StrategyFIRE glossary
Defined termLifestyle Creep
Lifestyle Inflation
Letting spending rise every time income rises. The silent killer of FIRE timelines — raises should fund investments, not bigger cars.
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Emergency Fund
3–6 months of expenses in cash, separate from invested assets. The foundation before aggressive investing.
Glide Path
How your asset allocation changes over time — typically shifting from stock-heavy to more bonds as you approach and enter retirement.
Net Worth
The sum of all your assets minus all your liabilities. The scoreboard for FIRE progress — track it monthly but judge the trendline, not any single month.
Drawdown Phase
The portion of retirement where you're pulling from your portfolio instead of contributing. Requires a different mental model than accumulation — tax efficiency and sequence risk dominate.
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