Wealth by Lex

First-gen Latino PE. $9/hr to $930K at 30 with a W-2 + index funds. No inheritance. No guru playbook. Building optionality by 2030.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

Graduated UC Davis with ~$20k in student loans and a $9/hr Carl's Jr job.

At 30: $935,000 liquid net worth in VOO, SWPPX, and VTI on a W-2 engineering salary.

Zero crypto. Zero day trading. Zero stock picks.

The exact cashflow systems and simulator are linked in my bio.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

IRC Section 415(c) caps total defined contribution additions at $72,000 for 2026.

After maxing the $24,500 employee limit under 402(g), employer profit-sharing and match can absorb up to $47,500.

Know your statutory tax ceilings.

Reply STAMP for the compensation guide.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

Graduated UC Davis in 2017 with ~$20k in student loans and a $9/hr college job at Carl's Jr.

Paid off every dollar of debt using early W-2 engineering cashflow while buying VOO and SWPPX every payday.

Today at 30: $935K liquid portfolio.

Reply WATERFALL for the roadmap.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

At 30, my engineering firm transitioned to a 100% ESOP.

With 5 years of tenure, I became fully vested on day one.

Combining statutory equity allocation with an automated 70% savings rate turns W-2 engineering into an ownership vehicle.

Reply SIMULATOR for the model.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

@BrianFeroldi From $9/hr at Carl's Jr to $930K at 30 as a first-gen engineer: zero single stocks, zero speculative gambles. Pure low-cost index funds and consistency.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

The 2026 IRS limits let a W-2 engineer shield $28,900 from taxes:
- $24,500 via IRC Section 402(g) 401(k)
- $4,400 via IRC Section 223 HSA

Add employer match + mega-backdoor up to the $72,000 Section 415(c) limit.

Reply WATERFALL for the tax stack diagram.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

The average new vehicle payment is $735/mo per Experian.

Driving my paid-off 2010 Civic frees up that $735 every month.

Investing that spread into VOO at an 8% return compounds to $254k in 15 years.

Sunk costs dictate runway.

Reply CIVIC for the cashflow model.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

At a 3.0x FAR Part 31 billing multiplier, my firm bills my PE direct labor at $202/hr ($140k base = $67/hr).

On 1,800 billable hours, that generates $364k in corporate revenue.

Understanding firm math is how you negotiate raises.

Reply STAMP for the worksheet.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

@theficouple High W-2 earnings only matter if you maintain an automated gap. Keeping fixed living costs flat while growing your comp stack creates unbeatable compounding.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

@BrianFeroldi Boring index funds (VOO/SWPPX) + automated discipline beat 99% of stock pickers and market timers. Automating every payday is the most reliable strategy.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

W-2 engineer monthly budget ($8,200 net):

- Rent (AZ): $1,025
- Groceries: $550
- Commuter car: $180
- Utilities: $220
- Fun: $400
- Automated VOO: $5,825

Savings rate: 71% ($935K at 30).

What is your single biggest monthly expense holding back your savings rate?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

Hitting $935K at 30 required:
- Skipping $3k party trips
- Driving a 2010 Civic
- Cooking 90% of meals at home
- Living in an older 1-bed unit

Friends partied in Tulum with $8k saved.

Did you ever feel like you sacrificed too much in your 20s?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

Hit $935,000 in VOO at 30 on a W-2.

At a 4% safe withdrawal rate, it yields $37,400/yr passive.

My living expenses in AZ are $28,000/yr.

Work is now mathematically optional.

If you hit your baseline number at 30, would you keep working your 9-to-5 or quit?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

@InvestingAddict Boring index funds (VOO/SWPPX) + automated discipline beat 99% of stock pickers and market timers. Automating every payday is the most reliable strategy.

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

An advisor pitched me a mutual fund with a 1.2% fee.

As a licensed electrical PE, I modeled it.

Over 25 years, that 1.2% fee siphons $380,000 vs 0.03% on VOO.

Meeting ended in 10 mins.

Has an advisor ever tried selling you high-fee funds over index funds?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

$9/hr at Carl's Jr to $935K in VOO at 30.

Compound growth on a W-2:
- Yr 1: $14k
- Yr 3: $68k
- Yr 5: $195k
- Yr 7: $480k
- Yr 9: $935k (returns > pay)

What year of your compounding curve are you in right now?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

My mom worked in a warehouse. My dad cooked double shifts in retirement homes.

Neither knew what a Roth IRA was.

When I told my mom my VOO account hit $935,000 at 30, she cried because money meant survival-never freedom.

What money mindset did you unlearn from parents?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

I make $155,000/yr as a licensed engineer.

My rent in AZ is $1,025/month.

People ask why I rent a 1-bedroom with almost a million liquid.

Keeping housing at 8% of gross income let me sweep $6,500/mo into VOO ($935K at 30).

What percentage of your take-home goes to rent?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

W-2 electrical PE comp: $199.6k ($140k base + $15k bonus).

Renting for $1,025/mo in AZ keeps housing at 8% of income, deploying $5,800/mo into VOO.

Hit $935K at 30.

Is your current rent or mortgage under 20% of your take-home pay right now?

[Wealth by Lex @WealthByLex]

First job: Carl's Jr flipping burgers for $9/hr.

Today at 30: $935K liquid balance sheet in VOO as a licensed electrical engineer.

Zero single stocks. Zero guru courses. Pure index funds.

What was your very first hourly job, and what did it pay?