Best Regards from the Desert SW

[Beldar]

Hello

I feel very blessed to have found this forum and and am really glad to join. Rapidly approaching RE and would like to share and learn here.

I'm 57 (egads) and DW is 56. Both ending our careers hopefully sooner than later, I anticiapte RE in no more than 2 yrs. We are completely debt free, own our home and have certainly practiced a LBYM lifestyle to get there. We have approx $1.3mil in pretax 401ks and IRAs, and abt 100K in MM, various stocks, bonds and so forth. Of course, no kids along the way has helped that, we grew up as part of the 'Me" generation I'm afraid.

I am working my way through Gumby's recommended 12 step program and exercising as many of the planning simulators as I understand each. For us, a 30yr retirement picture looks very promising. I'm still trying to get my mind around post-retirement taxes and the ACA (that really scares me).

I really appreciate how much experience and advice everyone here shares without reservation. I can honestly say after driving through discussion after discussion my appreciation as to what really is possible as to acheiving FIRE has matured immensely.

I haven't tried recycling dryer sheets yet, although it's usually so dry out here we hang our clothes outdoors. Maybe this winter

ATB

_B

 

[Ronstar]

Welcome, Beldar!

Sounds like you have a solid plan in place.

And the dryer sheets will hold up well in the desert SW.

 

[38Chevy454]

Welcome to the forum. Seems you are doing good to educate yourself and learn more before you actually make the change to retirement.

Only suggestion I have is you may want to consider retirement earlier rather than 2 years. If you understand your expenses and have the income, stop working.

 

[Major Tom]

It sounds as if you've been planning and thinking about this for a while Beldar. That's good - the financial side of retirement is not going to take you by surprise when you decide to stop work. This is a well-moderated forum, making it a really pleasant place to read, chat, and learn.

Welcome!

 

[RockyMtn]

Welcome Beldar! Plenty of great info on this site and many wise individuals.

We are heading to SW Desert on Thursday for the winter before the snow starts flying here in Denver.

 

[heeyy_joe]

Welcome! If you are going to work another couple years seriously consider doing some Roth contributions or conversions.

 

[Beldar]

Only suggestion I have is you may want to consider retirement earlier rather than 2 years. If you understand your expenses and have the income, stop working.

Thanks 38Chevy454...If I had a dollar for every time I considered (and continue to consider) moving the date up I'd be there already!

But seriously, the possibility does exist.

_B

 

[Beldar]

Welcome! If you are going to work another couple years seriously consider doing some Roth contributions or conversions.

Thanks heeyy_joe, I've actually started doing that. Lazy me though, I've always had a 20% payroll deduction into 401ks over the years, and didn't jumpp on the Roth bandwagon when it surfaced a few years back. So we have created Roths for DW & myself and will be contributing / converting to the 15% ceiling.

I've also dropped my 401K limit to the matching amount and am using the difference to both fund the Roths and take care of some preventative maintenance at home (new furnace, WH, roof coating, etc) to ease the chance of any unexpected financial "surprises" during the first few yrs of ER. Maybe an exercise in futility but I'm an optimist.

_B

 

[calmloki]

So are you an illegal alien? from Remulak?

 

[Beldar]

So are you an illegal alien? from Remulak?

No, actually its an Easter egg embedded in alot of my work. Over the years only one person has found it . I try to maintain a jocular attitude in life.

 

[Trooper]

After retirement you may consume mass quantities of fiberglass and beer. Welcome to the forum!