Careers

We’ve decided that the returns a pilot can get by investing in things like stocks and mutual funds are far better than the meager interest rates paid by savings accounts. If the advantage of investing is so obvious, why do savings accounts even exist? The answer is simple: risk. Savings Security The U.S. government insures […]

It is a beautiful starlit night deep in the Bahamas’ Exuma Cays, warm and soft in the light caress of the easterly trades. I am sitting on a white-sand beach moodily lit by the flicker of a driftwood bonfire, sipping a dram of aged rum, and taking an occasional pull on an aromatic cigar. Piper […]

Finance expert and pilot Jason Depew talks about inflation, how much it can cost you, and how you can fight back against it.

Going with a broad index fund can simplify your investing strategy—and give you more time to spend in your airplane.

How is the B-1 like investing? Let’s start with the backstory. The B-1A was an awesome jet designed to fly at Mach 2+ at high altitude before dropping its nukes. President Carter killed the program in the 1970s, but President Regan brought it back in the ‘80s as the B-1B. In the intervening years, Soviet […]

In a previous column, I asserted that all pilots need to maximize contributions to a Roth IRA each year. In this column, we’ll see why by examining three ways to invest $6,000: A taxable brokerage account. A Traditional IRA A Roth IRA We’ll assume all three cases invest these funds the same way: in a […]

Whether it’s mandatory retirement at age 65 for an airline pilot, or just that day when you can’t get a medical certificate any more, at some point, you’ll have to walk away from your high-paying aviation job. Ideally, that part of your life is a time for relaxation and family. However, you only get to […]

There are plenty of tax rules that a pilot can use to reduce their overall tax bill. But it helps greatly if you know the rulebook. Consider this column an introduction to that rulebook. Deductions & Credits In my last column, we looked at how US federal income tax rates are applied in a graduated […]

I know what you’re thinking: “Um, dude, we’re here for Flying. Why are you talking about taxes?” Sadly, taxes affect far more of our lives than we’d like to admit. Companies run the way they do because of taxes. Everything about personal finance from savings, to retirement accounts, to how we structure aircraft ownership is […]

Fellow aviators, I’m truly honored to have this opportunity to write about finances for Flying—things like retirement, taxes, and ways that you can keep more of your money. But before we dive in, I want you to know where I’m coming from. I started flying in Cessna 172s and Piper Cherokees out of Loveland, Colorado […]