Tool 03 — Finance
The number that buys back your time
Financial independence isn't about quitting. For most dads it's about optionality — the ability to take the job you want, turn down the one you don't, and be present during the years your kids are still at home.
Your FIRE number
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Portfolio Contributions
Years to FIRE
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Age at FIRE
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Coast FIRE number
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Coast status
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Coast FIRE is the milestone that matters for dads. It's the point where
your existing investments will grow into your full FIRE number by 65 without another
dollar contributed. Hit it and you can drop to a lower-paying, lower-stress job, work
part-time, or take a career break during the years your kids are young — and still
retire on schedule. For most families it arrives a decade or more before full FIRE.
On the 4% rule. It came from the Trinity study, which tested 30-year
retirements — the length of a traditional retirement starting at 65. Retire at 45 and
you're funding 45+ years, which is a different problem. Most people planning early
retirement use 3.25–3.5% and build in the flexibility to earn something.
The path
| Age | Contributed | Growth | Portfolio | % of goal |
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