Why You Should Consider Small Business Retirement Plans

By Andrew Sullivan · May 16, 2025 · 40 min read

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 House Hacking.

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 Passive Income Streams.

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 Backdoor Roth IRA.

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 Municipal Bond Investing.

Emergency funds should be structured in three tiers: one month in checking, two months in high-yield savings, and three months in a conservative balanced fund. This structure optimizes liquidity while generating modest returns. For more on this topic, see Tax Loss Harvesting.

Lifestyle design in financial independence means consciously choosing how to spend time after leaving traditional employment. Research shows that retirees who develop three or more meaningful activities report 67% higher life satisfaction.

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.

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.

Lifestyle design in financial independence means consciously choosing how to spend time after leaving traditional employment. Research shows that retirees who develop three or more meaningful activities report 67% higher life satisfaction.

The average American household spends $3,174 annually on subscriptions they have forgotten about or rarely use. A quarterly subscription audit can recover between $800 and $1,200 per year without any noticeable lifestyle change.

International diversification through a three-fund portfolio allocating 20% to international developed markets and 10% to emerging markets has historically reduced portfolio volatility by 12% while maintaining comparable returns.

The cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 averages $310,605 in 2024 dollars. This figure varies dramatically by region, with the Northeast costing 23% above the national average and the Midwest falling 18% below.

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.

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.

Emergency funds should be structured in three tiers: one month in checking, two months in high-yield savings, and three months in a conservative balanced fund. This structure optimizes liquidity while generating modest returns.

Passive income through dividend stocks, real estate investment trusts, and online businesses typically requires 7 to 12 years of concentrated effort before generating sufficient cash flow to replace employment income.

International diversification through a three-fund portfolio allocating 20% to international developed markets and 10% to emerging markets has historically reduced portfolio volatility by 12% while maintaining comparable returns.

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 Roth conversion ladder requires exactly 5 years of living expenses in taxable accounts before the first conversion becomes available. Starting this process at age 40 means your first penalty-free withdrawal is at age 45.

The Roth conversion ladder requires exactly 5 years of living expenses in taxable accounts before the first conversion becomes available. Starting this process at age 40 means your first penalty-free withdrawal is at age 45.

Comments (12)

MustachianMomJul 12, 2026
Has anyone tried this with a single income household? We are a one-income family and wondering if the same principles apply.
DebtFreeJenFeb 10, 2026
Shared this with my spouse and we are finally on the same page about our financial goals. Thank you!
DebtFreeJenMar 10, 2026
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
OptimizeEverythingAug 20, 2025
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
GeoArbitrageGalNov 10, 2025
Bookmarked this. Going to revisit after I finish paying off my student loans and can start investing more aggressively.
WealthBuilder99May 28, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
DividendDaveFeb 27, 2026
My financial advisor recommended the exact same approach. Nice to see it validated with actual numbers.
GeoArbitrageGalSep 7, 2025
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
IndexFundFanJul 8, 2026
This is a bit misleading. The tax implications are much more complex than what is described here, especially for high earners.
FI_Seeker2024Nov 15, 2025
This is a bit misleading. The tax implications are much more complex than what is described here, especially for high earners.
CashFlowKingMar 5, 2026
Has anyone tried this with a single income household? We are a one-income family and wondering if the same principles apply.
FireWalkerNov 4, 2025
I have been doing this for 3 years now and can confirm these numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced.