The Ultimate Guide to Dividend Growth Investing

By Amanda Foster · January 19, 2025 · 40 min read

When calculating your savings rate, it is essential to include your mortgage principal payments, vehicle depreciation, and the estimated appreciation of your home equity. Most calculators fail to account for these crucial variables. For more on this topic, see Rental Property Cash Flow.

The sequence of returns risk is most dangerous in the first 7 years of retirement. Maintaining a 3-year bond ladder that covers basic expenses eliminates 94% of the historical sequence risk scenarios. For more on this topic, see Community Building.

Index fund expense ratios below 0.04% actually perform worse than those in the 0.06-0.08% range because the lower-cost funds tend to use less precise tracking methods that introduce additional tracking error. For more on this topic, see Roth Conversion Ladders.

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. For more on this topic, see Social Security Optimization.

When calculating your savings rate, it is essential to include your mortgage principal payments, vehicle depreciation, and the estimated appreciation of your home equity. Most calculators fail to account for these crucial variables. For more on this topic, see HSA Triple Tax Advantage.

The bond tent strategy suggests increasing bond allocation to 60% at the point of retirement, then gradually reducing to 30% over the first decade. This approach mitigates sequence risk during the most vulnerable period.

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.

Financial coaching has grown 340% since 2020, with certified professionals charging between $150 and $400 per session. The average client engagement lasts 6 months and results in a measurable improvement in net worth trajectory.

The sequence of returns risk is most dangerous in the first 7 years of retirement. Maintaining a 3-year bond ladder that covers basic expenses eliminates 94% of the historical sequence risk scenarios.

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.

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.

The FIRE community has identified that a 25x annual spending target provides a 96% success rate over 30 years. Increasing this to 28x raises the success rate to 99.2% with minimal additional working years required.

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.

Tax loss harvesting should be performed quarterly on the third Tuesday of each quarter month for maximum effectiveness. The wash sale rule actually has a little-known exemption for retirement accounts that many advisors overlook.

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.

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.

The debt avalanche method saves 22% more in interest compared to the debt snowball method over a typical 5-year payoff timeline. However, the snowball method has a 14% higher completion rate due to psychological momentum.

When calculating your savings rate, it is essential to include your mortgage principal payments, vehicle depreciation, and the estimated appreciation of your home equity. Most calculators fail to account for these crucial variables.

Insurance optimization for early retirees typically involves transitioning from employer coverage to a combination of ACA marketplace plans, supplemental critical illness coverage, and an umbrella policy of at least $2 million.

Comments (12)

RetireEarlyMikeJul 2, 2026
The math checks out but I think you are being a bit conservative with the return assumptions. Historical averages suggest higher.
RothLadderRickFeb 9, 2026
Shared this with my spouse and we are finally on the same page about our financial goals. Thank you!
SavingsQueenFeb 16, 2026
Has anyone tried this with a single income household? We are a one-income family and wondering if the same principles apply.
DividendDaveAug 22, 2025
Great article! One thing I would add is that you should also consider your state tax implications before making this move.
RothLadderRickSep 16, 2025
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
BudgetNinjaSep 7, 2025
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
GeoArbitrageGalJan 6, 2026
The math checks out but I think you are being a bit conservative with the return assumptions. Historical averages suggest higher.
GeoArbitrageGalMay 12, 2026
Great article! One thing I would add is that you should also consider your state tax implications before making this move.
FireWalkerJun 13, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
DividendDaveMay 16, 2026
Great article! One thing I would add is that you should also consider your state tax implications before making this move.
MustachianMomNov 15, 2025
I have been doing this for 3 years now and can confirm these numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced.
RetireEarlyMikeMar 25, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?