Andre's Monthly Roundup - April 2025

Apr 30, 2025

Here are a few highlights from across my channels that I think you’ll like.

Substack Post: FIRE in San Francisco: Updated Projections

$5.65M to retire early in San Francisco? That was the number I shared last year, and it kicked off a flood of reactions. I revisited the math with updated tax modeling, refined bond location assumptions, and ran it through the worst historical return sequences. The 3% withdrawal rate still holds up. If you’re trying to make FIRE work in a high-cost city, this is worth a look.

Substack Post: April Tariff Tumble Reactions

The NASDAQ dropped more than 10 percent in a few days while I was on spring break. I walked through what happened and how I responded. Twelve months of cash, a steady hand, and some tax loss harvesting. No panic. Just sticking to the plan.

Substack Post: Meet Extra Guac: A Free Year of ProjectionLab, Lunch Money, Kubera, Mezzi, Carry Solo 401k, Discounts on Frec, and More

I partnered with the people behind the tools I actually use to create something new: the Extra Guac tier of FAANG FIRE. More than $1,000 in real value. ProjectionLab, Kubera, Lunch Money, Mezzi, Carry, and Frec. If you’re already on the top tier, you already have it, you just need to fill out the redemption form.

Reminder: Kubera ($249 value) is only eligible before May 15th.

WSJ: Tech Workers Are Just Like the Rest of Us: Miserable at Work

I was quoted in the Wall Street Journal about the shift in tech work culture. Up until 2022, you felt untouchable. That’s no longer the case. Perks are fading, workloads are rising, and job security is a memory.

Join the discussion on LinkedIn

LNKD: Don’t Forget About After-Tax 401k Contributions

This one got over 750,000 views on LinkedIn. I explained why “mega backdoor Roth” is a terrible name for something that’s actually simple, especially if you work at a place like Meta or Uber. I also showed exactly how to set it up. If you’re not taking advantage of your After-Tax 401k, you’re missing a big opportunity.

LNKD: How to Get $100K Into Roth Accounts (Without Breaking Anything)

This started as a joke and turned into a step-by-step breakdown of how a household can get over $100K into Roth accounts in one year. After-Tax 401k. Backdoor Roth IRAs. Mid-year job change. Solo 401k. It’s not a trick. It’s just using the rules as written.

LNKD: Concrete Financial Steps and the FAANG FIRE Prioritization Flowchart

I shared five simple financial steps I took in April to tune up my setup. Recalculated my emergency fund, checked asset allocation, and cleared out excess cash. I also included the updated FIRE prioritization flowchart, avocado jokes and all.

LNKD: Where to See Your Pre-Tax vs Roth Breakdown in Fidelity

Fidelity doesn’t make it easy to see how much of your 401k is Pre-Tax vs Roth. I showed exactly how to find it inside NetBenefits. Click by click. If you’ve ever tried to figure this out and got stuck, this post walks you through it.

LNKD: Are the Days of the Sabbatical in Tech Numbered?

Uber just pushed its four-week sabbatical benefit from year five to year eight. Meta called it the “Recharge.” Microsoft gave it after ten years. These were some of the best perks in tech, and they’re starting to disappear. If you were close to the old cutoff, losing a full paid month stings.

Currently Reading:

Millionaire Milestones by Sam Dogen (Financial Samurai)
Abundance by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson (not FIRE related)

Wild month! Doesn’t look like May will calm down. FAANG companies are finishing up earnings this week which means that most trading windows will be open! I am looking forward to writing more RSU related posts and a refreshed primer on wash sales!

-Andre

FAANG FIRE