BiggerPockets Money Podcast · Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Traditional FI (Financial Independence) involves building a portfolio large enough to stop working entirely, typically requiring 25 times annual spending. Coast FI, however, focuses on accumulating enough to reach a traditional retirement age with projected growth, allowing individuals to 'coast' to retirement.
“So traditional FI, as I think most of us will know, is building a portfolio that's large enough that you no longer have to work. It's typically 25 times your average annual spending. You withdraw from it each year. You no longer have to have a job and you are fully retired.”
“Coast FI is a little bit different. It's building a portfolio that is large enough such that it's projected to grow to when you reach traditional retirement age to sustain you in retirement. So you essentially coast to retirement once you reach your Coast FI number.”