A lot of people end up with their savings heavily concentrated in their company's stock through RSUs/ISOs/ESOPs. At what point (concentration percentage) do you think it's worth taking the tax hit in order to reduce your company stock holdings?
30M/F, married by EOY 2026
NW: ~1.3M
Partner essentially at 0 NW. Will complete school for nursing end of 2027.
Historical and expected income
We are currently undecided about trying to have kids. We don't have specific retirement goals, especially given the impact of choosing to have kids, or other major life decisions down the line. Obviously the sooner we retire the more we need to cover until age 60. We live fairly frugally but don't hesitate to travel or make purchases we want (annual expenses ~65-75k)
I am interested in moving out of tech and into a social impact industry but I have fantastic WLB and great compensation. Hard to say goodbye to. I also want my partner to begin building their own net worth for financial security and general comfort.
Some scenarios/decisions include (not necessarily mutually exclusive):
Incredibly fortunate to be where we are at but having trouble feeling fulfilled at work; and deciding what is enough before taking a hit to our income; and will a different job even feel more fulfilling or should i just focus on building the fulfilling hobbies while continuing as is: or do I really just need to switch from remote to in person/hybrid to feel more fulfilled at work? And so on. How do y'all think about these questions?
F(34) and M(34) just passed the 2M Net Worth mark today. I think our coast number is around 3 million but we aren't locked in yet, mostly due to:
- Currently live in a 2 bedroom w/ one toddler and pregnant with a second. Our next housing decision will really impact our #s
- Finally got a highly paid tech job this year just in time for everything to go to shit and I know this won't last probably past 3 years at best
- We aren't sure if we want to stop at 2 or 3 kids. Need to see what our mental, emotional, and physical capacity is like 2-3 years from now.
Plan is to ride the gravy train as long as AI + layoff culture lets me. Husband may quit next year when I go back after leave if I have a good year at work even with the leave factored in. His salary is 12% of mine.
Spending is particularly high right now because we have a nanny. Toddler starts preschool in the fall and then we will have to hire another nanny when I get back from leave in May. Looking forward to public school for everyone in the next 5 years.
Depending on the bullet points above I think we are less than 2 years from coast! Particularly looking forward to comfortably and confidently having my husband quit his job, and not feeling as personally stressed about keeping a high paying job.
Financial snapshot
37m and 36f. Two kids (17 and 4). Our annual salary is 280-300k. Our monthly spending is about 7k with groceries and everything else. Take home around 15k after maxing 401ks, healthcare and taxes. Saving approximately 8k a month but living very frugal that is costing us our marriage being cheap
Assets:
- 330k in retirement vehicles. (100k Roth rest traditional)
- 120k taxable brokerage
- 40k emergency fund
- 15k precious metals
- 260K townhome fully paid off
- 40k 529 for 17 year old daughter (going to community college and state school while living with us
- 15k 529 for 4 year old
- own two other vehicles free and clear
Debts
- one car for 26k at 0% interest.
Notes: I work for the federal government so will be able to get healthcare during retirement beginning at 57. I will receive around 3600 with survivor benefit for wife for a pension and anticipate I’ll need around 10k a month in retirement.
Question - have we hit our coast fire number? Can we now just do the employer match while continue to max our Roth IRAs (60k in Roth IRA specifically) to retire by 57 in 20 years?
I didn’t start investing until 2024 and grew our net worth pretty considerable over the last two years but it’s costing me my marriage. We don’t go out to eat or do vacations just been saving and I need to find a better balance but not sure if I can let off the gas pedal yet to make up for lost time
Something I keep thinking about:
A lot of FIRE calculators feel very rigid. Fixed withdrawal assumptions, static spending, basically treating retirement like some irreversible cliff. But real life seems way messier than that. People can adjust spending, relocate, work part-time again, change plans if markets suck for a while, etc.
