A few months ago, I was sitting in a crew room listening to two pilots talk about bases, upgrades, and pay bumps. Nothing unusual. But then one of them said: “Man, with what we make… I should be able to afford a whole lot more than I do.” That line stuck with me. Because honestly… I'd had the same thought before. Have you ever looked at your pay scale, your base, your schedule, and quietly wondered: Am I actually building wealth the way I SHOULD be at this stage of my career? If you’ve ever had that question — so did I. And I started noticing something interesting: Two pilots with the same paycheck can have completely different levels of affordability, savings, and long-term stability… depending on seat, base, and timing. When I started comparing real data across FO → Captain paths…The differences were honestly surprising. So I put together something special: A fully filled-out example of the tool The Pilot Wealth Snapshot so you can see EXACTLY what your own numbers could look like Zero Forms. Zero spreadsheets. Just clarity.

If your payment suddenly went up and your rate didn’t change, it’s usually not a scam. It’s often your escrow account. Your monthly mortgage payment often includes: - Principal - Interest - Property taxes - Homeowners insurance When taxes or insurance go up, your escrow account may come up short. The servicer has two choices: - Ask you to write a lump‑sum check, or - Spread the shortage (plus new higher estimates) over the next 12 months That’s when payments jump. What you can do: - Ask for the escrow analysis - Shop your insurance if it spiked - Sometimes you can choose to pay the shortage upfront to reduce the monthly bump Has your mortgage payment ever jumped unexpectedly? What happened in your case?

I’m sharing a Net Worth Check you can use to start moving in the right direction. Once a year, I sit down and run a simple debrief. You can steal this: 1. Net worth check 2. Savings rate 3. Big rocks 4. Regrets / misses This isn’t about perfection. It’s about building proof that you’re moving in the right direction. Steve

📈I’ll be walking through my own personal wealth snapshot and budget live, so you can see exactly how a pilot should structure and optimize their financial plan. Our live session is Friday at 10 AM. 🛫 Link is in the Skool Calendar and don’t miss out on real-time insights that can level up your financial flight path. 🚨We’re doing these every Friday at 10 AM, each one covering a new wealth topic tailored for pilots looking to grow, invest, and build financial altitude.

If you missed it, you can watch the replay in our Zoom Call Recordings section. In today’s live session, Steve reminded us that—just like flying—building wealth requires staying informed, planning ahead, and knowing your instruments. Smart investing, tax strategy, and solid due diligence are essential for pilots who want long-term financial stability. Here’s a clear, concise summary of what was covered: 1️⃣ Pilot 401Ks & Retirement Basics - Airline pilots are required to contribute directly to their 401Ks. - Employers may access funds in certain situations (such as missed flying for medical reasons). - Know your 401K servicer and understand your investment options. 2️⃣ Cash Flow Solutions for Pilots Many pilots are strong on 401Ks but tight on cash flow.Steve shared strategies and examples from direct oil & gas funds that can help supplement income beyond airline pay. 3️⃣ Direct Funds, Lower Fees & Tax Advantages - Direct investments mean fewer layers, lower fees, and better visibility. - Oil & gas investments can provide significant tax deductions. - The fund team has $4M of their own capital invested, showing strong alignment with investors. 4️⃣ Micro-Fund Structures & Tax Strategy - Fee structures should reward performance, not just management fees. - Accredited pilots may benefit from large deductions (example: an 87% write-off). - Always review numbers with a CPA—especially in Q4. 5️⃣ Oil & Gas Strategy & Due Diligence - Research the fund, talk directly with the team, and understand their hedging strategies. - These are higher-risk investments—make sure your core financial plan is solid first. 6️⃣ Fund Performance & Timelines - Fund 1: $7.5M raised, 17 acquisitions, 27% cash distributions, 84% year-one tax deduction. - Fund 2: Targeting a $30M raise. - Typical timelines: 12–18 months for fund closing. 7️⃣ Fund Structure & Avoiding Pitfalls - Standard model: ~2% fee + 90/10 to 80/20 investor splits. - Avoid heavily leveraged funds; start small and build relationships with managers. - These strategies can support pre-retirement income, but they’re not quick fixes.