2026 FIRE Cohort

[regenaeb]

Still sticking with the 2026 cohort. Hubby didn't get promoted this summer like we expected, which he freaked out about.
He on the other hand, big time worrier. He has never been passed over before and has always gone above and beyond for his job.
I am cool with being done, he is not. It's kind of like a prisoner that is "institutionalized". He has been active duty since 17 years old, this life is all he knows. He is nervous about looking for a job at 52 years old. I get it, but he really only needs to get a job making keys at the local Lowes. Just something to fill his time. Because he cannot be home with me all day, climbing the wall.

Has your husband read any of @Nords blog, The Military Guide ?  In addition to answering any questions your husband has, Doug might also calm his nerves about departing his military career.

Thanks, @elysianfields!

Let me know how I can help, @regenaeb.  This seems like more of a lifestyle question than a financial one.

Yes Nords, you are correct, this is a lifestyle issue, but he makes it a financial one in his head. Things are going well. He is slowly starting to accept the idea of maybe being done. Although his command has been giving him every opportunity they can to beef up his evaluation due this spring. Having him be acting XO on several occasions over the past 4 months. We also just found out they put him in for an award and he got it. He is being awarded the C4IT officer of the year for the entire Coast Guard. I am so proud of him. He works so very hard, and he deserves this recognition. I have purchased your book and given it to him to read. He is currently studying for his PMP test this spring, so I don't think he has read it yet, but I am going to keep at him. I found it very informative for easing into military retirement life.

[elysianfields]

So, an officer with 34 years in who has never before been passed over for promotion is likely to be an O-8 (2 stars) since a fast-track officer should be O-6 at 22 years.

Pay scale I'm seeing is $16k/month base pay - and pay scale barely increases after O-8. In a year with 35 years of service he should be getting $14k/month, plus good medical and lifetime inflation adjustments to the pay.

Financially this should not be an issue, even with putting 2 kids through college - and that's completely ignoring your income which would cover college and likely a bit more.

As a reference, $14k is around 4x our budget.

Sorry been a while since I was on this forum. My DH started as an E-1 at 17 years old. He worked his way up to E-6 then made warrant. After being a warrant for 1 year he applied and was accepted into direct commission officer, they brought him in as JG (O-2), from there he has worked his way up to O-4. Since he started on the enlisted side many moons ago, he is not as far as an OCS, direct commission, academy grad. would be at 34 years of service. He laughs because he currently has more active duty years of service then the admiral that is command of his district. Right now he would get about $ 7500 a month before taxes.

Still, $7500/mo is a big pile of money.  Glad you gave him @Nords ’ book, I hope it’s helpful, because you probably won’t have money problems.

COVID didn’t change our FIRE plans other than to confirm we want out when the gong sounds.  50 months until the golden handcuffs come off and get pawned.

I bought some more ETFs in my HSA, thought I obtained decent pricing but then watched the market fall more.  If the market continues to trend down, I’ll start shoveling cash into my Roth IRA earlier.  Given how well the economy is doing generally, I’m looking forward to earnings season - I think many stocks will surprise to the up side.

Edited due to change of circumstances.

[jinga nation]

Still sticking with the 2026 cohort. Hubby didn't get promoted this summer like we expected, which he freaked out about.
He on the other hand, big time worrier. He has never been passed over before and has always gone above and beyond for his job.
I am cool with being done, he is not. It's kind of like a prisoner that is "institutionalized". He has been active duty since 17 years old, this life is all he knows. He is nervous about looking for a job at 52 years old. I get it, but he really only needs to get a job making keys at the local Lowes. Just something to fill his time. Because he cannot be home with me all day, climbing the wall.

Has your husband read any of @Nords blog, The Military Guide ?  In addition to answering any questions your husband has, Doug might also calm his nerves about departing his military career.

Thanks, @elysianfields!

Let me know how I can help, @regenaeb.  This seems like more of a lifestyle question than a financial one.

Yes Nords, you are correct, this is a lifestyle issue, but he makes it a financial one in his head. Things are going well. He is slowly starting to accept the idea of maybe being done. Although his command has been giving him every opportunity they can to beef up his evaluation due this spring. Having him be acting XO on several occasions over the past 4 months. We also just found out they put him in for an award and he got it. He is being awarded the C4IT officer of the year for the entire Coast Guard. I am so proud of him. He works so very hard, and he deserves this recognition. I have purchased your book and given it to him to read. He is currently studying for his PMP test this spring, so I don't think he has read it yet, but I am going to keep at him. I found it very informative for easing into military retirement life.

Reading your posts, seems like your DH is in the IT field, working as/towards a Project Manager.
We simply don't have enough experienced folks in IT/project management in the DoD. If he has a clearance, tell him to look into becoming a DoD civilian/contractor. We have a lot of retired vets.
Work isn't stressful, 40 hours/week, 4 weeks PTO, plus 10 US holidays. And the pay is significantly more (but in the military he gets BAH, Tricare, TSP, etc).
DM me if you want to take this further.

[semiretired31]

Love this. Not even in this cohort. This made me chuckle.

Please elaborate and I'm glad you chuckled.  Feel free to join and teach us something new.  I've still got a lot to learn.

Looking back at this, I’m not sure what struck me funny. I’m guessing the cats comment. I’m on a path for 2031ish, so I also have a lot to learn. Love reading earlier cohorts to get a feel for vibe as people get closer and things people are planning.

[Turtle]

One of the weird things about still being in the accumulation phase:

Being happy that the markets are down on payday when the newest contribution to the retirement accounts happens!

