Tracking my journey toward financial independence and the evolution of my wealth-building strategy from 2010 to present.

My Approach to Financial Independence

I don’t subscribe to the traditional “FIRE” (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement’s emphasis on extreme frugality and early retirement. My philosophy is different: build substantial wealth to create optionality, not to stop working.

I don’t have a specific net investable assets (NIA) target to declare “financial independence” because the number matters less than what I accomplish along the way. I expect to continue working in some capacity through my late 40s—not because I have to, but because I want to complete certain professional goals while I’m positioned to execute them.

That said, I expect my NIA to reach 8 figures in my 50s on a high-income + high-savings trajectory, with litigation finance compounding the base over time—but only if the underwriting and platform structure are right.

I do use intermediate milestones (like $5M and an age-60 snapshot) for planning, but I treat them as directional rather than a definition of “financial independence.”

Net Investable Assets Growth (2010-Present)

Net Investable Assets include all cash and investments (including retirement accounts) minus consumer debt (credit cards and loans), excluding personal property such as vehicles, jewelry, and real estate.

Year-Over-Year Performance

Note on % Change: $ Change is the source of truth (year-over-year change in NIA from contributions, investment gains/losses, and life expenses). % Change is derived as $ Change ÷ prior year NIA. It is not intended to represent a pure portfolio return.

Year Forecast Actual $ Change % Change
2010 — $30,504 $12,982 74.10%
2011 — $75,188 $44,684 146.49%
2012 — $104,839 $29,651 39.44%
2013 — $186,722 $81,884 78.10%
2014 — $313,277 $126,555 67.78%
2015 $450,000 $530,141 $216,864 69.22%
2016 $650,000 $651,747 $121,606 22.94%
2017 $780,000 $894,456 $242,709 37.24%
2018 $1,100,000 $1,124,048 $229,591 25.67%
2019 $1,630,000 $1,337,555 $213,507 18.99%
2020 $1,500,000 $1,547,636 $210,081 15.71%
2021 $1,750,000 $1,877,640 $330,004 21.32%
2022 $1,950,000 $1,570,401 ($307,239) (16.36%)
2023 $2,200,000 $1,734,010 $163,609 10.42%
2024 $2,450,000 $1,786,901 $52,891 3.05%
2025 $2,750,000 $2,177,738* $390,837 21.87%
2026 $2,700,000 — $500,000 22.96%
2027 $3,200,000 — $500,000 18.52%
2028 $3,700,000 — $500,000 15.63%
2029 $4,200,000 — $500,000 13.51%
2030 $4,700,000 — $500,000 11.90%
2031 $5,700,000 — $1,000,000 21.28%
2032 $6,700,000 — $1,000,000 17.54%
2033 $7,700,000 — $1,000,000 14.93%
2034 $8,700,000 — $1,000,000 12.99%
2035 $10,200,000 — $1,500,000 17.24%
2036 $11,700,000 — $1,500,000 14.71%
2037 $13,200,000 — $1,500,000 12.82%
2038 $14,700,000 — $1,500,000 11.36%
2039 $16,200,000 — $1,500,000 10.20%

*2025 data through November. Shaded rows: $ Change and 2026 Forecast ($2.7M) are inputs; 2027+ Forecast = prior + $ Change, % Change = $ Change ÷ prior year. See “Path Forward” below for assumptions.

Key Milestones and Strategy Evolution

Major Milestones

  • July 2018: Crossed $1 million in net investable assets ($1,014,842)
  • November 2021: Reached $2,129,874 peak
  • June 2022: Hit bottom at $1,492,769 (-30% from peak)
  • December 2022: Year-end decline to $1,570,401 (-16.36% for the year)
  • September 2025: Exceeded previous peak, reaching $2,183,111
  • November 2025: Current position at $2,177,738—new sustained high

Strategy Updates and Lessons Learned

July 2019 – Aggressive Projections

I projected reaching $2 million by 2020 and $5 million by end of 2023, based on optimistic expectations for litigation finance investments (30% returns on LexShares, 13% on YieldStreet). These forecasts assumed my alternative investment concentration strategy would deliver exceptional returns.

January 2020 – Peak Optimism

I maintained aggressive 2020 forecasts (estimating annual returns of 30% on LexShares and 13% on YieldStreet). I excluded W-2 income from projections, expecting it to be offset by large medical expenses related to growing family.

September 2020 – Reality Check

After LexShares published disappointing performance statistics in June 2020, I lowered expected returns to 10% IRR. The platform’s case underwriting proved subpar. This was a turning point—realizing that conviction without execution quality leads to mediocre results.

