Wealth
Foundations
Every default setting in your brokerage costs money you can measure.
We calculate the exact dollar gap, trace it over 30 years,
and hand you the one change that closes it.
Academic-Backed
Original Calculations
Math Beats Intuition
$68,195 Portfolio Rebalancing Strategy: One Change.
Monthly calendar rebalancing costs $68,195 more than a 5% threshold strategy over 30 years. One account setting drives the entire gap.
$334,814 Expense Ratio Impact: The Fee Nobody Shows You
1% expense ratio = $750/yr on a $75K balance (ICI 2026). 0.03% index fund = $22.50/yr for identical market exposure. The 30-year compound gap: $334,814.
91% Asset Allocation Strategy: One Decision. All Returns.
Most investors optimize the wrong 9% of their portfolio decisions. Vanguard research shows asset allocation strategy explains 91.1% of return variability.
$455,716 Tax Loss Harvesting Rules: 30-Day Clock
Tax loss harvesting rules produce 1.08% annualized tax alpha, not a $720 annual deduction. That alpha compounds into a $455,716 gap over 30 years.
$809,799 Mega Backdoor Roth: Most 401k Plans Block This
The IRS permits $72,000 in total 401(k) contributions under §415(c), but 78% of employer plans block the $42,100 after-tax capacity that makes the mega backdoor Roth possible.
$112,443 Backdoor Roth IRA Rules: Hidden in Your IRA
62% of IRA households trigger the pro-rata rule, converting a tax-free backdoor Roth into a $112,443 compounding penalty. The 15-minute fix costs $0.
Overfunded 529 Plan: The 10% Exit Trap Most Parents Miss
Most parents with an overfunded 529 plan see the 10% penalty and stop. The penalty on a $50,000 account with 50% earnings costs $2,500.
$492,128 HSA Investment Strategy: Sitting Uninvested
91% of HSA holders leave balances in cash. The investment strategy gap costs $492,128 over 35 years on $4,400 annual contributions. The Triple-Tax Investment Test takes 32 minutes.
$19,725 Pattern Day Trader Rule: One Label. Locked.
Reg T margin: $30K buying power on $15K equity. Cash account: $15K. The 50% gap compounds to $19,725 over 10 years.
Zero Commission Broker Hidden Fees: They Still Get Paid
Your broker says $0 commission. Researchers spent $23,000 placing 85,000 identical trades and found the real cost: up to 0.46% per trade. Three hidden layers compound to $223,908 over 30…
