How the Rule of 55 lets you pull from your 401(k) penalty-free after leaving a job at 55, how it differs from the 59½ rule and 72(t) SEPP, the IRA rollover mistake that kills it, and the age-50 public safety exception for 2026.
How to use the 72(t) SEPP rule to withdraw from an IRA or 401(k) before age 59½ without the 10% early-withdrawal penalty. The three calculation methods, the allowable interest rate, the modification lock, retroactive penalties for busting a plan, account splitting, FIRE use, and the mistakes that cost people the most.
A practical 2026 guide to the Roth conversion ladder for FIRE and early retirees: how the per-conversion 5-year rule works, filling low tax brackets in gap years, the pro-rata trap, and coordinating conversions with ACA subsidies and IRMAA surcharges.
Whether you want full early retirement or a strategic career break, this guide breaks down FIRE strategies and micro-retirement planning with honest, current numbers.