So for people close to coast/FI:
How do you personally decide whether another working year is materially improving long-term safety vs just reducing anxiety?
Feels like this is one of those decisions that’s way harder psychologically than mathematically.
I think I've been in CoastFIRE for a while now, feels like I should be able to make some life changes but I'm feeling the golden handcuffs and anxiety about the tech market and world in general. I'd be willing to switch to something more laid back with less pay if it meant having more freedom to travel and work remotely, but doesn't seem like anyone's getting hired anywhere for anything lol.
I don't want a house one day, don't want kids, I don't even have a car currently, just wanna be free from the corporate BS and having to go into the office everyday. I'd love to do a gap year or something and reset but seems risky these days. Not sure if I'm really looking for advice, maybe just connect with others who've had similar numbers or anyone else stuck in this ~boring middle~
I am 33 currently. 0 kids at the moment. Still a bit unsure if I want to be a parent however if I did, I would not have more than 1.
Current balances:
Roth 401k - 140k
Roth IRA - 6k
Brokerage - 20k
HYSA - 30k
Feeling a bit behind on achieving coast fire but I plan to be more disciplined going forward.
I just did my calculation and turns out I am very far away from Coast FIRE, age 62. I currently have $400k at age 44 and honestly thought I was doing well until I tried to calculate my coast.
Background: I started my 401k at 23 but due to my ignorance I didn’t invest wisely until my mid-30’s. I have been scrambling the past several years to catch up and finally feel a little better about retirement.
I live very frugally now in order to do that catch-up but if I continue to live this lifestyle I will still only reach coast FIRE at 62.
Am I a lost cause or can I fix this?
PS: I’m already as high in my career as I can get. I struggle with more advanced work than I’m doing now. So I don’t imagine I’ll make a whole lot more money.
Edit: Current expenses are $40k but that’s very frugal. I make $90k/year and contribute 18% to retirement. I live in a VHCOL in New England.
Due to family history I am assuming higher end medical costs and also need to include rent for a 55+ community when I get there. I am single with no kids.
my objective is simple, die with zero, live to create memories while I a(36M) am still healthy.
- first, I reduced my investment to a token amount, nothing much, it's a third of what I used to put away. just an insurance for worse than expected market performance.
-the remanding? half in short term goals. we love traveling so we save up for that next holiday in every 3 months. another half goes into discretionary spending. restaurant we want to try, the plants and pots we have to buy, etc.
what do you think?
Live in Canada. Make about 320k/year right now (big tech). 850k in investment accounts, and also own a house with about a 500k mortgage left.
Tired of the constant grind. Thinking about leaving for a lower stress job, I.e one that pays 120-140k. If I do this, I’d be able to pay all of my bills, including mortgage, and save a bit of money (for leisure). However, I won’t have any left for investing. Am I too young to not contribute another penny?
Not exactly sure yet when I’d like to retire - I know it’s earlier than 65, but not sure if it’s at 50, or 55, etc.
Anyone face a similar dilemma of not knowing when to truly enter coastfire? Would appreciate any thoughts ya’ll might have
45m/36f married no kids(can
not have so this won’t change but have plenty of nieces and nephews). $525k in 401k, 45k HSA, $20k Roth. Owe $315k on $685k home. Own our cars est. $50k value. 100k in brokerage/crypto. $20k savings in HYSA. Make around $200k after decades of grinding in a low paying field.
I’ve reduced my 401k contribution to 6% to get the match and max out our HSA. I’ve pivoted from maxing 401k to throttle up the brokerage and after tax accounts that can give us as much runway to early retirement and not touch retirement accounts. Wife was working and wants to go back so anything she earns will help accelerate. Practicing reducing monthly spend and can live on $4-$5k/month now with some meals out and enjoying ourselves. She’s from the UK and we might take the show on the road for a few years in the next 2-5yrs if we sell our home and invest the equity. I’d appreciate the outside view. I use Projection Lab and ai to run Monte Carlo and I think we’ll be alright.
