Resources

Early Retirees face numerous unique challenges and uncertainties. While planning is fluid and needs change, this article aims to educate and address the most common questions I see, and provide my context and application as it relates to what actually makes sense for most early retirees. "What is the best way to bridge the health insurance gap before Medicare?" By far and away the most common question I see is this. Healthcare premiums can skyrocket if income is too high to

A rollover of your retirement plan accounts to an IRA or Roth IRA comes with many factors and considerations. What is a Rollover: A rollover occurs when you move funds from one tax-advantaged retirement account, such as a 401(k) or 403(b), into another eligible plan or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Typically when conducting a rollover to an IRA one may use a Traditional or Rollover IRA. This process allows you to maintain the tax-deferred status of your savings wh

What is the MBDR? The Mega Backdoor Roth (MBDR) allows high earners to contribute significantly more to Roth accounts by leveraging after-tax 401(k) contributions. While regular 401(k) contributions are limited to $24,500 (2026), the total contribution limit—including employer match and after-tax contributions—is $72,000. The "mega" part comes from converting these after-tax 401(k) dollars directly to a Roth IRA or in-plan Roth 401(k). This process can potentially allow for $

When your first child (or children) arrive, it can be both exciting and stressful. Trying to balance responsible financial decisions while learning how to be a parent can feel overwhelming. Below are some important steps to consider during your child’s first year, listed by importance. Apply for a Social Security number (SSN) for your child This step establishes your child’s citizenship and allows you to open accounts in their name, add them to health, dental, and other benef

The recently passed "One Big Beautiful Bill" will have a significant impact on early retirees in America. For the community of Americans pursuing Financial Independence and Retire Early (FIRE), the healthcare provisions in this legislation will increase expenses for most early retirees, and may make alternatives such as CoastFI and Expat FI more affordable and feasible in some cases. While there are other elements of this bill that actually benefit early retirees, this arti

Those that pursue early retirement, or some form of FIRE have unique challenges they must deal with. Many of those come before the actual retirement date, like knowing how much is needed, what your ideal lifestyle looks like, and whether or not you wish to continue work and choose a CoastFI path. In this post, we will break down 6 of these, and how to attack them. Health Insurance / Medicare Covering expenses in retirement / income sources Roth Conversions Managing Invest

Advice Only planning continues to grow in popularity, with many companies offering personalized financial advice without commissions or asset management requirements, while some are scaling to provide planning services to employees through financial wellness and tech offerings. While it’s common traditionally to approach an advisor with investment questions, it is no longer a prerequisite to work with a planner, nor is having a large net worth. Below are 5 ways an advice onl

A theme I see with many investors is a misunderstanding of diversification. This can take many forms, and creates poorly structured portfolios, and lead to overlap in securities. In this post, I’ll highlight some examples of this in real life, and provide some general education on portfolio management. Keep in mind that this post is general educational investment advice, and not a specific recommendation, as every individual has a unique strategy based on their life need

Roth conversions have become an integral part of retirement planning over the past several years, especially for those with higher incomes throughout their years who retire early, and stockpile pre-tax assets given the better tax advantage they receive with a high income. This leads to a long window of time to complete Roth conversions to potentially reduce or eliminate future RMDs and smooth out/reduce taxation. Below are some considerations for maximizing efficient conve

US Stocks have struggled a bit this year. Market volatility has been at the forefront of investors' minds, fueled by policy uncertainty,...

Can you retire early and have kids? Absolutely! But, it’s important to understand how starting a family will impact your overall plan. One of the key tenets of FIRE Movement and its importance is not necessarily the monetary/quantitative factors, but the lifestyle aspect (the FI being more important than RE). This means, utilizing time as your most important resource and savings as a means to live your desired lifestyle while balancing your earning and working years with d

When FIRE first came to fruition, many other forms of this pursuit began to develop. One in particular, I find myself coming back to often in my work as a planner is Coast FIRE. This approach I find best articulates the why behind retiring early, and the idea of making the most of your time in my opinion. Below is everything you need to know about CoastFIRE from a planner’s perspective, and follower of the principles of FIRE. What is Coast FIRE? Coast FIRE is the idea of s

When investors take on the ambitious task of managing their own investments, sometimes unknown pitfalls can happen that the investor does not realize may be happening. Below are eight common pitfalls investors should know when managing their own investments. Not selecting an actual investment fund or ETF Opening a Roth IRA, Brokerage Account, or some other form of self-directed account that isn’t a 401k is typically a good financial move, but most often I see an individual no

For users taking Social Security, a recent login change was made that will impact where and how you login. Going forward, users will need to make a Login.gov or ID.me account to sign in, instead of the traditional sign in method. To move your account, go to “Sign in” at the top of the Social Security website, ssa.gov, and choose “Sign in with Social Security Username.” After signing in, you will be asked to create an account with Login.gov. This change will not impact social

Many people look forward to early retirement, imagining limitless days of leisure and relaxation. However, there are a lot of false beliefs that can cause mental and financial stress on the road to retirement. In this blog post, we explore the myths that are frequently held about retirement and clarify the facts that should be known by everyone considering retirement. This will consider those taking a traditional approach to retirement, and those who view it in the lens of f

Financial Planners delve into areas outside of investments quite frequently. One of those areas is insurance needs, and oftentimes life...

Saving for early retirement is a financially and mentally freeing goal, yet somewhat complex at times when trying to select the best...

The breadth of information out there regarding personal finance guidance and advice is staggering if not overwhelming. It’s common to...

Investing and understanding what is appropriate for you is a crucial aspect of financial planning and wealth growth. However, the world...

Every year, a new year inspires us to take on the tasks we know will benefit us in the long term. Even while I believe that it's best to...

If you are looking to buy your first house, but have soured on the idea after having looked at the significant monthly price of a home mortgage then this is worth a read. Lately the big item on the minds of many is the decision to go forward with a home purchase or wait. Right now, I see more people waiting for rates to change, but in reality so many other factors come into play. This article covers many elements of buying a home, and other often overlooked considerations

Advice only planning is a growing area of financial planning that focuses on providing financial planning services for those seeking advice without investment management. It has actually been around for a number of years, but recently the term ‘advice only’ has gained significant traction among individuals seeking out a planner. It is expected to grow significantly over the next few years. One of the main emphasis of advice-only is that its focus is to educate and empower o

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have gained popularity over the years and recently have been seen moreover as a long term savings vehicle...

If you have the fortunate opportunity to make work optional in your early 40s or 50s, you have probably thought about insurance needs/risks, with health insurance being the most common. Retiring in your 40s is quite early, and while it is nice to not be bound down to a job, it brings its own set of considerations for your insurance needs. Below are some key considerations for insurance if you are approaching early retirement: Health Insurance: Health insurance is crucial,