ready at 39...have i missed anything?

[ordway]

As for paying back those who helped you...

What's the difference between A) Working 30 years in a relatively low-paying job, paying relatively little in taxes before retiring, and B) Working 10 years in a high-paying job, paying lots in taxes, and retiring early?

In both cases, the person probably paid a similar amount "back", yet Person A won't get any snarky comments about cheating society or copping out, while Person B will. What, is it something like "you have to suffer for the same amount of years I suffered, or else you're a copout?"

A and B get more unbalanced if you consider what a lot of people actually DO when they don't have to go to work every day. Like volunteer or get active in their community. Like actually interacting with people and making for a more positive social environment. Like not having to drive a long commute to work every day, clogging up the roads and polluting the air.

And don't even get me started on people who think that it's selfish or something to not have kids. Uhhh.... part of my income taxes goes to pay for the education system, and I'm very happy with that - well-educated and healthy kids are important for society as a whole -- even though I will never have any kids to personally take advantage of that. Hardly selfish!

[bow-tie]

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As for paying back those who helped you... What's the difference between A) Working 30 years in a relatively low-paying job, paying relatively little in taxes before retiring, and B) Working 10 years in a high-paying job, paying lots in taxes, and retiring early?

Exactly. I'd like some help understanding this, too. My wife and I are D I N Ks, and we get killed in taxes. I'd like to think we're doing our share. And the sooner we're done, the better.

[Jack_Key]

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I think I'm missing something here... Ozarkjohn's total nest egg is $725K. A $25K draw on that is only about 3.4%. That seems pretty conservative to me. I don't see that there's any relevance to the fact that he'll be drawing first from one "pool" of money while letting the other untouched, and then switching to the other pool - isn't it the whole portfolio that matters?

I think that you are right and the nest egg is more than large enough to sustain a $25k annual withdrawal amount. Add to that the fact that in the following years, Ozarkjohn will likely work part-time from time to time, I would not be upset should I have this nest egg in my portfolio!

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I can't speak to the costs of kids (don't have any, don't plan to) but a $25K budget that does NOT include housing seems pretty sweet to me. If we didn't have to pay rent, my & my husband's annual expenses would be somewhere around $12K, and we don't feel even remotely deprived. For us, $25K before housing costs would give us a TON of slack.

The $25k budget depends a lot upon where you live, but I think that if it is enough now, it is likely to be enough later during retirement. Some day, the kids will grow and leave home, which can be seen as "deflation" of expenses.

At this time, maybe Ozarkjohn will find his home too large for him and his wife and sell it for a smaller house or condo and invest the cash.

If I wish I was you Ozarkjohn, since I would retire today (I am 29)

Jack

[GDH]

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Who do you think paid for the bulk of your IT training?

The same people who will be more than payed back by the increased taxes I will generate as a higher paid employee over the course of my career.

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Get your career together, save 10%/year, and quit thinking the world owes you a living.

Thinking the world owes me a living? Would I be working 60hrs a week, saving 30-40% of my income, managing my expenses, planning my investments, and working nights on my M.Sc. if I thought someone owed me a living?

I've been accused of being cheap, but never of being a slacker.

OTH, I re-read my original post and was surprised by the angst. I apologize if I offended anyone, but I stand by my point that productivity isn't measured in years.