BETAThisisaBETAexperience.Youmayopt-outby clickinghereMoreFromForbesSep3,2021,03:22pmEDTCapitalGainsTaxHikeAndMoreMayComeJustAfterLaborDaySep3,2021,03:10pmEDTStudentLoanForgiveness:HowMuch,HowToGetAndWhat’sNextForStudentLoansSep3,2021,02:30pmEDTThisWeekInCreditCardNews:BuyNowPayLaterPlatformsAreEverywhere;PayPalMayOfferStockTradingSep3,2021,10:29amEDTBiden’sStudentLoanForgivenessNowTops$9.5Billion—ButEligibilityIsNarrowSep3,2021,09:40amEDTWhatAre3TopWaysToMaximizeYourSocialSecurityBenefits?Sep3,2021,09:27amEDTStriveForSimplicityInRetirementPlanningSep2,2021,11:31amEDTEducationDepartmentSendsOminousWarningToStudentLoanBorrowersSep2,2021,07:48amEDTA.I.BiasCaused80%OfBlackMortgageApplicantsToBeDeniedEditStoryApr9,2019,08:00amEDT|8LevelsOfFinancialFreedomDavidRaeContributorOpinionsexpressedbyForbesContributorsaretheirown.PersonalFinanceCFPwhowritesabouthavingaWealthierHealthierandHappierLife.SharetoFacebookSharetoTwitterSharetoLinkedinWhoisreadyforthegoodlifeofFinancialFreedom?GettyWhenyoureadarticlesaboutfinancialfreedom,youmayhearpeopledroneonandonabouthowtheyarespendingpracticallynothingsotheycanretireatayoungerage,like30.Conversely,theymayhavealreadyachievedfinancialfreedomandarebraggingabouthowfrugaltheyweresotheycouldretirewellbeforethetypicalretirementage.ThisiswhatIwhatIhear.Sellallyourstuff,exceptforatent,andmovetothewoodssoyouwillneverhavetopayrentorutilitiesagain.Jokingaside,Iactuallycomeacrossablogthatpromoteddumpsterdivingforfood.Nothankyou!Realistically,mostofuswillnotwanttodothethingsrequiredtoretireat30,40or50.Infact,manypeoplewhoarereadingthislikelyarenotsavingenoughtomaintaintheircurrentstandardoflivingduringtheirgoldenyears,iftheyretiredattheageof70.Itpainsmetoreportthatabout21%ofpeoplehavezero,zilch,nadasavedforretirement,accordingtothe NorthwesternMutual's2018Planning&ProgressStudy.Planningforretirement,orevenfinancialfreedom,isamarathonandnotasprint,asthesayinggoes.Breakingupyourfinancialindependencegoalsintosmallchunkscanhelpkeepyouontrackwhilemak