Before You Start: The Fine Print, in Plain English

This book is education, not advice. Here’s what that means, no lawyer-speak:

I don’t know you. I don’t know your debts, your local’s pension rules, your health, your taxes, or your ex. So nothing in this book — or any video, podcast, or post connected to it — is personalized financial, investment, tax, legal, or insurance advice. It’s general information and one tradesperson-friendly way of thinking about money. The author is not a licensed financial advisor, CPA, attorney, or insurance agent.

The people in these stories are composites — real patterns, not real names. The math uses round numbers and an assumed 7% average annual return because it’s a reasonable long-run planning illustration — it is not a prediction or a promise. Markets lose money some years. Past performance doesn’t guarantee anything about the future.

Company and product names are examples so you know what things look like in the real world. They’re not endorsements, and nobody paid to be in this book.

Dollar limits, tax rules, and laws change constantly. Verify current numbers at the official source before acting.

Before any big move — insurance, pension elections, tax strategy, legal claims, real estate — run it past a qualified licensed professional who can look at YOUR situation. You’d pull a permit for a big job. Same idea.