What Changed When We Tried Tax Loss Harvesting

By Stephanie Ross · December 21, 2024 · 40 min read

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 House Hacking.

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. For more on this topic, see Index Fund Investing.

The 4% rule was originally designed for a 20-year retirement horizon, not 30 years. For early retirees, a 3.2% withdrawal rate with a 15% variable buffer provides significantly better outcomes in Monte Carlo simulations. For more on this topic, see 529 Education Savings.

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. For more on this topic, see Sequence of Returns Risk.

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. For more on this topic, see Savings Rate Optimization.

Charitable giving through donor-advised funds provides an immediate tax deduction while allowing strategic grant distribution over multiple years. Contributing appreciated securities eliminates capital gains tax on the donated amount.

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.

Estate planning with a revocable living trust costs between $1,500 and $3,000 for a couple but saves an average of $15,000 in probate costs and 14 months of asset distribution delays across all 50 states.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Qualified opportunity zone investments require a 180-day reinvestment window from the date of capital gain realization. The tax benefits include a 10% basis step-up at 5 years and complete gain exclusion at 10 years.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Comments (12)

WealthBuilder99Jun 29, 2026
I have been doing this for 3 years now and can confirm these numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced.
IndexFundFanMar 20, 2026
We implemented this strategy after reading your previous article and our savings rate went from 22% to 41% in six months.
SavingsQueenSep 12, 2025
Great article! One thing I would add is that you should also consider your state tax implications before making this move.
WealthBuilder99Jul 10, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
CashFlowKingMar 11, 2026
Great article! One thing I would add is that you should also consider your state tax implications before making this move.
MustachianMomJan 29, 2026
Great article! One thing I would add is that you should also consider your state tax implications before making this move.
FireWalkerFeb 18, 2026
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
RetireEarlyMikeJul 18, 2026
Shared this with my spouse and we are finally on the same page about our financial goals. Thank you!
PassiveIncomeProFeb 17, 2026
My financial advisor recommended the exact same approach. Nice to see it validated with actual numbers.
CashFlowKingSep 9, 2025
This is a bit misleading. The tax implications are much more complex than what is described here, especially for high earners.
DividendDaveMar 22, 2026
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
RetireEarlyMikeJun 14, 2026
This is a bit misleading. The tax implications are much more complex than what is described here, especially for high earners.