How to convince my dear wife that 6M is enough ?

[HI Bill]

Retire in the next 6 months (so that you fulfill your promise to your wife). Just remind her what the promise was, and keep it.

 

[Surewhitey]

I would triangulate different sources, perhaps 3-4 to get an overwheling consensus you'd be fine. Use tools like fidelity's retirement planner, firecalc, find some brokers who want your business and have them do independent analysis. If you've got multiple proof points, that can make it compelling.

I added the Fidelity planner to her app/login so she would see it when opening it in hopes she would look out of curiosity. Still waiting...

 

[Koolau]

I added the Fidelity planner to her app/login so she would see it when opening it in hopes she would look out of curiosity. Still waiting...

...and waiting, and waiting, and...

 

[kingfisher]

Your asset level for the desired spending is obviously enough. If your wife is not convinced, it's probably because she's thinking of the "what ifs". Do some market simulation based on your asset level and past crashes, simulate it out for 10-15 years and see what your assets will look like. You can do basic stuff with a spreadsheet or just chat with AI (you need to double check the result though, AI often makes mistakes). I have similar concerns myself, so I end up writing up some pretty complicated simulation software that includes tax / health care cost, etc. However, in your case, since your assets are so high compare to your target spending, none of those details matters.

 

[Diogenes]

Inspired by a parallel thread on "how much money does your portfolio generate every month", a question that the OP might ask himself, and this his wife might consider, is: "How much is our portfolio earning"?

If the portfolio is large, but not particularly vibrant, one might get a queasy feeling... it's easy to corner oneself into a feeling that it is imperative to goose the portfolio by working longer and saving more. But if the portfolio has been doing admirably well, for some number of years, then one grows confident about retirement, even if the amount isn't all that huge, and expenses start brushing up against the 3% or 4% level (which in the OP's case, they do not).

As others have noted, the decision here isn't based on Firecalc or anything strictly speaking financial. It's a matter of emotions, of feelings, of confidence. Does one feel confident? Then one retires. If not, not.

 

[pb4uski]

Perhaps you can use some funds to create a 10 year TIPS ladder that will provide for your spending for the next 10 years, then just add a new ring to the end each year when the most current TIPS matures. Inflation adjusted government guaranteed payments for your expenses. But do it in tax deferred or tax free accounts, otherwise there is tax on interest and inflation adjustments.

 

[2029FIREaway]

Not to be blunt, but the chance of you or dw getting sick in the next t year or two is probably at 25% or more.

Ask your wife: let’s assume we’re lucky and stay healthy, do we want to waste the last remaining healthy year together?

 

[Sunrise_Ray]

I hear a lot of people posting questions about their profile, assets and then the question about asset allocation or selling real estate or if they should have retired early or what if.....

There has to be software that would do the analysis, and of course, there is! FIREcalc to Boldin to Pralana, Boldin etc.

Should we not be doing this SW? Instead of giving it to a CFP planner? Instead of giving it to a %based AUM CFP/Wealth-Manager?

We all worked hard all our lives, and I am still working. But, we are so busy working and generating wealth that we are not actively planning that there is an end to this runway also, and the plane has to TAKE OFF! Retirement is coming, End of the Runway of Career is coming, and we have to take off to the Retirement Land with a good plan of money, management, handling, logging, reporting, tracking and playing What-If!

For all of the stories that I am reading here, it is just amazing to have SO MANY birds of the same feather, but it does TAKE a mind-set to read this stuff seriously, otherwise it is knowledge, good info and one just knows and says "I will get to it when i need it"!
Well my time has come and I am reading each and every reply and of course, posting like a typical newbie, and some of your are smiling now (agree that you are!!!).

Any thoughts and ideas are welcome, and if you feel I need to read more on the other posts, I am doing it.

PS: Loved the posts on the view of PV, Range, Facet, %AUM based WMgrs etc.

Thank you to all the posters, active forum members, and keep it up.

SRay

 

[Sunrise_Ray]

I asked AI, "what percent of US households have a net worth of 7.6 million?"

The answer below should be enough.

• A net worth of about $5.5 million gets you into roughly the top ~2% of U.S. households. (link)
• A net worth of $11+ million corresponds to the top 1%. (link)

If you can't retire, what should the other 98+% do?

Love the posts......Great to come close to the end of the runway and find out that it has NOT been a bad run to be in the 1% / 2%.

SRay.

 

[Flyfish1]

Well my time has come

Well then Congrats!
As you know this platform is a great resource and we are all happy to chime in. Diverse opinions of course but that is good IMO. Please post your questions, your concerns and always fun to hear about other members hobbies, etc.. Not everyone here is in the top 1-2%, but there is a lot of knowledge, experience and wisdom amongst the group.

So when are you retiring?

 

[Love This Community]

OP, were you able to convince your wife? curious minds want to know. Though happy wife, happy life is great mantra to go by, one should also consider happy spouse happy house.

 

[Al18]

The OP joined 2/5/26 and hasn’t been back since 2/11/26.

 

[Koolau]

The OP joined 2/5/26 and hasn’t been back since 2/11/26.

Too bad. I was also curious. I recall "wishing" I had his problem.

 

[Just_Steve]

Too bad. I was also curious. I recall "wishing" I had his problem.

Yeah everybody needs a spouse that won't let us retire.

 

[hesperus]

You have over 7M plus a paid-off house and rental income that covers your expenses twice over. The numbers aren't the problem here, it's the scarcity mindset from growing up poor. Show her the cash flow alone covers everything without even touching the principal.