Early Retirement Roadmap

I Retired at 55. We've Got Retirement Backwards.

I retired at 55, and early retirement changed how I think about retirement planning, the traditional retirement age of 65, and the real cost of waiting to enjoy life. Af

I’m Gen X, Retired, and I Just Don’t Care

I’m Gen X, retired at 55, and enjoying life after retirement on my own terms. Here’s how early retirement changed my priorities—and why I’m done proving myself. At 57, I

I Retired at 55—How I Knew I Had Enough

I retired at 55. How did I know I had enough to retire early? I looked at whether our retirement plan could pay for the life we wanted, bridge the years before Medicare,

I Retired at 55 — 8 Regrets I Refuse to Have at 80

I retired at 55, and I’m thinking about the retirement regrets I want to avoid by 80. These 8 early retirement lessons cover spending, taxes, cash, health, travel, marria

Gen X Followed the Rules. Then the Rules Changed.

Gen X was told to work hard, be loyal, save for retirement, and follow the rules. But somewhere along the way, the rules changed. In this interview, I talk with author Ma

Retiring in the Next 5 Years? Get These 5 Things Right

The final five years before retirement can make or break your plan. After retiring at 55, I’m sharing five essential retirement planning steps to help you prepare for ear

I Retired at 55—Why It Felt Wrong

I retired at 55, but early retirement still felt wrong. In this episode, I explore why retiring before 65 can bring guilt, social pressure, and the uneasy feeling that yo

I Paid Off My Mortgage—Then I Learned About This Scam

Paid off your mortgage? Deed fraud, deed theft, and home-title fraud can still create a costly mess. I explain how this property deed scam works—and the free alert that c

I Quit the Rat Race at 55 — Here’s What I Got Back

I quit the rat race at 55 and retired early. Nearly two years later, I’ve learned that life after work gives you back things you may not even realize your career has been

Why Gen X is So Burned Out at Work

Why is Gen X so burned out at work? After decades of corporate America, constant connectivity, doing more with less, and watching work consume more and more of our lives,

Why Gen X is Quietly Done With Work

Why is Gen X quietly done with work? As an early retiree, I break down 7 reasons Gen X is rethinking careers, early retirement, financial independence, and the value of t

I'm 57 Now. Here's What I'd Tell My 40-Year-Old Self.

After retiring at 55, I discovered that early retirement is about more than money. Here are the retirement lessons I wish I knew at 40 about time, health, work, freedom,

I Retired at 55—5 Problems My 401(k) Couldn’t Solve

I retired at 55, and I learned that a large 401(k) alone doesn’t solve every early retirement problem—especially access, ACA health insurance, taxes, and market downturns

I Retired at 55 — Here’s the Risk Nobody Warns You About

The big question that's always asked when it comes to retirement planning is do you have enough money? But the risk nobody warns you about is retiring too late. After re

I Retired at 55. My Retirement Plan Is Intentionally Dumb.

I retired at 55 with an intentionally dumb retirement plan—simple retirement planning built around low-cost index funds, cash reserves, flexible spending, and fewer movin

I Retired at 55—6 Signs Work Was Taking Too Much From Me

Working too much can quietly drain your time, energy, health, and relationships. After retiring at 55, I saw how burnout, work-life balance, and early retirement are more

I’m 57. I Retired at 55. Why Am I Still Afraid to Spend Money?

Retirement spending, early retirement, and the fear of spending money can feel strange after decades of saving. I retired at 55, and even with a solid plan, spending from

I Retired at 55: My 7 Budget Rules That Survived Real Life

Retirement budget rules matter even more when you retire early. I retired at 55, and in this episode I’m sharing the 7 budget rules that helped my retirement plan survive

I Retired at 55: Don't Let a Calculator Keep You Working

Retirement calculators, Monte Carlo simulations, and probability of success can be useful—but they can also keep you working one more year. I retired at 55, and here’s wh

I’m 57 & Retired: What I Actually Do All Day

Wondering when you retire, what you're going to do all day? And is that fear of being bored one of things holding you back from retiring? I’m 57 and retired, and I’ll sha