[bluzi2027]

Going to join this cohort , non us based so some of the things you worry about , I don’t have , I do have other worries to keep me up at night , I’ll do my best but apologies upfront for any bad English , first post and I am already tilting , picked my user name to be 2027 for the cohort I wanted to join but couldn’t find the thread , looks like 2027 is a barren year , so some story time mainly to put it out there , will start being active here as it seems fun to have so many ppl with the same goal but different paths !
Turned 40 , married plus 2 , love them all , this year my father retired and he can’t do it , he says it’s Covid and what not , but he is back working , not for money but for his ‘sanity’ , it’s clear to me he is scared because he has nothing to do but watching soccer and Netflix , which is how he pass his time with the excuse he is tired from work , I fear ending up the same ,I work a very very high stress tech job where I work non stop including weekends when needed , which happens every third weekend or so ,evening meetings are the norm , this was my choice in life so no one to blame but me , but the realization I can keep on trucking until the end if I just do nothing worries me , because I am starting to ask the best question of all - WHY , that is keeping me up at night a lot , and I can’t focus on anything else , on the one end , I can’t imagine staying at home and taking care of the household , I love cooking , but no way I will clean and organize the house every day while my SO goes to world , I feel staying home with the kids is much much harder then our daily jobs , so the next step is to tell the SO the plan , which includes me stop working AND not doing all the chores , those will still be split between us as today , I fear the backlash here , but she will have a choice to quit her job with me , the other thing she won’t like is the fact we will both be unemployed, I fear she will look at it as a failure on our part or won’t understand how it’s possible to do , all the ppl in our life retired on retirement age , let’s see how that first talk will go ……. anxious but excited !!
By the way , when you did your first talk , did you sell the dream first or went to the details of the math of it.

[TomTX]

Cohorts are generally linked in the sticky thread:

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/'class-of'cohort-what-year-will-you-fire/

...and 2027 definitely exists. I started it. ;)

[alcon835]

Going to join this cohort , non us based so some of the things you worry about , I don’t have , I do have other worries to keep me up at night , I’ll do my best but apologies upfront for any bad English , first post and I am already tilting , picked my user name to be 2027 for the cohort I wanted to join but couldn’t find the thread , looks like 2027 is a barren year , so some story time mainly to put it out there , will start being active here as it seems fun to have so many ppl with the same goal but different paths !
Turned 40 , married plus 2 , love them all , this year my father retired and he can’t do it , he says it’s Covid and what not , but he is back working , not for money but for his ‘sanity’ , it’s clear to me he is scared because he has nothing to do but watching soccer and Netflix , which is how he pass his time with the excuse he is tired from work , I fear ending up the same ,I work a very very high stress tech job where I work non stop including weekends when needed , which happens every third weekend or so ,evening meetings are the norm , this was my choice in life so no one to blame but me , but the realization I can keep on trucking until the end if I just do nothing worries me , because I am starting to ask the best question of all - WHY , that is keeping me up at night a lot , and I can’t focus on anything else , on the one end , I can’t imagine staying at home and taking care of the household , I love cooking , but no way I will clean and organize the house every day while my SO goes to world , I feel staying home with the kids is much much harder then our daily jobs , so the next step is to tell the SO the plan , which includes me stop working AND not doing all the chores , those will still be split between us as today , I fear the backlash here , but she will have a choice to quit her job with me , the other thing she won’t like is the fact we will both be unemployed, I fear she will look at it as a failure on our part or won’t understand how it’s possible to do , all the ppl in our life retired on retirement age , let’s see how that first talk will go ……. anxious but excited !!
By the way , when you did your first talk , did you sell the dream first or went to the details of the math of it.

Welcome to the cohort!

Getting your spouse on board is a MASSIVE part of the whole thing. I don't know what country you are in so I'm ignorant about what cultural pushback you might get from your spouse, but the ideas of FIRE work mostly universally. Good luck!

[elysianfields]

Going to join this cohort , non us based so some of the things you worry about , I don’t have , I do have other worries to keep me up at night , I’ll do my best but apologies upfront for any bad English , first post and I am already tilting , picked my user name to be 2027 for the cohort I wanted to join but couldn’t find the thread , looks like 2027 is a barren year , so some story time mainly to put it out there , will start being active here as it seems fun to have so many ppl with the same goal but different paths !
Turned 40 , married plus 2 , love them all , this year my father retired and he can’t do it , he says it’s Covid and what not , but he is back working , not for money but for his ‘sanity’ , it’s clear to me he is scared because he has nothing to do but watching soccer and Netflix , which is how he pass his time with the excuse he is tired from work , I fear ending up the same ,I work a very very high stress tech job where I work non stop including weekends when needed , which happens every third weekend or so ,evening meetings are the norm , this was my choice in life so no one to blame but me , but the realization I can keep on trucking until the end if I just do nothing worries me , because I am starting to ask the best question of all - WHY , that is keeping me up at night a lot , and I can’t focus on anything else , on the one end , I can’t imagine staying at home and taking care of the household , I love cooking , but no way I will clean and organize the house every day while my SO goes to world , I feel staying home with the kids is much much harder then our daily jobs , so the next step is to tell the SO the plan , which includes me stop working AND not doing all the chores , those will still be split between us as today , I fear the backlash here , but she will have a choice to quit her job with me , the other thing she won’t like is the fact we will both be unemployed, I fear she will look at it as a failure on our part or won’t understand how it’s possible to do , all the ppl in our life retired on retirement age , let’s see how that first talk will go ……. anxious but excited !!
By the way , when you did your first talk , did you sell the dream first or went to the details of the math of it.

@bluzi2027 Welcome to 2026, even if you decide to shift to a different cohort later!

My DW makes me very proud because she tells people, "When I first started working in America (she didn't grow up in the US), DH told me that in the US you have to plan for your own retirement, not spend your whole paycheck, but instead put money aside and start investing in the stock market.  That has paid off in a big way for us, I'm very grateful DH gave me this advice, you should follow it too."  It has taken me years to get her onboard, but the benefits are accumulating, and she definitely values our FU money.

Maybe there are some easy wins or cheap victories you can share first before expounding on the whole FIRE idea.  Or perhaps you have friends you can point to who cut back their work hours because they have FU money, or maybe some tragedy befell someone that caused them or others to shift their priorities, as in the following anecdote.

I encountered someone who is a leader in his field, had no desire to retire at the top of his game, until one of his adult children developed cancer.  He quit as soon as he could hand things off, realizing that time with his child was worth much more than his career.  He had the mustache to pull it off and the contacts to support a transition to part-time consulting; he works when he likes and only if the project is interesting.  His child recovered and is cancer-free, so it all worked out, but I learned a valuable lesson as I count down to pawning off my own golden handcuffs.

