Personal Finance for People in Tech

The second edition of Personal Finance for People in Tech: How High Earners Can Spend Wisely, Invest Well, and Plan for Financial Independence by Jason Weill is now available in the Kindle Store. The print book and audiobook are also available.

If you have purchased the audiobook, you can download the companion PDF from this site.

Universities train talented students to develop the most advanced technologies in the world. Graduates sign employment offer letters that promise salaries, bonuses, stock options, and restricted stock units (RSUs) that will make them earn far more than most Americans. Despite this, personal finance remains a taboo among many people, rarely talked about openly and rarely discussed in polite company. I wrote Personal Finance for People in Tech to share what I’ve learned about managing my finances after nearly 20 years of working in the software industry.

This book is geared towards high-earning professionals working in the U.S. Not all high-earning Americans work in high-tech industries and not everyone working in tech is a high earner. I offer my thoughts on topics including investing, saving, understanding employer benefits like RSUs and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP), alternative investments like cryptocurrency, hiring professionals to help you with your finances, and the financial independence / retire early (FIRE) movement.

Introduction

Part I: Getting Started

Chapter 1: What Do You Want To Do?
Chapter 2: Evaluating a Job Offer
Chapter 3: Your Employer’s Stock

Part II: Disposable Income

Chapter 4: Your Basic Expenses and Your Emergency Fund
Chapter 5: Spending Your Money
Chapter 6: Saving for Retirement
Chapter 7: Consumer Debt
Chapter 8: Buying a Home
Chapter 9: Mortgages
Chapter 10: Investing
Chapter 11: Alternative Investments
Chapter 12: Charity

Part III: Upkeep

Chapter 13: Security
Chapter 14: Counting Your Money
Chapter 15: Insurance
Chapter 16: Vigilance Against Scams
Chapter 17: Windfalls
Chapter 18: Your Income Tax Returns

Part IV: Life Changes

Chapter 19: Changing Jobs
Chapter 20: Marriage
Chapter 21: Your Children’s Education
Chapter 22: Trusts
Chapter 23: Your Assets After You Die

Part V: Continuing Education

Chapter 24: Financial Advisors
Chapter 25: Accredited Investors and Unregistered Securities
Chapter 26: Community Help
Chapter 27: Downshifting
Chapter 28: Financial Independence

Afterword

Acknowledgements

Bibliography and Further Reading

About the Author

Table of contents