The Lab – Blog
Practical articles for consequential decisions.
The NJL Design Lab blog publishes source-backed guides, models, and operating systems for financial independence, investing, real estate, family finance, AI, and the non-money side of life.
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View the seriesFamily and Financial Independence
View the seriesRetirement Drawdown
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Investing
Part 3: Advanced FI Planning: Roth Conversions, RMD Suppression, and the Tax Mechanics of Retirement
An advanced FI planning guide to Roth conversions, RMD pressure, account location, healthcare costs, Social Security timing, and estate-aware drawdown decisions.
Investing
Part 2: Sequential vs. Blended vs. Cyclical: Which Drawdown Strategy Fits?
A practical comparison of sequential, blended, and dynamic retirement drawdown strategies — and how taxes, healthcare, and RMD pressure change the answer.
Investing
Part 1: The Beginner’s Guide to Early Retirement Drawdown
A plain-English guide to turning FI assets into retirement income: account buckets, simple withdrawal order, sequence risk, and why drawdown needs a system.
Investing
Options Greeks 201: Delta, Theta, and IV Before You Sell Premium
A practical 201 guide to reading Delta, Theta, and IV before selling premium, with a 4-point pre-trade checklist.
Investing
Options Trading 101: What Beginners Need to Know Before Selling a Put
A beginner-friendly guide to selling puts, assignment, cash-secured puts, the wheel strategy, and covered calls — with clear examples, risk-first explanations, official references, and pre-trade checklists.
Investing
What’s Actually Inside Your Index Fund? Why the Mix Matters More Than the Label
An index fund is a building block, not a full investing strategy. What matters more is the mix: what the fund holds, how it is weighted, and whether…
Investing
The 4% Rule Revisited: Safe Withdrawal Rates for Modern FI
The 4% rule is the most cited number in the financial independence community. It is also the most misapplied. The original research was sound. The shorthand that emerged…
Investing
What Is CoastFI? The Simple Math Behind Reaching Financial Independence Without Retiring Early
What CoastFI really means, how the math works, where the assumptions break, and how to stress-test your number before treating it like a plan.