Can you draw your father out to spend more time with his grandchildren and less working? 

You might talk about your core values with your spouse as well - whatever they are - and then talk about how FU money can lead to less work and the ability to live out those values.

ETA: Poking through the archives of Brave New Life, I found this great article about convincing your spouse to become Mustachian: https://web.archive.org/web/20191226183211/http://www.bravenewlife.com/02/how-to-get-your-significant-to-embrace-a-brave-new-life/

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

[nurseart]

awww I love him. Dogs are so worth it.

Has COVID changed any of your plans?

Yup, COVID changed my plans. I finally realized that not only was I going to die, I could actually die at any time. I decided to stop postponing a few important things. Thus, I got a dog in Jan of 2020, instead of waiting until after I retire.

His name is Gabe, he is a Yorkie, and he was free from the rescue! He has since cost me so much money. I won’t even admit how much, but its in the 5 figures. I’d say never take a free dog, but he’s the best thing I’ve got going right now.

Here’s a pic, so all y’all can also bask in how fucking adorable he is.



More seriously, I think COVID kinda broke me. I’m still holding out for the golden handcuffs, but I’m also starting therapy, and on some anti-anxiety drugs. I’ve spent two years trying to make policy without information, inside a pressure cooker that’s at first too slow, then too reactive, then too slow. I’m going to see what 2022 brings, and if the medical community can help me even out mentally. If not, I might have to pull the plug early.

[elysianfields]

A clock somewhere gonged and in fewer than four years now I can pawn off the golden handcuffs.

The portfolio, while it hasn't climbed all the way to last year's highs, has recovered fairly nicely.  We keep maxing our TSPs, Roth IRAs, and HSAs, and staching the cash.  With the government pension and FEHB continuing into retirement, we're sticking with 100% equities plus a rented property in the US.

I'm continuing to focus on fitness & health, exercising regularly - no need to wait until FIRE to make gains here.  DW & I also frequently have date nights to continue to foster our relationship.  When I attended a retirement seminar some years back, I was struck by how much time was devoted to personal, social, relationship, and health issues, above and beyond the expected discussions of taxes, pensions, and finances.  Consequently, I'm working more on the first group of concerns, as the finances are mostly on auto-pilot.

How is the rest of the cohort getting along?

[Missy B]

Going to join this cohort , non us based so some of the things you worry about , I don’t have , I do have other worries to keep me up at night , I’ll do my best but apologies upfront for any bad English , first post and I am already tilting , picked my user name to be 2027 for the cohort I wanted to join but couldn’t find the thread , looks like 2027 is a barren year , so some story time mainly to put it out there , will start being active here as it seems fun to have so many ppl with the same goal but different paths !
Turned 40 , married plus 2 , love them all , this year my father retired and he can’t do it , he says it’s Covid and what not , but he is back working , not for money but for his ‘sanity’ , it’s clear to me he is scared because he has nothing to do but watching soccer and Netflix , which is how he pass his time with the excuse he is tired from work , I fear ending up the same ,I work a very very high stress tech job where I work non stop including weekends when needed , which happens every third weekend or so ,evening meetings are the norm , this was my choice in life so no one to blame but me , but the realization I can keep on trucking until the end if I just do nothing worries me , because I am starting to ask the best question of all - WHY , that is keeping me up at night a lot , and I can’t focus on anything else , on the one end , I can’t imagine staying at home and taking care of the household , I love cooking , but no way I will clean and organize the house every day while my SO goes to world , I feel staying home with the kids is much much harder then our daily jobs , so the next step is to tell the SO the plan , which includes me stop working AND not doing all the chores , those will still be split between us as today , I fear the backlash here , but she will have a choice to quit her job with me , the other thing she won’t like is the fact we will both be unemployed, I fear she will look at it as a failure on our part or won’t understand how it’s possible to do , all the ppl in our life retired on retirement age , let’s see how that first talk will go ……. anxious but excited !!
By the way , when you did your first talk , did you sell the dream first or went to the details of the math of it.

You say, 'honey, we can both stop working if we want by 2027. Can I show you the math?'
Wife: You crazy. I married a crazy man. We can't just stop working in 5 years.
You: Of course, dear wife. You are right. But for fun, can I show you my crazy math?

Then you are prepared with tables, compounding growth with a conservative return. Budgets, whatever you've worked out. You don't try to sell. Ask her if she sees any holes in your plan. Bad assumptions. Maybe the budget is too tough, you left things out because you didn't realize they were important to her.

Maybe it's intriguing to her. She's open. But If she hates it, its ok too. You're okay with that.

Because later she will most likely think about it again, even if it's her crazy husband's stupid idea. She will hate it a little less, and then when some shit happens at work or whatever, and she has a flash that she wished she didn't have to do this job, Husband's Crazy Idea will pop into her head and she'll be curious about that math again.

[Sailor Sam]

Let’s talk about that last part for a second.  You aren’t alone. Out of all things, please remember that.  You aren’t alone.  The last two years have been absolutely horrendous for the mental well being.  Even for strong peeps; this stuff can easily break them. Even worse; help is hard to come by as all of the psychiatrists are swamped with new patients like you and myself that are needing help. Just remember you have peeps to talk to.  I struggled for about a year until we just started having some weekly chats at work.  A lot of us were not able to get professional help, but the old fashioned support groups are very helpful.

Hey @Huskerfan, I know this reply isn't timely, but I wanted to let you know your response meant something to me. It was one of the nudges that pushed me towards sucking it up, and starting counseling.

My first match ended up being really terrible, and after 2 chances with her I switched to an out of pocket online format. I probably could have made TRICARE work for me. I'm near Walter Reed for god's sake which means there must be good therapists & psyches here, but I wasn't willing to go back onto the 3 month waiting list for a new match. Seems like getting myself straight is worth at least $1,600 a year. One might even say that having the option to to buy my way out of shitty mental health faster than insurance can help me is what savings are for.

@elysianfields, my clock also gonged at 0001 on 9-March-2022. It's a good feeling, and I'm starting to realize this whole pension thing might actually happen.

[elysianfields]

@elysianfields, my clock also gonged at 0001 on 9-March-2022. It's a good feeling, and I'm starting to realize this whole pension thing might actually happen.

