Ember Economy Starter Pack

Early Retirement Healthcare Checklist

Healthcare is where a lot of clean FIRE math goes to die. Work this list before you leave the job, not after.

Coverage Plan

  • Define your bridge years until Medicare begins at age 65.
  • Check ACA marketplace options in your actual state, not a national average article.
  • Estimate premiums, deductibles, max out-of-pocket, and routine prescriptions.
  • Pressure-test whether COBRA is a short bridge or just an expensive panic button.

Income Planning

  • Model MAGI because subsidy cliffs and phaseouts care about income structure, not your feelings.
  • List expected Roth conversions, capital gains, dividends, and side income.
  • Decide whether HSA distributions will be used now or preserved for later reimbursement.

Documents To Gather

  • Recent pay stubs and W-2s
  • Current benefits guide and employer coverage details
  • HSA and FSA balances plus reimbursement records
  • Prescription list, doctors, and known annual care costs

Final Question

If your plan fails, what part fails first: premium cost, deductible shock, subsidy assumptions, or income discipline? Fix that first.