#planning

The simple runway formula (cash ÷ burn) gives an optimistic answer because both inputs change. We modeled the typical 12-month evolution: hires you'll add, infrastructure that scales with users, the legal bills you didn't budget. The 20-month headline becomes 11-12 in real conditions.

DIME framework: Debts $315K + Income replacement $1.275M + Mortgage already counted + Education $200K = $1.79M needed. Subtract existing $650K (savings + spouse income capacity) = $1.14M coverage gap. 20-year term: $40-60/month.

Runway = cash ÷ net burn. Easy to compute, easy to get wrong because both inputs change. The non-obvious correction: start fundraising when you have 9 months left, not 4. Here's why.

Working backwards from a $6K/year dividend goal: $300K at 2% yield, $200K at 3%, $150K at 4%, or $100K at 6%. Each yield band has different risk; the lowest portfolio target isn't always the best target.

The 3-6 month rule treats every household the same. A freelancer with kids and a salaried renter need very different cash buffers. Here's the math for both, plus the cost of getting it wrong in either direction.

The FIRE number is annual expenses × 25. The math has a hidden asymmetry: every dollar you cut from spending moves the finish line closer AND speeds you toward it. We compared a $500 cut vs a $500 raise across 25 years.