Welcome to Real Estate IQ: Wisdom for Smart Moves. In this episode, we delve into the insider secrets tailored exclusively for Silicon Valley home buyers, sellers, and investors. Our goal is to arm you with the necessary tools to conquer the unique real estate landscape of this region.

Xillion brings you Economic Insights for October 2023 to navigate the ever-evolving economy. This analysis sheds light on key economic indicators impacting various sectors. It's your window into the financial pulse of today's world.

Think Target Date Funds are your only option for a 401k? Learn why specific low-cost funds may be a smarter choice for long-term growth and how you can make the switch today.

Ever wondered how much your daily coffee really costs you? Dive into the surprising long-term financial impact of everyday choices like Starbucks vs homemade coffee.

Ready to maximize your 401k returns? Explore a curated list of top-performing small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap funds. Plus, get tips on adventurous options for high-growth potential. Start investing wisely today!

Want to hit the financial fast lane to a comfortable retirement? Learn why maximizing your 401k contributions could turn you into a millionaire by 2040, all while enjoying tax benefits today.

Unsure what to do with old 401k accounts from past jobs? Discover why and how to roll them over for better growth and easier management.

Maximize your Fidelity 401(k) for a more comfortable retirement by choosing high-performing, low-cost Index Funds over default Target Date Funds.

Learn why earning more is crucial for financial freedom. Increase your income by upgrading skills—see real-life examples that show income growth with education.

Discover why investing is key to financial freedom. Learn the power of starting early, the benefits of low-cost index funds, and how to make smarter choices. Transform your financial future now.

Explore the pros and cons of Real Estate Investing vs Equity Investing. Understand opportunity costs and key factors for success. Use Xillion's tools for smart real estate decisions.

Understand the importance of financial planning for achieving independence. Learn how to digitize your life, simplify accounts, and use financial tools for better decision-making. Start your journey with confidence.

Discover the 6 essential pillars of personal finance i.e. Earnings, Savings, Spending, Investing, Borrowing, and Planning. Start your journey to financial independence today!

Debunk the myth that all debt is bad. Learn to categorize debt by interest rates and make smarter financial choices. Use Xillion tools to manage good, bad, and not-so-bad debt.

Learn the simple steps to shift your post-tax 401(k) funds into a Roth 401(k). Find out if your plan allows it, how to get started, and what to know about taxes. Making the move could offer you tax advantages down the line.

Learn the step-by-step process to convert your post-tax 401(k) into a Roth IRA. Understand key steps, tax implications, and paperwork involved.

Understand how smart borrowing can be a tool for wealth creation. Learn about debt-to-income ratios, safe interest rates, and how to wisely invest in real estate using debt.

Learn how robust savings can fast-track your journey to financial freedom. Master the art of saving with pre-tax 401(k)s, ESPPs, and Roth accounts.

Maximize pre-tax 401k savings, then explore post-tax options for higher limits. Convert post-tax to Roth for future tax benefits.

Learn effective ways to control your spending and accelerate your path to financial freedom. Learn tips like buying used cars and refinancing, and why focusing on big expenses makes a difference.

Opt for a high deductible in auto and home insurance for lower premiums. Especially effective if you are a good driver or live in a low-risk area.

Discover how I transformed my view on debt from a burden to a powerful tool for financial independence. From high-interest loans for education to strategic borrowing for real estate, follow my journey and learn how you can also use debt wisely to achieve your financial goals.

The secrets behind the success of stock market genius Jim Simons. Learn how data, mathematical models, and powerful computers contribute to massive profits.

Boost your wealth by maximizing 401k contributions. Benefit from tax-free growth and enforced saving habits. Start today, and you could accumulate over a million dollars in 17 years.

Stop trying to time the market and focus on time in the market. Invest for the long term in quality assets for reliable growth. Buy and hold, do not trade.

Achieving financial success might seem like a,

Welcome to this week's edition of the Economy and Stock Market Roundup. As we navigate through the complexities of the global economy,

Discover the intricate factors that shape your housing decision beyond interest rates. Explore tax benefits, rental costs, appreciation potential, and more. Make informed choices with insights from our comprehensive guide.

There are over 5,000 companies listed in the U.S., and if you're like most people just starting with investing, you might be scratching your head, thinking, Where exactly should I invest? It's a big question, and with so many options, it can feel a little overwhelming.

