<prompt> Human: Dear Reddit,Ive recently landed my first post-college full time job! The pay is on the high end, but I was wondering if you could guide me in the best way to save, invest, and avoid taxes. Heres my situation:Income: Salary: 105k Expected performance bonus: 20k Signing bonus: 100k Relocation: 10k Initial RSUs: 110k vesting over 4 yearsMonthly Expenses: Rent: 2k Food Drinks: 400 Other expenses 500 - 2000Current Assets: 16k in Roth RIA mix of stocks and ETFs 4K in checking accountCurrent Debts: 8K student loansMy current plan is to pay off my student loan at once using my signing bonus. Or would it better to pay it off slowly and invest the money?Beyond that, Im not sure what to do with the money. I dont think Ill buy a car because I dislike driving so it seems like a waste of money. I cant put a down payment on a house because in my area most houses are 1 million.Worryingly, my company does not offer a 401k. Are there any alternatives? Im worried that as a single male with no dependents, my tax situation is going to be hopeless. I dont want to give all my hard worked earnings to the government. Is there any way to shelter my income? Should I talk to a tax specialist? Reddit, this is really stressing me out. What do?  <response>: Im worried that as a single male with no dependents, my tax situation is going to be hopeless. I dont want to give all my hard worked earnings to the government. Is there any way to shelter my income? Should I talk to a tax specialist?I agree with LorisNiceTwin -- why is this such a source of stress? Everyone pays a percentage of their income as taxes. Taxes pay for public goods like roads, parks, police, courts, and agencies which make sure the food, water, and medication you consume are safe. Taxes are not theft, they pay for all kinds of public goods you take for granted. The internet itself would not exist if not for federal investment in defense research.Now, certainly there are ways to reduce your income tax burden, for example by contributing to tax-advantaged retirement accounts. You should do that if youre eligible. Your income including bonuses is too high for a Roth IRA, but look into traditional IRAs which allow you to contribute pre-tax money you pay tax later on withdrawal. However, dont do things like make charitable donations or buy a house only for the tax deduction -- doing things like these means youre paying a dollar for every 0.25-0.33 you avoid in taxes, which doesnt make sense. 