Average growth per month since retirement

[NW-Bound]

As for portfolio growth, I don't think an average growth number in dollar amount would be meaningful over a long period. So, let's talk percentage.

My earned income stopped in May 2012. Since then my stash grew 3.124x over 4803 days. That's 0.02372%/day, or 9.042%/year.

Now, the S&P 500 total return over the same period is 4.162x , annualized to 12.76%/year. That's way above my number of 9.042%/year.

However, my initial WR was closer to 4%, and that caused a drag on portfolio growth. My recent WR is a lot lower (expenses staying roughly the same while the stash grew), and I have been about matching the S&P return, even with a stock AA varying between 60 to 80%.

 

[Koolau]

About $77,000/month. Retired 7 years.

Up by $6.5 million since retirement. Not too bad!

 

[Koolau]

Let's see, I've been retired ~15 years and I'm down about $1m of investable cash from where I started. If I live to ~110, I'm going to be in serious trouble if I keep spending at this rate. I guess then I'd need to start selling my property, cars, etc.

No, no. NOT the cars!!

You'll have to change your Forum Name. ("Former Car-Guy" just doesn't have the same ring to it)!

 

[marko]

For us oldsters who retired before the Great Recession, numbers might be a little different.

2008 took a big chunk out of my annual/monthly average growth dollar numbers. I went into 2009 35% lower than the year before. Took me almost three years to re-coup that drop.

IMO, actual dollars are fun for bragging rights, but everyone started counting at different times with different starting balances. (Let me tell you about my monthly dollar gain since 2023!!)

 

[FREE866]

Retired 9 years ago ( January 2017) this month.

Including all my withdrawals I've gained ~$10,000 per month.

I'm so damn grateful.

 

[street]

NW-Bound just was a fun look at what the stash is not now compared to the day I walked away. Then to break it down to months. Nothing more then a some numbers in real time. The numbers really mean nothing but it does show some interesting data.

 

[Ronstar]

I've been retired 141.75 months. I'm guessing around $21k a month after spending.

 

[Badger]

We retired Aug 2012 with a portfolio of about 1.8 million. We were very very frugal and most of the time living on one teacher salary. It has done a little better than tripled. Portfolio mix has been about 25% IRA/Roth, 19% CDs, 25% stocks, and 30% cash. I just did enough simple math to make my head hurt. Right now it's the RMDs that are killing us at tax time so I have been doing QCDs for the last 3 years. I would rather give the money to a reputable charity than the tax man.

 

[VanWinkle]

I have enough to winter in Florida (cold at the moment), gift to charity and
4 children, and start 10K UTMA accounts for newborns. That meets all of my goals.

 

[NW-Bound]

NW-Bound just was a fun look at what the stash is not now compared to the day I walked away. Then to break it down to months. Nothing more then a some numbers in real time. The numbers really mean nothing but it does show some interesting data.

My most "interesting" monthly number is going to be for Jan 2026. I am pushing $400K for the month, on a stock AA of 65% (the AA was higher, but I "lost" so many good stocks via covered calls).

It does not look right. Still 2 more trading days in the month. The gain may just disappear.

 

[lauradrops]

Just about 11k per month Never looked at it that way before, fun!

 

[street]

My most "interesting" monthly number is going to be for Jan 2026. I am pushing $400K for the month, on a stock AA of 65% (the AA was higher, but I "lost" so many good stocks via covered calls).

It does not look right. Still 2 more trading days in the month. The gain may just disappear.

That is amazing!!! You are my hero!!! I'm cheering You on.

 

[athena53]

Exactly, and that is the more important metric. The monthly dollar amount is highly dependent on how much you started with.

I agree. The metric I use is that investments have grown 3.6%/year on average after withdrawals since I retired. Over 68 months that's 0.6% per month. I like that it's simple and reassuring and I can throw it into conversation when it's relevant without giving away actual $$ amounts.

 

[NW-Bound]

That is amazing!!! You are my hero!!! I'm cheering You on.

Thank you. I have been taken aback too. While I am diversified and hold perhaps 100 stocks, I have a concentration on semiconductor, semiconductor equipment sectors, energy, and copper mining, and these have had such a hot run YTD, it makes me shake my head.

Sure, I only hold stocks with a reasonable P/E, and no such things as Tesla and Palantir, but that was also what I thought in March 2000. After more than 25 years of being an active investor, I have learned to be more leery when things are like in a dream. Dreams can turn into nightmares.

PS. Shortly after the market opened, I got past the $400k YTD. Just looked. It's no more.
Yesterday, I closed out all my puts, even though they were so out-of-the-money. Didn't want to risk a market reversal, even though the expiration date was Jan 30.

 

[pacergal]

I really don’t pay attention to micro level numbers. What I do know is that my portfolio has almost doubled since retiring, all while supporting a relatively worry-free (financially) lifestyle. The pandemic crash was the one big scare, mainly because the modern markets had never seen anything like it, so past data was worthless.

Same here, a little over doubled what we had at start of retirement, 11-2016.
We feel blessed.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Seems to be about 14K month. 18 years.

That is stocks + rental real estate combined. That's after spending .

 

[CalBird]

Up by $6.5 million since retirement. Not too bad!

People don’t realize retirement can generate lots of wealth .

 

[NW-Bound]

People don’t realize retirement can generate lots of wealth .

Yes, because of lower living expenses, particularly for retirees whose pastime costs nothing, like surfin' ER forum.

 

[street]

People don’t realize retirement can generate lots of wealth .

That is the right. Two people I started work with 45 years ago are still working the same place. There salary has to be extremely high now after the 10 years since I stopped working. They have to be dirty wealthy but just can't give it up. They are over mid 60's now and still adding to the stash.
I am making more then them on average a month but I'm doing what ever I want to do and no stress. Interesting how that worked out.

 

[CalBird]

I am making more then them on average a month but I'm doing what ever I want to do and no stress.

Don’t know how they would feel if you tell them this.

 

[Koolau]

Don’t know how they would feel if you tell them this.

street wouldn't do that.

 

[street]

Lol!! No I wouldn't tell I want to keep that a secret!! Lol Don't want to many retiring, things could get crowded Monday Through Friday. Lol

 

[Tom52]

Retired 12 years this month, average gain to investments during that time was $18,743 per month. Not bad considering a fairly conservative asset allocation.

 

[marko]

Am I missing something?

An $XK growth per month without knowing the starting/current balance and time span just seems not very informative or useful. Fun numbers though.

I know I'm a math dunce, but making $10K a month on a $7M balance isn't anything to brag about, whereas doing so on $1M might be.

 

[equakesfan]

Am I missing something?

An $XK growth per month without knowing the starting/current balance and time span just seems not very informative or useful. Fun numbers though.

I know I'm a math dunce, but making $10K a month on a $7M balance isn't anything to brag about, whereas doing so on $1M might be.

Retired 19 months, up almost $1M which averages to $51k/month with a starting balance of $6.6M.