When it comes to saving for your child's education, the 529 Savings Plan often comes up as a go-to option. Widely known for its tax benefits, including deductions from state taxes or tax-free withdrawals, it's no wonder why it is a popular choice. Despite its popularity, here's a detailed look at why the 529 Plan might not be the best option and how Post Tax Brokerage accounts is better.

Did you know that Ford makes nearly as much profit from auto loans as it does from manufacturing cars? The auto loan industry in the U.S. generates around $161 billion annually, which makes it larger by revenue than U.S. industries including newspapers, day care, movies, and home-building, according to IBISWorld estimates.

Ever since interest rate hikes began in 2022, economic pundits have wondered whether the U.S. would be able to achieve a soft landing,

After spending 15 years working in the data & AI space, I have been both mesmerized by its potential and humbled by its limitations.

Welcome to this week's edition of the Economy and Stock Market Roundup. As we navigate through the complexities of the global economy,

Welcome to this week's edition of the Economy and Stock Market Roundup. As we navigate through the complexities of the global economy,

Welcome to our June 2023 Economic Update. The past month has presented a dynamic landscape in the U.S. financial markets, filled with rallying indices...

Welcome to our June 2023 Economic Update. The past month has presented a dynamic landscape in the U.S. financial markets, filled with rallying indices...

You've probably heard about day trading and how it can magically turn you into a millionaire overnight, right? It sure sounds tempting, but let's get real. The cold, hard truth is that about 95% of day traders actually end up losing money. Shocking, right?

This week, we delve into a range of topics, from the impact of interest rate hikes on the stock market and housing prices to the political implications of Argentina's soaring inflation rate. We also cover the Bank of England's decision to raise its benchmark interest rate to a level not seen since 2008 and Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell's defense of the recent pause in rate hikes.

This was an exciting week, as Apple gave us a preview of its vision for spatial computing, the stock market officially entered Bull territory, and Saudi Arabia continued to flex its dealmaking muscles. Plus, we preview the Fed’s big upcoming decision.

This was an exciting week, as Apple gave us a preview of its vision for spatial computing, the stock market officially entered Bull territory, and Saudi Arabia continued to flex its dealmaking muscles. Plus, we preview the Fed’s big upcoming decision.

So far, in 2023, the index has returned 31%. Surprisingly 70% of the gains came from 6 stocks; Apple, Microsoft & Nvidia, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet.

The U.S. economic growth slipped in the first quarter amid still-high inflation and rising interest rates.

Wages are still growing. In the first three months of 2023, employers spent 1.2% more on wages in the U.S.

know financial struggles of millenials

Remember, just because you don't see the fees being deducted doesn't mean they aren't there.

An analysis of three significant macro trends - aging populations, de-dollarization, and growing debt - and their potential impact on the world economy.

If you invested in the S&P500 for any 25-year period since 1928, there’s no way you could have made less than a 5% return.

Apple has recently launched its highly anticipated Apple Card Savings Account

Salary is important, but your standard of living has a lot to do with location.

The Western retirement model is under strain. Developed nations are growing much older since people live longer and have fewer children. By 2050, the proportion of the world population over the age of 65 is expected to nearly double.

When we talk about good investing, too often we focus on the ability to pick stocks and index funds. And while this is important, it overlooks one of the most underappreciated differences between good and great investors: optimizing taxes. Understanding capital gains can easily cut your investment tax bill in half — and sometimes it’s just a matter of holding an investment for a few more days.

The Federal Reserve has two primary duties: promote price stability (tame inflation) and keep unemployment low. Unfortunately, those two goals often directly conflict with one another. When labor demand is low, companies can attract workers with lower wages, so the price of goods and services goes down. On the other hand, high employment means workers can bargain for higher wages, thus increasing the cost of goods and services.

Money Score: The personalized financial assessment that puts your interests first.

The banking crisis leads Fed to slow rate increases due to a decline in asset values after the fastest rate hike in history.

Elon Musk and other technologists believe that AI will have a significant impact on the world and markets.

Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it” - Albert Einstein

The wearables business unit ALONE could be a Fortune 500 company (with more annual revenue than Oracle, Nike, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Tesla)

Why Time in the Market Trumps Timing the Market with the S&P 500

It’s time to rethink celebrity investors

$AAPL has rallied a whopping 2,402% since 2010 (a CAGR of 28.4% excluding dividends)

Unmasking the True Cost of Retirement

Investing made simple: your guide to a $10,000 ETF portfolio 💰

Every great civilization in human history has gone through a cycle that includes a rise to power, a period of stability, and a period of decline. Eventually, the decline becomes so tumultuous that the empire itself collapses. Is it time to bet against the U.S.? According to Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio, things aren't looking great for the U.S. According to Warren Buffet: Our unwavering conclusion: Never bet against America. Who is right and who is wrong? Check out our first Xillion newsletter to learn more.

We are excited to announce our new comparison feature on our website that allows you to easily compare and analyze various ETFS and Mutual Funds side-by-side.

Use the Rule of 72 and find out!

Don't take chances with your hard-earned savings. Use Xillion Protect to help you diversify your cash, giving you the confidence and security, you deserve.

With summer approaching, many of us are opting for “staycations” rather than travel. In this economy, the idea of splurging on a vacation might seem irresponsible, but you’re not alone in thinking this way.

Listed below are the top wealth creators of the decade.

You're not alone. Recent bank failures like SVB Bank and Signature Bank have left people feeling uneasy about the security of their money.

It’s a scary time to be a tech worker. For years, software engineers grew accustomed to rapidly rising incomes, job security, and a job market hungry for their talent. But since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates, things have changed.

While having an adequate emergency fund is crucial to your financial health, holding too much cash holds you back from achieving long-term financial goals.

Inflation is still stubbornly high at 6% in February. Normally, that would suggest the Fed will continue raising interest rates. But some analysts on Wall Street think the Fed will actually cut interest rates.

What just happened to Silicon Valley Bank? And what does it have to do with inflation?

Silicon Valley Bank is the talk of the town. What's going on? And what can it teach us about investing?

Opportunity cost is what you give up by choosing one investment over another 🤔

As payment for managing a mutual fund, investors are charged an advisory fee. An expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for paying this fee and other operating costs, and the general rule is that the lower this is, the better for investors.

As you embark on your career and financial journey, it's important to understand the basics of personal finance

Most people forget: money in your emergency fund can still earn money 🚀 📈

Financial psychology is a funny thing: if you could turn five minutes from today into millions of dollars 30 years from now, would you do it?

First-time buyers made up the smallest share of home-buying activity in the U.S., at just 26%.

Target retirement funds are supposed to further simplify retirement investing by automatically shifting your allocation of investment assets - between stocks, bonds, and treasuries -as you get closer to retirement.

Xillion uses Plaid to connect your financial information to your Xillion account. Setting up your accounts can take less than 5 minutes.

Starting $1,000 investment every month now gives you 3x the money as compared to starting in 10 years from now.

😧 Nearly half (45%) of high-income earners are living paycheck to paycheck 💵 ➡ 💵

⬆️ The US economy is still going strong, despite the Fed trying to slow it down by raising interest rates.

They still have a lot of room to catch up 📉 📅 One key investment advantage can bridge the generational asset gap ...

Wondering about the tax implications of your retirement contributions? You're not alone. As the tax code grows increasingly complex, it can be tough to keep track of all the different ways investments impact your bottom line.

🏡 If you decide no, you might finally be in the majority.

Yes, you read that right 😎. 🏛 The government wanted to make it easier for people with student debt to save for retirement 🧓

💵 Do you want free money? 1️⃣ Get the maximum 401k match from your employer. 2️⃣ Enroll in your company’s ESPP program.

🏛 Back in the late 1970s, the U.S. government faced a serious problem: with the rise of inflation and the decline of traditional pension plans, workers were struggling to save for retirement.

Moving your 401(k) can be a massive headache. 🤒 🍀🍀🍀 Luckily, it just got easier thanks to a huge move from Fidelity Investments, Vanguard, and Alight Solutions 😮

Follow below suggestions to get maximum benefits from 401k account

1️⃣ 10% per year returns + Complete liquidity (being able to convert the investment into cash)

Plans are worthless, but planning is everything - President Eisenhower.

📈 😯 📉 You just heard the market went way up (or down) and want to check your portfolio. Here's why that might not be such a good idea

To prepare for a recession, spend a few minutes reviewing job security, savings, expenses and investments.

