Topic
FIRE & Retirement
Financial independence isn't about moving to a beach and never working again (though that's an option). It's about buying optionality — the ability to say no to bad projects, bad bosses, and bad situations. These posts cover the 4% rule, coast FIRE calculators, lean vs fat FIRE, and what the spreadsheet actually tells you about when "enough" is enough. Warning: once you run your FIRE number, you can't un-run it.
16 articles in this topic.
Featured posts
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529 Plans and the Roth Rollover
The old objection to 529s, what if my kid skips college, just got a lot weaker. The SECURE 2.0 Roth IRA rollover changes the entire funding calculation.
11 min read -
Solo 401k vs SEP IRA
For most tech workers with 1099 side income, the solo 401k beats a SEP IRA. The math, the shared deferral limit, and the backdoor Roth trap that decides it.
11 min read -
A Roth IRA for Your Kid
Your teenager's summer lawn-mowing money can fund a Roth IRA that compounds for 50 years. Here's how custodial Roth IRAs actually work, funding trick included.
10 min read -
The 0% Capital Gains Bracket
The 0% long-term capital gains bracket lets early retirees harvest gains tax-free. Here's how it works, who qualifies, and the ACA subsidy tension you need to know.
10 min read -
Health Insurance Before 65
The biggest unsolved FIRE problem: health insurance before Medicare. Here's how ACA subsidies, MAGI management, and Roth conversions change the math entirely.
12 min read -
The Roth Conversion Ladder
Access your 401k before 59.5 without the 10% penalty. The Roth conversion ladder is how early retirees bridge the gap, here's the full mechanics.
10 min read
All FIRE & Retirement articles
- 529 Plans and the Roth Rollover
- Solo 401k vs SEP IRA
- A Roth IRA for Your Kid
- The 0% Capital Gains Bracket
- Health Insurance Before 65
- The Roth Conversion Ladder
- Financial Order of Operations
- Roth vs Traditional: Which One?
- Rolling Over Your Old 401k: A Checklist
- Savings Rate: The Only Lever That Matters
- Lean FIRE vs Fat FIRE: Pick Your Number
- Coast FIRE: The Lazy Path to FI
- Asset Allocation by Age: A Practical Guide
- 401k Math: What You're Actually Saving
- The 4% Rule: Does It Still Hold?
- Your FIRE Number: How to Calculate It