The Election is Over, Setting Our $8M Wealth Goal for 2032

Finally no more election shenanigans, time to get back to building wealth again. Another added benefit of post-November, we can kiss the $12 billion election ad campaigns goodbye. It’s time for the Shen Yu ads to run through February 2025.

Seriously, those election ads cost an estimated $12 billion. This is a hint for anyone who wants to pursue a political media, analyst, or strategist career. They get paid a median of $175,000 plus. That’s neither here nor there.

For my household, it’s time to plan. In the shadow of election tension during Obama’s second term (2016), we realized that Investing (Not Policy) was our best bet toward financial freedom. My wife and I became millionaires (August 2023) and will likely settle north of $3 Million by November 2028. At least that’s the hope, pending a Trump 2.0 administration and all the global geopolitical issues.

*This blog post is an estimated mile marker for 2028 and 2032.

Political vs Financial Power, the True Basis of Wealth Building in the US

The last time I voted was in November 2012. I was never a big voter. Growing up in Haiti, I got the impression that everyone worked for themselves. My earliest voting opportunity would have been in Bush/Kerry 2004, however I was deep into my military contract. By 2008, I locked in and voted for Obama.

Along the way, I realized that I didn’t know the policies. It was pretty unnerving for me since I like to know. The feeling reminded me of post-Katrina and the reason the levees broke. Then it hit me, the US media cycle was transforming the populous into opinion sycophants.

To make matters worse the Affordable Care Act was on the ballot. While Obamacare was a great idea, it would become unsustainable due to cost. The alternative, the Health Savings Account (HSA) was all but dismissed. I doubled down on the HSA route. With over $50k on the investment side, I can say that we all should have listened more instead of approaching every decision from a partisan lens.

Since I voted for my household’s wealth, instead of whoever is on the debate stage. I’m loving the results.

There is No Power or Wealth in Fear and Election Anxiety

Every election cycle, the Black community jumps into a frenzy where we fight amongst ourselves for months, only to vote +90% Democrat (86% in 2024). While that fervor has waned a bit, especially when it comes to Black men, it’s clear that the Black Community is the running back for the Democrats.

At this rate, we may as well skip the theatrics.

Our mantra is simple, “Republicans are bad and Democrats are good.” Yet, for all it’s worth we’ve been part of the poor socioclass under either party. To make matters worse, true Black wealth in America has been in decline. We are down nearly 60% since 2019 as a portion of total U.S. wealth.

To be clear, this isn’t a plea for you to change your vote. You cast that already.

That part has always been decided for you. You will likely vote like your family, your community, along identity, and ultimately along party lines for the rest of your life.

However, some people are changing. In 2024, more Americans said that they identify as “Independent.” I trust exit polls versus what people say.

For example, in 2020 and 2024, White women acted like they either hated or had doubts, but voted for Trump anyway. How much so? White women increased their support to 53% for Trump. I don’t trust what people say. People vote for a myriad of real reasons, fears, anxieties, and even socioeconomic positions.

What are the key issues for 2024 anyway?

The Economy, Jobs, Immigration, and Healthcare. Those are the same issues last time and the time before that. Are we trying to solve anything? Nope. It’s all a sleight of hand. The president doesn’t control bank interest rates, job creation, or health care. They are just figureheads. The problem and solution always rest with the people.

The Exit Polls and the American that You Don’t Know

In the 2016 race, the Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received support from 41% of men and 54% of women. That same year, Republican candidate Trump was backed by 52% of men and 39% of women. He won. Reading the exit polls for 2024, Kamala Harris received 43% support from men and 53% support from women.

In 2020, White women backed Trump again at 55% versus 44% for Biden. All the other women were team Biden. Black women have the highest rate of 90%, followed by Latinas at 69% and Asians at 58%.

Latino voters polled 65% Biden and 32% Trump in 2020. They shifted their vote to Trump for 2024, up to 46%.

In contrast, Black voters overwhelmingly supported Biden at 87% in 2020 and 86% in 2024. Black people carry democracy on their backs. We even galvanize or bully others to do the same thing.

How does this translate into material wealth improvements in America?

Well not much. According to the 2020 Road to Wealth report by Prosperity Now and the Institute for Policy Studies, the median wealth of Black Americans could reach zero by 2053. The report also noted that Black communities are affected by a “negative net worth virus.” Even if individuals have advanced degrees, six-figure salaries, or executive titles, those individuals still have cancerous debts and liabilities.

The pandemic likely cost us a lot more. My guess, Black America’s median household wealth will hit $0 no later than 2044. That’s the thing about falling behind in a race. Every time you stop, it takes that much more effort to keep up.

Black Labor and Black Votes Can’t Stay Cheap

Since President Joe Biden was forced out of his reelection race, VP Kamala Harris raked in more than $300 million, grabbed the necessary delegate votes, and ‘turned up’ the volume on a floundering Democratic base. Black women are playing a major role in this rapid mobilization and continue to be the backbone of the Democrat party. In the end, that enthusiasm amounted to a Beyonce concert, Oprah, and a bunch of performances.

