Geaux Deeper

Learn the why behind the numbers.

Plain-English guides to mortgages, debt, investing, paychecks, and insurance. Every article shows the math, points to the right calculator, and skips the marketing nonsense.

Mortgages & Home Buying

3 articles

11 min read

How Much Down Payment Do You Really Need? The 20% Myth Decoded

Conventional wisdom says you need 20% down to buy a home. The truth is more flexible — and waiting to save 20% might be costing you more than you realize. Here's the honest breakdown of every down payment option.

10 min read

30-Year vs 15-Year Mortgage: The Real Math on Which One Saves You More

A 15-year mortgage feels disciplined. A 30-year mortgage feels flexible. The honest math is more complicated — and the right answer depends on factors most articles ignore.

9 min read

PMI Explained: When You Pay It, How Much It Costs, and How to Get Rid of It

Private Mortgage Insurance can add hundreds to your monthly payment. Here's exactly when you have to pay it, how it's calculated, and the legal way to make it disappear faster.

Debt & Payoff

2 articles

12 min read

Pay Off Debt or Invest? The Honest Framework for Making the Right Choice

There's no universal right answer. The math depends on your interest rates, your psychology, and your specific situation. Here's the decision framework that actually works — and the priority order most financial planners agree on.

9 min read

Snowball vs Avalanche: Which Debt Payoff Method Actually Gets You Out of Debt?

One method is mathematically optimal. The other has higher success rates in real life. Here's the honest breakdown of how each works, when to use which, and the strategy most people overlook.

Paychecks & Take-Home

1 article

11 min read

How Much Do You Actually Take Home? The Real Math on Paychecks in 2026

Your $80,000 salary doesn't put $80,000 in your bank account. Here's exactly where the money goes — federal tax, state tax, FICA, benefits — and why the answer is dramatically different depending on where you live.

Investing & Retirement

1 article

10 min read

Compound Interest: Why Starting at 25 vs 35 Matters More Than You Think

The math of compounding doesn't care about your intentions — only your start date. Here's what a 10-year head start actually costs (or saves) you in real dollars, and why it's almost impossible to catch up later.

Life Insurance

2 articles

13 min read

Term vs Whole Life Insurance: The Honest Breakdown Most Agents Won't Give You

Whole life insurance is sold heavily. Term insurance is recommended by almost every fee-only financial planner. Here's why the gap exists, the math behind each option, and the specific situations where each one actually makes sense.

10 min read

How Much Life Insurance Do You Actually Need? The DIME Method, Explained Honestly

Most online calculators inflate the number to sell you more coverage than you need. Here's the real framework — DIME — for figuring out the right amount, plus the term-vs-whole-life decision that most people get wrong.

Auto Loans

1 article

11 min read

True Cost of Car Ownership: Why That $25,000 Car Actually Costs You $40,000+

The sticker price is the smallest number in the equation. Here's the honest math on what owning a car really costs over five years — insurance, depreciation, maintenance, fuel — and how to make smarter buying decisions.