Proof You Don't Need a High Salary for FIRE (Teacher Retires at 50)
Think you need a six-figure salary to retire early? Think again. Middle school teacher Andrew Luman is achieving financial independence and retiring at 50—all on a teacher's salary. In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench unpack Andrew's complete FIRE strategy, proving that early retirement isn't reserved for high earners.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Andrew discovered the FIRE movement and started his financial independence journey
Building wealth on $35,000 a year: Andrew's early budgeting strategies
The power of a high savings rate and how to achieve it on a modest income
House hacking explained: How Andrew used a multi-unit property to eliminate housing costs
Real estate investing for teachers and average income earners
Portfolio breakdown: Andrew's asset allocation and investment strategy for early retirement
The four-day work week advantage and how it accelerated his path to FIRE
Choosing time over money: lifestyle decisions that make early retirement possible
Side hustles for FIRE: Which ones are worth it
Cash management strategies for approaching financial independence
Approaching your FIRE number: What the final stretch looks like
And SO much more!
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50:57
Stay on Track to FIRE With These Money Moves Before 2026
Time's running out on 2025, and there are critical financial moves you need to make before December 31st. In this episode of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, Mindy and Scott walk you through the essential year-end tasks that could save you thousands of dollars and keep your FIRE goals on track. These aren't just suggestions—they're time-sensitive opportunities that literally disappear when the calendar flips to January 1st.
Whether you're aggressively pursuing financial independence or simply want to optimize your money, ignoring these year-end deadlines could cost you big. The good news? Most of these tasks take less than an hour to complete, and the payoff can be substantial.
In this episode, you'll discover:
How to maximize your tax-advantaged retirement accounts before contribution deadlines
Why you need to spend every dollar in your FSA or lose it forever
Tax-loss harvesting strategies to offset gains and reduce your tax bill
Strategic charitable giving tactics that benefit both you and your favorite causes
When and how to rebalance your investment portfolio for optimal performance
Critical Roth conversion considerations before year-end
HSA contribution limits and why maxing out matters for FIRE
Required minimum distribution rules you can't ignore
How to bunch deductions to maximize tax benefits
The BiggerPockets Money End of Year Checklist
And SO much more!
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Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage or Invest? (Best Choice for FIRE)
Pay off your mortgage or invest? If you're pursuing FIRE, you've wrestled with this question. A paid-off house means thousands extra in your pocket each month and a lower FIRE number. But investing that same money could build significantly more wealth and get you to FIRE with a bigger nest egg. So which strategy wins?
To help you decide, Scott built a brand-new mortgage calculator that accounts for interest rates, investment returns, and taxes. He and Mindy use it to analyze real-world scenarios—high mortgage balances, different life stages, various risk tolerances—proving there's no one-size-fits-all answer.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Who should prioritize paying off their mortgage early
The hidden pros and cons of each strategy
Why your timeline to FIRE changes everything
How to use Scott's calculator for your specific situation
Different paths for those retiring soon versus decades away
Whether you want maximum wealth for a luxurious retirement or just want to quit your job as fast as possible, we've mapped out strategies for both.
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How to Build a Tax-Efficient Portfolio (Advanced Strategies)
Most people think index funds are the only path to financial independence—and they'll get you there in 15-20 years. But what if you could get there faster?
In this episode, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench team up with John Bowens from Equity Trust to reveal advanced portfolio strategies that can accelerate your FIRE timeline.
This episode covers:
Strategic allocation across your Roth IRA, HSA, and 401(k) to maximize tax advantages
How to hold alternative investments like real estate, private equity, and crypto inside tax-advantaged accounts
Tax loss harvesting strategies that can save you thousands
Managing physical gold within retirement accounts
Balancing aggressive and conservative investments for optimal growth
Advanced tactics for tax-efficient portfolio optimization
Whether you're building wealth aggressively or protecting what you've already built, this episode gives you the roadmap to optimize every account for maximum tax efficiency and long-term growth.
And SO much more!
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How Can Paul Fast Track to FIRE by 45? ($1.6M Net Worth)
Paul has a $1.6 million net worth at 40 years old—impressive by any standard—but he's stuck wondering: Can I retire in the next 5-6 years?
In this episode of BiggerPockets Money, Paul shares his journey from debt payoff to building substantial rental income during COVID-19. Now he's sitting on significant equity, strong cash flow, and a critical question: What's the fastest route to FIRE?
Hosts Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench dive deep into Paul's complete financial picture—his income, expenses, real estate portfolio, and debt—to map out his optimal path to early retirement. Should he pay down mortgages? Buy more properties? Pivot to index funds? They explore every angle to help Paul retire by 45-46.
This episode covers:
Paul's complete financial breakdown: income, expenses, assets, and liabilities
How Paul pivoted to real estate investing during COVID-19 and built rental income
The mortgage payoff vs. investing debate for someone close to FIRE
Whether Paul should buy more rental properties or shift to index funds
Optimizing Paul's portfolio to retire in 5-6 years
Tax strategies and withdrawal planning for early retirement
The trade-offs between cash flow and equity in a real estate portfolio
Bridge account strategies to access wealth before 59½
If you're wondering how to accelerate your own FIRE timeline when you're already doing well financially, this episode is packed with actionable strategies you can apply to your situation.
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Intermediate to advanced personal finance strategies for people serious about the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement—not just dreaming about it.
Tune in on Tuesdays and Fridays for new BiggerPockets Money episodes with your hosts, Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench! Or visit BiggerPocketsMoney.com with additional resources.
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