FIRE Content

What if retirement wasn’t about reaching 65 but about achieving financial freedom decades earlier?

As retirement planning becomes more and more essential in a world of increasing life expectancies and evolving market dynamics, glide path funds, with about $3.5 trillion in assets under management (AUM) have gained popularity as a convenient, constructed solution for long-term investors.

One of the biggest killers in the journey to FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is playing with debt. Yes, there is a such thing as good debt, like a low-interest mortgage on a home that steadily increases in value over time. But for most people, consumer debt offers little benefit and often becomes a financial burden. Debt often acts like an invisible weight, holding back financial progress for many Americans. Breaking free from the cycle of accumulating needless debt is essential for anyone trying to be financially free.

My son decided to move back home to save money as he transitions from college to the real world, and my wife and I couldn’t be more thrilled. As parents, we’re excited to have more family time, but this time, he’s an adult, and the atmosphere will require a balance of mutual respect. While his primary reason for moving back is financial, his goal remains financial independence, though starting salaries may not fully cover living expenses. It seems he thinks his parents would make better roommates than strangers, and we are incredibly proud of the man he has become.

The Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement has reshaped how people think about work, money, and life. Similarly, minimalism, a lifestyle centered on eliminating excess and prioritizing simplicity, encourages people to align their lives with their values. Together, these philosophies form a natural synergy, creating a path toward a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Age is neither an entitlement nor a guarantee of wisdom. Nor is it a life where retirement is bliss because it has been well planned to make that retiree financially secure. Millions of seniors are planning to come out of retirement and rejoin the workforce in 2025. In fact, in a survey sponsored by Resume Builder (September 2024), 1 in 8 retirees say that they plan to go back to work in 2025.