FIRE
SEP-IRA vs Solo 401(k) at Every Income Level: Which Wins in 2026?
The SEP-IRA and solo 401(k) both cap at $72,000 in 2026, but for self-employed founders the solo 401(k) shelters up to $24,500…
Alex Strand
Alex Strand is a Bright Curios editorial byline focused on SaaS pricing strategy — usage-based, hybrid, value-based, and outcome-driven models — and translating founder finance into FIRE-timeline math. Articles under this byline are reviewed and edited by Hector Siman before publishing.
FIRE
Taking Chips Off the Table: Secondary Sales and Partial Liquidity for Founders
Full exits aren't the only way to convert business equity into cash. This post breaks down secondary sales, revenue-based financing, and dividend…
FIRE
Defined-Benefit & Cash-Balance Plans for Solo Founders: Shelter Up to $290K/Year in 2026
Solo founders earning $300K+ who have maxed their solo 401(k) can layer a defined-benefit or cash-balance plan to shelter an additional $100K–$290K…
FIRE
Concentration Risk: 80% of Your Net Worth Is One Business — Now What?
When 80% of your net worth is locked in one illiquid SaaS, you have a concentration risk problem that no index fund…
FIRE
The Founder Glidepath: Shifting from Business Income to Portfolio Income (2026)
A 5-phase framework for founders mapping the transition from variable business cash flow to stable portfolio income — with milestone numbers, 2026…
FIRE
Mega Backdoor Roth via Solo 401(k): Putting $47,500 of After-Tax Savings to Work in 2026
How solo founders can use a custom solo 401(k) plan document to contribute up to $47,500 in after-tax dollars in 2026 and…
FIRE
The MRR-to-FIRE Bridge: Turning Recurring Revenue Into a Founder FI Number
A rigorous dual-stack FI methodology for bootstrapped founders: how to discount MRR as a synthetic annuity, why your founder FIRE number MRR…
FIRE
Safe Withdrawal Rate When Part of Your Income Is Active Business Cash Flow
A founder-specific blended safe withdrawal framework showing how to haircut business distributions for reliability and calculate your true portfolio burden at $1M,…
FIRE
FIRE Variants Decoded for Founders: Lean, Coast, Barista, and Fat — Which Fits a Bootstrapper?
A founder-lens breakdown of Lean, Coast, Barista, and Fat FIRE variants — with real numbers, illiquid equity caveats, and a decision framework…
FIRE
Sequence-of-Returns Risk When Your Income Is the Business (Not a Portfolio)
Most FIRE frameworks treat sequence-of-returns risk as a portfolio problem — but for founders drawing variable business income, the real threat is…
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