(For the Americans
How many of you actually have a full system for structuring your business(es), legally minimizing your taxes, putting away pre-tax dollars for retirement, etc., providing yourself with health coverage, and providing insurance for your family (or your future family)?
I never really had any real sense of what I was just *giving away* to the government each year, until about eight years ago when I hooked up with financial and legal people who not only knew their stuff, but were industry-friendly.
I went from paying six figures annually in taxes to paying a LOT less in taxes - setting up tax-friendly health plans for myself and my then-gf, setting up life insurance plans in the event that by the time I got married and had kids I was uninsurable --- and putting a LOT more pre-tax money away before the goverment took it.
I was totally unaware of how much all of this would not only benefit me later, but benefit me immediately. And am wondering whether I'm the exception - or whether the "make it, spend it, make more" mentality that was so prevalent during the good times is still the way most people handle things.
Weekend warriors and beer-money moguls need not respond
