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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]All of the people doubting that OP can have amassed $3m in retirement accounts - it's more than feasible.  I am 47 yo, and due to grad school and an unfortunate case of idiocy after I graduated, didn't start contributing ot a 401k until I was 29 - so 18 years ago.  I have had a match for many of those years, sometimes generous, sometimes not.  18 years later, the account stands at more than $1.3m.  I can easily believe that with two earners (thus access to two tax deferred plans), starting early, appropriately aggressive investments, use of backdoor Roths (which we, sadly, didn't do) and 5 more years OP and spouse have $3m.  The math easily checks out.   [/quote]

It is possible if everything worked out perfectly. For most people it doesn't. OP couldn't have been maxing out 40k/year in retirement savings 25 years ago as the limits and incomes were much lower. Many people, even on good incomes, don't max out retirements in their 20s because they need money for a down payment, childcare, and so on. The markets took a huge hit 11 years ago that took a while to get back to where it previously was so there were lost years. OP is also rather vague about their backgrounds. I can see why some people smelled something a bit funny about her scenario. [/quote]

First, tou're talking about two different things.  The original challenge was that even if OP did max out tax-advantaged accounts, she couldn't have gotten to $3m.  Now, you're saying you don't think she *did* max out (which you have no basis for saying).  But that's not the issue.

Second, did you even read what I wrote?  I started maxing out retirement accounts in around 2001.  The limit were the same for me as everyone else, and I experienced all the same hits to the market.  And my 401k is at $1.3m (with no 2019 contributions, since I changed jobs this year).  No special manuvers, no wildly risky investments, no astronomical matches.  Op had 2 people, so double the tax advantaged space, plus she took advantage of TIRA/ rollover Roth opportunities, plus she had anywhere from 5-10 extra years to contribute.  This is not the case of everythign working out perfectly; it's an entirely typical result is she's been maxing her contributions.  [/quote]

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