We are aiming for max work flexibility starting around age 40-45 (in roughly a decade). That could take the form of part-time work, long sabbaticals, full-time telework while traveling or a giant pay cut to work for a non-profit. I think it is unlikely we will need to draw on any savings during our 40s but in the spirit of max flexibility I am spreading our investments across various accounts.
We are saving 45% right now, and are currently contributing to the following accounts:
My TSP: maxing
DH Vanguard Roth IRA: maxing
my Vanguard Roth IRA: opened recently with 1k but only contributing $50/month
DH 457: $200/month
DH 403b: $350/month
The vast majority of our retirement savings are in my TSP, which has exceptionally low fees. Biggest fees are in DH's 457 and 403b plans (expense ratios range from .1 for index funds in 403b to .65 for global bonds in 457). Because 80% of our investment money is in my TSP, our overall portfolio weighted fee is very low, so I don't worry much about this.
It looks like we will be in the 25% tax bracket this year, but only by about $8,000. Despite this, I like the Roth, and by the end of next year I'd like to have my monthly Roth contribution at a max pace (aka, we wouldn't max in 2016, but would be on pace to in 2017).
However, pretty much all of our income already has a "job." I will get a small COLA in January and will raise my Roth contributions by whatever the after-tax amount ends up being, but it seems unlikely I will be able to find another $400 in our monthly budget after all the optimizing we've already done. DH will get small annual raises, as long as there is no budget freeze.
To max the Roth my options are either to:
1) Take advantage of every raise in the future until it gets us there --- will likely take several years; or
2) Pull back our 403b/457 contributions to maybe half what they are now, take the tax hit, and be able to max my Roth much faster.
If we take option 2, I do think it is possible that future raises will go towards our travel & charity funds rather than the 403b/457 -- whereas option 1 would be guaranteed to keep me focused on retirement savings -- but we are both due pensions and with our current contributions I'm projecting us to have a portfolio of around 850K if we stop contributing at 45 -- so I am not sure that it matters.