Can i invest if i dont live in US or my currency is different?

Can you pull out money that you've made in an index fund whenever you want without penalties? I am looking at having a couple long term, such as for retirement. But I also want to see if I can flip some money in one to use the money in like five years to buy a house. Idk if I need to find a specific type of fund to be able to access "dividends" in the short term or if I can do this with about any index fund. Right now I'm interested in Vanguard total American market (VTSAX), Vanguard total international market (VTIAX), and Vanguard VFIFX for target retirement. I was looking at the top 500 fund but the "price" is almost $500! I know these funds all have a minimum investment amount which I do have, but I wasn't aware that you had to pay a set price to buy them as well. I am very new to investing and am getting ready to do it for the first time. I have identified that I want index funds over traditional mutual funds and over ETFs because it's what matches my desired investing style. Any help with my questions from anyone who sees this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!😊

Thank you ! This really helps. What if you are self employed and barely make anything.. say 10K in a year and living in poverty. Does Uncle Sam still want $1500 of that ? Ouch.

That’s the best way to tell people to like their video. Loved it, liked it, shared it (I don’t know anything about stocks but I’m trying to learn. I used 5k play with, invest in different stocks, watch videos. Actually all I know is buy low sell high) Can someone help me? How do people know what to bye? Can someone please please help me? like stock?

I’m a trans person who lives in a city because it is a lot less isolating and easier to date and find queer community, and also because those states tend to be more progressive and have laws that protect LGBT people. I don’t have a car and only use the subway and I already make most of my meals from home because I work from home, which also means I don’t have the expenses of travel, work lunches, etc. Working from home is also essential for me because I’m disabled and chronically ill. I’m already on Medicaid. I don’t see how my expenses could be any lower, and I still can’t crunch the numbers and afford to retire. At least not in the US. I want to stop working so badly because it makes my chronic illness symptoms worse, but I can’t afford to. What would you suggest for someone like me who is rejected from their family and whose chosen family are also barely staying afloat?

You are totally out of control left eyebrow is amusing.

These are all great hacks Josh. The two biggest ways I prospered in my life were to 1. Start investing at age 21 and 2. Buy older inexpensive cars and keep them running. It's not very glamorous, but it is effective. People who spend 25% of their income on transportation rarely have much left over to invest.

Good video thanks. Yeah loved ALDI but they're not in New Zealand.

As a single parent aggressively investing has been the main way I’ve been building wealth. The progress is slow on one income but I’m trying my best.

#1 for me is marrying a frugal, disciplined and supportive woman! So many great points in your video!

I’m young but I found job hopping is a good way to get pretty consistent raises

Wow good to know

Shouldn’t you be giving your wife credit?

Discipline, consistency, and patience! Most folks don’t have the discipline to control their spending or work a little extra in a part time job. There’s ways to avoid living paycheck to paycheck!!!

Always enjoy your videos Zach. Please keep up the great work. I've learned a lot throughout the years I've watched you.

In hindsight it may have been best to leave it in as the spy went up considerably this year but still a solid strategy

Just wondering how you know if you're getting the right amount of 'distribution Reinvestment' and if you should switch funds? I have about £8000 in stocks and shares ISA invested in S&P Index fund. It's about £1,000 up on the year from when I started and each month it says about £0.40 reinvested? Just a bit confusing as there's no details other than the figure. Thanks

Can you do a video explaining the standard deduction? Is it realistically possible to fund a 401k with all of your gross income assuming you don't live off that income? I know there are annual caps, however I read in my payroll accounting class that you could contribute all of your salary into a 401k. How would that affect the standard deduction.

Your eye brow control is insane!! What skill. Great video man keep it up

Great video ❤

Is this also possible for Europeans?

You’re a hardworking person Amazing keep it up

What about health insurance?

What a useful video! Don't ever stop teaching us!

Great video, Zach! You do a great service in covering tax topics in an easy to understand manner. Very useful. I plan to use the 0% LTCG rate in early retirement.

I am going to use capital gains in conjunction with dividends to build wealth. I will put some of the proceeds of capital gains into a money market fund to generate income.

Hi! Are international students eligible?

For me, it is Coast FIRE & FIRE means Financial Independence, Relax Early.

Working on building a brokerage account. Focused too much on 401k

So when I get my retiement pay, which is half my salary, Ill have to pay tax on that too? 😔

I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know that at age 55 I’ll be pulling out $50K+ per year of 401K earnings at a 0% tax rate after avoiding 35-40% tax rates on the front end! Thanks to the standard deduction and HSA limits. Then up through the 10% and 12% brackets for Roth conversions after that. I hope we don’t end up with a $5K standard deduction and 90% tax brackets by the time I’m actually 55! 😂

Thanks for compiling all this info into one video for us.

I prioritize my Roth IRA and Roth 403b so that I will have flexibility in retirement. Previously I funded my retirement with pre-tax contributions so I'll be on the hook for those taxes in retirement.

wow, the subtitles are weird in this video lol

Hi Zach, Thank you for your video, particularly the mention of “70% savings.” This idea has been on my mind for a while. I knew that saving 50% was a good start and would provide a buffer, but last December, my financial situation was quite different. I had no specific goal in mind when I decided on 70%, but I needed to feel secure and escape the endless struggle. Here’s the emotional journey behind this decision: When I don’t save, I feel like I have a lot of money, which makes me careless with my spending. Consequently, I earn less and have nothing to show for it. Saving 50% changed my perspective; it felt like that money was gone (invisible in my bank account). Despite the challenges of being a single dad, this forced me to scrutinize my income, now effectively halved. Guess what? I managed anyway. I liked this new feeling, but the progress was slow, which sapped my motivation. So, I decided to save 70% of everything that enters my bank account. If I get $1,000, $700 goes straight into savings, leaving me with $300. This approach also made me comfortable asking for higher rates because I only focused on the remaining 30%. For instance, if I want to earn $600 in reality, I need to make $2,000. Currently, I earn more in a week than most people around me make in a month, but it’s not visible because I live within my $600 budget (as an example). Now, I save more than I used to earn in total. This motivates me to ask for better rates, learn more, and do more, without fearing rejection. Yes, I liked my BMW, and it feels different driving an Opel Corsa now, but this shift has changed my mindset and emotions. Life is hard and nothing comes easy, but this approach has altered my overall attitude. When I do my weekly invoices, even though I’m tired and planning for the next week, I feel a small reward each time I hit send. I know that 30% will remain with me as I quickly transfer the rest to savings (tip: use a separate account that can be set to invisible in the total overview). I focus on living off the 30% as if it’s my 100%. By sharing my experience, I hope to give others who recognize these emotions some hope. For me, it’s not about how to save 70%, but about how to live on 30% as if it’s my 100%. Regards, Hans