We are now in month 2 of my cross-country road trip and month 5 of my voluntary unemployment. If I was in my 60s, nobody would bat an eye at this. Since I’m in my early 30s, however, this raises quite a few brows. The naysayers who pooh-pooh my plans have a much less rosy outlook on this time of my life than I do. They ask me about spending projections, long-term economic crashes, and […]

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Ericka Barnes first appeared on the Journey to Launch podcast in 2019 to share how she reached financial independence in her mid-30s. Since then, her life has looked nothing like a straight line; divorce, layoffs, a new marriage, and a second retirement later, she’s back to share the full story. In this brand new episode, Ericka walks us through what she’s been up to since our last conversation, from rebuilding financially after a divorce, to […]

What caught my eye this week. .memberful-global-teaser-content p:last-child{ -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); } Weekend Reading – featuring the week’s best money and investing articles from around the web – can be read by any logged-in Monevator member. Alternatively please subscribe to our free email newsletter to get future editions direct to your inbox. The post Weekend reading: a big government pensions report and a FIRE-side chat update appeared first […]

Most retirees spend decades preparing for retirement taxes, but many never spend much time thinking about what happens to those taxes after they are gone. Early in retirement, the focus is usually on generating sustainable income and keeping taxes manageable each year. But for households likely to leave assets behind, the planning process eventually starts to shift.   As the focus moves towards leaving a legacy for your loved ones, tax planning becomes more about […]

A update on the FIRE meetup front. Mrs Hoefnix and I have setup a new site specifically dedicated to FIRE meetups in the Netherlands. You find find this here: https://www.firemeetups.nl/ (in Dutch only!). We will be using this site as our central location for all news, updates and ticket sales for our FIRE meetups going forward. But if you want to do a FIRE meetup yourself, which we sincerely appreciate and support, you can drop either of us an email to have your event added tot his site. The site will get a calender in the future where you can clearly see which events are when and where. There is also the opportunity to register yourself for an e-mail list, so you can receive updates when available. We have now also added a post for the upcoming event: Utrecht on FIRE – Financial Horror Edition. Utrecht on FIRE – Financial Horror Edition FIRE Meetup in Utrecht When: 31 October 2026 Where: Utrecht – Leidse Rijn (details will be provided to ticket holders) What time: 12:00 doors open – 21:00 doors closing Ticket Price: €25 What’s included the ticket price: Lot’s of (healthy and horrible) snack & drinks during the day. No lunch, no dinner! Where to buy your ticket: Click here Let’s use a pretty picture to summarize! Program for the day 12:00 – 13:00: Doors open (No lunch included!) 13:00 – 13:15: Welcome and agenda for the day 13:15 – 14:00: Financial Horror Stories (if you have any, from personal experience or from others, and you want to share, please let us know!) 14:00 – 14:30: Coffee Break 14:30 – 15:00: Breakout sessions Part one (5 sessions to chose from including: FIRE for beginners, FIRE for Entrepreneurs, Estate Planning: FIRE, kids and inheritances; FIRE & Couples: getting your partner on board and Life after FIRE) 15:00 – 15:30: Coffee Break 15:30 – 16:00: Breakout sessions Part Two (5 sessions to chose from including: FIRE for beginners, FIRE for Entrepreneurs, Estate Planning: FIRE, kids and inheritances; FIRE & Couples: getting your partner on board and Life after FIRE) 16:00 – 16:30: Coffee Break 16:30 – 17:30: Taxes – current & future state of Box 2 & 3 17:30 – 17:45: Closure of the day 17:45 – 19:00: Drinks 19:00 – 20:00: Optional Pizza’s (we will have to order for those that are staying – costs not included in admission!) 20:00 – 21:00: Clean-up venue and close out. Couple of notes As noted in the previous post, we were looking for volunteers to help us make this day another success. You guys responded in great numbers and we should be good for now. Thank you all for the enthusiasm! In case there are changes, we will let you know! We tried to improve the ticketing system and restitution process. When we reach maximum sales, a waiting list will be generated. Restitution of your ticket is possible until 14 days before the event. Restitution costs for Eventbrite are yours

Hey everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful spring weather. It’s been a while since I posted an update. To be completely honest, blogging became much more difficult once I stopped posting every single week. There are always so many things to do around the house, and writing is much harder when I don’t stick to a strict schedule. Anyway, I promised to update my withdrawal plan, so here it is. This plan isn’t set in stone. We’ll constantly modify it to minimize taxes and respond to unforeseen circumstances. We will likely withdraw more in some years to cover “lumpy” expenses, like buying a new car. Life is full of surprises, and we’ll have to adapt as needed. Our early retirement withdrawal plan is flexible. Right now, we have almost $1 million combined in our taxable brokerage account and Treasury bonds. However, we also have changing family circumstances to navigate. Our parents are getting older and need more assistance. Because of this, we plan to move to California to be closer to Mrs. RB40’s family when our son finishes high school in 2029. As you’ll see below, this move is a massive factor in our financial timeline. (For context, I am 52.5 years old right now.) The Timeline: 2026 to 2049+ 2026 to 2028: The Early Years & Simplifying Real Estate 2026 is our first year of full retirement. Our active income will be minimal—probably around $5,000 from blogging and minor side gigs. Fortunately, Mrs. RB40 has a small pension of about $10,000 annually. More importantly, her retirement plan includes group health insurance coverage. We pay the same premium amount as we did when she was working, and it’s deducted directly from her pension. This is huge. Not having to worry about the ACA marketplace or healthcare costs gives us a lot of breathing room. Estimated Annual Expenses: ~$75,000 Active Income + Pension: ~$15,000 Passive Income (Dividends/Interest): ~$20,000 The Gap: We need to cover a shortfall of about $40,000. The Solution: Since we are moving to California in a few years, I am winding down our Portland rental real estate. We recently put our rental condo on the market. Once sold, it should generate roughly $150,000 after fees and taxes. This cash pool, combined with our other income streams, will fund the next 2 to 3 years of living expenses. Our Housing Adjustments: Currently, we live in a duplex and rent out the upstairs unit. However, I’ve asked our tenant to move out in 2027. RB40Jr is a teenager now and needs more space. One bathroom doesn’t cut it anymore. Mrs. RB40 also wants more room since she is home full-time. We will use the next few years to live comfortably in the whole property while fixing it up to get it ready for sale. It’s a big win that we resisted upsizing for 15 years. Most families expand their housing when they have kids. Note on a lumpy expense: I may purchase a new car

As people earn more money throughout their careers, it’s natural to upgrade their lifestyle with better homes, nicer cars, and more luxurious vacations. However, this phenomenon, known as lifestyle inflation, poses significant risks, especially in retirement planning. When spending increases in tandem with income, it can be challenging to save enough for a comfortable retirement. Understanding how lifestyle inflation can derail retirement plans is crucial for maintaining financial stability in your later years. 1. Eroding […]