Share Your FIRE Milestones - 2021

[anothercog]

I'm getting paid for 40. Actual work maybe 10. Work from home. Have to go in maybe once every 2 weeks for about 2 hours. When I go in it is 15 miles. Making 6 fig's plus. Can't hink of a reason to stop. DW just turned 50 and loves her job. My gig interferes with nothing. Oh well. I'll stop someday.

No reason to leave that until you're forced out. I had a similar gig about 10 years ago but they have piled on the work/responsibilities since. They pay me a lot more now so it's okay. Still not quite 40 hours and no travel but it is a lot more stressful and I have a never ending barrage of e-mails that I can't fully escape on vacations.

I'll likely need to go back to the office this spring but only for 2-3 days/week. I should hopefully be FI next year. I'm working on a 5 year plan to get my group more efficient and ready for me to RE. At that point I'll try to give up the stressful parts of my job for part-time and hopefully return to the 10 hours of week (for 32hrs of pay) and then ride it out until I'm ridden out.

 

[Tom52]

2021 has been a good year for us

I just checked today and our very conservative 40/45/15 investment portfolio has just passed the $4m level at year end. Money is split approx. 50/50 pretax/after tax. It doesn't change anything, but it is a nice feeling.

 

[street]

That is a great milestone. Congratulations!

 

[retired1]

I just checked today and our very conservative 40/45/15 investment portfolio has just passed the $4m level at year end. Money is split approx. 50/50 pretax/after tax. It doesn't change anything, but it is a nice feeling.

That's really nice feeling for sure. Less risk also helps keep nerves calm

 

[AreWeThereYet0]

Up to 2.4M in invested assets net worth 2.9M including paid off primary residence. Not a bad way to end the year!

 

[Doingitwrong]

We left 2021 owing ZERO, ZILCH, ZIP to any doctor, surgeon, hospital, clinic, laboratory, etc.
First time since 1995. We were married in 1994.
The EOY balances in the intervening years ranged from several thousand $$$s to over $250K.

 

[lauradrops]

2,267,000 in investments 3,017,000 with house free and clear. What a year, feels good.

 

[RxMan]

Congrats on the milestones everyone! Here’s hoping for a prosperous 2022!

 

[cyber888]

1 Million+ investments & cash. Over 1.5 Million net worth including House. But the accomplishment I'm proud of was getting my housing mortgage from $156,000 in Jan.2020 to $67,000 in Jan. 2022. The $67K is a Heloc at 2.24% and is my only debt, so I guess I need to work 1-2 more years to be completely debt free.

 

[street]

I always read the milestone thread. Congratulations to all of your success and wish you many more milestones.

The best way to double your money, is to fold it and put it back in your pocket.

 

[Dash man]

I just checked today and our very conservative 40/45/15 investment portfolio has just passed the $4m level at year end. Money is split approx. 50/50 pretax/after tax. It doesn't change anything, but it is a nice feeling.

Congratulations! Isn’t it a great feeling?

 

[Time2]

I'm a little disappointed, My invested portion made $300,000. But after large tuition payments for one child, a cash gift to the other and living expenses and taxes on a Roth contribution, by networth gain was only up $100,000.

We're all done with tuition, so next year should be much better, depending on what the market does,
I know, networth is up, so what am I complaining about.

 

[street]

^ You did well! When I think of all the people that couldn't even fathom a gain of 100K.

There are two numbers that are the guide sticks for me since I retired. The one number is the total portfolio at retirement time and the second number is total portfolio as the present time. If the difference is greater at the present time I grateful.

We all want more, and I'm guilty of that also, but really, we are so fortunate to be ahead in the game.

 

[ModestNestEgg]

Comparing my status now with my status in late May of 2021 when I joined this forum (below for reference*):

Investments have increased $9,000 (on paper) since then, based on contributions and earning, mortgage debt (my only form of debt) has decreased by about $9,000 also (down to around $38K), and I have started an HSA with $3,800 in it now. My liquid cash is about the same.