@Sailor Sam and you just snagged your dream job?  That’s fucking righteous right there, keep it up!

[Huskerfan]

Let’s talk about that last part for a second.  You aren’t alone. Out of all things, please remember that.  You aren’t alone.  The last two years have been absolutely horrendous for the mental well being.  Even for strong peeps; this stuff can easily break them. Even worse; help is hard to come by as all of the psychiatrists are swamped with new patients like you and myself that are needing help. Just remember you have peeps to talk to.  I struggled for about a year until we just started having some weekly chats at work.  A lot of us were not able to get professional help, but the old fashioned support groups are very helpful.

Hey @Huskerfan, I know this reply isn't timely, but I wanted to let you know your response meant something to me. It was one of the nudges that pushed me towards sucking it up, and starting counseling.

My first match ended up being really terrible, and after 2 chances with her I switched to an out of pocket online format. I probably could have made TRICARE work for me. I'm near Walter Reed for god's sake which means there must be good therapists & psyches here, but I wasn't willing to go back onto the 3 month waiting list for a new match. Seems like getting myself straight is worth at least $1,600 a year. One might even say that having the option to to buy my way out of shitty mental health faster than insurance can help me is what savings are for.

@elysianfields, my clock also gonged at 0001 on 9-March-2022. It's a good feeling, and I'm starting to realize this whole pension thing might actually happen.

Good to hear man.  I finally got in to talk to someone as well.  I’m not sure how it’s going, it just started, but I believe my talks with some co-workers for weekly Tuesday coffee time is really paying dividends.  I’m truly glad you got some assistance!

[Huskerfan]

There’s mention of “a clock gonging somewhere”
Things are getting closer and closer for me as well. In about two weeks; I will hit a guarantee for military pension. I’ll hit my 20 years, but as soon as I do, it jumps up an extra year so I’ll have 21 years under my belt (yay to the FREE 2.5% pay raise to the pension).  So the clock is ticking VERY loudly for me.

I honestly think my time will be moving to the left, but if it does, I plan to grab another gig through 2026.  So I’ll still stick around here if I can.

[alcon835]

There’s mention of “a clock gonging somewhere”
Things are getting closer and closer for me as well. In about two weeks; I will hit a guarantee for military pension. I’ll hit my 20 years, but as soon as I do, it jumps up an extra year so I’ll have 21 years under my belt (yay to the FREE 2.5% pay raise to the pension).  So the clock is ticking VERY loudly for me.

I honestly think my time will be moving to the left, but if it does, I plan to grab another gig through 2026.  So I’ll still stick around here if I can.

That's exciting! Is the pension enough to FIRE if you wanted to?

[alcon835]

Adding my own update to the mix: My company was just purchased by a private equity firm and 75% of my shares are being paid out. This is enough money (after taxes) to comfortably live on for the next year+. This is all in addition to my normal savings, the 25% of shares not being paid out that's turn into common stock, and any options/shares they offer to retain me long-term. I expect to be in a very good financial position once everything closes in May.

Yesterday I also learned that the PE firm has an executive training program. Basically folks in my position can have a year-ish long mentorship towards a specific executive role - learning how to communicate with the board, set budgets, that kind of thing. After the year is up, they will look for a role in your company or in one of the companies they've invested into and help you move to that new position.

Additionally, a friend of mine wants to start a business. He's been planning on it for awhile and has the skills and connections to be successful. He's asked me to join him and help him set up and grow the business and maybe be its CEO. It's a big ask, but all things I believe I would be good at.

And of course, I am drowning in linkedin requests from start ups, from large established companies - all offering crazy incentives and salaries.

I am richly, richly blessed - but also I am not sure what to do. In my current role I am completely stuck. There really isn't an opportunity for me to move up any higher and as the organization grows my influence on that growth and the opportunities I have to be hands-on in building what we become next get further and further away. With the PE purchase, I planned to leave the company later this year.

But I make a lot of money, and that executive training program is interesting to me. I want to look into that more - maybe I could join a growth stage company and help them develop around my skills? Build out an effective team, make the business run more smoothly, etc. That sounds like a lot of fun.

I also have a bunch of start ups with early stage funding that I could go work at - do the same sort of work without the training from proven executives. I think I would be good at it, but I'm going to have a harder time early on as I have to figure out things on my own.

And then there is my friend starting a business. It's an industry I am familiar in and influential in. It's the kind of work I am good at. The risk is extremely high (we would be without real revenue for at least a quarter) but the rewards are head and shoulders higher than anything else I could do.

It's a lot to think about. I have a few mentors I plan to reach out too soon and start getting feedback from them on where they think my skills are, if they think I am ready for some of the roles being presented to me, and what they would do in my shoes.

No one can make this decision but me, but I'm always open to feedback and advice. I am in an extremely blessed position to even have these choices in front of me - but being blessed doesn't make the decision any easier in the moment.

Anyway, I would love to hear thoughts from others in this cohort.

[elysianfields]

Adding my own update to the mix: My company was just purchased by a private equity firm and 75% of my shares are being paid out. This is enough money (after taxes) to comfortably live on for the next year+. This is all in addition to my normal savings, the 25% of shares not being paid out that's turn into common stock, and any options/shares they offer to retain me long-term. I expect to be in a very good financial position once everything closes in May.

Yesterday I also learned that the PE firm has an executive training program. Basically folks in my position can have a year-ish long mentorship towards a specific executive role - learning how to communicate with the board, set budgets, that kind of thing. After the year is up, they will look for a role in your company or in one of the companies they've invested into and help you move to that new position.

Additionally, a friend of mine wants to start a business. He's been planning on it for awhile and has the skills and connections to be successful. He's asked me to join him and help him set up and grow the business and maybe be its CEO. It's a big ask, but all things I believe I would be good at.

And of course, I am drowning in linkedin requests from start ups, from large established companies - all offering crazy incentives and salaries.

I am richly, richly blessed - but also I am not sure what to do. In my current role I am completely stuck. There really isn't an opportunity for me to move up any higher and as the organization grows my influence on that growth and the opportunities I have to be hands-on in building what we become next get further and further away. With the PE purchase, I planned to leave the company later this year.

