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SWITCHING LANES

The best investment in your 20s isn’t your portfolio

Why early retirement advice misses what actually compounds

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    • A more balanced approach is to invest in human capital while beginning modest supplementary planning.
    • A more balanced approach is to invest in human capital while beginning modest supplementary planning. ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH

    Kenneth TH Goh

    Published Sat, Feb 7, 2026 · 07:15 AM

    HOW early can I actually retire? The question appears increasingly online.

    The “Fire” (financial independence, retire early) movement, popularised in the 2010s, offers an option. The steps seem easy: save 50 to 75 per cent of income, invest aggressively and leave the workforce in 10 to 15 years.

    Jacob Lund Fisker, author of Early Retirement Extreme, takes this further. He advocates living on US$7,000 annually to retire in five years. The method demands radical frugality, with one learning to repair everything oneself, forgoing car ownership and cutting all discretionary spending. Exit the workforce as early as possible.

    Retirementfinancial planningPsychologyCareerLife & CultureSwitching Lanes

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