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While coast sounds like a luxurious option to me that I would love to have in my life, it's also about survival for me. I'm 34F and I have been living with a disability. Grinding hard through work just isn't a long term option for me, and it's becoming increasingly evident that it may not be a short term option for me. I've been having flare-ups because of work-related stress that are making it difficult to do my treatments.
This has been quite discouraging for me because I had the dream of reaching my coast goal of $1M by 36. I'm turning 35 in September and I'm only at $720K invested and $75K saved. I have $300K in home equity (non-income generating) but I don't count it because it's a shared property with my family and they're too emotional about selling.
I'm struggling a lot with the thought that if I leave my current role now, people will just think I can't hack it. I've been so proud to be in leadership with a disability and I've been blessed with a public platform in my jurisdiction so I can openly talk about my lived reality. However, that platform also is what will likely draw in the peanut gallery that will have a lot to say about my exit.
I'm very torn between sticking it out for another year to try to get as close as I can to that goal but likely struggling a lot through that process, or resign in the near term recognizing that I may be doing a disservice to my community and I will not have reached my goal.
I know this is a bit of a rant, I just needed somewhere to share
Edit: Current expenses are $68K per year, I'm a renter, and currently make $184K per year. I've assumed my investments will make me 5% adjusted for inflation because I want to account for bad markets and/or lifestyle inflation.
Hi, I’m 27M, Single, LCOL in the U.S.
Income: $100,000 / yr
Expenses (not including investments): ~$35,000 / yr
401K: $115,009
HSA: $7,500
ROTH IRA: $40,000
Brokerage: $170,000
Real Estate Equity: $33,000
Debt/Mortgage: $119,000
I have been trying my best to invest in my 401K, HSA, IRA, and personal brokerage account so I can FIRE by 50 at the latest. Though I have a good idea of my expenses right now, it is hard to estimate them ~23 years out especially with planned life events: getting married, kids, buying a house, etc etc.
What are some tips that have worked for you to estimate that far out in the future given the uncertainties of future tax rates, inflation, currency fluctuations, etc. Any advice, resources, and tips are welcome and appreciated.
Thank you!
I've (35M) been working at a big tech company in SWE for the last 10 years, but everything I enjoyed about the job has faded away at this point. It's making me miserable now. I've stayed for the $250K a year salary, but it doesn't feel worth it anymore. Long commute (no more hybrid), office politics becoming much more important, and AI slop everywhere. I want to leave but I'm unsure if I'm actually ready for coastFIRE without having to drastically change my lifestyle. I very recently found this sub so haven't run the numbers myself yet.
Breakdown:
$1.6M in brokerage (mostly my ESPP/RSUs but starting to diversify)
$285K in 401K
$30K savings
Not carrying any debt but I do live in a VHCOL city. My rent alone is $3400, and I do love living here so I don't want to move. It's also near all of my family and friends. I plan to find another job closer to where I live, and know I will be taking a paycut. Assuming it will be around $100K a year.
How should I go about setting up my coastFIRE situation? I've had a high income for so long I never really sat down and ran the numbers since I knew more was coming. But the current state of my job is making me neglect my mental/physical health so I need a change.
Thanks for any and all help.
Hi everyone! Long-time lurker here, looking for a gut check on whether I’m realistically in a position to Coast FIRE, or at least take a meaningful break to leave corporate life and make a career pivot.
Current situation:
Assets:
Total net worth: roughly ~$560k.
Most of my assets came from a legal settlement, though I’ve also saved aggressively over the years.
The main reason I’m considering this is because I’m feeling burned out and needing a change. Not only is my work high stress, but it also feels mismatched with both my strengths and what I actually enjoy doing. A big part of me feels like I’m wasting my life away in corporate life, and I think I’m going to regret not enjoying life more as I get older. Beyond that, I’m in a field that’s been heavily impacted by AI, and I’m not sure how much long-term future there is in it.