🕵️‍♀️ I was helping a friend, who is also a Xillion customer, solve some of their financial puzzles when this came up. They were being pitched an investment idea where their funds would be locked for years in return for slightly better returns.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest inflation data today. They found that inflation slowed down for a seventh straight month in January. So prices are still up 6.4% year-over-year, but that's a slower rate than the 9% rate we experienced in the middle of 2022.

The issue with CPI is it doesn't sufficiently account for asset / fixed costs. CPI might be deflating, but do Americans feel less financial strain?

Student loan debt is getting out of hand, but that doesn't mean you should avoid it at all costs. The White House recently released data illustrating the extent of our student loan problem

Nationwide, rents tend to rise 5-10% annually. NYC is an entirely different beast.

How much of what we call "inflation" for high earners is fixed costs versus consumer goods?.

It’s no secret that millennials have gone through their fair share of financial turmoil. Recessions, pandemics, and politics have simply tired us out. It seems we can barely think a month ahead, much less consider what we want to do with our savings.

Time is the most important ingredient in investing. That’s why it’s so important to set yourself up for success early

📢📢 The median millennial household saved $50,000 for retirement and had $3,000 in emergency savings.

The Federal Reserve sets the federal funds rate, which guides interest rates and the flow of money in an economy.

Are you thinking of buying a home, but don’t know if it’s the right time to pull the trigger? Surely, you might think, these sky-high housing prices need to go down soon.

401k & IRA are great for saving and investment because they can be on autopilot most of the time and provide great returns. But this is also one of the biggest problems: we expect everything will work perfectly on autopilot no matter what. In reality, autopilot only works if you have all the inputs right. This only takes a few minutes, but it can make the difference of whether you get to your desired financial destination or not.

Inflation has started to cool, even turning negative month over month. The annual inflation rate in December was 6.5% annually, but it declined by 0.1% from the previous month. We believe inflation is likely to come back to 2%-3% within the next 12-18 months.

Credit score has become an integral part of our financial lives. Many people view it as the single most important measure of financial health. And while there’s a correlation between financial health and credit score, that’s not the whole story. You should know credit score was not created to help consumers, but to help banks make more money.

Warren Buffet advises people to invest in index funds. But he himself also invests in individual stocks. Why? Because everyone should invest in what they know well. For Buffet, it’s primarily US businesses because he and his team have studied them for decades. But for most people who don’t have the skills, time, and passion for doing hours of research on specific businesses, investing in index funds makes perfect sense.

We're in the middle of a global recession. Tech giants like Amazon, Salesforce & Microsoft are laying off 1,000s of employees. 50+ US companies have laid off almost 30K people in 2023 alone. 💼😢

Is my stock portfolio doing better than S&P 500? 🤔. The simple answer is to check if your portfolios annual returns are more than S&P 500's annual return. But this approach doesnt consider the risk you took by investing in direct stocks.

Stock market is down by 1%, but why is my portfolio down by 2%? 🤯 The answer is your portfolio beta is high! ⬆️

Investing in a 401(k) is usually the smart thing to do — but not all 401(k) investments are equally smart. In fact, you might think you’re doing everything “right” — maxing out your employer match, contributing the full amount, investing in index funds — but you can still be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table over the course of 10 to 20 years.

🙊 I once lost 99% of an investment when I tried to get too smart about investing. Then I learnt to invest at the intersection of: where I live, what I do, and what I love. ✅

2022 was one of the worst years for the stock market, with S&P 500 down by almost 15% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq down 27% YTD

📉 Lower stock price for a company means lower profits in future than previously assumed. 🚩 Sharply falling bond price signals the company has a higher bankruptcy risk than previously assumed.

Save some income tax by tax loss harvesting before end of the year. In 10 minutes, learn how to save taxes on investment gains. What exactly is tax loss harvesting?

In this open enrollment season, make sure you maximize your HSA or FSA contributions to get tax benefits. If you’re eligible for both, HSA is a better choice.

Open a brokerage account within 401k to buy low cost ETFs. 🔑 Why use Brokerage Link? All employers limit the number and type of funds that are available in your 401k plan. Most of these plans are higher cost, and often lower performing as well, as compared to other funds available via BrokerageLink.

