How A Single Mom Reached F.I.R.E. by 49 | Jackie Cummings Koski | 173

Jackie joins our friends to the north in Canada for a live taping of TD Direct Investing's 'Inside Investing', turning her late-starter playbook into a friendly masterclass for Canadians and Americans alike. Host Rob Moysey tees up her arc—divorce in her 30s with ~$20k in retirement savings, millionaire a decade later, retired at 49. Jackie fills in the human bits: purpose after FI, why 'precision is not required,' and how a BetterInvesting club cured her market fear.  She also walks through:  The simple engine that did the work: Maxing out an employer retirement plan, Roth IRA, and HSA in low-cost index funds The math behind her Financial Independence target (25× annual expenses ≈ $1M on ~$40k/yr) How she kept joy in the journey while saving ~$3k/month The kicker: despite five years of withdrawals in retirement, her net worth rose from $1.3M (Dec 2019) to ~$2.1M (July 2025). The message lands like a hug and a nudge—know your numbers, automate the boring stuff, and retire TO something.   📩 Sign up for our newsletter (NEW!) 🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI website  🔗Connect with us ☕ Like what you hear on Catching Up to FI? Support the show at "Buy Me a Coffee"  🎙️We love hearing from you! Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question Record a Voice Message with your feedback or question   ===DEALS & DISCOUNTS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS=== 📈 Boldin (formerly NewRetirement): Retirement planning software that's like having a financial advisor at your fingertips. You can get started with the free version or choose the premium option (PlannerPlus) and get a 14-day free trial.   👉🏼 Be sure to use this link to get started:  Go.boldin.com/catchingup For a full list of current deals and discounts from our partners, sponsors and affiliates, click here: catchinguptofi.com/our-partners   RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) 🌐Jackie's website FInomenalWoman.com  📕F.I.R.E. For Dummies 📘Money Letters 2 My Daughter  📈Jackie's Investment Club through BetterInvesting.org 📺 TD Direct Investing YouTube   ⏰ 'Catching Up to FI' Episodes From Poverty to Wealth and Early Retirement | Jackie Cummings Koski | 007   If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show on your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. If you want to watch, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. This helps others find the show and keeps us creating great content for you!   ⚠️Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.