At this point, I’m considering leaving my job and either:
My company has gone through multiple rounds of layoffs over the past couple of years, and I’ve been thinking about asking my manager to include me if another round happens. We have a good relationship, and I’ve been candid about wanting to explore other opportunities and potentially pivot into something else. If another layoff doesn’t happen within the next couple of months, I’m considering resigning anyway.
My target retirement age is around 50-55, maybe closer to 60 if I can find a career that I genuinely enjoy. I’ve played around with Coast FIRE calculators, and on paper it seems like I may already be in a decent position. But I have a couple of concerns:
My question is: does my current financial position seem like a reasonable place to Coast FIRE (or take a break for a career pivot)? Or would it be smarter to hold onto my current job for now given the market volatility and weak job market?
Curious to hear everyone’s thoughts. Would really appreciate outside perspectives or reality checks from people who’ve gone through something similar. Thanks in advance!
I was in IT management at a financial institution. Between leadership changes, outsourcing pressure, burnout, and a PIP that felt more like a slow-motion termination, I finally decided to walk away. I start a new job in a couple weeks, so thankfully this isn’t a disaster scenario.
What’s strange is that my wife and I (49/50) also just crossed a $1M net worth milestone yet I still don’t feel financially comfortable.
Breakdown is roughly:
$250k home equity
$350k brokerage account
$320k retirement accounts
$20k crypto
$50k savings
Our household income will be around $150k, but real monthly spending still lands around $5k-$6k once life happens. Home repairs, healthcare concerns, travel, helping family, etc.
I think I expected hitting $1M to feel like “we made it,” but instead it mostly feels like:
“We finally have a decent cushion if nothing major goes wrong.”
Did anyone else here hit their first million and feel surprisingly underwhelmed or still financially uneasy? Especially when so much of it is tied up in home equity and retirement accounts?
Spouse and I are mid-career with 3 elementary aged kids and have just been trucking along since 2018 feeling like we are mostly treading water but "at least we aren't falling behind like so many others."
Accidentally having 3 kids within 2 years meant that for about 4 years, we were paying the equivalent of 3 mortgages to get through daycare. And yet we were still grateful to be "treading water but not falling behind" because I could afford to work about 0.75 FTE while having them in full time care. Money always felt a little tight at the end of each month but we had enough savings to keep our emergency fund and do things like drive to the beach and stay at an AirBNB once a year.
Neither of us has expensive tastes or hobbies - mostly board games, computer gaming, gardening, keeping freshwater fish, reading. We paid off both cars while the kids were babies knowing we would like to drive them into the ground (and both vehicles continue to go strong with at least another 100k miles if we're lucky). Our biggest expense has always been eating out, especially when we are in survival mode and the kids don't want to have the same meal we would have cooked otherwise. Our house that we purchased in 2016 will be our forever home, and it sits at a miraculous 2.875%.
I had pushed us to maximize our 401ks whenever possible during this same time. Spouse squirrelled away all available money into our HSA, and we were fortunate through his work to also have a childcare reimbursement account which took the edge off.
All that to say - because we've been in survival mode for so many years and just automatically saving, the seemingly little post-tax money left over was hiding our real progress.
Right now at 39 and 43, our combined retirement accounts are at $858,000 and could project to $2.35m by age 60 if we stopped contributing at all. That's the part that blows my mind, because we have minor children and we do want to continue having workplace-provided insurance so we will at least work another 15 years and contribute enough to get employer matches, so that number will likely only go up. Having 90-100k income each year with paid off cars, a paid off mortgage and our same hobbies is a little unfathomable to me.
I know none of our peers are anywhere in this same position so we can't talk about it in real life, but I did want to allow myself a little pat on the back online. By far the biggest factor was aggressively starting my 401k the moment I had access to it and never letting myself get sucked into lifestyle creep by reducing my contributions.
