The Alistair Blog
Stories about the broken world of traditional financial advice, deep dives into our microtools, and updates on what we're building to fix it.
Retirement
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Sequence of Return Risk: The Retirement Killer Nobody Plans ForRetirement
You can retire with a million dollars, average 8% returns over 30 years, and still run out of money. It all depends on what happens in the first five years. Here's why — and how to protect yourself.
Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before You Retire?Retirement
The math says no — a 3% mortgage is cheap leverage. But retirement isn't about maximizing net worth. It's about sleeping at night. The answer depends on more than interest rates.
Required Minimum Distributions Are Coming for Your 401(k)Retirement
The IRS has been waiting patiently for decades. Once you hit 73, they start forcing withdrawals from your pre-tax accounts — and the tax bill can be staggering if you haven't planned for it.
Fat FIRE vs. Lean FIRE vs. Barista FIRE: Which One Are You Actually On Track For?Retirement
The FIRE movement has splintered into subcultures with wildly different lifestyles and required nest eggs. Run the real numbers — not the fantasy — and see which tier you're actually heading toward.
The One-Page Retirement PlanRetirement
If your retirement plan doesn't fit on a single sheet of paper, it's too complicated. Here's a one-page framework that covers the only five decisions that actually matter.
The Trinity Study: The Paper That Taught America How to RetireRetirement
Three professors, one spreadsheet. How a 1998 academic paper from a small San Antonio university became the foundation of the FIRE movement and changed how millions think about retirement.
Social Security Will Be There — Here's What You'll Actually GetRetirement
The trust fund depletion headlines are terrifying. But even in the worst-case scenario, Social Security will pay ~77% of promised benefits. Here's what that means for your retirement plan.
The HSA Is the Best Retirement Account Nobody UsesRetirement
Triple tax-advantaged: contributions are pre-tax, growth is tax-free, and withdrawals for medical expenses are tax-free. After 65, it functions like a Traditional IRA. Why isn't everyone maxing this?
Coast FIRE: The Middle Path Nobody Talks AboutRetirement
You don't need to save 70% of your income or retire at 35. Coast FIRE is a lower-stress version of financial independence where front-loaded savings do the heavy lifting.
Roth vs. Traditional: The Complete Decision FrameworkRetirement
It's the most common retirement question — and the most commonly answered wrong. The decision has nothing to do with age and everything to do with marginal tax rates.