Congrats on AAPL but there are many companies that have performed just as well if not better than AAPL in the last two decades. Check out a company called Intuitive Surgical (ISRG). We bought ISRG very heavily early (in the early 2000s) as my husband is a urologist and it's now worth about $32M. Life is good. |
Converting a bit at a time even before I hit 73. Roths weren't available when I started at the federal government in 1991 so not much more I can do. |
I don't understand this comment. I posted elsewhere in the thread because with my spouse we are just below $15 M. Do you somehow think that if I have $3.9 million in my TSP that we don't have $15 M? Where's the logic in your comment? |
The logic is that you’re supposed to emphasize in every post that you saved $15M from your government salary all without an inheritance because you shop at Aldi. But, you’re failing even by asking the question. |
| Is $15 Million really enough to retire these days? |
| $15m is hard to get to without generational wealth, getting lucky in tech, or slaving away in big law. |
It seems like it should be enough for over 99% of the population. Let's say, you have $3m tied up in your primary residence. This leaves $12m in invested assets, which yield $480k/y using the 4% rule. |
That's good but you'll definitely be triggering much higher Medicare IRMAA premiums as you perform your Roth conversions. Medicare does a two year look back on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income to determine your Medicare premiums. With $3.9M in regular TSP, I'm guessing it will probably be impossible to convert all of that $3.9M without going into the higher income tax brackets (32%,35%, 37%) even if you spread out the conversions until you are 73. And that's assuming the income tax brackets rates are not raised at some point in the future. The remaining funds in your TSP will keep growing at a long-term rate of 8-10% even as you do the conversions. It's a "good" problem to have but those RMDs will be significant. Use AI to do some projections assuming various growth rates. You will be surprised at the results. One move you can make to save some tax $ is to move to a state with no state income taxes. |
I have over $15M and none of the above apply to me. Just a lot of due diligence and exceptional individual stock picking (some in tech but mostly in other sectors like bio and pharma). I make an average salary. Investing is not hard but it requires a lot of research and some luck. |
You didn't mention your 15yo Honda. |
Ha ha ha |
We're in the highest tax bracket already any way you slice it. My spouse has about $3 million in a pre tax retirement vehicle too..."good" indeed but tough from a tax point of view. |
54 yo retired military aviator here. My wife still works making a salary of about $190K because she loves her job. We are approaching $17M mainly from living well below our means and investing in individual stocks and properties. We bought properties almost everywhere I was stationed (San Diego; Monterey, CA; Pensacola, FL; Arlington) and kept them to rent out. Also bought a small condo in the Lake Tahoe region (Nevada side) to use as a base for fun activities (just got back from skiing at Heavenly). Individual stock picks have had incredibly huge gains with early investments in Cymer which was bought out in cash/stock deal by ASML. ASML stock has seen huge gains as the company is the key to manufacturing advanced chips. A few biotech stocks that went ballistic and some were bought out. One medtech company that has been on a rocket. Etc. Have had a few bad investments but fortunately they were small losses relatively. Requires a lot of research. |
Yep. So you'll be converting when you are already in the highest tax bracket? Hmmmm. Is there any way you can lower your taxable income while you convert? |
I'm a different poster. I own a KIA Sorrento and a Toyota Corolla. I do own a coop share in an airplane. |