5 Ways To Retire Early (That You Might Not Know About)

This episode brought to you by Abound Wealth. Take the relationship to the next level and become a client: https://moneyguy.com/become-a-client/ Want to retire early but worried your retirement money is locked up until age 59 and a half? Brian and Bo break down 5 early retirement strategies that can help you access your investments sooner, including taxable brokerage accounts, the Rule of 55, 72(t) distributions, Roth conversion ladders, and Coast FIRE. Learn how early retirement withdrawals work, the tax implications to consider, and why the best financial independence strategy may involve combining multiple account types. Whether you want to retire at 50, reach FIRE, optimize your 401(k), or simply own your time sooner, understanding these retirement planning strategies can help you build a more flexible financial future. Timestamps 00:00:00 5 Ways to Retire Early 00:01:24 Should You Still Use Retirement Accounts? 00:02:21 Strategy #1: Taxable Brokerage Accounts 00:04:58 Strategy #2: The Rule of 55 00:08:07 Strategy #3: 72(t) Distributions Explained 00:11:35 The Pros & Cons of 72(t) 00:15:32 Strategy #4: Roth Conversion Ladders 00:17:30 How a Roth Conversion Ladder Works 00:22:52 Strategy #5: Coast FIRE 00:24:55 The Pros & Cons of Coast FIRE 00:27:55 Which Early Retirement Strategy Is Best? 00:29:37 Why Combining Strategies Can Work 00:31:02 When Retirement Planning Gets Complicated 🔗 The Money Guy Guide to Retirement → https://moneyguy.com/resource/the-money-guy-guide-to-retirement/ 🔗 Retirement – Money Guy’s Ultimate Guide → https://moneyguy.com/guide/retirement/ 🔗 401(k) – Your Ultimate Guide → https://moneyguy.com/guide/401k/ 🔗 How Much Should You Save? → https://moneyguy.com/resource/how-much-to-save/ 🔗 Financial Order of Operations → https://moneyguy.com/guide/foo/ 🎓 Brian Preston (CFP®, CPA) and Bo Hanson (CFA®, CFP®) share professional insights to help you own your financial future. Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources: https://moneyguy.com/resources/ Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoneyGuyShow?sub_confirmation=1 Connect with us on social media for more content: https://moneyguy.com/link-in-bio/ Take the relationship to the next level and become a client: https://moneyguy.com/become-a-client/ #WealthBuilding #PersonalFinance2026 #RetirementPlanning #FinancialFreedom