Guides
In-depth guides to FIRE, net worth, and smarter personal finance.
What Is Chubby FIRE? The Number, the Math, and Who It Actually Fits
Chubby FIRE is full financial independence on an upper-middle-class budget, roughly $100,000 to $150,000 of annual spending, which puts the target portfolio at $2.5 million to $3.75 million. Here is the math, how it compares to Fat FIRE, and why so many plans land here.
- net-worthpersonal-finance
What Is Liquid Net Worth? Definition, Formula, and What Counts
Liquid net worth is the value of assets you could convert to cash within days, minus all debts. It excludes home equity and discounts retirement accounts by 20 to 30 percent for taxes and penalties. Here is the formula, what counts, and why the number matters more than your total in an emergency.
- fireearly-retirementpersonal-finance
What Is Fat FIRE? The Number, the Math, and Who Actually Gets There
Fat FIRE is full financial independence on a generous budget, usually $150,000 or more of annual spending, which puts the target portfolio at $3.75 million and up. Here is the math, real examples, and how it compares to Lean and Chubby FIRE.
- fireearly-retirementpersonal-finance
What Is Lean FIRE? The Number, a Real Budget, and the Honest Trade-Offs
Lean FIRE is full financial independence on a minimal budget, usually $25,000 to $40,000 of annual spending, which puts the target portfolio at $625,000 to $1 million. Here is the math, a sample Lean FIRE budget, and where the plan gets fragile.
- fireearly-retirementpersonal-finance
Coast FIRE vs Barista FIRE: Which Path Fits You?
Coast FIRE lets you stop saving while you keep working full-time. Barista FIRE lets you quit full-time work and cover the gap with a part-time paycheck. The formulas, a side-by-side comparison, and one worked example that shows how far apart the two targets really are.
- fireearly-retirementpersonal-finance
What Is Barista FIRE? The Part-Time Path to Early Retirement
Barista FIRE lets you leave full-time work years early by covering part of your spending with part-time income. How it works, the math, and how it compares to Coast and full FIRE.
- net-worthdatapersonal-finance
Average Net Worth by Age in 2026: Median, Percentiles, and How You Compare
The median American household net worth by age, based on Federal Reserve data. See where you stand at the 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 99th percentiles.
- fireretirementpersonal-finance
Coast FIRE, Barista FIRE, Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE: Every FIRE Variant Explained
FIRE is not one finish line. It is a family of finish lines. Here is how Coast FIRE, Barista FIRE, Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE, and Chubby FIRE actually differ, with the numbers behind each one.
- fireretirementinvesting
What is Coast FIRE? How It Works, the Math, and Your Number by Age
Coast FIRE is the point where your investments are big enough to grow into full retirement on their own, even if you never save another dollar. Here is how it works, the math behind it, and your Coast FIRE number by age.