FIRE
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Financial independence, retire early |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Business & Finance, Organizations & Companies |
FIRE has two meanings. It stands for Financial independence, retire early (personal finance) or Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (nonprofit).
Meanings of FIRE at a glance
| # | FIRE stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Financial independence, retire early | Business & Finance › Personal Finance |
| 2 | Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression | Organizations & Companies › Nonprofit |
1. Financial independence, retire early
Business & Finance · Personal Finance Abbreviations
Lifestyle movement built around saving a very large share of income, often half or more, and investing it until the portfolio can cover living expenses indefinitely. Many followers target a portfolio of about 25 times annual spending, based on the 4% withdrawal rule.
Example: She hit her FIRE number at 41 and now works part-time only because she enjoys it.
The movement draws on the 1992 book "Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez and was popularized in the 2010s by blogs such as Mr. Money Mustache. Variants include Lean FIRE (frugal), Fat FIRE (high spending), Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE (part-time work). The 4% guideline comes from William Bengen's 1994 research and the 1998 Trinity study.
2. Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
Organizations & Companies · Nonprofit Abbreviations
Nonprofit that defends free speech, due process and academic freedom, originally on college campuses and since 2022 across American society, through litigation, advocacy and public education.
Example: FIRE's annual rankings rated the university among the worst for free speech.
Founded in 1999 by professor Alan Charles Kors and lawyer Harvey Silverglate as the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, it kept the acronym when it broadened its mission in 2022. It has defended speakers across the political spectrum.
Related abbreviations
More personal finance abbreviations
- ESA – Coverdell education savings account
- FERS – Federal Employees Retirement System
- FHSA – First Home Savings Account
- FICO – Fair Isaac Corporation credit score
- FRA – Full retirement age
- FSA – Flexible spending account
- HCOL – High cost of living
- HSA – Health savings account
See all 69 personal finance abbreviations →