10 Years!

[walkinwood]

Today is the 10th anniversary of the start of our ER journey.

At times, it seems like the years have just flown by, but on closer reflection, a LOT has happened. We are financially secure, healthy, happy together & individually, and ever grateful for this opportunity.

Financially, our portfolio and net worth are a bit higher than when we started (in real terms). We'll probably spend well below the 4% of our Jan 1 2018 portfolio value (that's our SWR methodology) and still feel like we're living the good life.

As always, I am grateful to all the members on this wonderful forum. Thanks for your wisdom, support and encouragement.

I've written pretty regularly about our ER journey, especially in the early days. I've added the links below because I like to go through them about once a year to review where we've been. It may also be of interest to those about to embark on this journey.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/and-just-like-that-8-years-have-gone-by-81774.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/six-years-71848.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/five-years-of-er-today-66463.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/moving-in-er-63105.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/moving-after-er-57367.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/three-years-of-er-55986.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/er-on-hold-an-update-50469.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/er-on-hold-47618.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/end-of-year-1-of-er-44084.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/erd-yesterday-35372.html

 

[Midpack]

Congrats and thanks to you too. I’m coming up on 7 years and the time has flown by!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Congrats! Thanks for the links...I will have to peruse them this afternoon.

I'm working on year 4, and it's crazy to me how fast time seems to be going by!

 

[scrabbler1]

I'm exactly 6 months shy of 10 years, and the time has surely flown by. Congrats to you, walkinwood.

 

[mistermike40]

Ten years... congratulations!

 

[Dtail]

Today is the 10th anniversary of the start of our ER journey.

At times, it seems like the years have just flown by, but on closer reflection, a LOT has happened. We are financially secure, healthy, happy together & individually, and ever grateful for this opportunity.

Financially, our portfolio and net worth are a bit higher than when we started (in real terms). We'll probably spend well below the 4% of our Jan 1 2018 portfolio value (that's our SWR methodology) and still feel like we're living the good life.

As always, I am grateful to all the members on this wonderful forum. Thanks for your wisdom, support and encouragement.

I've written pretty regularly about our ER journey, especially in the early days. I've added the links below because I like to go through them about once a year to review where we've been. It may also be of interest to those about to embark on this journey.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/and-just-like-that-8-years-have-gone-by-81774.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/six-years-71848.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/five-years-of-er-today-66463.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/moving-in-er-63105.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/moving-after-er-57367.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/three-years-of-er-55986.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/er-on-hold-an-update-50469.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/er-on-hold-47618.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/end-of-year-1-of-er-44084.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/erd-yesterday-35372.html

Congrats walkinwood
IIRC you had used or spoken about using the Clyatt 4/95 WR strategy.
I see in this post you are using 4% of remaining portfolio strategy.
Does this include the "95" downside protection aspect or just the straight 4%?

I ask as I am considering the Clyatt strategy for next year (retired middle of last year) and would love to know how that strategy held up over time.

 

[brucethebroker]

5 years in the fall for us (although I cheat a little since I have a hobby job).

 

[MRG]

Thank you and congratulations!

Today is actually the 5th anniversary of my RE! I couldn't have written a better post than you did!

A wild ride life gave us, I'm grateful I was RE'd for. I was very fortunate to find you all as I was announcing my retirement. You all have kept me sane(debatable I know) for five years.

 

[Moemg]

It is also ten years for me so I loved rereading the one year post . Congratulations on the ten year mark !

 

[walkinwood]

Thank you all!

Congrats walkinwood
IIRC you had used or spoken about using the Clyatt 4/95 WR strategy.
I see in this post you are using 4% of remaining portfolio strategy.
Does this include the "95" downside protection aspect or just the straight 4%?

I ask as I am considering the Clyatt strategy for next year (retired middle of last year) and would love to know how that strategy held up over time.

Our plan is based on the 4/95 plan that Bob Clyatt put forth, but it would have been triggered in our very first year. Bob (yes, he is/was on this forum) advised against using the 95% backstop in the early years. In any case, we found out that we had enough headroom to absorb the lower withdrawal and still have a standard of living that worked for us.

Here's Bob in his own words
http://www.early-retirement.org/for...as-a-of-portfolio-value-42332.html#post781617

Since 2009, we haven't needed that 95% backstop. At this point, ten years in, if we run into another 08-09 scenario, we'll go to 95% of our previous year budget.

Good luck to you.

 

[Dtail]

Thank you all!



Our plan is based on the 4/95 plan that Bob Clyatt put forth, but it would have been triggered in our very first year. Bob (yes, he is/was on this forum) advised against using the 95% backstop in the early years. In any case, we found out that we had enough headroom to absorb the lower withdrawal and still have a standard of living that worked for us.

