Research hub

Guides & Explainers

Static articles and reference pages—Coast logic, policy cliffs, and vocabulary—plus one interactive flow for persona matching. Open any card below.

Interactive flows
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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Topics
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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Vocabulary
FIRE types
Lean, Coast, Barista, Fat—what people mean and how paths differ.
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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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Alternatives · Accounts
Roth IRA & private investments
Self-directed Roth basics for startups and private equity — custodians, rails, and risks (educational).
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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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Method
How Coast FIRE is calculated
FIRE number, discount rate, and step-by-step math.
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Calculator
FIRE number calculator
Annual spending ÷ safe withdrawal rate — with examples.
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Withdrawals
Safe withdrawal rate
4% rule, Bengen, Trinity Study — explained for FIRE.
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Product
How our calculators work
Inputs, engine, assumptions, and limitations.
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Reference
About (for AI)
Summary of Coast Retirement for search and answer engines.
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