grad school Archives - Evolving Personal Finance

The Pleasure of Finishing Something

April 13th, 2016 | 2 Comments

I recently won a battle with my perfectionism – or perhaps limped to the finish line is a more accurate illustration! I became aware of how my perfectionist nature was holding me back during grad school, so I knew that as I finished my PhD and transitioned into entrepreneurship I would have to keep it in check. The upside to being a perfectionist is that whatever you do manage to push out the door is … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school, self-employment

How My PhD Prepared Me for Entrepreneurship

June 1st, 2015 | 6 Comments

Today I’m launching the first post in each of two new series over on Grad Student Finances. The first post in the side job series is from a student who worked part-time for an investor relations firm. The first post in the reader posts series is on why one grad student is motivated to save aggressively. I didn’t quite know it at the time, but last fall, just after my PhD defense, I started a business teaching … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school, self-employment

The Ceremony of Graduation

May 13th, 2015 | 14 Comments

This past weekend, Kyle and I participated in our university’s graduation ceremony. This was the fourth time we’ve celebrated finishing our PhDs, and definitely the least fun or important of any of them. Just shy of a year ago, Kyle defended and we had a big family dinner. About nine months ago, I defended and we hosted a party for our friends and family. Eight months ago, my parents threw us a party where they … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school

I Never Aimed for Self-Employment, But Here I Am

April 20th, 2015 | 22 Comments

I am officially throwing my hat into the self-employment ring from now through summer 2015 (at least). I never thought I would be at this point, but over the last six months I’ve found something I really enjoy doing, and I want to see if I can earn a living from it. Kyle and I are also still anticipating moving in the near future (destination TBD), so it’s not a great time for me to … Read entire article »

Filed under: blogging, funemployment, grad school, self-employment

Grad Student Finances Has Launched!

April 10th, 2015 | 4 Comments

I just wanted to tell you guys that we now have Grad Student Finances online! If you remember, this project was supposed to be my passion project from last fall before I got absorbed in creating my comprehensive personal finance for grad students seminar. My concept for Grad Student Finances was for it to be a timeless resource for graduate students to help them with learn about how to maximize their money. For that reason, I … Read entire article »

Filed under: blogging, grad school

Tax Benefits that Don’t Apply to (Some) Graduate Students

April 8th, 2015 | 15 Comments

Through the course of researching taxes for my own use and this blog, I have periodically gotten excited about some tax benefit available to the general public, only to find out that I was not eligible for it. Sometimes my ineligibility was because of my student status and sometimes it was because I only had fellowship income. Commenters’ questions on previous posts have altered me to additional exclusions that I had not come across in … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school, taxes

Winning a Fight with the IRS

March 9th, 2015 | 14 Comments

I’m very, very excited about the content I have to share with you today. The story comes from someone who found EPF while searching for resources regarding grad student taxes and how to argue with the IRS. After emailing back and forth a few times about how to approach her problem, she offered to share her research and work with you through EPF. I will refer to this reader as Amanda in this post. Thank … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school, taxes

PhD Stipends Launch

October 31st, 2014 | 17 Comments

I’m happy to finally be able to show you website #1, the project that Kyle and I have been working on (very intermittently) for the past year: PhD Stipends. If you are a (former) grad student who receives some kind of pay related to that role – you do not have to be PhD student and you do not have to call it a ‘stipend’ – would you please do two things for me? 1) Go to … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school, income

Why Is My Take-Home Pay as a Postdoc Nearly the Same as When I Was a Grad Student?

October 20th, 2014 | 19 Comments

Despite the fact that Kyle got over a 40% raise when he transitioned from grad student to postdoc, his postdoc take-home pay is depressingly similar to his grad student take-home pay. I had heard rumors of this phenomenon but had never quite believed it. The reasons for it are partially generalizable and partially specific to us, but I hope they are illuminating for other people going through this same transition. Kyle gave me permission to share … Read entire article »

Filed under: grad school, income, taxes

My Seventy-Second and Last Paycheck as a Grad Student

September 1st, 2014 | 42 Comments

Last Friday I picked up my seventy-second and last paycheck from my university for my role as a graduate student. This post is a bunch of random thoughts about my experience of being a paid graduate student. 1. My final paycheck was for $2,088.77. My first paycheck in September 2008 was for $1,807.46. At first glance, this is quite depressing. 2. The reason I’m getting a check right now is because I could never get payroll to … Read entire article »