Are you going to end up as a headline in the newspaper?

[nun]

So assuming we still have newspapers in the future are you on the way to becoming the subject of a headline like this

"Frugal pensioner dies leaving $1M fortune"

I see these once in a while where a librarian or a secretary who lived quietly in a community dies leaving a tidy sum. This usually amazes the reporter and the neighbours, but that pensioner did just what many of us on here do; living frugally and saving.

Given the decline of defined benefit pensions surely such stories will have to become the norm rather than curiosities if the average American is to live well in retirement

 

[Independent]

I think you're right that the shift from DB to DC should raise the number of such stories. Of course, that assumes we can find places to put our DC money that provide some good returns.

We're pretty thrifty. If I died early and my wife controlled the money, I'm sure she'd take pride in living well below her means and she wouldn't mind being one of those stories. (I have different ideas.) But, she would probably have more fun giving to the kids before she dies.

We may also see more popular press articles on "Should you give money to your kids or to charity before you die?"

 

[Andre1969]

I could definitely see it happening, in my case. I just re-ran the Firecalc with my own specs, and came up with a 93.9% chance of success. Only 5 of the 82 reported cycles failed, and even the worst of them doesn't start to hit zero until around 39 years from now. So I'd like to think that if I was going down that route, I'd see the slow-motion train wreck coming, and be able to do something about it.

The bulk of the lines end over the $2M mark, while the highest one goes all the way to $17M!

 

[ls99]

Impossible. Never had, do not now nor likely to have a million. But it does not matter, have enuf for comfortable life. A few on DW's side exited, none were headliners. Another one is about to, not a headliner either.

 

[braumeister]

No, I plan to take it with me.

 

[GregLee]

Buy annuities. That way you pool your money with others in a similar position, and you can spend the death benefit (or at least split it with the insurance company).

 

[bbbamI]

Are you going to end up as a headline in the newspaper?

Possibly...but I'm sure it won't have anything to do with money....

 

[W2R]

So assuming we still have newspapers in the future are you on the way to becoming the subject of a headline like this

"Frugal pensioner dies leaving $1M fortune"

I see these once in a while where a librarian or a secretary who lived quietly in a community dies leaving a tidy sum. This usually amazes the reporter and the neighbours, but that pensioner did just what many of us on here do; living frugally and saving.

Given the decline of defined benefit pensions surely such stories will have to become the norm rather than curiosities if the average American is to live well in retirement

A million dollars isn't much of a fortune these days, is it? I don't plan to die anytime soon, so I would imagine that by the time I do that type of headline will be a curiousity of history.

 

[MichaelB]

Are you going to end up as a headline in the newspaper?

Possibly...but I'm sure it won't have anything to do with money....

This is something I'd love to see...

 

[Nords]

Are you going to end up as a headline in the newspaper?
Possibly...but I'm sure it won't have anything to do with money....

Depends on how much the tabloids will pay you for the photos.

Or how much you'll pay the tabloids to get the negatives back...

 

[Culture]

I plan to leave a large estate to my son. Not because I want to leave an estate, but because it is the only way I can ensure my money will last until I die.

 

[Free To Canoe]

When I die Jack it's going to be real cool...
Is this what you mean by getting in the headlines?

YouTube - 'Death by Misadventure' by Lenny and Ziggy

 

[HFWR]

In a galaxy far away...

 

[bbbamI]

....oh what great laughs guys!

 

[WhoDaresWins]

This thread brought to mind a news article that has stuck with me for many years. The legacy of Oseola McCarty (I had to Google it to recall some of the details). She was an African American cleaning lady who left $150,000 to Southern Mississippi University for a scholarship, saying that she wanted to help someone's child go to college. She was on her own at a young age and had to struggle her whole life but lived frugally on meager earnings. Her stated intent was that she wanted others to have an easier life.
Her unselfishness and the value she put on education struck me to the core, much more than large endowments from billionaires.

 

[DoraM]

Aside from giving half of our money to a charity, if we get a chance before we die, we plan to buy a bunch of gold coins or something similar and bury it in a remote location with various hidden mechanical devices and clues to solve. Sounds crazy I know, but we don't have any kids and have always had a love for scavenger hunts, puzzles and games. There has already been some discussion with my husband about what type of devices we would build and where we would hide clues around the world. Thinking of things like those bricks you can buy and have inscriptions put on them in some new park construction, etc.

Or if our investments do really well, maybe we will set all of this up before we die and sit back and enjoy reading the blogs or whatever about how the search is going.

 

[Keim]

Here's my future headline:
Cheap Bastard Dies. Town Rejoices.

 

[GregLee]

... we plan to buy a bunch of gold coins or something similar and bury it in a remote location with various hidden mechanical devices and clues to solve. Sounds crazy I know, ...

What a charming idea! It sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[W2R]

Here's my future headline:
Cheap Bastard Dies. Town Rejoices.

Penny Pinching Hermitess Dies. Town says, "Who?" Tombstone Inscribed, "Get off my lawn!"

 

[Nords]

This sort of newspaper publicity is exactly why we make our donations anonymously.

However in our "If we wake up dead" folder, spouse and I have already written both our obituaries. They're formatted for our alumni magazine but they contain (barely) enough factual details to be adapted for publication elsewhere.

Not, of course, by the time I pass on that there will be any newspapers to actually publish my obit in. Maybe I should reformat them for someone's blog, with appropriate hyperlinks.

In a galaxy far away...

I usually drink my beer in a mug or a glass, but admittedly those wouldn't have near the effect on its taste...

 

[obgyn65]

Unlikely in my case as I intend to annuitize a part of my NW.

"Frugal pensioner dies leaving $1M fortune"

 

[Walt34]

Ideally I'll skid into my casket clutching my last dollar, but I've never been that good at market timing.

This is the guy who did not buy AOL stock in 1992 or thereabouts because I thought the interface was too dumbed down and no intelligent person would use the service.

 

[HFWR]

Ideally I'll skid into my casket clutching my last dollar, but I've never been that good at market timing.

This is the guy who did not buy AOL stock in 1992 or thereabouts because I thought the interface was too dumbed down and no intelligent person would use the service.

If it's any consolation, you were right...

 

[arebelspy]

Ideally I'll skid into my casket clutching my last dollar, but I've never been that good at market timing.

This is the guy who did not buy AOL stock in 1992 or thereabouts because I thought the interface was too dumbed down and no intelligent person would use the service.

You were right on both counts.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Aside from giving half of our money to a charity, if we get a chance before we die, we plan to buy a bunch of gold coins or something similar and bury it in a remote location with various hidden mechanical devices and clues to solve. Sounds crazy I know, but we don't have any kids and have always had a love for scavenger hunts, puzzles and games. There has already been some discussion with my husband about what type of devices we would build and where we would hide clues around the world. Thinking of things like those bricks you can buy and have inscriptions put on them in some new park construction, etc.

Or if our investments do really well, maybe we will set all of this up before we die and sit back and enjoy reading the blogs or whatever about how the search is going.

Sounds great. I am a sucker for finding "treasure".