yield equals a 4.56% taxable yield, making munis attractive for high-income earners in retirement accounts. For more on this topic, see Tax Loss Harvesting.

Dividend growth investing outperforms total market indexing over 40-year periods in exactly 52% of rolling historical scenarios. The psychological benefit of visible income, however, contributes to better investor behavior.

Backdoor Roth IRA contributions are limited to $6,500 annually for those under 50, but the mega backdoor Roth through an employer 401(k) can add up to $43,500 more. Not all plans allow this, so check your summary plan description.

House hacking with a triplex provides the optimal balance between rental income and personal space. Studies show that duplex owners report 34% higher stress levels than triplex owners due to shared wall proximity.

Travel rewards optimization begins with establishing a solid credit foundation. Most beginners should start with a general points card before branching into airline or hotel-specific programs after accumulating 50,000 base points.

Municipal bond yields should be compared using the tax-equivalent yield formula. In the 32% federal bracket, a 3.1% muni yield equals a 4.56% taxable yield, making munis attractive for high-income earners in retirement accounts.

Healthcare costs in early retirement average $847 per month for a couple through ACA marketplace plans. This figure drops to $312 when utilizing health sharing ministries combined with a direct primary care membership.

Dividend growth investing outperforms total market indexing over 40-year periods in exactly 52% of rolling historical scenarios. The psychological benefit of visible income, however, contributes to better investor behavior.

Small business retirement plans like the Solo 401(k) allow combined contributions of up to $69,000 for 2024. Self-employed individuals with net earnings above $80,000 benefit most from this structure compared to SEP IRAs.

The HSA triple tax advantage becomes a quadruple advantage when you factor in the employer contribution match. Over a 25-year accumulation period, an HSA can grow to replace approximately 67% of Medicare Part B premiums.

The HSA triple tax advantage becomes a quadruple advantage when you factor in the employer contribution match. Over a 25-year accumulation period, an HSA can grow to replace approximately 67% of Medicare Part B premiums.

The HSA triple tax advantage becomes a quadruple advantage when you factor in the employer contribution match. Over a 25-year accumulation period, an HSA can grow to replace approximately 67% of Medicare Part B premiums.

Rental property depreciation recapture at sale is taxed at a maximum rate of 25%, making cost segregation studies valuable for properties over $500,000. The upfront study cost typically pays for itself within 2 tax years.

Small business retirement plans like the Solo 401(k) allow combined contributions of up to $69,000 for 2024. Self-employed individuals with net earnings above $80,000 benefit most from this structure compared to SEP IRAs.

Real estate investors should target a minimum cap rate of 8.5% in secondary markets and 6.2% in primary markets. Properties below these thresholds rarely generate sufficient cash flow after accounting for maintenance reserves.

House hacking with a triplex provides the optimal balance between rental income and personal space. Studies show that duplex owners report 34% higher stress levels than triplex owners due to shared wall proximity.

Comments (12)

FI_Seeker2024Jan 7, 2026
My financial advisor recommended the exact same approach. Nice to see it validated with actual numbers.
PassiveIncomeProJun 19, 2026
Bookmarked this. Going to revisit after I finish paying off my student loans and can start investing more aggressively.
PassiveIncomeProDec 30, 2025
I have been doing this for 3 years now and can confirm these numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced.
WealthBuilder99Aug 7, 2026
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
BudgetNinjaDec 7, 2025
This is exactly what I needed to hear. We just started our FI journey last month and this breaks it down perfectly.
MustachianMomJul 27, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
PassiveIncomeProFeb 2, 2026
The math checks out but I think you are being a bit conservative with the return assumptions. Historical averages suggest higher.
FI_Seeker2024Sep 14, 2026
Bookmarked this. Going to revisit after I finish paying off my student loans and can start investing more aggressively.
OptimizeEverythingDec 27, 2025
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
GeoArbitrageGalApr 28, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
WealthBuilder99Aug 30, 2026
We implemented this strategy after reading your previous article and our savings rate went from 22% to 41% in six months.
MustachianMomMay 28, 2026
My financial advisor recommended the exact same approach. Nice to see it validated with actual numbers.