Coast Retirement

Research

Short guides on FIRE paths, Coast retirement planning, policy and behavior topics, plus standalone calculators. Interactive models live on the Models page.

Jump to FIRE, Research, or Calculators.

FIRE

FIRE paths (Lean, Coast, Barista, Fat), Coast FIRE definitions and math, calculators, and what-if profiles.

FIRE
FIRE types
Lean, Coast, Barista, Fat — what people mean and how paths differ.
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Coast FIRE
What is Coast FIRE?
Definition, formula, and how Coast FIRE differs from full FIRE.
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Coast FIRE
When can I stop contributing?
When your portfolio may be on track without more retirement savings.
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Coast FIRE
How Coast FIRE is calculated
FIRE number, discount rate, and step-by-step math.
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Coast FIRE · Calculator
FIRE number calculator
Annual spending ÷ safe withdrawal rate — with examples.
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Coast FIRE · Calculator
Best Coast FIRE calculator
Compare Coast FIRE tools and what to look for in a calculator.
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FIRE · What-if
Find Yourself in Someone Else’s Numbers
Six real-person profiles (Coast, Barista, Lean FIRE, and more) and the same calculator you know—edit every field.
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Research

Policy cliffs, saving behavior, cash buffers, benefits timing, withdrawal rules, and reference material.

Policy
ACA cliff
How a small change in income can move premium tax credits—and what to watch when planning withdrawals or side income.
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Behavior
The boring middle
The long stretch where progress feels flat—and why consistency still compounds.
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Cash
Emergency fund
Sizing cash buffers without over-optimizing every scenario.
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Benefits
Social Security timing
Claiming age, benefit cuts in headlines, and how to stress-test assumptions.
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Withdrawals
Safe withdrawal rate
4% rule, Bengen, Trinity Study — explained for FIRE.
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Alternatives · Accounts
Roth IRA & private investments
Self-directed Roth basics for startups and private equity — custodians, rails, and risks (educational).
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Calculators

Standalone calculators with plain-English guides. The full retirement planner and scenario models live under Models.

Age checkpoint · Calculator
Am I behind on retirement at 40?
Expense-based 4% rule check, monthly savings gap, and portfolio path chart for age-40 high earners.
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Accounts · Tax
Backdoor Roth IRA calculator
Income limits map, pro-rata estimate, Form 8606 basics, and step-by-step guide for high earners.
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