Financial Independence is a Number

Financial independence is optionality

Financial independence means paid work becomes optional.

It is not really about hitting a conventional retirement age. It is about building enough assets that your lifestyle can be funded without needing a paycheck.

The two levers: expenses and assets

Financial independence becomes easier when either of these happen:

• Your expenses go down
• Your assets go up

Most people make progress through consistent, boring actions:

• Spend less than you earn
• Invest the difference
• Give compounding time to work

How to model it in Plan in Decades

The core question is simple:

When can my investments cover my expenses?

To model that well:

1. Start from Wealth Tracking so your current position is realistic.
2. Create a Scenario from your latest snapshot.
3. Make sure your scenario includes realistic expenses, tax, and cash flow rules.

Where this shows up in the product

Your FI number and retirement timing are heavily influenced by:

• Spending assumptions
• Savings and contribution rates
• Investment returns
• Inflation
• Pension access and withdrawal timing

If you want the benchmark behind the number itself, read Your Retirement Number.