But I make a lot of money, and that executive training program is interesting to me. I want to look into that more - maybe I could join a growth stage company and help them develop around my skills? Build out an effective team, make the business run more smoothly, etc. That sounds like a lot of fun.

I also have a bunch of start ups with early stage funding that I could go work at - do the same sort of work without the training from proven executives. I think I would be good at it, but I'm going to have a harder time early on as I have to figure out things on my own.

And then there is my friend starting a business. It's an industry I am familiar in and influential in. It's the kind of work I am good at. The risk is extremely high (we would be without real revenue for at least a quarter) but the rewards are head and shoulders higher than anything else I could do.

It's a lot to think about. I have a few mentors I plan to reach out too soon and start getting feedback from them on where they think my skills are, if they think I am ready for some of the roles being presented to me, and what they would do in my shoes.

No one can make this decision but me, but I'm always open to feedback and advice. I am in an extremely blessed position to even have these choices in front of me - but being blessed doesn't make the decision any easier in the moment.

Anyway, I would love to hear thoughts from others in this cohort.

Congratulations on the cash out and all the different options you have!  I appreciate your modest attitude toward your good fortune - that will make you a better executive if you go that route.

I wouldn't mix friendship and business, but that's only my view.  The friendship might bring other advantages to the venture though, so you'll have to judge that yourself.

If you did the executive training program, I'm sure that the firm would want to lock you into something, as they wouldn't want to give that away for free.  What would your obligation be?  How much more valuable would you become than you are already?

Lots to think about, and certainly worth discussing with your mentors.  Good luck!

[Purple_Crayon]

Hi Friends!

I was in the 2024 cohort, but I'm jumping to 2026 for a number of reasons that were unplanned, such as covering my parents' healthcare costs until 2027. I'm happy to be here!

Current stache sitting at about 22-24x spending, depending on the market for that week. My rough plan is to have 32x (I've always been conservative on this front) and to shoot for December 1, 2026 (I'll be 40). I should be able to get there no problem with my current strategy and may get a boost if the private company I work for provides an exit opportunity for a small chunk of equity.

I look forward to cheering on the rest of the cohort!

[alcon835]

Hi Friends!

I was in the 2024 cohort, but I'm jumping to 2026 for a number of reasons that were unplanned, such as covering my parents' healthcare costs until 2027. I'm happy to be here!

Current stache sitting at about 22-24x spending, depending on the market for that week. My rough plan is to have 32x (I've always been conservative on this front) and to shoot for December 1, 2026 (I'll be 40). I should be able to get there no problem with my current strategy and may get a boost if the private company I work for provides an exit opportunity for a small chunk of equity.

I look forward to cheering on the rest of the cohort!

Welcome to the crew!!!!

[FIPurpose]

Anyone else thinking that the high inflation this year might push everyone back a year?

Inflation around 9% but raises will only average 5%.

I know this can always look very different down the road, but if this carries on for another year or 2, it looks like we might all become 2027-2028'ers.

[TomTX]

Anyone else thinking that the high inflation this year might push everyone back a year?

Inflation around 9% but raises will only average 5%.

I know this can always look very different down the road, but if this carries on for another year or 2, it looks like we might all become 2027-2028'ers.

We have been in an unusually long period of low inflation and an unusually long period of stock value growth.

[alcon835]

Anyone else thinking that the high inflation this year might push everyone back a year?

Inflation around 9% but raises will only average 5%.

I know this can always look very different down the road, but if this carries on for another year or 2, it looks like we might all become 2027-2028'ers.

I don't - mostly because I don't see much of a correlation between the current inflation rate and my timeline. Who says income only increases 5% this year? I plan to make a bigger than 5% difference to my income year-over-year.

Additionally, the last few days have seen a bit of a stock market rally. We're still down for the year, but Total Stock Market has been making some pretty good gains the last week. I don't see any reason for the stock market to go down long-term as interest rates increase. I know everyone says that's what must happen, but history doesn't actually bare that out except in the short term. In reality, interest rates go up, the stock market freaks out for a quarter or two, and then things go back to where they were.

And of course, this is a Mustachian forum - I expect to keep my expenses low and adjust accordingly as things change. Food is more expensive? Then it's time to cut somewhere else in the budget. Pretty simple stuff. Most of the inflation doesn't directly effect my spending though.

So with all that, I am still on track for 2026. If I'm really lucky on a few big bets, I could hit my number sooner.

[elysianfields]

Anyone else thinking that the high inflation this year might push everyone back a year?

Inflation around 9% but raises will only average 5%.

I know this can always look very different down the road, but if this carries on for another year or 2, it looks like we might all become 2027-2028'ers.

I don't - mostly because I don't see much of a correlation between the current inflation rate and my timeline. Who says income only increases 5% this year? I plan to make a bigger than 5% difference to my income year-over-year.

Additionally, the last few days have seen a bit of a stock market rally. We're still down for the year, but Total Stock Market has been making some pretty good gains the last week. I don't see any reason for the stock market to go down long-term as interest rates increase. I know everyone says that's what must happen, but history doesn't actually bare that out except in the short term. In reality, interest rates go up, the stock market freaks out for a quarter or two, and then things go back to where they were.

And of course, this is a Mustachian forum - I expect to keep my expenses low and adjust accordingly as things change. Food is more expensive? Then it's time to cut somewhere else in the budget. Pretty simple stuff. Most of the inflation doesn't directly effect my spending though.

So with all that, I am still on track for 2026. If I'm really lucky on a few big bets, I could hit my number sooner.

Not in my case either.  Even with the latest market drop, we were well into FI.  Meanwhile, I have 46 months before I can pawn off the golden handcuffs (somewhat-COLA-adjusted Foreign Service pension + cheap FEHB healthcare), I may hang around a few months further but not due to inflation or stock market returns.

Much of the inflation is due to the double shocks of COVID and the Ukraine war.  No matter what happens in the war, I think the West will continue to sanction Russia for the next decade at least.  The rise in prices is already pushing demand for alternatives to fossil fuels in both the HVAC and transportation sectors.  I believe that higher interest rates will dampen demand for goods and services, allowing supply chains to catch up, moderating prices somewhat.

