New Delhi, Feb. 12 -- FIRE (financial independence, retire early) has engulfed social media platforms. Individuals as young as 30 now want to retire by 40.

Retiring at 40 implies that one's standard of living will not increase post-retirement and that their investments will suffice for all emergencies and expenses for the next 40 to 50 years. Moreover, it means forgoing the two highest-earning decades of one's life (40-60 years), which is a financially risky decision. The primary reason for this risk is increasing life expectancy.

As life expectancy continues to rise, retirement planning implications become increasingly significant. The average Indian retires at 60. In 1990, theaverage life expectancy for Indians was 59 years. By 2022, ...