Jamie Reeves
Personal Finance Writer
6+ years at NerdWallet and The Penny Hoarder
About
Jamie Reeves paid off $78,000 in student loans on a $52,000 salary — an experience that turned them into a personal finance obsessive. After six years at NerdWallet and The Penny Hoarder, Jamie went independent because they got tired of financial content that treats money like an abstraction. Jamie writes about money the way real people experience it: stressful, emotional, and full of trade-offs that spreadsheets don't capture. Every article shows the math AND the feelings, because financial decisions are never purely rational.
Areas of expertise
- debt payoff strategies
- salary negotiation
- mortgage optimization
- budgeting frameworks
- retirement planning
- student loan strategies
- financial psychology
Articles by Jamie Reeves (13)
- Freelance Day Rate vs Hourly Rate 2026: When to Use Each (with Math)2026-05-11 · Guides
Day rate vs hourly rate for freelancers — when to convert, industry benchmarks, the bundle premium math, and how taxes and retainers fit into the calculation in 2026.
- How Bonuses Are Actually Taxed: Federal + State Breakdown (2026)2026-05-08 · Guides
Federal 22% supplemental withholding plus a state-by-state table for all 50 states + DC. Real take-home math on $10K bonuses in CA, NY, TX, FL, IN, and beyond.
- Side-Hustle Quarterly Estimated Taxes 2026: Deadlines, Safe Harbor, and How Much to Pay2026-04-20 · Guides
2026 quarterly estimated tax guide for side hustlers and freelancers. Four deadlines, 15.3% SE tax, safe harbor rule, and exactly how much to set aside.
- Paycheck Withholding: When to Update Your W-4 in 2026 (The Complete Trigger List)2026-04-20 · Guides
The life events, tax law changes, and paycheck signals that should make you update your W-4 in 2026. Includes a step-by-step walkthrough of the new five-step W-4.
- HSA vs FSA for Dual-Income Families 2026: The Coordination Playbook2026-04-20 · Guides
How two-earner households should split HSA and FSA contributions in 2026. New $4,400/$8,750 HSA limits, $3,350 FSA cap, and the dependent care FSA rules that trip up most couples.
- Roth vs Traditional 401(k) in 2026: Contribution Limits, Tax Math, and When Each Wins2026-04-20 · Guides
Full 2026 Roth vs Traditional 401(k) comparison with $23,500 limit, enhanced age 60-63 catch-up of $11,250, tax math at every bracket, and which to pick.
- How to Read a W-2 in 2026: Every Box Explained with Real Examples2026-04-20 · Guides
Complete 2026 W-2 guide. What each of the 20+ boxes means, common codes (D, DD, W, AA), why Box 1 and Box 3 differ, and how to use your W-2 to file accurately.
- How Biweekly Pay Works (And Why 2026 Delivers 27 Paychecks for Some)2026-04-18 · Guides
Biweekly pay explained with 2026 calendar math: why a 27th paycheck happens, how employers handle it, the tax impact, and how it compares to semi-monthly pay.
- W-2 vs 1099 Take-Home on $75K: The Exact 2026 Side-by-Side Math2026-04-18 · Guides
Line-by-line comparison of a $75K W-2 employee vs. a $75K 1099 contractor in 2026. Self-employment tax, QBI deduction, and the break-even point on expenses.
- FICA vs Federal Income Tax: What Actually Comes Out of Your Paycheck in 20262026-04-18 · Guides
The difference between FICA and federal income tax, with 2026 rates, real paycheck examples, and the bracket-by-bracket math that determines your net pay.
- Texas Take-Home Pay 2026: Why $100K Keeps $79,180 Here2026-04-18 · State Guides
Exact 2026 breakdown of Texas take-home pay on $100K. No state income tax, but real property and sales tax costs. Income-level table through $500K.
- California Take-Home Pay 2026: What $100K Actually Becomes After Taxes2026-04-18 · State Guides
Exact 2026 breakdown of California take-home pay on $100K. Federal brackets, CA's 9 brackets, FICA, and SDI computed in full.
- State-by-State Take-Home Pay: How a $100K Salary Ranges from $71,446 to $78,3462026-03-27 · Guides
We calculated take-home pay for all 50 states plus DC on a $100K salary using 2026 federal and state tax brackets. See the complete ranking, hidden local taxes, and how the gap changes at different income levels.