This is the quarterly update. Three things in it: what students reported to me this year, what each class actually covers, and when the next one runs.
What I teach, in one paragraph
Most financial education teaches you how to save. Almost none of it teaches you how to withdraw. Those are two different skills, and the second one is where the tax bill lives. What I teach is the system the wealthy have used for generations and nobody bothered to explain to everyone else: buy assets, borrow against them instead of selling them, and let your heirs inherit at a stepped-up basis. I call the framework S.M.A.R.T., Strategies to Maximize Assets and Reduce Taxes. Around it sit the four types of taxes, the retirement account trap, how an IUL builds a tax-free family bank, and how real estate can wipe out a large part of a tax bill.
It is not a secret and it is not a loophole. It is just a sequence, and the sequence has to be run in order.
The wins you reported
I asked students what they had accomplished and what they were proud of. Names appear the way each person chose. Some kept it to a sentence. Some wrote a page. Both count.
Dan P., first $500,000. “I shifted to BBD in April during the fear timing of tariffs. One account I started with $3K and is now at $60K, investing weekly. I used the margin to borrow half the money to fund my son playing soccer in Italy with Juventus, an opportunity of a lifetime, without paying out of pocket and losing the long-term gains. I’m also helping my mother gift money to the grandkids using BBD. I’m teaching them The Perfect Portfolio along the way.” Next up: long-term care planning.
Ilya K., $340,000 in M1. Partially moved funds out of retirement accounts, planning an IUL. Next up: converting the rest into income-producing assets tax-efficiently.
Jon F., first $100,000. “Started with $2,000 in M1 almost one year ago. Acquired assets regularly to get a portfolio of $80K. Used the Borrow Button to get a down payment on a second home that I’ll be remodeling and making my primary home, and my existing home becomes a rental. Great year! I already owned a successful cabinet business before joining the program, and I’ve used what I learned to exponentially expand my net worth in just one year.” Next up: accredited investor by the end of 2027.
John, first $100,000. “I wasn’t even part of the program a full year, but I wanted to hit the Borrow Button to pay my property taxes, home and auto insurance, and HOA fees in full. I accomplished it easily.” Next up: a rental property.
Sherman C., first $100,000. Moved a work 401(k) to M1, grew it, then moved it to a professional manager. Next up: starting his own business after retirement.
Andrew R. and Philip R., first $250,000 each. A margin loan for one, tax loss harvesting for the other.
Andre, first $100,000. “Developing my own borrowing and investing strategy once my portfolio was in place. Building consistency, dedication, and discipline.” Next up: $300,000.
Brandon, first $100,000. Using good debt to buy a home instead of leaving money dead.
Jeff C., $75,000 built. “Life-changing. Great opportunities. And learning every day. Thank you.”
Ginger B., first $10,000 invested. “Learning how to build our own family bank.” Next up, in her words: convincing her husband that Buy, Borrow, Die beats what his father preached.
Two alumni who asked to stay anonymous: one crossed $100,000, one repositioned retirement funds into M1 and plans to pay the tax on margin.
Notice what keeps appearing. Property taxes paid in full. A down payment. A son’s season in Italy. That is the Borrow Button, and it is the single most common first move once a portfolio is actually in place. The trade-off is real and I say it in every class: borrowing carries a cost and a margin call is a real risk. You size the loan so that risk stays small. That is the whole skill.
Now tell me yours
I am collecting wins for the next issue. Opening a first account counts. So does finally putting a retirement date on the calendar.
Share your win here. It takes about two minutes, you choose how you are credited, and anonymous is a real option.
The classes, and who each one is actually for
Three ways in. They are not ranked, they are different jobs.
Self-paced Video Course, $599. Eight recorded classes of about ninety minutes each, with slide PDFs and a knowledge test per class. It costs the least and it answers no questions. If you are disciplined and you mostly need the sequence laid out, this is enough. Start it anytime.
Live 8-week Course, $2,487. Eight live sessions on Zoom, capped at fifty students so your own question can actually get answered. Includes two one-on-one calls with me, the alumni group, and a standing invitation to sit in on any future cohort at no charge. The next cohort starts Wednesday, January 13, 2027, 5 PM Pacific and 8 PM Eastern. The first three weeks are open sessions, so you can see the whole thing before you pay for anything. The first paid class is Wednesday, February 3, 2027, and the cohort finishes Wednesday, March 10, 2027.
Mastermind, $24,995. Two years of coaching with me and the team, plus introductions to the advisors, tax specialists and managers I actually use. It is built for high income earners with real complexity. If the numbers and the timing are not there yet, I will tell you so rather than sell you a seat.
If you already bought one and want to move up, what you paid is credited against the next one.
What is next
The current cohort finishes on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. After that there is no live class until January, and I am not going to invent a reason for you to hurry.
Between now and then: the audiobook edition of Be Smart, Pay Zero Taxes is coming, and there will be Mastermind seminars on tax planning and real estate that Mastermind students attend free.
If you are not sure which of the three fits you, reply and describe your situation. I will tell you honestly, including when the answer is none of them yet.
Education only, not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Always consult with a licensed professional before making financial decisions.