Married, early 30s, 3 kids, household income ~200k.
Husband is a firefighter (CA) with CalPERS pension, 401(a), and a 457(b) ($150/mo).
I’m self-employed, making about $1k/month right now. I max my Roth IRA ($625/mo) and plan to open a Roth Solo 401(k) as income grows.
We also save $300/mo total for kids’ college (3 kids).
~$20k in regular savings for emergencies and vacations (want to build)
Mortgage and $500/month car payment
No other debt
Trying to figure out:
Should we open a HYSA for emergency fund and vacation savings?
If so, where is best right now? How much should we hold in HYSA (3/6/9 months of expenses)?
Are we balanced enough between taxable vs tax-free retirement accounts?
Should he increase 457(b) contributions or open a Roth IRA?
Am I on the right track with Roth IRA and future Roth Solo 401(k)?
How much should we prioritize emergency fund vs retirement?
Would we benefit from hiring a financial advisor?
Feels like we’re doing okay but want to make sure we’re not missing anything obvious or being inefficient.
Any feedback appreciated.