2026 is still a few years off...

[the_hobbitish]

Is anyone starting on a roth conversion ladder while they're still working or otherwise managing where they're saving to make the first few years of retirement work?

[TomTX]

Is anyone starting on a roth conversion ladder while they're still working or otherwise managing where they're saving to make the first few years of retirement work?

iBond ladder :D

[alcon835]

Is anyone starting on a roth conversion ladder while they're still working or otherwise managing where they're saving to make the first few years of retirement work?

My income is too high to do the Roth ladder at the moment, so my plan is to live off my taxable investments for the first few years.

[Purple_Crayon]

Hi 2026 Friends!

Still just chugging along on the way to a 2026 curtain call.

Among the items on my pre-retirement checklist is paying off the mortgage. This week, I took a significant step toward that. My company paid out some equity that I'd accumulated over the last seven years and I just dropped it on the mortgage (I know there are a few better things I could do with it mathematically, but psychologically the mortgage is the money thing that irks me the most). After the payment, I now only owe $9000, which will be crushed by end of year through regular payments.

Pretty stoked on it, so I just wanted to share with my 2026 friends. What recent wins have you had on your path to FI?

[LoanShark]

Hi 2026 Friends!

Still just chugging along on the way to a 2026 curtain call.

Among the items on my pre-retirement checklist is paying off the mortgage. This week, I took a significant step toward that. My company paid out some equity that I'd accumulated over the last seven years and I just dropped it on the mortgage (I know there are a few better things I could do with it mathematically, but psychologically the mortgage is the money thing that irks me the most). After the payment, I now only owe $9000, which will be crushed by end of year through regular payments.

Pretty stoked on it, so I just wanted to share with my 2026 friends. What recent wins have you had on your path to FI?

Congrats!

[elysianfields]

Is anyone starting on a roth conversion ladder while they're still working or otherwise managing where they're saving to make the first few years of retirement work?

My income is too high to do the Roth ladder at the moment, so my plan is to live off my taxable investments for the first few years.

Since we’ll receive Federal pensions, our incomes are too high now and will be too high in retirement for Roth conversions to work for us.  Mustachian Fed problems, I guess.  Uncle Sugar wants his cut of our pre-tax retirement savings.

OTOH, the pensions remove the need for bonds in our portfolio. @TomTX

Also, we’re in the Never Pay Off Your Mortgage club, and it’s silly to hold bonds if you also hold a mortgage.  Congratulations to @lilkidjesus for the step toward your goal.

We continue to invest the max in our TSPs and Roth IRAs despite the bear showing his face.  Next year, we’ll probably do all Roth in the TSPs, as our last college student will finish, removing our access to the AOTC and we’ll land squarely within the 24% tax bracket.  Speaking of, Harry Sit has posted his projected tax brackets and retirement plan contribution limits for 2023 over at The Finance Buff, inflation is pushing the 401k/TSP limit to $22,500 + $7,500 for those who can make catch-up contributions.  IRA limit will increase to $6,500 + $1,000 catch-up.  We both have HSAs which we max and invest as well, the HSA limit goes to $7,750 next year plus two catchups of $1,000 each.

Not sure what other Feds are thinking, but we’re not interested in paying the fees to access the mutual fund window in our TSP, we’ll stay with the super-low-cost options.

Wall St. seems to think that a recession is likely.  We’ll see whether the Fed is slamming too hard on the brakes.  In any case, I find the current values of many stocks we already own very attractive, so we continue to buy.

We’re still planning to pull the ripcord in 2026, and our one question mark is our house. It is rented, we’ve raised the rent again recently and have good tenants.  The question we’re struggling with is what to do with it.  The property cash flows nicely so moving in ourselves would become an expensive choice.  It’s really a tear-down candidate given the market in the HCOL DC area; even renovating to bring e.g. the kitchen up to a more modern standard would cost a pretty penny and we couldn’t make up for it in higher rents.

Also, when we do bail out, we’ll need someplace near DC ideally to receive all our stuff in storage so that we can downsize before heading to our final destination, which remains under discussion.  Perhaps we’ll rent someplace for a year while we downsize and figure that out.

- EF

[alcon835]

Hi 2026 Friends!

Still just chugging along on the way to a 2026 curtain call.

Among the items on my pre-retirement checklist is paying off the mortgage. This week, I took a significant step toward that. My company paid out some equity that I'd accumulated over the last seven years and I just dropped it on the mortgage (I know there are a few better things I could do with it mathematically, but psychologically the mortgage is the money thing that irks me the most). After the payment, I now only owe $9000, which will be crushed by end of year through regular payments.

Pretty stoked on it, so I just wanted to share with my 2026 friends. What recent wins have you had on your path to FI?

Congratulations!!!!!

I've had a lot of very, very big wins this year and I feel.....unworthy? I'm not sure how to describe it. I joined the 2026 group even though I was way behind everyone else here because I'd taken some big bets and believed I could fill the gap starting in 2022.

Well, I've filled the gap and then some. The drop in the market this year has been a god send to me. My company sold to private equity who bought up 75% of my options, providing me with a significant chunk of cash. Then the company offered me a retainer bonus. Then the company gave me a promotion and a significant raise. In 2022 my taxable income is going to be about 2x higher than I ever thought it could be. I'm getting a tax person involved since I'd like to keep as much of it as possible (though Uncle Sam is progressively taking a bigger and bigger chunk...). I took a big gamble 3 years ago and I've recently decided to take another roll of the dice and set myself up for another payday in 3 years. We'll see if that is anywhere near as lucrative as the first.

So, even with the significant hit to the value of my stocks, I've been able to invest heavily into the market, max out my various retirement accounts, and do a few things around the house we've been putting off. There is no longer any doubt that I will hit my originally planned number in 2026. The question now is, will I want to increase my FI number or not, which may knock me out of this race.

Either way, this has been (financially) the best year of my life by a wide, wide margin and with the market drop that much higher income is buying me way, way more shares. I literally have no one else to talk to about all of this except DW and this forum and she doesn't care about money stuff.