According to a 2024 study compiled by the Institute on Race, Power & Political Economy at the New School, titled “The Color of Wealth in Chicago“, Black families in Chicago have a median net worth of zero dollars. 

This is compared to a median net worth of $210,000 for white families, $40,500 for Mexican-American families, $24,000 for Puerto Rican families, and $6,000 for foreign-born Mexican families. 

Black families have the lowest home-ownership rate in Chicago at 34%, compared to 72% for white households. This isn’t just true for Chicago.

New York State reported that the median white household net worth is $291,250 and the median Black household net worth is $31,370—a ratio of 9.3.

According to a January 2024 article from the Atlanta Civic Circle, the median wealth of a Black household in Atlanta is $5,180, while the median wealth of a White household is $238,355. This means that White households in Atlanta have 46 times more wealth than Black households, which is more extreme than the national average of 12.5 times.

The Black vote can’t afford to remain in the discounted bin.

In interviews, these voters, especially men, questioned what dividends have come from their loyalty: “I’m just kind of over it all.” (Some Black Voters Ask, What Have Democrats Done for Us?, New York Times, November 2024)

I Rather the Dollars versus the Election Sticker

“I’m wealthy” has a better ring to it than “I voted.“

Building Black wealth and helping Black families isn’t the same as voting for elections. See Table 1 (below). While there has been improvement in Black net worth over time through home ownership and increased investment into the market, Black wealth lags. In 2022, for every $100 in wealth held by white households, Black households had $15.

Election Year	Black Wealth Data Year	Black Net Worth	Growth Since the Prior Election	Percentage Change
2012	2013	$16,780	-$5,020	-23%
2016	2016	$21,090	+$11,190	+67%
2020	2019	$27,970	+$6,880	+33%
2024	2022	$44,890	+$16,920	+60%
Est. 2028	TBA 2028	$53,868	+$8,978	+20%
Est. 2032	TBA 2032	$62,750	+$8,882	+16%

Black households’ median income and net worth settle around $50,000 respectively. Black families are in a freefall. And I didn’t want to be another statistic.

My 1st Vote is for my Household’s Wealth Before, During and After the Election

After learning about health savings accounts during the 2016 election cycle, I committed myself to see if there was a difference if I chose personal finances over voting. And here are the results. In Table 2, I pulled my household’s records for our net worth and how it improved.

We will be multi-millionaires by 2026, far outpacing our peers.

This is because we started accounting for our time, dollars, and opportunities. We started with a negative net worth in 2012 and made over $1 million since 2020. Our financial plan works and we don’t have to starve on red beans and rice even though it would be delicious.

Year	Assets (A) What We Own	Liabilities (L) What We Owe	Net Worth (A-L)	Growth Since the Prior Election	Percentage Change
2012	$0.00	$112,965	-$112,964	-$112,965	-100%
2016	$210,882	$260,116	-$49,234	+$63,730	+56%
2020	$738,180	$307,759	$430,421	+$479,655	+653%
2024	$1,824,934	$202,565	$1,622,369	+$1,191,948	+277%
Est. 2028	$4,250,000	$1,050,000	$3,200,000	+$1,577,631	+97%
Est. 2032	$9,000,000	$787,500	$8,212,500	+$5,012,500	+157%

While in Table 3 showcases just how our investments have done so far from a dollar perspective and percentage change.

Year	Total Investments	Growth/Losses Since the Prior Election	Percentage Change
2012	$0.00	+$0.00	+0.00%
2016	$55,886	+$55,886	+100%
2020	$335,006	+$279,120	+499%
2024	$1,033,762	+$698,756	+209%
Est. 2028	$2,367,725	+$1,333,963	+129%
Est. 2032	$3,465,500	+$1,097,275	+46%

So What Happens Now?

Again, this is not a plea to tell you not to vote. It’s your time, your money, and ultimately your life. Growing up overseas, provided me with that much clarity. I favor results. The old vote and wait for change wasn’t working for me. It doesn’t appeal to me.

At this stage, I’m still striving to be financially FREE. I’m not here to save the world. If you had the skills to do so, you would already know. I’m average and I’m OK with that.

Seeing the Seven Wonders of the World, becoming more adept with languages, setting up international trips for friends and family, and retiring early… I don’t think a president will help me do any of that.

Besides, they are already rich themselves. Their kids go to the best schools. They don’t even shop for groceries. Politicians and social elites live four tiers ahead of the middle class. I’m just trying to carve out my family’s piece of the pie.

In the end, I’m just trying to be Obama-level wealthy. After that, I’ll show up every four years for family reunions and donate to ensure debts are paid off. This doesn’t mean that I’m team Trump. I’m Team learn, adapt, and grow. No matter who sits in the office, I’m still in the driver’s seat of my own life. My wife and I will save the world later after we’ve amassed financial stability for generations to come. Until then, time to see how we can maximize the value of our wealth during a Trump 2.0.

Not to scare you, but if Trump 2.0 goes well enough, we will likely see a decade of Republican leadership. Either way, it’s all about the Net Max Financial Plan for us.

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