23 Items to Help Create a Better Early Retirement Plan

Early Retirement Checklist

After reaching Financial Independence (FI), I am now creating an Early Retirement Plan. Below is a checklist I have compiled to help me think through the process. Importance of Early Retirement Plan Retiring early is a big decision! Just look around – how many people retire early. Not many, in fact, of the thousands of … Read more

My Journey – Chapter 1: A Lost Decade?

A Lost Decade

The Best of Times… My professional life starts when I complete my MBA and join a management consulting firm. Life is great – I am working with marquee companies on their strategic projects. On the personal front, I marry the wonderful MrsFiner. We both love to travel, and consulting is an excellent career if you … Read more

Investing for Early Retirement: A Low Cost, Safety First Portfolio

Investing for Early Retirement: A Low Cost, Safety First Portfolio

After reaching Financial Independence, I am investing for Early Retirement in a low-cost portfolio that is conservative but also has some room for growth. Investing for Early Retirement: Safety First Rule Number One: Never Lose Money.Rule Number Two: Never Forget Rule Number One.Warren Buffett The above quote from the legendary investor Warren Buffett is funny … Read more

Perils of Optimism on the Road to Financial Freedom

Perils of Optimism on Road to Financial Freedom

It is difficult to be pessimistic and be on the Financial Independence journey. Even though I am an optimist, there were some areas where I had to temper my optimism on my FI Journey. Optimism and Financial Independence Most people pursuing FI are, by definition, optimists (although pessimists may doubt this assertion)! People on the … Read more

How much money do I really need to retire early (my analysis of the 4% rule / 25x rule)

How much Money to Retire Early - 4% Rule (25x Rule)

I was worried about not having enough money to retire early, so I went with a lower safe withdrawal rate than the traditional 4% Rule (25x Rule). Safe Withdrawal Rate is not a common topic of discussion, so the first two sections provide a brief overview. If you are already familiar with Safe Withdrawal Rate, … Read more