What Coast FIRE Is
Coast FIRE is the point at which your existing retirement savings will grow to your target number by traditional retirement age through compound growth alone, with no further contributions. Once reached, you only need to earn enough to cover current expenses. This trades extreme savings rates for earlier lifestyle freedom at the cost of continued part-time employment.
The Math
If you need 1.2M at age 60 and you are 30 with 7% nominal return, your Coast FIRE number is approximately 155K. At 35 it rises to 218K. At 25 it drops to 110K. The earlier you reach your number, the more decades of compound growth work for you.
Lifestyle Design
Once you hit your Coast number, you no longer need to maximize income. You can shift to part-time consulting, pursue creative work, relocate to lower-cost areas, or start a business without the pressure of replacing your salary.
Risks
Healthcare is the biggest risk: ACA plans average 12-18K annually without subsidies. Sequence of returns risk, inflation above assumed 3%, and career re-entry difficulty after downshifting are all real trade-offs.
Originally published on WealthWise OS Blog.