Guides to Coast FIRE and financial independence
Plain-English guides to Coast FIRE, the FIRE number, safe withdrawal rates, savings rates, Lean/Fat/Barista FIRE, real returns, early access to retirement accounts and health insurance before Medicare.
What is Coast FIRE? Meaning, formula and a worked example
Coast FIRE explained: what it means, the exact formula, a step-by-step example, how it differs from FIRE, Lean, Fat and Barista FIRE, and the risks the simple version leaves out.
Coast FIRE number by age: how much you need at 25, 35, 45 and 55
How much do you need invested to coast to a $1 million FIRE number by 65? Tables by age from 25 to 55 at 4–7% real returns, how to scale them to your own target, and caveats.
Your FIRE number explained: the 25× rule and how to adjust it
How to calculate your FIRE number: the 25x rule and where it comes from, how to choose a withdrawal rate, subtracting Social Security or a pension, handling taxes, and common mistakes.
The 4% rule and safe withdrawal rates: what the research says in 2026
Where the 4% rule came from, Morningstar’s 3.9% estimate and how it has changed since 2021, sequence-of-returns risk, flexible withdrawal strategies, and what it means for early retirees.
Savings rate and years to financial independence: the math explained
Why your savings rate determines how long it takes to reach financial independence, with a table at 3%, 5% and 7% real returns, the formula, and how to calculate your own savings rate.
Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE, Barista FIRE and Coast FIRE compared
The main FIRE variants side by side — Lean, Fat, Barista and Coast FIRE — with example targets, who each suits, trade-offs, and how to calculate your own number.
Real vs nominal returns: the assumption that makes or breaks a FIRE calculation
Why FIRE and Coast FIRE calculators should use real (after-inflation) returns with today’s-dollar spending, how to convert nominal to real returns, worked examples and common mistakes.
Accessing retirement money before 59½: options for early retirees
How early retirees access retirement money before 59½: the 10% additional tax, the separation-from-service age-55 exception, 72(t) SEPP payments, Roth contributions and conversions, and taxable bridge accounts.
Health insurance before Medicare: planning coverage for early retirement
How early retirees in the U.S. get health coverage before Medicare at 65: Marketplace plans and premium tax credits, COBRA, spouse and part-time employer plans, HSAs, and how to budget for it in your FIRE number.
401(k), IRA and HSA contribution limits for FIRE savers: 2026 and 2027
Official 2026 contribution limits for 401(k), IRA and HSA accounts, catch-up rules including ages 60–63, the 415(c) total limit, and the status of 2027 limits as of November 2026.