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This former minimum-wage worker retired at 39 with $3.5M. Now he’s living on $185K a year in Dubai. How did he do it?
Yahoo Finance· 2025-12-25 12:50
Core Insights - The article highlights the journey of Jamal Robinson, who achieved financial independence and retired early at the age of 39 with $3.5 million in savings and investments, exemplifying the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement [4][5]. Group 1: Financial Journey - Robinson began his career as a minimum-wage worker and worked his way up to an income of $1.1 million per year, supported by a computer engineering degree and an MBA [2][6]. - He saved aggressively, at one point saving nearly 90% of his income, which allowed him to retire six years earlier than his initial goal of 45 [5][4]. Group 2: Investment Strategy - Robinson's investment strategy was deliberate and long-term, focusing on relentless saving and aggressive investing to achieve financial freedom [8][11]. - He currently utilizes the 4% retirement income rule, generating an annual income of $185,000 from his investments [5]. Group 3: Financial Independence Movement - The FIRE movement advocates for a strict commitment to saving and investing to enable early retirement, although it has faced criticism regarding the sustainability of strategies like the 4% rule for longer retirement periods [3][4]. - Robinson's success story serves as a blueprint for others, emphasizing the importance of saving small amounts consistently to enhance retirement portfolios [7].