In today's episode, you'll hear from Court who writes over at Modern FImily.

Court and her wife are (mostly) retiring early in Canada at 32, but will continue work a bit more until their second child is born.

They did this with student debt and a priority for living a full life while chasing their dreams.

Listen, learn, and let us know what you think.
Episode Summary
Discovering Financial Independence

Court had $70k of student debt after her bachelors and masters degree
She'd start her career in 2009
She was focused on getting out of debt
Court paid it off in 2.5 years
At this point, she looks to buy her first home
She then also discovers Mr. Money Mustache

Starting a career

She had the opportunity to participate in this rotational program
It allowed her to rotate three times in six-month time segments across different jobs
That gave her a wider view of options and allowed her to choose one right for her

Start of  a family

She would meet her now wife in 2011
Her wife would also end up with some student debt
It was obvious right away that both were frugal and passionate about travel
Court drove the spreadsheet part of the relationship but their goals align

Looking forward

After getting married in 2015 they start designing their future
Court's wife was originally from Canada and they set their sites there
They would sell their home and all their things in Florida
Then they traveled for 6 months before moving up to Calgary
Court thought she'd a while to find a job and might travel another 6 months
Luckily the job came through sooner
Court was frugal but didn't have the investing background until finding the FI community
They welcomed their first child in 2018 and are planning for a second

Canadian Perks

Canada gives 18 months of paid time off for new parents
This nets around $25k per year
The insurance is incredible
She tells a story of going to the emergency room with less than $20 out of pocket
The medical bills for the birth of their child were limited to parking at the hospital
Court got her citizenship through her dad but could have gotten it through her wife
She also still gets U.S. perks like good travel rewards credit cards
Canada also gives you around $5k per year for children up to 17 years old
Canada will also give you $500 via match into an education saving plan
They also have payments to citizens over the age of 65 that's based off income
She also says that taxes are actually not that much higher than the USA

Looking Forward

Court lays out her withdrawal plan for retirement
She's moved to 60/40 stocks as she's about to stop working
There is a plan to get back to 80/20 after a few years in retirement
They plan to try and have a second child
Court goes over some of the considerations for a lesbian couple having children
They saved and planned for a 4% withdrawal rate
They believe they can be happy with closer to a 2% withdrawal rate

 
Key Takeaways

Better than expected: Court talks about how much faster FI came than expected
Canada has perks: It's so important to enjoy the journey on your way to retirement
Power in learning: Court wasn't from Canada but she's immersed herself to become an expert

Call to Action

Take a closer look at the fine print of your city/state/country programs and retirement options and consider what moving might look like.

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