Ever feel like you're doing everything right - earning well, saving, investing - yet early retirement still feels out of reach? In this episode of Wealth Bytes, Mo Shouman breaks down the surprising truth: most tech professionals don’t miss early retirement because of low income… but because of subtle financial decisions that quietly push freedom further away.

Drawing from 20 years of working with over 380 tech professionals, Mo unpacks the five most common mistakes he sees every week, why they happen, and how the Confident Choice System eliminates them with structure, clarity, and intention.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

-Why wanting early retirement doesn’t mean you’re actually on track

-How subtle decisions - not income - delay financial independence

-The five biggest mistakes tech professionals make:

• Treating property as a strategy instead of a tool

• Letting RSUs sit idle out of tax fear
• Relying on your tech salary as your “wealth plan”
• Aggressively paying down the home loan at the cost of compounding
• Ignoring superannuation despite its unmatched tax advantages

-Why tech professionals need a system tailored to RSUs, volatility, bonuses, deadlines, and income structure

-How tax planning and proactive diversification reduce risk while accelerating your timeline

-Real client case study: fixing all five mistakes and gaining almost a decade of early retirement

Key Takeaways & Strategies:

• Income isn’t wealth—your strategy determines your timeline.
• Property is a tool, not a retirement plan—net yield rarely replaces a tech salary.
• Tax fear is expensive—idle RSUs destroy compounding and increase risk.
• Debt can be your friend when used strategically rather than emotionally.
• Superannuation is a powerhouse—lean into the tax advantages early.
• A work-optional life requires structure, not hope, luck, or reacting after the fact.
• Early retirement is intentional—average strategies won’t deliver above-average outcomes.

Connect with Mo Shouman:

Connect with me on LinkedIn: Mo Shouman 
Email: mo@mywealthchoice.com.au 
Visit: www.mywealthchoice.com.au 

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