Question 1

What is Coast FIRE?

Accepted Answer

Coast FIRE means you've saved enough that compound growth alone will fund your retirement by a target age — even if you never save another dollar. Once you hit your Coast FIRE number, you only need to earn enough to cover current expenses. No more aggressive saving required.

Question 2

How do I calculate my Coast FIRE number?

Accepted Answer

Take your desired retirement portfolio value and discount it back to today using your expected annual return. For example, if you need $1 million at age 65 and you're 35 with an expected 7% return, your Coast FIRE number is about $131,000. Once you have $131,000 saved, compound growth does the rest.

Question 3

What's the difference between Coast FIRE and regular FIRE?

Accepted Answer

Regular FIRE means your investments can fund your expenses right now. Coast FIRE means you've saved enough that growth alone will get you to regular FIRE by your target retirement age. Coast FIRE typically happens 10-15 years before full FIRE.

Question 4

What can I do after reaching Coast FIRE?

Accepted Answer

You can switch to a lower-paying but more fulfilling job, go part-time, take extended breaks, or pursue passion projects. You just need to cover current living expenses — you don't need to save for retirement anymore because compound growth has that covered.

Question 5

What return rate should I assume?

Accepted Answer

Most Coast FIRE calculations use 7% (the inflation-adjusted S&P 500 historical return) or 8% (nominal return minus a conservative inflation estimate). Using a lower return rate means a higher Coast number but more safety margin. Dividend growth stocks historically deliver 8-10% total returns.

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