If you work at a startup or public tech company and have RSUs, stock options, founder shares, or a potential IPO on the horizon, this episode could save you thousands—or even millions—in taxes. Equity compensation can be one of the fastest paths to building wealth, but it can also lead to costly mistakes if you don't understand the tax implications, liquidity opportunities, and diversification decisions involved. That's why we sat down with Equity for the Win founders CJ Sturmitz and founding investor Toby Johnston to discuss how employees and founders can navigate concentrated stock positions and prepare for major liquidity events.

Connect with CJ and Toby Johnston

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We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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BiggerPockets Money (operated by Early Retirement Group, LLC) has a paid promotional arrangement with Equity FTW. Under this arrangement, Equity FTW pays BiggerPockets Money a cash fee of $100 for each prospective client who books a meeting with Equity FTW and is attributed to BiggerPockets Money, including through links on our website, references in our podcast, and other BiggerPockets Money channels. BiggerPockets Money is not a client of Equity FTW and is not an investment adviser, and nothing on this page or in any BiggerPockets Money content constitutes investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. This compensation arrangement creates a material conflict of interest, because BiggerPockets Money has a financial incentive to promote Equity FTW and to encourage listeners and readers to book meetings, regardless of whether Equity FTW's services are appropriate for any particular individual. The opinions expressed in BiggerPockets Money content are editorial; however, listeners and readers should consider this financial relationship when evaluating any statements about Equity FTW or its services. Equity FTW is solely responsible for the financial planning and advisory services it provides to its clients, and any decision to engage Equity FTW should be made based on your own independent evaluation and, where appropriate, consultation with your own qualified advisors.

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Want to build tax-free wealth even if your income is too high for a Roth IRA? In this episode, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench are joined by CPA’s Amanda Han and Matt MacFarland. They break down the Backdoor Roth IRA and Mega Backdoor Roth strategies step-by-step.

You'll learn how the Backdoor Roth works, how to avoid costly tax mistakes, how the pro-rata rule can impact your conversion strategy, and when the Mega Backdoor Roth may allow you to contribute tens of thousands of additional dollars to Roth accounts each year.

Whether you're pursuing FIRE, optimizing your retirement accounts, or looking for advanced tax planning strategies, this episode covers everything you need to know.

Connect with Amanda Han and Matt MacFarland

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We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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Most people think financial independence is all about cutting expenses, but there's only so much you can cut.

In this episode, Haley Sacks, better known as Mrs. Dow Jones, shares the strategies that actually move the needle when it comes to building wealth, reaching financial independence, and creating long-term financial freedom.

We discuss how to increase your income, negotiate higher pay, avoid lifestyle creep, invest with confidence, and build a simple system for managing money. Haley also explains why human capital may be your most valuable asset, how AI is changing career opportunities, and why index funds remain one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available.

Whether you're pursuing FIRE, trying to grow your net worth, or simply looking to make smarter financial decisions, this episode provides practical strategies you can start using today.

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We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench break down practical strategies for doubling your net worth and accelerating your path to financial independence. From reducing fixed expenses and increasing cash flow to investing consistently and growing your income, we cover the core habits and wealth-building systems that can dramatically speed up net worth growth, even if you’re starting from a modest financial position.

Whether you’re pursuing FIRE, early retirement, or simply trying to grow your wealth faster, this episode provides a practical roadmap for increasing your net worth and building lasting financial security.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Bob Haines joins hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench to explain how to build an investor policy statement and create a long-term investment philosophy for financial independence and early retirement. We break down how FIRE investors can design a personalized investing framework that aligns with their goals, risk tolerance, lifestyle, and withdrawal strategy while avoiding emotional investing during market volatility.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money Podcast, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench break down the six foundational principles for building wealth and achieving financial independence. From controlling major expenses and increasing your savings rate to investing strategically and building additional income streams, this episode covers the practical habits that consistently help people grow wealth over time and accelerate their path to FIRE.

Whether you’re just starting your financial independence journey or looking to optimize your wealth-building strategy, this episode provides a simple and repeatable framework for building lasting wealth without overcomplicating personal finance.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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In this episode, Ben Felix joins Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench on the BiggerPockets Money podcast to break down his thoughts on the FIRE movement, portfolio design, safe withdrawal rates, and long-term investing. We discuss how to build a FIRE portfolio that balances risk, flexibility, quality of life, and long-term sustainability — without falling into the trap of over-optimization or extreme frugality.

Whether you're pursuing FIRE, early retirement, Coast FIRE, or simply trying to become a smarter long-term investor, this conversation offers an evidence-based framework for building wealth while still enjoying life along the way.

Connect with Ben Felix!

Resources from today’s episode:

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench break down the biggest portfolio mistakes people make on the path to financial independence. From holding too much cash and staying stuck in accumulation mode to ignoring tax optimization, estate planning, and withdrawal strategies, we cover the investing mistakes that can quietly derail long-term wealth building and FIRE success.

Whether you’re pursuing FIRE, Coast FIRE, or traditional retirement, this episode will help you avoid common portfolio mistakes and build a more resilient long-term financial plan.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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On this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench bring on Kyle Collette to discuss how he achieved financial independence and built a real estate portfolio worth more than $4 million while earning less than $40,000 per year. Through house hacking, rental property investing, frugal living, and strategic relationships, Kyle scaled from small single-family rentals to multi-unit properties across Ohio — proving that building wealth doesn’t require a massive salary.

Whether you're pursuing FI, early retirement, or long-term wealth through real estate investing, this episode offers a practical roadmap for building financial freedom on a modest income.

To go beyond the podcast:

Connect with Kyle: 

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench break down the biggest mistakes people make when calculating their FIRE number and planning for financial independence. Many early retirement calculators rely on simplified assumptions like the 4% rule or current spending levels, but real-life retirement planning is far more complicated. This episode covers how healthcare costs, inflation, one-time expenses, and changing lifestyle spending can dramatically impact your true FI number and long-term retirement success.

We also discuss safe withdrawal rates, stress testing your retirement plan flexible income streams, and why many FIRE investors underestimate future spending during early retirement. Whether you’re pursuing FIRE, early retirement, Coast FIRE, or traditional financial independence, this episode will help you build a more realistic retirement strategy and avoid common mistakes that can derail long-term wealth and portfolio sustainability.

To go beyond the podcast:

We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!

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