Q&A: I Reached Financial Independence Three Years Early … Now What?

#742: A listener hit her $1.4 million early-retirement goal three years ahead of schedule — and now she's stuck deciding whether paying off a low-interest mortgage is smart, or just fear in disguise. Later, a former financial planner explains why he still won't recommend one of the most talked-about "safer" investing strategies in the FIRE community.

This week's Q&A tackles three listener questions: hiring your first accountant amid a complicated tax situation, whether to pay off a mortgage or retire early once you've already hit your number, and why one half of the show won't touch a popular alternative investing strategy.

In this episode, we discuss:

How to tell the difference between a CPA, an EA, and a tax attorney — and which one you actually need

Why software can't keep up once your tax situation gets complicated

How to interview and choose an accountant with confidence

How to know if "one more year" at work is a smart plan or a sign of fear

Why loving your job can change the entire math on early retirement

Why a former financial planner still won't recommend risk parity investing

What four well-known investing philosophies get right — and where they disagree

Whether you're hiring your first accountant, staring down an early retirement decision, or trying to make sense of competing investment philosophies, this episode will help you separate genuine progress from comfortable procrastination.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS