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They are currently spending about $1500/month over what they get from SS. The I Bonds are from the very early 2000's and so have a higher fixed rate than the latest issues. I'm thinking that selling their home if necessary would nearly double their savings.

That's what I've been thinking. Fidelity active management is more expensive but there is no reason to believe that it is any better than VTI or the actively managed VWI. Thanks!

They have about $400K now not including the value of their home, which is paid off. Current allocation: $91K I bonds $88 K AGG $63K ITOT $43K AAPL $33K VWO $24K VEA $27K USAGX $40K cash Too aggressive for me, but according to a Fidelity analysis there is a high probability that they will have...

I have financial POA for my father (94) and mother (85) and I'm trying to decide how to invest the bulk of their savings. I'm leaning toward the following options: 1. 100% VWIAX 2. 100% VTINX 3. a combination of VWINX and VTINX or 4. active management by Fidelity with a conservative or...

No, I did not pay into SS and have taken it as a given that I will never receive any substantial SS benefit since that would require many more years of work. I am counting on my pension to give me adequate income, which should not be a problem considering my spending habits. The pension is...

Thanks for this! Coincidentally I have been looking at a cohousing project in a small town in a mountain valley in Colorado. It has many attractive features but it is pricy so it is nice to know that there are reasonable alternatives if it doesn't work out. Rural Colorado sounds very appealing...

Thank you, this was really helpful. Yes, it seems my issues are mostly emotional. The storm of emotions this decision has unleashed has really surprised me. I saved and lived well below my means for all of my adult life to be in the position where I could retire early. I always envisioned that I...

I went back and calculated expenses for the last three years, this time including withheld taxes. One of those years included a big, six week trip to central and eastern Europe. The three year average was $28,300. Still less than half of my pension.

I elaborated a little bit on my expenses in another post. I basically live like a monk in a small townhome. I seldom go out. I usually bicycle to work. I bought my car in 2000. Depending on the location, I can travel overseas for more than a month for under $5K. I've just never been a spender...

That $22K is mostly taxes, food, association fees, etc. So yes basic living expenses. I've never been a spender. My car is 21 years old and has 43K miles because I bicycle to work. I fill up the car every four months or so. My biggest discretionary luxury is travel but I'm a budget traveler. I...

Yes, time seems to be passing so rapidly now. As I have read many times on this forum, you only have so many healthy years. Severing that connection to work is uncomfortable. I think another facet of my anxiety stems from my experience as a child when my father went into business for himself...

I laughed when I read this. Thank you for pointing out the absurdity of my paralysis-through-analysis. Sometimes it is hard to see a situation clearly when you are too close and too personally invested. That's when it pays to get other perspectives.

Hello, I have been following the forum for a while now and finally decided to take the plunge and join. I am a 54-year-old single male in good health who recently met the qualifications for full pension benefits having taught 26 years at a state college. It has been my goal for much of my...