$0 to $1,000 · Stabilization

Goal: stop the bleeding. Build the first buffer. Your life probably has a leak, find it and close it before worrying about anything else.

• No investing yet. No Bitcoin yet. No 401(k) contributions beyond the match.
• Goal: $1,000 in a checking or high-yield savings account as a starter buffer.
• Track every dollar for one month to understand where money is actually going.
• If high-interest debt exists (credit cards, payday loans, 22%+ APR), this buffer takes priority over debt payoff only because a buffer prevents you adding to debt next time the car breaks down.

See /zero-to-one/ for the complete playbook when starting from here.

$1,000 to $10,000 · Foundation

Goal: kill high-interest debt. Grow the emergency fund. Start retirement accounts even if contributions are small.

• Credit cards: eliminated. Avalanche method. Pay minimums on all, everything extra to the highest APR.
• Emergency fund: 3 months of expenses. Parked in an HYSA earning ~4% APY.
• Roth IRA opened. Even $50/month. The account matters as much as the amount at this stage because you're establishing the habit.
• First Bitcoin purchase. $20–$50. It doesn't matter how tiny. Just own some. See how to buy.

Focus: foundation before offense. Debt payoff is the highest-returning “investment” you can make at 22% APR guaranteed.

$10,000 to $50,000 · Building

Goal: automate everything. Consistency compounds. At this stage, habits matter more than amounts.

• Emergency fund complete (3–6 months expenses).
• Roth IRA maximized annually ($7,000/yr).
• 401(k) contributions above the match if cash flow allows.
• Bitcoin DCA consistent and automated (River, Swan, or direct bank ACH).
• Every dollar has a job before the month starts.

The goal is boring systems that work without willpower. If your saving requires daily decisions, it won't scale.

$50,000 to $100,000 · First Milestone

Net worth of $100K is statistically significant. Compounding becomes visible for the first time. Charlie Munger's line: “The first $100,000 is a bitch, but you gotta do it.”^[1]

• Don't touch it. The hardest part is not sabotaging your own progress.
• Consider a hardware wallet and self-custody if Bitcoin position is meaningful ($1K+).
• Review your insurance: term life if you have dependents, disability if you rely on your paycheck.
• Increase contribution rates with every raise. Lifestyle inflation is the silent killer here.

$100,000 to $500,000 · Optimization

Now account selection and tax efficiency start mattering in absolute dollar terms. A 0.5% expense-ratio reduction on $250K saves $1,250/year. A better asset location strategy can save $2,000–$5,000/year in taxes.

• Asset location: tax-inefficient assets (bonds, REITs) in tax-advantaged accounts; tax-efficient (index funds, Bitcoin) can live in taxable.
• Tax-loss harvesting in the taxable account.
• Estate planning becomes relevant: will, beneficiary designations, power of attorney.
• Bitcoin custody should be hardware wallet + own node + Sparrow (Level 3 from custody levels).
• Backdoor Roth if income phases you out of direct Roth contributions.

$500,000 to $1,000,000 · Protection

You've built something. Now protect it.

• Umbrella insurance policy. $1M of liability coverage for ~$200/year. Best ROI in personal insurance.
• Estate planning: full will, possibly a revocable living trust, healthcare directives, durable financial POA.
• Bitcoin multisig worth considering if BTC position is >$50K.
• Consider a fee-only fiduciary advisor for a one-time review (not ongoing AUM fees).
• Review beneficiary designations on every account, they override your will.

$1,000,000+ · Deployment

Different game. You're thinking about withdrawal rather than accumulation, about legacy rather than growth.

• Sequence-of-returns risk is real. A bad decade of returns at the start of retirement is a permanent blow. See sequence of returns.
• Roth conversion ladder. Convert Traditional to Roth in low-income years (early retirement, sabbaticals).
• Stepped-up basis planning. What passes to heirs at death gets a stepped-up cost basis, a huge tax advantage. See stepped-up basis.
• Bitcoin exit strategy. How much do you sell? When? State residency for tax efficiency (Texas, Florida, Tennessee)? See exit strategy.
• Bitcoin custody at Level 4 or 5. Multisig is no longer optional.