MOSAT
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2016
- Messages
- 77
Hi, preparing to pull the trigger.
Both the DW and I are 61 and looking for ER next year. 62 was chosen, naïvely, many years ago as a retirement age goal based on SS availability. We have learned much since then, but old thought processes are hard to change. Goal still remains ER at 62, but seriously thinking the end of this year is it.
The DW was downsized 4 years ago and decided to remain unemployed to provide Grandma Daycare to our new grandson. Since her salary was considerably less than mine, it was an easy decision. Now it’s my turn, if I can find the nerve to pull the trigger. Hard choice, since like most here, I’ve spent a lifetime working, saving, and accumulating a retirement grub stake. OK, you can say I’m scared giving up the paycheck, and you’d be right. I know, not a novel thought, but still the change, like most major life decisions, has me running a bit scared.
We have been tracking our spending for the last 3 years so we have a good idea of how much we need to live on. DW has it all on a spread sheet sorted by year and expense type. We are planning on delaying taking SS until 66, and then SS will cover our day to day needs (property taxes, home insurance, food, heating, cooling, electrical, transportation costs, TV subscriptions etc.). We have updated the house, new windows, new vinyl siding, new roof, new furnace and air, all within the last 3 years with the thought of getting the big ticket items out of the way before ER. Not that they weren’t needed, but they are done now.
We have not gotten any serious heath insurance quotes yet, but we have been pursing the exchanges to see what is out there. (Dang, expensive compared to company supplied health insurance.) We at least know what we are getting into there, $1k to $2K a month depending on plan. COBRA will be available, but we haven’t looked into costs yet.
Current spending per year is $60 K This includes an annual vacation.
Assets include:
Two IRA’s 401k one currently at Megacorp. $600 K
Pension plan at $ 90 K, no option to take as annuity, it’s a lump sum deal.
Second 401k in another institution at $470 K
Brokerage account not taxable at $ 50 K
Cash on hand $ 63 K
Investments are in an approximately 60/40 equities and fixed income portfolio.
Total investable (liquid) assets ~ $ 1.250M fluctuates with market, but average $1.250M
Taking SS at 66 will provide $ 48.6 K per year as estimated on SSA.gov calculations based on current income. We considered taking SS at 62, but most people say delay as long as you can, so that’s the plan. I’ve run multiple scenarios taking SS at 62 and at 66, both seem like viable options
We have some company stock, about 20% of assets in Megacorp’s IRA, and are looking into the cost basis to gauge tax concerns.
I’ve been running FIREcalc and getting 100% success rate with a life expectance out to 100, or 39 years of ER. Increasing our expenditures by $1000 a month still gives us a 100% success rate. I’ve been running other retirement calculators, one from Fidelity, and one supplied by another firm. Both leave us with a good margin of cash at end of plan.
We just met with our financial planner and she said we should be good to go at the end of the year.
Yet…..I still think I’m missing something. What does the forum think? Good to go? Or, what am I missing in my consideration?
Both the DW and I are 61 and looking for ER next year. 62 was chosen, naïvely, many years ago as a retirement age goal based on SS availability. We have learned much since then, but old thought processes are hard to change. Goal still remains ER at 62, but seriously thinking the end of this year is it.
The DW was downsized 4 years ago and decided to remain unemployed to provide Grandma Daycare to our new grandson. Since her salary was considerably less than mine, it was an easy decision. Now it’s my turn, if I can find the nerve to pull the trigger. Hard choice, since like most here, I’ve spent a lifetime working, saving, and accumulating a retirement grub stake. OK, you can say I’m scared giving up the paycheck, and you’d be right. I know, not a novel thought, but still the change, like most major life decisions, has me running a bit scared.
We have been tracking our spending for the last 3 years so we have a good idea of how much we need to live on. DW has it all on a spread sheet sorted by year and expense type. We are planning on delaying taking SS until 66, and then SS will cover our day to day needs (property taxes, home insurance, food, heating, cooling, electrical, transportation costs, TV subscriptions etc.). We have updated the house, new windows, new vinyl siding, new roof, new furnace and air, all within the last 3 years with the thought of getting the big ticket items out of the way before ER. Not that they weren’t needed, but they are done now.
We have not gotten any serious heath insurance quotes yet, but we have been pursing the exchanges to see what is out there. (Dang, expensive compared to company supplied health insurance.) We at least know what we are getting into there, $1k to $2K a month depending on plan. COBRA will be available, but we haven’t looked into costs yet.
Current spending per year is $60 K This includes an annual vacation.
Assets include:
Two IRA’s 401k one currently at Megacorp. $600 K
Pension plan at $ 90 K, no option to take as annuity, it’s a lump sum deal.
Second 401k in another institution at $470 K
Brokerage account not taxable at $ 50 K
Cash on hand $ 63 K
Investments are in an approximately 60/40 equities and fixed income portfolio.
Total investable (liquid) assets ~ $ 1.250M fluctuates with market, but average $1.250M
Taking SS at 66 will provide $ 48.6 K per year as estimated on SSA.gov calculations based on current income. We considered taking SS at 62, but most people say delay as long as you can, so that’s the plan. I’ve run multiple scenarios taking SS at 62 and at 66, both seem like viable options
We have some company stock, about 20% of assets in Megacorp’s IRA, and are looking into the cost basis to gauge tax concerns.
I’ve been running FIREcalc and getting 100% success rate with a life expectance out to 100, or 39 years of ER. Increasing our expenditures by $1000 a month still gives us a 100% success rate. I’ve been running other retirement calculators, one from Fidelity, and one supplied by another firm. Both leave us with a good margin of cash at end of plan.
We just met with our financial planner and she said we should be good to go at the end of the year.
Yet…..I still think I’m missing something. What does the forum think? Good to go? Or, what am I missing in my consideration?
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