2017-2020 – The Wrong Platforms (LexShares + YieldStreet)

In hindsight, my initial litigation finance concentration strategy didn’t “fail” because litigation finance can’t work—it failed because I trusted the wrong platforms and incentive structures.

  • Capital got tied up for years: from 2017 through 2020, I kept adding to LexShares and YieldStreet with the expectation of equity-like compounding, but the reality was long-duration illiquidity with limited control over underwriting quality.
  • Results were closer to breakeven than modeled: after years of waiting, the combined experience across those two retail platforms was closer to “money in, money out” than the compounding I expected—meaning I effectively burned ~4 years of time and attention while capital sat in an illiquid book that didn’t move the needle.
  • The real mistake wasn’t concentration—it was counterparty/platform risk: even when deals are labeled “senior secured” or “diversified across cases,” incentives and restructuring dynamics can turn theoretical protections into marketing.

If you want the long version (with the receipts), these posts document what went wrong:

I began shifting new commitments toward litigation finance funds in early 2020. It still required patience—meaningful results took time to show up—but by 2025 that book began to contribute real gains, validating the idea that the asset class can work once you get the people, process, and structure right.

October 2021 – Brief Peak

My NIA peaked at $2,129,874 in November 2021, driven by continued high income, disciplined saving, and investment performance. However, this proved to be temporary. By December 2021, I’d declined to $1,877,640—a 12% drop in one month, foreshadowing the challenges ahead.

2022 – The Correction Year

2022 marked my first significant decline since tracking began in 2010. I lost 16.36% ($307,239), ending the year at $1,570,401. The decline was driven by multiple factors:

  • Healthcare costs: Major medical expenses totaling $180,000 in 2022 (part of ~$300,000 from 2020-2023) reduced investable capital and flexibility
  • Litigation finance impairments: A major loss event (including a meaningful YieldStreet write-off) plus broader write-downs across the litigation finance book
  • Portfolio cleanup: Liquidating and simplifying underperforming positions, often at unattractive marks

The combination of write-downs, cleanup, and healthcare expenses created a perfect storm. From the November 2021 peak to the June 2022 trough ($1,492,769), I experienced a 30% drawdown—the largest decline in my tracking history.

2023-2024 – Gradual Recovery (and Cleanup)

Recovery proved slower than the decline. I gained +10.42% in 2023 and +3.05% in 2024, ending 2024 at $1,786,901—still 16% below the November 2021 peak after three years of recovery. The modest gains reflected:

  • Continued high W-2 income and disciplined saving (adding ~$150-200K annually)
  • Ongoing medical expenses (~$120K in 2023) continuing to consume capital
  • After the 2022 YieldStreet loss, continued cleanup and repositioning across the litigation finance book
  • Final liquidation of several legacy positions (simplifying exposures and freeing up attention/capital)

2025 – The Recovery Completes

2025 marked a turning point with strong performance throughout the year:

  • January 2025: Started at $1,804,207
  • April 2025: Crossed $1.9M milestone
  • May 2025: Exceeded $2M for first time since 2021
  • September 2025: Surpassed previous November 2021 peak ($2,183,111)
  • November 2025: Reached $2,177,738 (new sustained high)

The 21.87% gain in 2025 (through November) was driven by:

  • Continued high W-2 income with strong bonus performance
  • Medical expenses finally concluding, allowing a higher effective savings rate to compound
  • Litigation finance positioning: Portfolio simplification plus concentrated litigation finance fund positions that proved directionally right and became a major driver of the 2025 recovery

Recovery metrics: From June 2022 trough ($1,492,769) to November 2025 ($2,177,738) represents a 45.9% recovery over 3.5 years. The complete cycle—peak to trough to new peak—took exactly 4 years (November 2021 to November 2025).

Current Strategy and Future Outlook

What I’ve Learned (2018-2025)