🛑 Biggest lesson from the crypto meltdown: if anyone promises greater than 10% returns & says nothing about tradeoffs involved, JUST SAY NO ⛔. Let’s dig in.

Move 401k funds into lower-cost funds like FXAIX, VOO, VTI, etc. 🥷

Americans have $25 in money (assets) for $1 in credit (liabilities). That’s why we created Money Score to be at least 25 times more impactful to your finances than the credit score.

⛔ Tech industry has lost 200k+ jobs in the last few months with companies such as Microsoft, Netflix, Robinhood, Coinbase, Shopify, Docusign, JP Morgan laying people off. We are sliding into a recession that is primarily impacting tech workers. Even Jeff Bezos recently warned everyone to “batten down the hatches”.

How to manage your 401k accont? Are you on track to contribute the maximum amount of $20,500 to your 401k accounts this year? If not, you still have 3 paychecks to make up for lost time. How?

Elon: What did you get done this weekend? You: Rolled over my old 401k's so I will have $700,000 more at retirement! 💰

💰 Want to make some free money (up to $10k per year)? Enroll in your company’s ESPP & get 30% annualized returns with zero risk.

Why should you get punished for not being an expert in finance? You don’t get punished for lack of expertise in music or art or software or medicine. But not knowing about finance carries huge penalties.

💵 Change your default investment allocations to lowest cost index funds

💵 Yes! Buy great companies and hold them for 5+ years. 📈 Market turmoil usually means uncertainty. The market dropped 5% last week because more people were pessimistic. It rose today because more people are optimistic. Individual stocks are even bumpier. 📉

Collaborating in person beats working remotely by a mile! Entire Xillion team was in Bangalore last week. We worked hard, collaborated well and also found time to socialize with the families of Bangalore based teammates.

Because recession + inflation reduce profits while rising interest rates make stocks less valuable.

Buy VOO & SCHA

Buy a term life insurance policy worth 15x your gross annual income.

What is the greatest wealth generation machine known to humankind?

Until last year, I invested all my retirement (401k as well as Roth) savings into two index funds: 50% in **Vanguard S&P 500 index fund**; 50% in **Vanguard Russell 2000 index fund**. The thought process was simple but saved me lot of money and anguish. **By spending less than 10 minutes**, you can also **save tens of thousands of dollars** by following a few simple steps listed here.

We started Xillion because we couldn’t find honest expert mentoring/advice on how to make great financial decisions. Banks are not great place for financial advice.

Real estate buying and investing has many layers of complexity. When comparing renting versus buying, the first instinct is to compare the total rent versus total mortgage payment.

Here’s my handy guide to investing, in order of highest returns with lowest risk (in the US).

US growth stocks, especially tech stocks, have taken a huge beating over the last six months.

War is still raging in Ukraine. COVID is still wrecking China. Inflation is up & stocks are down. I’m buying stocks. Because the world will likely be in a better place in 5-10 years. Feel free to reach out if you would like to know my hypothesis behind buying these stocks (my investment horizon is 10+ years).

When utilized well debt can be a useful tool in building wealth. Low interest rate debt is better than high interest debt.

In the tech sector alone, more than 100,000 people have lost their jobs. in the last few months. Companies ranging from Microsoft, Tesla, Netflix, Robinhood, Coinbase, Shopify, Redfin, Peloton, Carvana, JP Morgan etc have been laying off employees by hundreds if not thousands. We are either already in a recession or slowly sliding into one.

Net Worth is the best way to measure your financial health. What is Net Worth?

Once the current crypto boom & bust cycle blows over, property rights can be an area where technology underlying crypto can potentially benefit the society by reducing costs and increasing velocity for certain transactions.

Using Xillion’s newly launching “Financial Independence Tool” (FIT), you can organize your financial independence journey right at your fingertips and become financially fit.

Xillion’s Money Allocation Tool helps you make smart and informed investment decisions for long term financial success.

First some background. We are building world’s best wealth mentoring platform that will provide tools, ideas and mentoring to the masses.

During a recent chat about real estate investing with a friend, I realized that some of the things are not too clear to a lot of people. Real estate buying and investing has many layers of complexity. When comparing renting versus buying, the first instinct is to compare the total rent versus total mortgage payment. But there’s more to consider.

Xillion was born out of a deep desire to help others make great financial decisions.