[TomTX]

OTOH, the pensions remove the need for bonds in our portfolio. @TomTX

Also, we’re in the Never Pay Off Your Mortgage club, and it’s silly to hold bonds if you also hold a mortgage.

Well, looks like I was called out a bit. :D No worries.

I'm keeping my fixed 30(now 28) year 3.2% mortgage, so extra cash has been going into I-bonds with current yield of 9.62%

Pretty good rate spread to me. Another factor is spousal comfort level - they prefer to have more fixed/savings, and everything in the retirement accounts is in broad based stock index funds.

Admittedly it's definitely limited in how much you can put in - but with the refund-into I-bonds trick and the "gift box" trick - we've added $65k in I-bonds over the past year (2021 direct buy $20k, $5k refund on 2021 taxes, 2022 direct buy $20k, then the gift boxes have another $20k - which is already earning interest and seasoning.

And yes, I agree that a pension largely fills the "bond" role in retirement.

[elysianfields]

OTOH, the pensions remove the need for bonds in our portfolio. @TomTX

Also, we’re in the Never Pay Off Your Mortgage club, and it’s silly to hold bonds if you also hold a mortgage.

Well, looks like I was called out a bit. :D No worries.

I'm keeping my fixed 30(now 28) year 3.2% mortgage, so extra cash has been going into I-bonds with current yield of 9.62%

Pretty good rate spread to me. Another factor is spousal comfort level - they prefer to have more fixed/savings, and everything in the retirement accounts is in broad based stock index funds.

Admittedly it's definitely limited in how much you can put in - but with the refund-into I-bonds trick and the "gift box" trick - we've added $65k in I-bonds over the past year (2021 direct buy $20k, $5k refund on 2021 taxes, 2022 direct buy $20k, then the gift boxes have another $20k - which is already earning interest and seasoning.

And yes, I agree that a pension largely fills the "bond" role in retirement.

Glad you took it the right way @TomTX !

My issue with I-bonds is that they’re virtually guaranteed to get you 0% real return.  I suppose that’s better than a savings account, but it’s no place for growth.  Given the withdrawal penalties, I-bonds seem like a good place to park cash you’ll need in 60+ months or so.  If you redeem I Bonds in less than 60 months, you lose the last three months of interest.

We’ve paid another semester of tuition, one left to go.  We’re using the 529 as a funnel to reduce our state income tax, 2022 may be the last year for that.

I really need to do some post-retirement tax and fund planning & analysis, but it seems like a big project and I’m sure I can gather stories from other Feds on what worked for them.

Our portfolio remains a bit below the peak.  We keep stacking away.  Apologies for the boring update.

[TomTX]

My issue with I-bonds is that they’re virtually guaranteed to get you 0% real return.  I suppose that’s better than a savings account, but it’s no place for growth.  Given the withdrawal penalties, I-bonds seem like a good place to park cash you’ll need in 60+ months or so.  If you redeem I Bonds in less than 60 months, you lose the last three months of interest.

Well, yes - but currently I Bond yield is FAR higher than any CD or savings account. If it drops to a noncompetitive rate and I want to swap out to a higher yielding CD or something, I lose... 3 months of a noncompetitive rate. Even if the interest rate drops to 0% after the first 6 months, I still come out way ahead of any type of CD or savings account I can get today by having an effective yield of 4.8%.

That said, the vast majority of our retirement/stash is in stocks.

[elysianfields]

My issue with I-bonds is that they’re virtually guaranteed to get you 0% real return.  I suppose that’s better than a savings account, but it’s no place for growth.  Given the withdrawal penalties, I-bonds seem like a good place to park cash you’ll need in 60+ months or so.  If you redeem I Bonds in less than 60 months, you lose the last three months of interest.

Well, yes - but currently I Bond yield is FAR higher than any CD or savings account. If it drops to a noncompetitive rate and I want to swap out to a higher yielding CD or something, I lose... 3 months of a noncompetitive rate. Even if the interest rate drops to 0% after the first 6 months, I still come out way ahead of any type of CD or savings account I can get today by having an effective yield of 4.8%.

That said, the vast majority of our retirement/stash is in stocks.

Thanks for the reply.  You're right, if you have cash to stash and you don't want it losing value, I Bonds can make sense.

So many people have been talking about I Bonds - I think the nominal interest rate caused that -  that I did some research to see if I was missing out on something.  Since we don't hold any cash - we use our HELOC as our emergency fund and nearly all of our cash is invested in stocks or our house - it just doesn't work in our case.

With inflation at a high pace, it's advantageous to hold debt, even if rising interest rates push the cost of our HELOC up, because the value of the nominal debt decreases on a real basis.  Interest rates still do not exceed the inflation rate - for now.

Of course, Mr. Market doesn't like to see interest rates rising as that slows the economy and reduces corporate earnings, and Fed. Chairman Powell's remarks yesterday clearly spooked many.

With 2026 looming closer and our tuition payments coming to an end, we'll focus more on building up cash to get us through the first few post-retirement years.  Having a Fed. pension really provides stability, should stocks not cooperate during the first few years.  Lifetime access to FEHB at the employee contribution level also stabilizes the level of a cost center which, for many people, grows as they age.

[regenaeb]

Update: DH was notified he is being promoted to O-5 (military), which means he is continuing for another 3-6 years on active duty. This is the news we have been hoping for since last year when he was passed over. In DH's military service officer corps if you are passed over twice you are mandatory retired (unless you are an academy grad with at least 16 years of service - my DH is not an academy grad). Which means my plan to semi retire in 2026 is still on track. My plan is to be done with my 9-5 grind in May of that year, the month my twins graduate high school. From there I will take the summer off to relax and travel, visit family in other states. In the fall, I will probably pick up work (when I want) as a substitute teacher for our FL school district and in the district that DH is located. He will be due to transfer again that year and I plan to spend several months at his location and then back to our home in FL for a couple of months. Going back and forth throughout the year, a lot depending on his location and weather between each of our locations.

This year's goal is to double my retirement contributions, which I am on track to accomplish, especially now with DH's latest news. Next year, I will max my 401K and also max my Roth IRA. I am still putting a little money each month in my taxable brokerage account, to start padding that for the future. I have not been putting money in that the last couple of years trying to put as much as I can in my retirement accounts.