Roughly, my liquid assets are the same as in May (2021), but I am finally over $100,000 in combined 401K, Roth 401K, Roth IRA, and 457B (along with a vested public pension and vested health care premiums paid until I become eligible for Medicare).

I also took some serious strides to closely track and analyze my spending over the last few years, and have found that once my mortgage is gone, my pension and potential income from investments is closer to what I am actually spending with a fairly simple but comfortable lifestyle (by my standards) than I thought it would be, which was reassuring.

Editorial: I know I have a lot I want to accomplish with this, but it was a nice milestone to meet this year since joining this forum. I have enjoyed reading the advice and experiences despite somewhat limited contributions on my part and while I can't compare my modest situation with so many others here, the advice is tremendously appreciated and has helped me make the most of where I am at this time, and make more positive steps towards meeting my own goals As this is a "New Year" thread, I wanted to put my appreciation out there!

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f26/my-imperfect-journey-and-aspirations-109459.html

 

[karen1972]

Ended the year at just about 17% gain with $1.68M invested. Re-doing Firecalc with 2022 inflation adjusted budget puts us at just under $100k away from my boyfriend finally joining me in retirement.

 

[Time2]

^ You did well! When I think of all the people that couldn't even fathom a gain of 100K.

There are two numbers that are the guide sticks for me since I retired. The one number is the total portfolio at retirement time and the second number is total portfolio as the present time. If the difference is greater at the present time I grateful.

We all want more, and I'm guilty of that also, but really, we are so fortunate to be ahead in the game.

For years I have taken pleasure in doing the quarterly tally and watching my networth increase. But it didn't stop me from paying almost $300,000 over the last 4 years to get one child through dental school. That's all done as of 2021, but now I want to play catch up with my other child. So I hope the market keeps working in our favor.
I'll just chalk up helping the kids as part of the pleasure of a growing networth.

 

[street]

^ So, rewarding to be able to help our kids and what it means to them. Great job!

 

[F.I.R.E User]

MILESTONE REACHED:

I reached $500k in January and was hoping to reach $600k by 12/31 it and happened.

I am at $613,259.

Let’s see if I can reach $700k by 12/31/22.

 

[ATXFIRE2034]

My net worth increased by $291k to $1.05m (up 39%). AMAZING!

 

[success108]

Congrats to most of you for having a good year.

Ended 2021 with liquid assets 22.5x target retirement expenses. Goal is 30x since I'm still in early 40s and likely have more than 30 years to cover in retirement. So close... Please be good to us, Mr. market

 

[Safire]

MILESTONE REACHED:

I reached $500k in January and was hoping to reach $600k by 12/31 it and happened.

I am at $613,259.

Let’s see if I can reach $700k by 12/31/22.

Congratulations! What are you invested in?

 

[Safire]

For years I have taken pleasure in doing the quarterly tally and watching my networth increase. But it didn't stop me from paying almost $300,000 over the last 4 years to get one child through dental school. That's all done as of 2021, but now I want to play catch up with my other child. So I hope the market keeps working in our favor.
I'll just chalk up helping the kids as part of the pleasure of a growing networth.

I think this is a pleasure to ensure your kids start their lives in a lucrative career with zero debt! It really sets them up to be enormously successful in their own right, changing our family tree and legacy in the process. Congratulations!!!

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Congratulations! What are you invested in?

t401k = FXAIX 85%, VSCPX 15%. Would this be the closest thing to VTSAX?

Roth IRA = FZROX

Taxable = VTSAX.

 

[Blue65]

We left 2021 owing ZERO, ZILCH, ZIP to any doctor, surgeon, hospital, clinic, laboratory, etc.

First time since 1995. We were married in 1994.

The EOY balances in the intervening years ranged from several thousand $$$s to over $250K.

Good for you!!! Yeah!

 

[Blue65]

Finally hit $1 million-ended year close to $1.2 million, net worth $1.8 million.
Debt is on the decline as well- we only use one cc now.