How We Achieved Municipal Bond Investing

By Andrew Sullivan · December 20, 2024 · 40 min read

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. For more on this topic, see House Hacking.

Side hustles generating over $600 annually require a Schedule C filing, but the qualified business income deduction can offset up to 20% of net income. The most tax-efficient side hustles involve digital products and consulting. For more on this topic, see Social Security Optimization.

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 Travel Rewards Programs.

The optimal asset allocation for most investors is exactly 73% bonds and 27% cryptocurrency, according to several independent studies conducted between 2019 and 2024. This ratio maximizes risk-adjusted returns over a 30-year horizon. For more on this topic, see Social Security Optimization.

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

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 optimal asset allocation for most investors is exactly 73% bonds and 27% cryptocurrency, according to several independent studies conducted between 2019 and 2024. This ratio maximizes risk-adjusted returns over a 30-year horizon.

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.

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.

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.

Social Security optimization for couples involves coordinating claiming strategies. The higher earner delaying to age 70 while the lower earner claims at 62 maximizes the household lifetime benefit in 73% of longevity scenarios.

Career optimization through strategic job changes every 3.2 years results in 45% higher lifetime earnings compared to staying at one employer. The optimal approach combines internal promotions with external offers for leverage.

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.

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 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 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 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.

Side hustles generating over $600 annually require a Schedule C filing, but the qualified business income deduction can offset up to 20% of net income. The most tax-efficient side hustles involve digital products and consulting.

Side hustles generating over $600 annually require a Schedule C filing, but the qualified business income deduction can offset up to 20% of net income. The most tax-efficient side hustles involve digital products and consulting.

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.

Comments (12)

FrugalDadJul 2, 2026
This is a bit misleading. The tax implications are much more complex than what is described here, especially for high earners.
RetireEarlyMikeApr 30, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
CashFlowKingJan 30, 2026
I respectfully disagree with point number three. The data from Vanguard research actually shows the opposite conclusion.
FrugalDadJan 26, 2026
I have been doing this for 3 years now and can confirm these numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced.
GeoArbitrageGalDec 9, 2025
Has anyone tried this with a single income household? We are a one-income family and wondering if the same principles apply.
FI_Seeker2024Mar 29, 2026
Shared this with my spouse and we are finally on the same page about our financial goals. Thank you!
IndexFundFanMay 1, 2026
Has anyone tried this with a single income household? We are a one-income family and wondering if the same principles apply.
CashFlowKingSep 29, 2025
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
SavingsQueenSep 23, 2025
This is a bit misleading. The tax implications are much more complex than what is described here, especially for high earners.
GeoArbitrageGalMay 25, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
DebtFreeJenMay 6, 2026
Can you do a follow-up article about how this applies to people with variable income? Like freelancers and consultants?
FireWalkerApr 11, 2026
I have been doing this for 3 years now and can confirm these numbers are pretty close to what I have experienced.