[alcon835]

Update: DH was notified he is being promoted to O-5 (military), which means he is continuing for another 3-6 years on active duty. This is the news we have been hoping for since last year when he was passed over. In DH's military service officer corps if you are passed over twice you are mandatory retired (unless you are an academy grad with at least 16 years of service - my DH is not an academy grad). Which means my plan to semi retire in 2026 is still on track. My plan is to be done with my 9-5 grind in May of that year, the month my twins graduate high school. From there I will take the summer off to relax and travel, visit family in other states. In the fall, I will probably pick up work (when I want) as a substitute teacher for our FL school district and in the district that DH is located. He will be due to transfer again that year and I plan to spend several months at his location and then back to our home in FL for a couple of months. Going back and forth throughout the year, a lot depending on his location and weather between each of our locations.

This year's goal is to double my retirement contributions, which I am on track to accomplish, especially now with DH's latest news. Next year, I will max my 401K and also max my Roth IRA. I am still putting a little money each month in my taxable brokerage account, to start padding that for the future. I have not been putting money in that the last couple of years trying to put as much as I can in my retirement accounts.

That's awesome @regenaeb!! Congratulations on DH's promotion and the confirmation of your timeline!!

[elysianfields]

Congratulations @regenaeb fantastic news!

[Turtle]

After playing around with the Rich, Broke, Dead tool during some down time today, I've decided it's time to declare my line in the sand.

I'm aiming for retirement in June 2026.  I'll be 58.

Market movement between now and then will determine if it's fat fire or lean fire, but I should have enough by then regardless.

[alcon835]

After playing around with the Rich, Broke, Dead tool during some down time today, I've decided it's time to declare my line in the sand.

I'm aiming for retirement in June 2026.  I'll be 58.

Market movement between now and then will determine if it's fat fire or lean fire, but I should have enough by then regardless.

That's awesome!! Welcome to the cohort!

[elysianfields]

After playing around with the Rich, Broke, Dead tool during some down time today, I've decided it's time to declare my line in the sand.

I'm aiming for retirement in June 2026.  I'll be 58.

Market movement between now and then will determine if it's fat fire or lean fire, but I should have enough by then regardless.

Welcome and congratulations!

We're about the same age, and I'm still going to consider my escape in 2026 as RE.  If other people don't like it, fuck 'em.

[9patch]

I think I'm finally going to join a group! My son will be in Grade 11 in 2026, and I think I can make this happen!

[alcon835]

I think I'm finally going to join a group! My son will be in Grade 11 in 2026, and I think I can make this happen!

Nice! Welcome to the cohort! Excited to hear your updates as we get closer!! We're all only a few years away.

[elysianfields]

I think I'm finally going to join a group! My son will be in Grade 11 in 2026, and I think I can make this happen!

Welcome to the group!

What are you thinking with regard to higher ed or trade training for your son?

Are you planning to remain in Portland?

[TomTX]

Thanks for the reply.  You're right, if you have cash to stash and you don't want it losing value, I Bonds can make sense.

So many people have been talking about I Bonds - I think the nominal interest rate caused that -  that I did some research to see if I was missing out on something.  Since we don't hold any cash - we use our HELOC as our emergency fund and nearly all of our cash is invested in stocks or our house - it just doesn't work in our case.

Having a partner who views HELOC capacity as fungible with cash/I bond/equivalent would make an enormous difference in my situation... As the current situation is, I Bonds@9.62% are the perfectly cromulent choice.

[Reader]

I'm aiming for a simpler less stressful life in 2026. Semi RE is on the cards as i prefer to keep active with side income to avoid drawing on the stash for as long as feasible.

how times flies. it's been almost 7 years since the last time i posted in this thread and i'm glad to say i'm on track. debt free, home paid up and having enough of a stash for a leanFIRE. it's now time to think of how to pivot to a new career with less stress in 4 years. i'm in IT project management focusing on analytics and am thinking of pivoting into fully remote work / teaching / part time consulting for semi RE.

any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

[elysianfields]

I'm aiming for a simpler less stressful life in 2026. Semi RE is on the cards as i prefer to keep active with side income to avoid drawing on the stash for as long as feasible.

how times flies. it's been almost 7 years since the last time i posted in this thread and i'm glad to say i'm on track. debt free, home paid up and having enough of a stash for a leanFIRE. it's now time to think of how to pivot to a new career with less stress in 4 years. i'm in IT project management focusing on analytics and am thinking of pivoting into fully remote work / teaching / part time consulting for semi RE.

any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Welcome back to the thread!  I'm in IT myself working for Uncle Sugar, I get the desire for less stress but don't have any particular advice for you.  I'm sure you have a network of colleagues and friends who can help as you consider your pivot.

In my case, the demand for cleared American IT staff remains critical, and I could continue to work part-time (or full-time for half the year) for the State Department post-retirement, but I'm not sure I really want the headaches that come with that income.

We'll make our final undergraduate tuition payment in December, so 2022 is our last year to enjoy the AOTC.  We think switching our TSP contributions to Roth beginning in 2023 makes the most sense; we'll fall squarely in the 24% bracket, so we'll also want to convert some traditional to Roth next year while remaining under the $250k cap to avoid the NIIT.  We have RMD bombs building up in our traditional TSPs and IRAs and would like to defuse them before retirement, and before tax rates rise with the expiry of the TCJA in 2026.

How is everyone else doing?  Making progress despite the market drops?

[Purple_Crayon]

Hey Friends! It's been a few months since my last update, so I figured I'd share the latest:

1. I paid off my mortgage on Oct 4th. Good mentally to have that checked off.
2. My gal recently got a tenure track gig with the college she teaches at that now contributes 14.2% of her salary into a 401(a). That'll definitely be an added boon for the stash over the next few years.

What are other's latest wins?

[Sailor Sam]

Awesome update @lilkidjesus. Must feel nice to have the house paid off.

No major updates from me. I fled Headquarters in DC and finagled an assignment in eastern Connecticut. The puppy is adorable, and the leaves are beautiful.