Here's Bob in his own words
http://www.early-retirement.org/for...as-a-of-portfolio-value-42332.html#post781617

Since 2009, we haven't needed that 95% backstop. At this point, ten years in, if we run into another 08-09 scenario, we'll go to 95% of our previous year budget.

Good luck to you.

Thanks so much for your response walkinwood. After my original question, I reread your other attached posts.

My way around the "early in retirement 2008 scenario" is to reduce the 4/95 to 3/95 at least until Medicare (7 years) to reduce SORR plus the risk of no ACA subsidies.
Additionally, thinking about having a ceiling of no more than 4.3% built into the 95% downside scenario, as that was the upper % limit with great results in Bob's book.

Looking forward to additional updates from you.

 

[mamadogmamacat]

Congrats! Thanks for the links...I will have to peruse them this afternoon.

I'm working on year 4, and it's crazy to me how fast time seems to be going by!

+1000 yes very fast, and very happy too.
working on year 3 myself, and it seems like just a few months have gone by, which makes me so glad i went out at just about the earliest possible time, with only a couple months of dithering

 

[ReadySetGo]

Thanks for Sharing

I love reading your story-thanks so much for posting the links and providing updates.

 

[Souschef]

I am in the 10th year also. Boy, has it flown by! I met DW after we had both been widowed, and while we were eating lunch at a Chinese restaurant, her fortune cookie said,"You will set foot on many lands". She sort of snorted at the idea, as she did not even have a passport!
Fast forward 10 years, we were married in Santorini Greece. She has now been to 42 countries during 49 trips and been on 16 cruises.
Life is good!
P.S. she keeps that fortune in he new passport cover

 

[JakeinChina]

Today is the 10th anniversary of the start of our ER journey.

At times, it seems like the years have just flown by, but on closer reflection, a LOT has happened. We are financially secure, healthy, happy together & individually, and ever grateful for this opportunity.

Financially, our portfolio and net worth are a bit higher than when we started (in real terms). We'll probably spend well below the 4% of our Jan 1 2018 portfolio value (that's our SWR methodology) and still feel like we're living the good life.

As always, I am grateful to all the members on this wonderful forum. Thanks for your wisdom, support and encouragement.

I've written pretty regularly about our ER journey, especially in the early days. I've added the links below because I like to go through them about once a year to review where we've been. It may also be of interest to those about to embark on this journey.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/and-just-like-that-8-years-have-gone-by-81774.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/six-years-71848.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/five-years-of-er-today-66463.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/moving-in-er-63105.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/moving-after-er-57367.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/three-years-of-er-55986.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/er-on-hold-an-update-50469.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/er-on-hold-47618.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/end-of-year-1-of-er-44084.html
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/erd-yesterday-35372.html

Congrats on the 10th year. I'm sure many on this site appreciate the updates on your early retirement, as well as the easy to read and well organized posts you provide.

Where in NJ did you move from? Just curious as I grew up in Oradell, NJ in Bergen County.

Last question, you said your portfolio/net worth are up slightly over the 10 year period. I know your withdrawing between 4% to 5%, but from 2008 to 2018, those are some big time market years where gains were great. Do you look back and wish you did something different to get more return?

Thanks

 

[walkinwood]

I am in the 10th year also. Boy, has it flown by! I met DW after we had both been widowed, and while we were eating lunch at a Chinese restaurant, her fortune cookie said,"You will set foot on many lands". She sort of snorted at the idea, as she did not even have a passport!
Fast forward 10 years, we were married in Santorini Greece. She has now been to 42 countries during 49 trips and been on 16 cruises.
Life is good!
P.S. she keeps that fortune in he new passport cover

Wow! You guys sure travel a lot. Congratulations Souschef on your 10 years of ER and marriage.

 

[walkinwood]

Thank you.

Where in NJ did you move from? Just curious as I grew up in Oradell, NJ in Bergen County.

Last question, you said your portfolio/net worth are up slightly over the 10 year period. I know your withdrawing between 4% to 5%, but from 2008 to 2018, those are some big time market years where gains were great. Do you look back and wish you did something different to get more return?

Thanks

We lived about a 30 minute train ride from NYC in Essex county. Loved it there, but love Denver more now.

We actually have been withdrawing less than 4% most years from our portfolio. It takes a lot of return to recover from a huge downturn in year 1 while still living off your portfolio.

Our portfolio, if allocated differently, would have done better than it has. But I have no regrets about it. I picked the allocation (large, small, international, Emerging, REIT, intermediate & short term bond funds) after reading a few articles and books. There is no way to know ahead of time which allocation will outperform, so I diversified and hoped for the best.

 

[GravitySucks]

Congrats!

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

Congratulations.

I have been retired for, 17 years. Time can fly by us.

 

[Live And Learn]

Love a happy story ! Congratulations and thank you for continuing to contribute to the forum !

 

[kimcdougc]

Love reading your updates. Congrats on 10 years. Been a little over 3 years for us.