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Take the first step toward financial independence
Financial independence (FI) can help to give you options—to work or retire early, to travel, to do whatever it is you love. By making small changes today, you can open a future full of possibilities.
Answer some questions about your current situation to get a customized to-do list and a plan for financial independence.
Your financial independence journey with Fidelity
Put your money to work
We'll give you a step-by-step plan to help you decide where to put your extra dollars from each paycheck.
Prioritize accounts with tax benefits
We'll help you understand the potential tax benefits you can find by saving in tax-advantaged accounts.
Check in anytime
You'll have access to a personalized dashboard where you can make changes as your life evolves.
What you'll get in your FI plan
Your savings rate
It's the percentage of your income that you don't spend. Think of your savings rate as your speed to FI.
Your FI number
This is how much you may need to cover your expenses by withdrawing from your investments instead of a paycheck.
Contribution suggestions
Our planner considers your income, savings, and debt to help you prioritize account contributions that make sense for you.
Understanding FIRE
The Financial Independence planner is grounded in key principles of the Financial Independence / Retire Early movement. Learn more about the fundamentals to help you get started.
Debt might make you feel hopeless, but it's a common challenge that we can help you conquer.
The Financial Independence planner will help you consider whether to set aside some money for an emergency fund and to contribute to your retirement savings accounts before directing extra cash towards loan payments above the minimum. It's important to keep all debts in good standing by making minimum payments.
Quick tips for tackling your debt
- Figure out what debt you have
- Rank your debt by interest rate
- Pay down high interest debt first
- Explore refinancing
- Once high interest debt is paid, consider investing
Tax-advantaged accounts
In addition to your 401(k) or 403(b), you may be eligible to contribute to other tax-advantaged accounts, such as IRAs and HSAs. These accounts offer powerful tax benefits, and are often part of the foundation of many FI strategies.
Taxable accounts
Brokerage accounts may not have the same tax advantages as IRAs, but they offer a wide range of investment choices, including individual stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.
Investment funds
Many in the FIRE movement focus on fees when considering which funds to invest in. Consider index ETFs and mutual funds which may have lower expenses than actively managed funds.
One of the main strategies for those pursuing FIRE is saving more to invest more. That looks a little different for everyone. You don’t have to be extreme if that’s not your thing. Just cut where—and how—it feels doable. Every dollar you save is one more that you could potentially invest.
There are plenty of ways to improve your savings habits. It may be as simple as cancelling subscriptions you don’t use, or as drastic as moving to a less expensive city. It’s entirely up to you.
Be mindful about your saving habits
- Set an amount you think you can safely set aside while covering your expenses.
- Track your spending for a month and take the time to reflect on your lifestyle.
- Consider what expenses you could live without. Are there easy cuts to make?