Revolutionary Reads: Die With Zero by Bill Perkins
- Jose Ortiz, CPA, CTC
- May 19
- 3 min read
Why I Love This Book (and Why You Probably Need It)
If you’ve ever caught yourself checking your bank account more than your calendar, this one’s for you.
Die With Zero is the financial gut-check we didn’t know we needed. As someone who’s built a business around helping high earners make smart, strategic money moves, I’ll be the first to say: we get so caught up in growing wealth, we forget the entire point of having it.
Spoiler alert: it’s not just to flex on your balance sheet.
This book hit home for me—hard—because I’ve always believed money should be used to buy experiences, not stuff. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who have the $3,000 handbag but haven’t taken a real vacation in years. Listen: the handbag will end up on Poshmark - just ask my wife. The trip to Santorini? That lives forever.
The Story Behind the Book
Bill Perkins is a hedge fund guy who basically woke up one day and said, “Why the hell am I stockpiling money like I’m trying to win a savings competition no one else is playing?”
He went from being obsessed with net worth to being obsessed with net experience. His concept is this: you’ve got one life, limited energy, and a wallet full of potential memories. Don’t wait until you’re 85 and finally “free” to enjoy your money—that’s called regret.
Die With Zero isn’t reckless. It’s strategic. It's the best kind of tax advice wrapped in a philosophy of actually living while you’re alive.
Key Takeaways
Your health window is closing faster than your retirement account is growing. Use your money while your body (and knees) still work.
Maximizing your net worth is NOT the goal. Nobody wants to win “Most Dollars in the Casket.”
Give while you're alive. Your kids would rather get $50K at 30 than $500K at 70. Timing matters.
Time-bucket your life. Not everything belongs on the "someday" list. Make it a this decade list.
Experiences compound. Perkins calls it the “Memory Dividend”—experiences pay you back every time you remember, share, or relive them.
Why It Matters (Especially If You’re a High Earner)
Let’s be honest—if you’re reading this, you’re probably doing alright financially. You’ve got options. But are you using those options? Or are you living in financial fear disguised as “being responsible”?
This book is the antidote to the “I’ll enjoy life later” mindset. It made me rethink how I guide clients, too. Yes, I’m a CPA and tax strategist—but I’m also in the business of helping people live well. This book makes a compelling case for why delaying joy is not financial discipline—it’s just bad math.
And if you need a little external validation for this philosophy? Look no further than Bill Gates’ recent announcement. He plans to give away nearly all of his wealth in the next two decades. This dude literally changed the world and still said, “I don’t need billions sitting around while I wait to die.” If Bill’s not hoarding, maybe you shouldn’t either.
Buy or Listen?
Definitely listen. Perkins narrates the audiobook himself, and it feels like getting a coaching session from your rich, slightly rebellious uncle who figured out the system and then peaced out to the Caribbean.
That said, if you’re like me and love underlining and scribbling “YES!!” in the margins, grab the physical copy too. Or do both—you're rich in ROI, remember?
Favorite Passage
“Your life is the sum of your experiences. It's not your net worth, it's not your job title, and it’s definitely not how much you leave behind. It’s the memories you create and the moments you live fully.”
File that under: Things your CPA wishes more clients believed.
Call to Action
Book the trip. Take the class. Go see the damn concert. You can always make more money. You can’t go back and create memories you never gave yourself permission to have.
Die With Zero isn’t about dying broke—it’s about dying fulfilled. And that’s a strategy I can fully endorse.
Ready to Align Your Wealth With Your Life?
That’s what we’re doing every day inside The CPA Revolution—showing high earners how to stop settling for average advice and start making money moves that actually serve their bigger vision.
If this book shook something loose for you, it’s probably time we talked.Let’s make sure your tax strategy fuels your life—not just your retirement account.
👉 Join The CPA Revolution — because spreadsheets are great, but freedom is better.
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