Money Lessons That We Can Learn From Arrested Development

“Arrested Development” is a critically acclaimed comedy of errors containing countless financial lessons that are demonstrated through the portrayal of negative repercussions. The recently revived program follows a wealthy family’s fall into monetary despondency, because of their company’s ill-advised actions that have disgraced their name. This list presents the most striking business lessons showcased by the series.

1. Do Not Write Off Personal Expenses:

Claiming tax deductions on non-business expenses is a good way to get flagged for illegal behavior. Furthermore, it opens the floodgates for anyone associated with the company to apply the same practice. Lindsay Bluth is repeatedly shown writing off clothing and jewelry as business expenditures, while almost every member is demonstrated committing the infraction at some interval in the show. Gob Bluth continuously uses company funds for his failed magic trick ventures. At the end of the original run, everyone’s wrongful claims have accumulated to incriminate them in court.

2. Do Not Lie to Your Investors:

Lying to investors destroys trust and leads to legal trouble. False claims about finances, progress, or stability might buy time, but the truth always surfaces. Investors don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty. Once trust is gone, funding disappears. Always tell the truth, even when it's uncomfortable.

3. Pay for Good Representation:

The Bluth family lawyer, Barry Zuckerkorn, is an incompetent lawyer prone to overt depravity. He bungles their case non-stop, and is also shown being a defendant in his own criminal trials. Eventually, his ineptitude results in Bob Loblaw being hired as his replacement; unfortunately, he is primarily driven by greed and profits. Do not make the same mistake as the Bluths! Instead, seek sound legal representation. In fact, invest in the best bankruptcy attorney Austin has to offer.

4. Never Damage Personal Property for the Insurance Money:

One of the bad business habits continuously illustrated in the series is a tendency for characters to fraudulently claim insurance money. This risky practice is punishable by incarceration. Even if it is not detected, there is a high probability that activities like this can backfire. The family’s attempt to burn the banana stand down for the refund was thwarted when Gob threw the letter into the ocean.

5. Do Not Hide Your Money in Secret Physical Locations:

The second episode of the series illustrated a tragic misfortune. Not only did the banana stand get incinerated, but it was revealed that George Sr. had stashed the family’s remaining savings in the structure. Since no one else knew of the location, $250,000 was burned to the ground.

Though it is mostly just a fun comedy which exists for the enjoyment of it’s viewers, there are some good lessons on how to not handle your money.