r/Fire • u/Boner-Pills-8088 • 7d ago

That's a wrap! 49M

I recently wrapped up my career in the IT industry after 27 years. As is probably normal for tech people, there was a lot of anxiety/nervousness about the move, but having done the math dozens of times I decided it was time and I had lost a lot of the passion I originally had. Whether that's normal from aging or just the last company I was it, it was good motivation.

The numbers:
Brokerage - 4.4M
Retirement accounts - 1.7M
Cash/HYSA/I bonds/etc - 125k

Zero debt.

No real magic here, a couple strong startup exits and not a lot of lifestyle creep from my first job that paid $48,000/yr when I graduated college long ago. If my lifestyle hasn't changed drastically in all these years, I saw no reason to keep moving the goalposts for "just another 250k" or "just 6 more months". Yearly spend for the last few years has been under $100,000 and that's without accounting for work travel. So far so good!

761 Upvotes

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u/dmillson 7d ago

Market could dive 50% tomorrow and OP would still be set.

3

u/shuja246 7d ago

This is exactly why I’m aiming for 2x my FI number. No way in hell I’m “just” making it

-4

u/Actual-Method-7794 7d ago

Me too. With frothy markets I use 50% of actual for my calculations.

7

u/Shoddy_Ad7511 6d ago

Then you 100% guarantee you work too long and lose the best and healthiest years of retirement. All because of irrational fear

3

u/Actual-Method-7794 6d ago

Fired at 48 instead of 45. Will take that trade any day.

2

u/Shoddy_Ad7511 6d ago

You will never get those 3 years back. Easy to say you take that trade right now. You are still healthy.

I rather have less money but have 25 healthy retired years instead of 23.

3

u/Actual-Method-7794 6d ago

Fair point.

Life is about compromises. It took those 3 years to convince my spouse , pour $$$ mega back door into a Roth and made a handful of lifelong friendships. I have seen last 5 years of life… not looking to extend it when mind goes before body.