FIRE & Personal Finance Guides
Long-form, source-checked guides on early retirement, withdrawal rates, pre-Medicare healthcare, and the data behind US net worth and middle-class income. Pair these with the calculators on the home page for a numbers-first plan.
The 4% Rule in 2026 (Bengen, Trinity, Morningstar 3.7%)
What the 4% rule actually says, why Bengen revised to 4.7%, and why Morningstar argues for 3.7%. Updated 2026 with full Trinity Study context.
Read guideCoast FIRE Guide: Stop Saving and Still Retire at 65
Coast FIRE = save enough early so compounding alone gets you to retirement. With 7% real return, $200K at 30 reaches $1.5M at 65. See the math by age.
Read guideSequence of Returns Risk: The Hidden Threat to Early Retirement
Two retirees with the same average return can finish 30 years apart in net worth. The math, the cohorts, and the six mitigations that actually work.
Read guidePre-Medicare Healthcare Gap: Coverage Before 65
Retire at 55? You face a 10-year healthcare gap. ACA premium subsidies, COBRA, HSA, state marketplaces — a 2026 playbook with numbers for $0–$80K MAGI.
Read guideAverage Net Worth by Age in America (2026)
See how your net worth ranks at every age. Median $192,084 (Federal Reserve SCF). Under 35: $39K · 35–44: $135K · 45–54: $247K · 55–64: $364K · 65–74: $410K.
Read guide55 US Net Worth Statistics (2026)
55 stats on US net worth, income, retirement, and wealth concentration: $192K median, $1.06M mean, top 1% holds 33% of US wealth. Federal Reserve + Pew + Census sourced.
Read guideWhat Is Middle Class Income in 2026?
Pew defines middle class as 67%–200% of US median income — roughly $54,700 to $163,200 for a household of three in 2026. State and city variation included.
Read guideHow Rich Am I? Net Worth & Income vs Peers
Top 10% US net worth = $1.94M, top 1% = $13.7M, top 1% income = $819K. See where your wealth lands against the rest of the country in 2026.
Read guide1099-DA Crypto Tax Form: Fix $0 Cost Basis (2026)
Got a 1099-DA from Coinbase or Kraken with $0 cost basis? Plain-English guide to what IRS expects, when reporting is wrong, and how to correct on Form 8949.
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Looking for calculators?
Run your own numbers with the FIRE calculator, safe withdrawal rate, Coast FIRE, or pre-Medicare gap tools.