Net-returns

Two households can both assume a 6% return and still reach FIRE at different speeds. Fees, taxes, inflation, cash drag, and lifestyle creep determine how much of the headline return actually moves the plan forward.

A 0.4 percentage-point difference in ETF costs can compound for decades. This article shows U.S. households how to model 0.1% vs 0.5% expense ratios inside a 20-year FIRE plan.

FIRE timelines are not driven by headline returns alone. Expense ratios, commissions, bid-ask spreads, taxes, and cash drag can reduce net returns and push financial independence further away. This article gives U.S. households a practical cost-drag framework.