Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DH and I save and invest separately - spender (him) and saver (me).

Early 40s - I have 15x my income saved and invested (excluding significant home equity and $600k in 529 plans). About 50% of that is separate property (pre-marriage investments that I kept separate) and the other 50% of technically marital property, but that's only relevant if we get a divorce - I control it as long as we are married, and it's part of my estate.

DH is older and only has 3x saved.

Story of a spender versus a saver.

Whoa, 600k in 529s? I'm assuming you have 3 kids? I am also a saver but that's a very high number especially with your savings rate and investment property, you have many means of funding college for your kids.

It is weird to me how antagonistic you are towards your husband and the degree to which you keep your finances separate. My DH and I also have different financial personalities -- I'm more conservative and a saver, he's more risk taking and a spender. But we combine everything and I actually like how our tendencies balance each other out. We have way more total money saved/invested because of my influence -- I insist on high percentages of automatic savings and investing out of our income, and I don't allow lifestyle creep when we get raises, so the money builds up fast. But my husband's greater capacity for risk is why it's grown at a higher rate. I would have much more of our money in ordinary savings were it not for his influence, and we would have missed out on massive gains in recent years. Also he makes sure we actually enjoy life, take real vacations, and reminds me that there's no prize for living like a pauper. We balance each other out and both come out ahead.

600K in a 529 and you expect 3+ kids? Why? Currently you can expect to spend $40-50K per year for a moderate school, so $200K minimum per kid. But if they want to attend others, there are tons that cost much more. So why wouldn't you save for it? Also, what if your kid wants grad school/proofessional school? Those can cost $200-300K+. We just spent $370K+ for 4 years, and are looking at another $200K for just one kid. Good thing it's in the 529. The other kid was $160K total for 4 years but that was 6-8 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DH and I save and invest separately - spender (him) and saver (me).

Early 40s - I have 15x my income saved and invested (excluding significant home equity and $600k in 529 plans). About 50% of that is separate property (pre-marriage investments that I kept separate) and the other 50% of technically marital property, but that's only relevant if we get a divorce - I control it as long as we are married, and it's part of my estate.

DH is older and only has 3x saved.

Story of a spender versus a saver.

Whoa, 600k in 529s? I'm assuming you have 3 kids? I am also a saver but that's a very high number especially with your savings rate and investment property, you have many means of funding college for your kids.

It is weird to me how antagonistic you are towards your husband and the degree to which you keep your finances separate. My DH and I also have different financial personalities -- I'm more conservative and a saver, he's more risk taking and a spender. But we combine everything and I actually like how our tendencies balance each other out. We have way more total money saved/invested because of my influence -- I insist on high percentages of automatic savings and investing out of our income, and I don't allow lifestyle creep when we get raises, so the money builds up fast. But my husband's greater capacity for risk is why it's grown at a higher rate. I would have much more of our money in ordinary savings were it not for his influence, and we would have missed out on massive gains in recent years. Also he makes sure we actually enjoy life, take real vacations, and reminds me that there's no prize for living like a pauper. We balance each other out and both come out ahead.

600K in a 529 and you expect 3+ kids? Why? Currently you can expect to spend $40-50K per year for a moderate school, so $200K minimum per kid. But if they want to attend others, there are tons that cost much more. So why wouldn't you save for it? Also, what if your kid wants grad school/proofessional school? Those can cost $200-300K+. We just spent $370K+ for 4 years, and are looking at another $200K for just one kid. Good thing it's in the 529. The other kid was $160K total for 4 years but that was 6-8 years ago.

That is insane. Not normal to expect or provide that level of money for a child's education.

Cost of attendance at my alma matter is over $90k per year. DH similar. So for anyone who wants to send their kid to an Ivy or NESCAC, you have to plan for ~ $360k for undergrad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DH and I save and invest separately - spender (him) and saver (me).

Early 40s - I have 15x my income saved and invested (excluding significant home equity and $600k in 529 plans). About 50% of that is separate property (pre-marriage investments that I kept separate) and the other 50% of technically marital property, but that's only relevant if we get a divorce - I control it as long as we are married, and it's part of my estate.

DH is older and only has 3x saved.

Story of a spender versus a saver.

Whoa, 600k in 529s? I'm assuming you have 3 kids? I am also a saver but that's a very high number especially with your savings rate and investment property, you have many means of funding college for your kids.

It is weird to me how antagonistic you are towards your husband and the degree to which you keep your finances separate. My DH and I also have different financial personalities -- I'm more conservative and a saver, he's more risk taking and a spender. But we combine everything and I actually like how our tendencies balance each other out. We have way more total money saved/invested because of my influence -- I insist on high percentages of automatic savings and investing out of our income, and I don't allow lifestyle creep when we get raises, so the money builds up fast. But my husband's greater capacity for risk is why it's grown at a higher rate. I would have much more of our money in ordinary savings were it not for his influence, and we would have missed out on massive gains in recent years. Also he makes sure we actually enjoy life, take real vacations, and reminds me that there's no prize for living like a pauper. We balance each other out and both come out ahead.

600K in a 529 and you expect 3+ kids? Why? Currently you can expect to spend $40-50K per year for a moderate school, so $200K minimum per kid. But if they want to attend others, there are tons that cost much more. So why wouldn't you save for it? Also, what if your kid wants grad school/proofessional school? Those can cost $200-300K+. We just spent $370K+ for 4 years, and are looking at another $200K for just one kid. Good thing it's in the 529. The other kid was $160K total for 4 years but that was 6-8 years ago.

