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The week's question
In March 2025, in the thread "Re: OT, out", Umm asked the members: "Do you think it is because America is made up of magical soil that makes businesses based in America magically profitable?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
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Personal Finance / Retirement Investing
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Author: sykesix ✭  😊 😞
Number: of 1355 
Subject: Re: Early retirement pitfalls?
Date: 05/07/24 6:20 PM
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My main thought is I should have retired earlier. Work causes a certain amount of stress for everyone, even people who enjoy their jobs. Stress can contribute to hypertension. I wouldn't work for ten more minutes if I thought it might be contributing to my vision loss. I would rather live in a box and eat Alpo than lose my eyesight. So I'm going to depart a bit from those who say don't retire with too little. I would just make it happen. Especially if you think you are close enough anyway.

You didn't mention if you are including Social Security in your calculations. Many people don't. But you should because you are close enough to collecting it that the government would never change benefits for something like you (and me too). There would be riots. The only exception might be for people who have high incomes in retirement who could see increased taxes on their benefit, but in that case you are golden. Especially if you can wait until 70, SS is great backstop.

One thing that wasn't clear is if your 2.5% withdrawal rate of your net worth includes your house. It should be your liquid net worth, unless you have some way to access equity in your house by doing something downsizing. If it is 2.5% of your liquid net worth, then you retire at end of the day today.

One thing to keep in mind about FIREcalc and such is that in most scenarios you wind up filthy rich at the end of period.



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This community has written 1,284 posts about Retirement Investing. The article-length ones it recommended most:
The Case for Long-Term Buy and Hold Investing · 49 recs · 2025
Transferring assets to the next generation · 20 recs · 2025
Retirement Year 8 · 17 recs · 2025
(nearly) year one of retirement has been good · 11 recs · 2026
Buying Treasuries Via Vanguard · 10 recs · 2023
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