15 Smart Money Moves When You’re Earning $250K

Have you seen your income increase in recent years? The extra boost to your bank account will help you build wealth , but a salary increase could also make things more confusing. After all, what are you supposed to do with all this extra income?

To make the most of your money and maintain your financial fitness, here are 15 essential money moves to help you grow wealth and enjoy your money once you make $250,000.

1. Max out your retirement accounts

Investing is a great way to secure your future financial situation and boost your bank account , and one way to do that is by contributing to your retirement accounts.

Max out your retirement accounts, including your 401(k), so you can get the most out of your company’s potential matching funds.

It’s also important to review how much you can contribute. Making $250,000, for example, will stop you from investing in a Roth IRA or other types of retirement accounts with maximum income limits.

2. Contribute regularly to a brokerage account

You can still invest in the stock market after you’ve maxed out your retirement contributions in a 401(k) or IRA.

Open a brokerage account to help you invest additional funds in the market. You can contribute money to an index fund or pick specific stocks you want to invest in based on how much you have to contribute and what you want to focus on.

3. Meet with a financial advisor

A financial advisor would be a good person to add to your team now that you’re making more than $250,000.

Find a planner familiar with specific aspects of your strategy, such as retirement or short-term investment plans.

It’s also important to find an advisor who has experience in different areas like investing, real estate, or other topics, depending on what you want to do with your money.

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4. Set up a meeting with a CPA about tax strategies

Making more money could also mean spending more money to cover your tax bills. It’s a good idea to check in with a CPA who understands the different changes your higher income may pose.

There may be tax benefits and burdens you might not have considered before when making less money.

5. Buy your dream house (within reason)

Now that you can afford it, it might be time to sell your starter home and move up in the housing market.

Consider a house that fulfills your current needs, but remember to factor in the monthly mortgage costs, utilities, property taxes, and other housing costs.

The extra income can help you move up, but you don’t want to go overboard and not be able to cover the additional expenses.

6. Invest in other real estate

Now that you have extra money coming in, consider investing in other real estate options. Consider adding a rental property to your portfolio, either with long-term tenants or as a short-term property, such as an Airbnb.

You can also invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and buy and flip houses for a profit, especially if you can save extra cash by doing some of the work on the house yourself.

7. Buy a nicer car

You may have always dreamed of driving a specific car once you could afford it, so feel free to upgrade your vehicle if you have the extra cash on hand now.

Remember to factor in all of the monthly costs of car ownership. You may not be able to afford the fanciest model, but perhaps you can upgrade to something nicer than your current ride.

You should also factor in other costs, such as maintenance, repair, and gas, which may cost more if you use premium options for an upgraded car.

8. Increase your insurance coverage

Build up your insurance coverage if anything catastrophic happens so you’re well covered.

You can add to your life insurance policy or increase your health care coverage. You’ll also need to remember to boost your homeowner’s policy or car coverage if you move to a new house or buy a new car.

9. Take a nice vacation

Build up your insurance coverage if anything catastrophic happens so you’re well covered.

You can add to your life insurance policy or increase your health care coverage. You’ll also need to remember to boost your homeowner’s policy or car coverage if you move to a new house or buy a new car.

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10. Set up college funds for your kids

Consider saving some cash for your kids to help them with a major expense like college. Setting up college funds could help you save cash to pay for their education while keeping them out of student debt.

But make sure to also pay yourself. After all, your kids have plenty of years to pay off their loans if they have to take on debt compared to your need for retirement funds.

11. Build up your emergency fund

An emergency fund is an important tool for covering unexpected expenses such as home repairs, car accidents, or healthcare emergencies.

Experts suggest you have enough cash in your emergency fund to cover at least three to six months of expenses. But you may want to make sure you have closer to six months to pad out your emergency fund now that you’re making more money.

12. Save money with a high-yield savings account

Check with your bank or financial institution to find out what high-yield savings account options might be available.

A high-yield savings account is great because it makes money for you without you having to do anything except let it sit and generate interest.

The more money you can add to it, the more you’ll earn in interest, so consider putting extra cash in it to help you earn more.

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13. Renovate your home

Instead of buying a new place, it may be time to give a small refresh or do a major update to your house.

Think about moving forward with that big addition you’ve wanted to add to give yourself more space, or hire painters and an interior designer to freshen up the look of your current home.

14. Pay off debt

Debt can be difficult to pay off, especially if you have debt with a high interest rate or have been working for years to try and pay it down.

Use some of your extra cash to crush your debt for good. You don’t want that debt following you around, particularly as you get closer to retirement.

15. Consider retiring early

Retirement could be closer to your grasp than you think now that you’re making more money. Instead of retiring in your 60s, you might be able to retire in your 50s or even sooner.

Sit down with your current budget to see how much you can save for retirement and where you can keep it.

It’s important to compare your current budget to your estimated retirement budget and decide if you have the savings and investments to retire early or at least earlier than you originally expected.

Bottom line

It can be daunting to start making more money and not know what to do with it.

A financial advisor may be a good place to start to get an idea of where you should put your money to protect your wealth .

Stick to a budget to help you plan how much you can spend and save. Don’t think that making more money means you can abandon a basic budget to help you stay on target for your goals.

Money tips that can work for everyone

No matter what your bank account balance is, there's always an opportunity to optimize and improve your finances. Here's a quick checklist of things you can look at today.

Focus on paying off your debt. Debt can hold you back from making progress with your overall financial well-being. Aside from cutting expenses, there are tools that can help you pay off debt faster like balance transfer credit cards and debt counseling.

Earning extra income can give you breathing room. If finances are tight, earning some extra money to supplement your income can make a huge difference. A new job is one option to consider, but if you're not ready to make a big change or already retired, a part-time side job could be a better choice.

Cut your expenses. It sounds painful and so not fun, but it doesn't have to be. Take a look at your biggest expenses because that's where you'll probably find the biggest savings. For example, auto insurance rates have been soaring so shopping around for a new insurance company can be the fastest way to cut your bill. Also, look for ways to cut your grocery bill (despite rising inflation).