  • Forecasts Are Consistently Optimistic: My 2019 projection of $5M by 2023 missed by $3.3M. My 2025 forecast of $2.75M missed by ~$570K. I consistently overestimate growth rates.
  • Recovery Takes Time: A 30% drawdown took 3.5 years to recover fully, even with high income and continued contributions. Volatility is costly in time, not just dollars.
  • W-2 Income Is The Foundation: My steady tech job contributed $600-800K in total savings from 2022-2025 during the recovery period. This reliable income matters more than getting any single thesis exactly right.
  • Life Expenses Are Real: ~$300K in medical expenses from 2020-2023 represented 2+ years of savings contributions. Major life events can significantly impact wealth accumulation timelines.
  • Concentration Risk Is Nuanced: My 2017-2020 retail-platform concentration taught me that illiquidity + underwriting variance + platform/counterparty risk can dominate outcomes—capital can get tied up for years and still fail to compound.
  • Concentrated Bets Can Still Pay: A concentrated litigation finance fund bet ended up being “right” and was a major contributor to the 2025 recovery.
  • Simplicity Wins Most of the Time: I don’t need constant new complexity to make progress. The backbone is still high income + disciplined saving + focusing on the few investments where I actually have conviction (for me, that’s litigation finance).
  • Time Heals: Patient capital combined with continued contributions eventually overcomes setbacks, but it requires psychological resilience through multi-year drawdowns.

Current Position (November 2025)

At $2,177,738, I’m at a new all-time high, having successfully navigated the 2021-2022 correction:

  • 94% above my 2018 $1M milestone (7 years of growth)
  • 2.2% above my November 2021 previous peak (new high)
  • 46% above the June 2022 trough (complete recovery)
  • 21% below my 2025 forecast of $2.75M (forecasts remain optimistic)

Litigation Finance Fund Commitments

  • 2020 vintage: $1.0M commitment to a litigation finance fund (Fund I)
  • 2024 vintage: $1.5M commitment to the same sponsor’s next fund (Fund II)
  • 2026 vintage: $1.0M commitment to another litigation finance fund (Fund IV)

At this point, my view is that the fund channel—when the sponsor is high-quality and incentives are aligned—is where my litigation finance exposure is strongest.

Path Forward (2026-2039 Projections)

The shaded rows in the table use $ Change and 2026 Forecast ($2.7M) as inputs. From 2027 onward, Forecast = prior year + $ Change and % Change = $ Change ÷ prior year. So the dollar adds are what I model; the percentage shrinks as the base grows (e.g. ~23% in 2026 down to ~10% in 2039).

The scenario assumes:

  • Continued employment with high compensation for multiple more years
  • Maintaining a high savings rate (contributions remain the engine)
  • Returns driven primarily by litigation finance (I do not run a public stock portfolio; outside of retirement accounts and employer equity, I’m effectively all-in litigation finance)
  • An increasing annual $ Change schedule over time (income growth + a growing base compounding through litigation finance), not a constant portfolio return
  • No major adverse shocks (health, employment, or prolonged impairment in the litigation finance ecosystem)

Litigation finance outcomes are often lumpy (step-function distributions and write-downs). This forecast smooths that reality into an annualized path for readability.

Key projection checkpoints (from the table):

  • 2026: $2.7M (22.96% on 2025 actual)
  • 2029: ~$4.2M (13.51% that year)
  • 2034: ~$8.7M (12.99% that year)
  • 2039: ~$16.2M (age 60) (10.20% that year)

History shows I tend to be optimistic, so I view this as an upper-bound scenario—useful for directionality, not precision.

What Matters Now

Having successfully recovered from the 2021-2022 correction and achieved new highs, my focus remains on sustainable practices:

  • Proven Strategy Works: High W-2 income + disciplined saving kept the machine running even through a multi-year drawdown
  • Avoid Uncompensated Concentration: The lesson from litigation finance wasn’t “never touch alternatives”—it was “be ruthless about structure, incentives, underwriting quality, and liquidity.”
  • Liquidity (and Clarity) Matters: Complexity plus illiquidity can turn a correct thesis into a mediocre outcome
  • Process Over Targets: I missed every forecast from 2019-2025, yet still achieved new highs by focusing on controllable inputs
  • Patience Pays: The 4-year cycle from peak-to-trough-to-new-peak tested my conviction but validated long-term strategy

Reflections on the Journey

The journey from $30K (2010) to $2.18M (2025) took 15 years and included:

  • 14 years of growth without a single down year (2010-2021)
  • 1 year of significant decline (2022: -16.36%)
  • 2 years of modest recovery (2023-2024: +10.42% and +3.05%)
  • 1 year of strong growth to new highs (2025: +21.87%)

The 2021-2025 period taught me more about investing psychology, risk management, and patience than the previous 11 years of uninterrupted growth. Experiencing a 30% drawdown—and recovering from it—fundamentally changed how I think about concentration risk, liquidity, and sustainable growth rates.

The path to 8 figures remains achievable, but the timeline is uncertain. What I know for certain: the boring strategy of high income + high savings works. Concentrated bets can accelerate (or delay) outcomes, but they’re not a substitute for the base case.

Last updated: February 2026