That is insane. Not normal to expect or provide that level of money for a child's education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DH and I save and invest separately - spender (him) and saver (me).

Early 40s - I have 15x my income saved and invested (excluding significant home equity and $600k in 529 plans). About 50% of that is separate property (pre-marriage investments that I kept separate) and the other 50% of technically marital property, but that's only relevant if we get a divorce - I control it as long as we are married, and it's part of my estate.

DH is older and only has 3x saved.

Story of a spender versus a saver.

Whoa, 600k in 529s? I'm assuming you have 3 kids? I am also a saver but that's a very high number especially with your savings rate and investment property, you have many means of funding college for your kids.

It is weird to me how antagonistic you are towards your husband and the degree to which you keep your finances separate. My DH and I also have different financial personalities -- I'm more conservative and a saver, he's more risk taking and a spender. But we combine everything and I actually like how our tendencies balance each other out. We have way more total money saved/invested because of my influence -- I insist on high percentages of automatic savings and investing out of our income, and I don't allow lifestyle creep when we get raises, so the money builds up fast. But my husband's greater capacity for risk is why it's grown at a higher rate. I would have much more of our money in ordinary savings were it not for his influence, and we would have missed out on massive gains in recent years. Also he makes sure we actually enjoy life, take real vacations, and reminds me that there's no prize for living like a pauper. We balance each other out and both come out ahead.

600K in a 529 and you expect 3+ kids? Why? Currently you can expect to spend $40-50K per year for a moderate school, so $200K minimum per kid. But if they want to attend others, there are tons that cost much more. So why wouldn't you save for it? Also, what if your kid wants grad school/proofessional school? Those can cost $200-300K+. We just spent $370K+ for 4 years, and are looking at another $200K for just one kid. Good thing it's in the 529. The other kid was $160K total for 4 years but that was 6-8 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DH and I save and invest separately - spender (him) and saver (me).

Early 40s - I have 15x my income saved and invested (excluding significant home equity and $600k in 529 plans). About 50% of that is separate property (pre-marriage investments that I kept separate) and the other 50% of technically marital property, but that's only relevant if we get a divorce - I control it as long as we are married, and it's part of my estate.

DH is older and only has 3x saved.

Story of a spender versus a saver.

Genuinely curious how marriages like this survive. What happens if DH looses his job at 50/55 and cannot easily find work equivalent to current job? What happens if at some point he needs to enter memory care/assisted living? But he has only enough left for 6 months? Do you spend down your savings? Do you manage with him at home (and stress yourself out to save the $$)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm retired at 48, because getting out of workforce is what I wanted from the get go.
There is no 401k (not the best account), retirement home is paid, income is passive. Took 30 years to turn earned income into passive income. At least now I know how it's done and could do it in 10 years.
3.5x is not a whole lot between 2 people in late 40s, but you should be fine by 62.

Teach us how to make passive income

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well DH and I save and invest separately - spender (him) and saver (me).

Early 40s - I have 15x my income saved and invested (excluding significant home equity and $600k in 529 plans). About 50% of that is separate property (pre-marriage investments that I kept separate) and the other 50% of technically marital property, but that's only relevant if we get a divorce - I control it as long as we are married, and it's part of my estate.

DH is older and only has 3x saved.

Story of a spender versus a saver.

Whoa, 600k in 529s? I'm assuming you have 3 kids? I am also a saver but that's a very high number especially with your savings rate and investment property, you have many means of funding college for your kids.

It is weird to me how antagonistic you are towards your husband and the degree to which you keep your finances separate. My DH and I also have different financial personalities -- I'm more conservative and a saver, he's more risk taking and a spender. But we combine everything and I actually like how our tendencies balance each other out. We have way more total money saved/invested because of my influence -- I insist on high percentages of automatic savings and investing out of our income, and I don't allow lifestyle creep when we get raises, so the money builds up fast. But my husband's greater capacity for risk is why it's grown at a higher rate. I would have much more of our money in ordinary savings were it not for his influence, and we would have missed out on massive gains in recent years. Also he makes sure we actually enjoy life, take real vacations, and reminds me that there's no prize for living like a pauper. We balance each other out and both come out ahead.

600K in a 529 and you expect 3+ kids? Why? Currently you can expect to spend $40-50K per year for a moderate school, so $200K minimum per kid. But if they want to attend others, there are tons that cost much more. So why wouldn't you save for it? Also, what if your kid wants grad school/proofessional school? Those can cost $200-300K+. We just spent $370K+ for 4 years, and are looking at another $200K for just one kid. Good thing it's in the 529. The other kid was $160K total for 4 years but that was 6-8 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need some numbers. If you are lower to average in HHI income it’s impressive. But if you are higher income than you have a lot of work to do since social security likely does less of the heavy lifting for you in retirement as a percent of income.

why does it matter? i’m not the OP and our income swings wildly. ashanti’s we made double what we made last year, it we could make 25% of this years income next year. None of these silly comparisons make sense. I have an idea of what we need
o they in retirement and I just back into that

Anonymous wrote:We have about 8.5x our current income saved, not including our home equity, and I still sometimes worry that it isn’t enough (early 50s). Not for any rational reason, though: The PPs here all have good suggestions and perspectives for you, OP. It’s hard to really know what you’ll need or what’s reasonable.

Anonymous wrote:I'm retired at 48, because getting out of workforce is what I wanted from the get go.
There is no 401k (not the best account), retirement home is paid, income is passive. Took 30 years to turn earned income into passive income. At least now I know how it's done and could do it in 10 years.
3.5x is not a whole lot between 2 people in late 40s, but you should be fine by 62.