Strip away the macro noise — rate decisions, election cycles, geopolitical flare-ups — and long-term S&P 500 returns reduce to one core driver: earnings growth. Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is simply a low-cost wrapper around that earnings story, which is exactly why historical trends deserve serious attention from anyone with a FIRE timeline measured in decades, not quarters.
What S&P 500 Earnings History Tells VOO Investors About the Next Decade
Historical earnings trends suggest patient VOO holders have more reason for optimism than panic — but the math matters. Here's what long-term data actually implies for your FIRE number.
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