guide2 min read

Finance for Developers

Essential personal finance concepts for software developers and freelancers.

Finance fundamentals for developers: emergency fund first (3-6 months expenses), then employer 401(k) match (free money), then high-interest debt payoff, then max Roth IRA ($7,000/year), then taxable brokerage. Index funds beat stock picking 90% of the time. Total market index fund (VTI/VTSAX) is all you need. Developer-specific: max HSA if available ($4,150/year, triple tax advantage), consider mega backdoor Roth if your employer offers it.