I’m a financial planner and former Silicon Valley professional on a mission to transform the way we think about money and work. I help women and LGBT households create the financial freedom to live and work on your own terms. Sign up for our monthly-ish newsletter with our best ideas at the intersection of Money, Mindset, and the Modern Family.
End of Year Checklist, using a 529 to fund K-12, and Finding the Ideal Level of Wealth
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Hi friends, Living in an expensive place like the San Francisco Bay Area can feel… a bit unfair at times. You work hard, you earn well, and somehow the money still disappears faster than a parking spot at the Whole Foods in Noe Valley. Between high taxes and a high cost of living, it’s easy to wonder: “How is it possible to make this much and still feel squeezed?” If you’ve ever felt stuck on the earn-spend hamster wheel and are asking yourself how to finally get ahead, now is the perfect time to reset and take control. To help you wrap up the year with clarity and confidence, we’ve put together our 2025 End-of-Year Financial Planning Checklist for High-Income Bay Area Households. If anything on the list raises a question or sparks an idea, hit reply — we’re here to help you build the financial foundation for your best life. What’s on our Minds: The Ideal Level of Wealth (Of Dollars and Data) “Ideal” wealth isn’t unlimited—it’s the amount that lets you live comfortably on your own terms. For a typical middle-class U.S. family, this means having enough to sustain a comfortable lifestyle without relying on a paycheck. While the San Francisco Bay Area may require more to maintain the same standard of living, the core message remains: wealth is about freedom, security, and living in alignment with your values, not about accumulating as much money as possible. It’s Elementary — Using a 529 to Pay for K–12 School (Vanguard) With new tax laws doubling allowable 529 withdrawals for K–12 tuition, 529 plans are becoming a meaningful planning tool. Even in states like California, where K–12 withdrawals face state tax and penalties, a Vanguard study shows that long-term, federally tax-free growth can still make using a 529 for private school a wealth-building strategy—especially when investing early. The Productivity Myth: Oliver Burkeman on Our Broken Relationship With Time (The Rich Roll Podcast) Our team recently tuned into Oliver Burkeman on The Rich Roll Podcast, and his take on our culture of “doing it all” really hit home. His reminder that our time is finite—and that accepting our limits can be freeing—offered a welcome reset amidst the daily juggle of work, family, and to-dos. A great listen for anyone craving a more grounded approach to productivity. What We Want to Share ⭐ Modern Family Finance in the news Jennifer Dazols was named an Excellence Award finalist for the 2025 Orion Rising Star Advisor of the Year — a big industry honor and one we’re incredibly proud of. (Award given by Investment News on Oct 21st for the period January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025. No compensation was provided by Equita Financial Network, Modern Family Finance, or Jennifer Dazols to receive this award) 🌈 Modern Family Finance gives back Supporting the LGBTQ+ community has always been core to our mission. This year, we reunited with our longtime friends at the It Gets Better Project — partners from our Out & Around documentary and the Asia Rainbow Ride. We made a donation to support their work and also hosted a free webinar on financial literacy for LGBTQ+ youth. We also partnered with one of our clients to champion their passion project, contributing to the Grande Center. It’s meaningful to build a stronger, more vibrant community side by side with the people we serve. A photo from our lives Last month, we hosted our annual Client Appreciation Happy Hour — a chance for our community to gather, reconnect, and meet other thoughtful, like-minded professionals. From our team to your home, we’re sending you warmth and good cheer this holiday season. |
Hi! I'm Jenni.
I’m a financial planner and former Silicon Valley professional on a mission to transform the way we think about money and work. I help women and LGBT households create the financial freedom to live and work on your own terms. Sign up for our monthly-ish newsletter with our best ideas at the intersection of Money, Mindset, and the Modern Family.
Hi friends, If you’re in the Bay Area, you’ve probably followed the news about the avalanche in Tahoe last month that took the lives of nine people. One of them was a mom my age who Lisa and I saw regularly at our neighborhood gym. I’m sure I shared a barbell with her at some point. She was new to lifting but a good runner. She was always kind. Moments like this tend to do that thing they always do: they collapse time. They make the “someday” version of our life feel a lot less guaranteed. It...
Hello friends, As a financial planner, I’ve had dozens of conversations with mid-career tech professionals across the San Francisco Bay Area. On paper, most of them are doing great: strong incomes, solid careers, and stable finances. But the same questions keeps coming up: “Am I actually on track?” “Am I missing anything?” In the SF Bay Area, this is especially tricky. High compensation doesn’t always translate into real financial progress—between taxes, housing costs, lifestyle inflation,...
Hi friends, What happens when you don’t have children—or close family—to advocate for you as you age? Or who can you call on when you have aging parents but don’t live near them? That’s the question we’re tackling in this month’s podcast episode. Whether you’re single, child-free, taking care of a parent, or simply navigating complex or distant family dynamics, this episode is for you. We're joined by Mia Owsley, founder of Mia’s Fiduciary Services, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Mia...