Stash Advice

On a journey to build wealth and master #personalfinance, #investing, and #financialindependence. Big tech #software #engineer by day and #blogger by night.

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

Scammers love a confusing transition: the government never charges fees for federal student loan help. Anything a 'document prep' company offers, you can do free at https://t.co/T6iuvFTiUT. Verify every deadline in your own servicer account, in writing.

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

Your 90-day SAVE deadline isn't really 90 days. The Education Dept's processing queues are months deep — ~82,000 PSLF Buyback applications pending (WaPo, Oct 5) and hundreds of thousands of IDR plan-switch applications (court filings). The queue is part of your deadline now. 🧵

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

Waiting on PSLF Buyback specifically? Keep making qualifying payments while you wait, and keep every confirmation in writing. Some borrowers past their 120th payment are still being billed — stuck between paying unnecessarily or risking delinquency. A paper trail wins disputes.

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

USA Today says inflation killed FIRE. The math says the number just moved — the classic 25x target vs ~30x for a 40-year retirement, and what it looks like in 2021 dollars. Run your own numbers before you decide: https://t.co/pq2ZcWbziw

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

If you are 50+ and earned over $150,000 last year, your 2026 401(k) catch-up contributions must be Roth — and the switch happens silently on your paystub. A 3-paystub check to make sure payroll got it right: https://t.co/1DYFlk8AFf

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

New on Stash Advice: How does an HSA actually work? The triple tax break, 2026 contribution limits, and who should skip one. Plain-English and educational — not advice. https://t.co/TgS78QivA7

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

And for your career: this is a 'low-hire, low-fire' market. If you're employed, the risk isn't losing your job -- it's that switching is harder and raises are thinner (wage growth 3.0%/yr, slowest since May 2021 -- BLS, Oct 2, 2026). Keep the emergency fund healthy.

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

Today's September jobs report was weak — and it landed two weeks after the Fed's first rate hike since 2023.

Here's what it means for your money: mortgages, savings, and your job. 🧵

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

The flip side favors savers. If the Fed pauses in October, today's top savings yields stay on the table longer. Banks trim savings rates fast once the Fed pivots. A pause doesn't raise your APY; it just delays the cut.

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

Got an IRS letter about a $1,000 retirement match? It's real -- the Saver's Match starts with 2027 contributions: a 50% Treasury-deposited match on the first $2,000 you put in. Who qualifies and what to do before 2027: https://t.co/Z0LUPfrE7j

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

2/7 What it does, per the joint announcement: explains the consequences of default, compares your ways out (rehabilitation vs. consolidation), lets you apply online for either, make a payment, and review repayment plans. It's at https://t.co/GSksxxkVQZ

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

1/7 🧵 If you defaulted on your federal student loans, getting back into repayment just got less painful. The Treasury and Education departments launched a new online portal yesterday (Sept 30): the Defaulted Loans Support Center.

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

Full breakdown, including brand-by-brand resale vs. retail math and the RedWeek cross-check: https://t.co/vvrotjYWiM

[Stash Advice @stashadvice]

We analyzed 2,055 timeshare resale listings so you can see the real market. 41% are being given away for free. Median asking price: $395 — less than one year of typical maintenance fees.