The road so far.
The story of how Fire Tools went from a few sketches in a notebook to the platform you're looking at, tracked from the first concept through public launch. Subscribe to the waitlist to be the first to hear about each release.
- Pre-launch
Waitlist goes live.
The waitlist is finally live! Reserve your spot for the dashboard launch in Q3 2026 or put your deposit down for the Founders Edition to gain lifetime access.
- Universe
Curated universe expanded to ~150 holdings.
Added 49 individual stocks (Dividend Kings, Aristocrats, REITs, BDCs) and 22 new ETFs (covered call, international, factor/value, preferred, low-volatility) to the daily pipeline. Calculators and the dashboard preview now reflect a much wider universe of real FIRE-relevant securities. We’ll add additional securities as needed on a user-by-user basis (usually within 24hrs).
- Calculators
After-tax yield calculator and tax-profile integration.
Plug in your federal bracket, state, and filing status. See what each fund *actually* pays you. The number on the fund page versus the number that lands in your account can differ by 20-30% depending on tax treatment, and most tools quietly hide that.
- Fund profiles
Deep-dive fund profile pages.
Each security in the universe gets its own page: yield trend, dividend track record, payment schedule, fund composition, and FIRE-relevant context. Cross-linked from every calculator so you can drill into any ticker without losing your spot.
- Data
Daily data pipeline matures.
Built out the daily refresh: price, dividend history, yield, expense ratios, and category metadata for every security in our universe. Updates every weekday at 6 PM ET, after market close. Every projection on the site is now powered by real fund data.
- Calculators
Dividend calendar.
Mapped out exactly when each holding pays, month by month, across an entire year. Timing matters. Understanding when you’re getting paid is just as important as how much.
- Calculators
Calculator suite launches.
Six free calculators go live with real fund data instead of user-entered assumptions. Dividend Income, Years to FI, and Coast FIRE answer the core projection questions. Reverse Income works backward from a target income to the portfolio you need. Safe Withdrawal handles the 4% rule plus custom rates. DCA vs Lump Sum settles a debate.
- Launch
Homepage goes live.
The marketing site launches with a sneak peek of what's to come. Calculators are still in active development behind the scenes, but the front door is open and people can start tracking the project.
- Research
Curated universe research.
Spent a month deep in r/financialindependence, r/dividends, FIRE-focused blogs, and dividend investor podcasts, mapping the ETFs and individual securities that real FIRE pursuers actually hold and expanding my own knowledge of how to track and measure the FIRE Journey.
- Design
Brand and design system.
My background in marketing helped me build a cohesive brand with a modern yet approachable aesthetic. I’ve always loved communicating through design. I wish I was better at it, but I think what we have currently does a great job.
- Wireframes
Proof of concept and MVP wireframes.
First serious wireframes and site architecture come together. I knew we needed a dashboard, but more importantly a set of freely accessible resources anyone could use at any time.
- Concept
The idea takes shape.
I spent years frustrated by every portfolio tool being built for general retail investors instead of FIRE pursuers. Some wanted to optimize tax-loss harvesting with others wanted me to talk to an advisor. Nothing was speaking the language of someone actually trying to retire early. So I started sketching what a FIRE-specific platform would actually look like.
The dashboard ships in Q3 2026. The story continues from there.