Firefighter Coast FIRE: When Can You Stop Contributing?

Firefighters are among the most pension-advantaged workers in America. Most municipal fire departments offer defined benefit plans with retirement after 20–25 years of service at 50–75% of final salary — enabling retirement at age 42–50 with substantial guaranteed lifetime income. For firefighters, Coast FIRE typically means reaching a threshold where pension + invested assets comfortably cover retirement spending, often achieved well before traditional retirement age.

The firefighter 457(b) is the most important supplemental retirement vehicle. Unlike IRAs and 401ks, the 457(b) has no 10% early withdrawal penalty before age 59½ — critical for firefighters who often retire at 45–50. Investing $23,500/year in a 457(b) alongside mandatory pension contributions allows firefighters to build a meaningful supplemental portfolio that can be accessed immediately upon pension retirement without tax penalties.

Overtime income is a major factor in firefighter financial planning. Many firefighters work 25–40% overtime, pushing effective annual earnings to $80K–$120K+ in major markets. Firefighters with Coast FIRE mindsets often invest overtime income aggressively during their 30s–40s, building supplemental portfolios alongside their pension. Even $500–$1,000/month from overtime invested in a 457(b) adds $369K over 20 years.

For firefighters in systems with DROP provisions, the same strategy as police officers applies: enter DROP at pension eligibility, accumulate the lump sum for 3–5 years, then exit with both ongoing pension payments and a meaningful investment seed for Coast FIRE. A firefighter with a $55K/year pension entering DROP for 5 years accumulates $275,000+ — a portfolio that compounds substantially over the following decades.