Poll:How many FIRE devotees have kids?

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Michelle Singletary had a column today that was supposedly about FIRE, but as usual, she just seems to read the sensationalist news about blogs like Mr. Money Moustache and assume that they represent all people interested in FIRE.

So, one of the things mentioned (scornfully) in the comments was "No way any FIRE folks have kids." I figure it's possibly lower than the general population, but I know that I'm not the only parent here! Hence this poll.

 

[ER Eddie]

I did have a stepdaughter I supported for 4 years, but I put "no," because I haven't had any kids of my own.

 

[bingybear]

I RE @ 53. Had 2 kids that reached their majority in my 40's. Don't see a big deal with this.

Now if your talking about the RE in your 30's with kids... that would be another thing.

 

[rodi]

I retired almost 5 years ago (June 2014). My sons are in high school - a senior and a sophomore. We planned for their needs, as well as our retirement needs with 529's, and a budget that allowed for frugal, but full, lifestyle for them.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I did have a stepdaughter I supported for 4 years, but I put "no," because I haven't had any kids of my own.

See, I was trying to include stepkids where they were raised for more than a year, as that's a significant financial burden. But maybe 5 or 10 years would have been a better threshold.

 

[Dtail]

2 boys who were not without want. Didn't know about FIRE until retirement itself, but would imagine that one can pull the trigger earlier without kids.

 

[kimcdougc]

2 grown kids. We started saving in our 20's. Always 10% into the 401K with a 6% employer match. We went on vacations, kids did all the sports etc. they wanted. When you start young, you can still have a life while saving for your retirement.

DH retired at 57 and I was 50.

 

[Alan]

I was 55 and DW was 54 when we retired, our 2 kids were both graduated from college and working at the time.

 

[marko]

No kids of our own but a few leech-like nieces and nephews who cost us almost as much over the past 25+ years

 

[marko]

So, one of the things mentioned (scornfully) in the comments was "No way any FIRE folks have kids." I figure it's possibly lower than the general population, but I know that I'm not the only parent here! Hence this poll.

She needs to "broaden her horizon", as my grandma used to say.

 

[TexasCanuck]

2 kids

My wife and I retired when I was 38 and she was 40. We have 2 kids. (When we retired they were 5 and 3 years old) They are 7 years older now.

Troy

 

[Aerides]

None, but that was a decision we made before the FIRE efforts started to even form the outlines of a plan.

 

[Tallman4123]

Two great kids, now 37 and 33. Separated and ultimately divorced when the kids were 6 and 10. For over a decade my income was distributed thusly: one-third child support, one-third tax gods and one-third me. Retired at 59.

 

[Just_Steve]

Retired @ 55, one child in last year of collage and one child in first year of collage. All is well.

 

[SecondCor521]

Retired three years ago at age 46. Have three kids: DS24/college junior, DS19/HS senior, and DD17/HS junior. They had all their needs met, a few of their wants indulged, and a few splurges just because we could. I have planned to pay for a marketable bachelor's degree for each of them.

Went through a divorce about age 36. She got half of assets then child support for the past 13 years. 13 or 14 more payments left. IMO the divorce was waaay more costly than the kids, and the kids were more fun than the divorce.

Taxes were also overall a much larger financial drain than the kids.

 

[FlaGator]

Bagged it as a 55 year old widowed parent of a 13 and 10 year old.

 

[scrabbler1]

None, but that was a decision we made before the FIRE efforts started to even form the outlines of a plan.

Same here. I knew at age 20 I would be childfree. It wasn't until age 35 when early retirement first appeared on my radar.

 

[W2R]

I retired at 61, and at that time my daughter was 31, grown, married, and out of the house.

I think the article was about much younger early retirees, so I voted "it's complicated".

 

[Teacher Terry]

3 kids and 2 step kids. I semi-retired at 58 and was working part time until recently.

 

[RE2Boys]

I retired almost 5 years ago (June 2014). My sons are in high school - a senior and a sophomore. We planned for their needs, as well as our retirement needs with 529's, and a budget that allowed for frugal, but full, lifestyle for them.

Similar story.
In 2000 I was 50, wife was 40 (she became a SAHM when first was born). And the boys were 1 and 3 years old. Retired from my career job February 2000. As Rodi described " We planned for their needs, as well as our retirement needs with 529's, and a budget that allowed for frugal, but full, lifestyle for them". They were the deciding factor in accepting an early retirement offer enabling me to be an everyday presence in their lives (soccer Dad complete with minivan). Worked a bit of consulting the first two years, then seasonal job 3 months of the year(but on my terms) until now in 2019, no W2 at all. Boys are now both in college, 529 cover 80% of education costs.
So retired with toddlers, but always available every step of the way. This summer will be hard, as they both took summer jobs away from home. It'll be a great experience for them, but will miss them dearly. I've been calling myself semi-retired until this year.

May need to change my screen name!.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

We have one kid, and we're definitely going to try to wait until that one is done with college before retiring. After that...well, it really depends on the markets, but I will definitely be at least cutting back by then!

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

3 boys, all were/are in college.

I retired at 55 with our oldest son just graduated from college, our middle son in their 1st year of college, and our youngest a junior in HS.

We saved in 529's and ESA's for their college expenses (no financial aid).

I'll concede that retiring in one's 30's/40's with young children would be much more challenging.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Retired at 33. Now 66 with a 4 y/o and 13 y/o.

 

[brett]

Both children completed post secondary/university with no debt when we FIRED. Both working, on their own, supporting themselves.

We were in our late 50's and rattling around a large, empty home. First FIRE decision was to sell it.

What is so unusual about this? We know of others who have done the same. I do not think that it was/is a big deal.

 

[Jerry1]

I had kids early. I retired at 57 and both my daughters were over 30. One went to college and we paid full fair on that. The other did not but we bought her a house. So, they were not cheap. However, beyond being worth every penny, their cost were it not to have been there wouldn't have changed my retirement by very many years if any. Retirement came from good pay (a blessing) and LBYM's. It's like anything. You can spend a ton on your kids or you can be creative in order to give them a good life on a reasonable budget. Good choices provide better options. Not easy, but simple.