BiggerPockets Money

What should you do once you reach Coast FI? Keep investing and move closer to full financial independence, spend more and enjoy life now, or use that financial security to take a career risk? BiggerPockets Money co-host Scott Trench and Evan Lawler break down what Coast FI actually makes possible and why reaching your number doesn't mean you should stop thinking about your financial future. They explore how entrepreneurship, buying a home, taxes, employer matches, and access to your investments should influence your next move. Plus, they discuss the trade-offs between tax-advantaged retirement accounts and liquid investments, and why the best Coast FI plan leaves room for life to change.
To go beyond the podcast:
Interested in working with Nectarine? Go to https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/nectarine
Interested in Learning More About Buying a Franchise? Check out: biggerpocketsmoney.com/franzy
Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarch.com/pockets
Want to better protect your personal identity? Go to: https://incogni.com/bpmoney, code BPMONEY
Connect with Evan Lawler:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_financialfoundation/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_FinancialFoundation
We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!
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Could one spouse quit a high-paying job without putting the family's financial independence at risk? Madison Sharick, a CFA and CFP at Nectarine, joins Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench to work through a case study of a family with $1.2 million invested, two kids, and $90,000 in annual spending. They explore how leaving a job affects the path to FIRE, whether portfolio withdrawals can bridge the income gap, and how starting a business changes the financial picture. Plus, they break down how much cash to keep on hand, why healthcare costs matter, and when a taxable brokerage account may be worth prioritizing over tax advantages. Before you quit your job, here's what you need to consider.
To go beyond the podcast:
Interested in working with Nectarine? Go to https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/nectarine
Interested in Learning More About Buying a Franchise? Check out: biggerpocketsmoney.com/franzy
Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarch.com/pockets
Want to better protect your personal identity? Go to: https://incogni.com/bpmoney, code BPMONEY
Connect with Madison Sharick:
Instagram: @MadiManagesMoney
We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark's net worth has jumped from $1.5 million to $2.7 million in just four years, and his rental portfolio has grown to 14 doors. But now he's facing a new challenge: moving closer to family near Orlando without becoming house poor or derailing his financial independence. Mindy Jensen and Scott Trench help him weigh renting before buying, deciding which rental properties to keep or sell, and navigating the tax consequences. They also reveal the biggest driver behind Mark's wealth growth, and it's not necessarily real estate.
To go beyond the podcast:
Interested in a Flat Fee Financial Planner? Go to https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/fipro/
Interested in Learning More About Buying a Franchise? Check out: biggerpocketsmoney.com/franzy
Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarch.com/pockets
Want to better protect your personal identity? Go to: https://incogni.com/bpmoney, code BPMONEY
We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you go from $90,000 in debt to a $2.5 million net worth and Coast FI? Ericka Young, a financial coach, joins BiggerPockets Money to share how she and her husband paid off $90K in debt in just five years and built wealth through budgeting, consistent investing, and growing their income.
Ericka breaks down the debt snowball strategy that helped them get out of debt, why boring index fund investing worked, and how she turned financial coaching into a business. Now that she’s reached Coast FI and built a $2.5 million net worth, she’s facing a new question: should they pay off their mortgage or buy a vacation rental?
To go beyond the podcast:
Interested in a Flat Fee Financial Planner? Go to https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/fipro/
Interested in Learning More About Buying a Franchise? Check out: biggerpocketsmoney.com/franzy
Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarch.com/pockets
Want to better protect your personal identity? Go to: https://incogni.com/bpmoney, code BPMONEY
Connect with Ericka Young-
Website: https://www.erickayoung.com/
Social: https://www.instagram.com/erickayoungofficial/?hl=en
For Better or Worth: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/for-better-and-worth/id16654812
We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if you could work less, travel more, and enjoy financial freedom long before reaching your full early retirement number? Mel, nurse and creator of Traveling to Retirement, joins Mindy Jensen and Evan Lawler to explain how Coast FI changed her approach to money, work, and life. At 33, she has a 65–80% savings rate, is roughly 60% of the way to her $3 million FI goal, and could stop investing today and still reach financial independence by 41.
Mel shares how she quadrupled her income, keeps expenses relatively low, and uses tax-advantaged accounts and a taxable brokerage to build wealth. But the real goal isn't just retiring early. It's having the freedom to work fewer days, travel when she wants, and pursue opportunities without worrying about maximizing every dollar. She also explains why enjoying the journey matters more than reaching a magic number.
To go beyond the podcast:
Interested in a Flat Fee Financial Planner? Go to https://biggerpocketsmoney.com/fipro/
Interested in Learning More About Buying a Franchise? Check out: biggerpocketsmoney.com/franzy
Get 50% Off Your First Year of Monarch by using code ‘Pockets’: https://www.monarch.com/pockets
Want to better protect your personal identity? Go to: https://incogni.com/bpmoney, code BPMONEY
Connect with Mel:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelingtoretirement/
Mel’s Stan Store: https://stan.store/travelingtoretirement
We believe financial independence is attainable for anyone no matter when or where you’re starting. Let’s get your financial house in order!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.