BiggerPockets Money Podcast Financial Independence Through the Unthinkable: A Healthcare Crisis
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Dec 12, 2025 Regina Moore, a pharmacist and co-founder of Women's Personal Finance, achieved financial independence before 35. In this compelling discussion, she shares how her son's cancer diagnosis challenged her Lean FIRE plans. Regina highlights the impact of the ACA subsidy cliffs, explaining the tough financial decisions families face during a healthcare crisis. She emphasizes the flexibility financial independence provided, despite the unexpected hurdles, and argues for systemic changes in healthcare to better support families in need.
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Reached Lean FIRE By 30
- Regina reached a lean-FIRE state around age 30 after paying off her house and hitting a $1M net worth in December 2023.
- She calculated basic family needs at about $40,000 per year using the 4% rule.
Childhood Cancer Changed Everything
- Regina's two-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer in December 2018 and required intensive treatment through January 2020.
- She and her family lived largely at Ronald McDonald House and she worked only a few shifts a month while navigating treatment.
HSA And High-Deductible Insurance Helped
- Regina had an HSA and a high-deductible plan during treatment and hit the out-of-pocket maximum multiple times.
- Her HSA balance (~$100k) and prior savings helped make treatment expenses manageable.