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'I could've been set for life': This former Goldman Sachs analyst says his family of 4 can't live comfortably on $230K a year after buying 'forever home.' Is the American dream out of reach?
AP Moneywise via Yahoo ^ | February 17, 2024 | Serah Louis

Posted on 02/17/2024 10:36:10 AM PST by grundle

Former Goldman Sachs analyst Sam Dogen — also known as the Financial Samurai online — once decided to cash in on a huge chunk of his investments to buy a “forever home” for his family.

But by selling his stocks and bonds, he lost about $150,000 a year in passive income. “My family and I could have been set for life. Instead, due to my inability to beat back real estate FOMO (fear of missing out), I blew up our passive income,” Dogen wrote in a blog post.

Dogen’s been investing for a long time. In fact, he first made headlines back in 2012 for championing the “financial independence, retire early” (FIRE) movement by retiring at the age of 34 with a $3 million net worth.

He’s since been living off his passive income from stocks, bonds, and real estate — but after paying cash for a recently remodeled home on a triple-wide lot, he says about five years’ worth of progress has been lost.

Dogen says in 2023 his passive income was tracking to generate about $380,000 a year. But after purchasing a new home in the pricey San Francisco Bay Area, he now expects it to decline to about $230,000 — which he claims is no longer enough to cover his family of four’s living expenses.

Dogen’s annual budget includes $80,400 for tuition at a private Mandarin immersion school for his two kids, $68,400 for housing costs, $24,000 for health care, $40,000 in potential 401(k) contributions and $26,400 in food (including weekly date nights). He also has $16,800 set aside for vacations.

(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: sanfrancisco
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1 posted on 02/17/2024 10:36:10 AM PST by grundle
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To: grundle

The doofus needs to home school his kids for starters.


2 posted on 02/17/2024 10:38:15 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
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To: grundle

He’ll figure out something and write a book about it.


3 posted on 02/17/2024 10:39:50 AM PST by glorgau
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To: grundle

It looks like the Financial Samauri is trying to ‘join honorable ancestors’ with such spending.


4 posted on 02/17/2024 10:40:52 AM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: grundle

Does this thread come with tissues?


5 posted on 02/17/2024 10:41:42 AM PST by bigbob
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To: grundle

“analyst”

three letters too many


6 posted on 02/17/2024 10:42:41 AM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: grundle

He can vacation at home.


7 posted on 02/17/2024 10:42:52 AM PST by Redcitizen
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To: Redcitizen

And his children can attend the free and wonderful public schools of the city.


8 posted on 02/17/2024 10:44:43 AM PST by laconic
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To: grundle

I wish I had $150,000…..I would talk to a good financial advisor and invest the lion’s share.


9 posted on 02/17/2024 10:44:53 AM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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To: grundle

Some analyst. And he has a stupid and extremely inflated idea of what living comfortably means.


10 posted on 02/17/2024 10:45:54 AM PST by clashfan (Whom shall I fear?)
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To: grundle

With that level of passive income he and his family could live quite well almost everywhere.


11 posted on 02/17/2024 10:46:02 AM PST by Brian Griffin
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To: grundle

“ But by selling his stocks and bonds, he lost about $150,000 a year in passive income. ”

Duuuddde.
You are a financial samurai and you didn’t know this basic info??!!


12 posted on 02/17/2024 10:46:42 AM PST by HereInTheHeartland (Have you seen Joe Biden's picture on a milk carton?)
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To: telescope115

Save your money—collect your 5% interest and skip paying the financial advisor. They will rip you off on fees.

For future reference:

https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/How_much_do_you_lose_to_annual_fees_after_many_years%3F


13 posted on 02/17/2024 10:47:36 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
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To: grundle

I don’t know why posters are giving this guy grief. He’s right, that only the super-elite will be able to aspire to the quality of life upper-middle class families have enjoyed for several generations. And it’s all due to the inflation of fixed costs created by government policies.


14 posted on 02/17/2024 10:48:05 AM PST by Trailerpark Badass (“There should be a whole lot more going on than throwing bleach,” said one woman)
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To: grundle

Jackass...


15 posted on 02/17/2024 10:48:17 AM PST by DesertRhino (16 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2024... RETURN OF THE JEDI)
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To: grundle

“Another, who says THEY’RE a 60-year-old teacher nearing retirement, wrote about the importance of living conservatively and avoiding greed...”

You’d think the media could demand at least SECOND GRADE level knowledge of pronouns.


16 posted on 02/17/2024 10:50:39 AM PST by BobL (Trump gets my vote, even if I have to write him in; Millions of others will do the same)
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To: grundle
But after purchasing a new home in the pricey San Francisco Bay Area, he now expects it to decline to about $230,000

Did he purchase a broom closet?

Dogen’s annual budget includes...$68,400 for housing costs

The article says he purchased his home with cash. Is he paying $68K in annual house maintenance costs for home valued at $230K? No wonder this guy is broke. I think I'll get financial advice from someone else.

17 posted on 02/17/2024 10:50:40 AM PST by Right_Wing_Madman
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To: grundle

Weird.
He bought a house and still has such housing costs?

I guess he bought something silly. His housing costs imply a $3 million house, and he’s getting dinged for property tax.
We were living high on the hog in San Francisco while putting the kids through UC, AND creating a retirement nest egg.

Suggestions for the silly fellow - parochial schools. Cheaper house. Leave California.


18 posted on 02/17/2024 10:50:51 AM PST by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: Right_Wing_Madman

Probably property tax on a $3 million+ house. Add insurance and maintenance.


19 posted on 02/17/2024 10:52:20 AM PST by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: grundle

“due to my inability to beat back real estate FOMO (fear of missing out)” = GREED!

good ‘ol fashioned GREED did this guy in (and his family)

ya gotta know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em ...


20 posted on 02/17/2024 10:52:51 AM PST by catnipman (A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil)
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