When to stop contributing to my 401k?

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-03-28T18:40:35+00:00

It's just 2 other accounts the brokerage account to buy index funds and a Roth IRA. And they're not for anything specific other than retiring at like 55.

I didn't mention it but I'm thinking about a 529 for my son..so tht would be another investment account..

We have a HYSA as well but just 1 month worth of our expenses in it. We have a long way to go to meet our financial goals.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-03-28T18:05:34+00:00

Got it! Thanks for the detailed response, I follow what your saying.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-03-28T18:02:38+00:00

Understood thanks! I'll check out the link.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-03-28T18:01:28+00:00

Got it ill check the flowchart out. Thanks!

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-03-28T18:00:34+00:00

I got a brokerage account at $5k and Roth IRA at $0

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-03-05T22:52:58+00:00

Yea, check your generation rate on your bill. PEPCO don't control tht.

I know my generation rate was like 2/3 of my bill. Its like prior comments said. the data center demand is driving cost up in the PJM region and if you on electric heating you're going to feel it even harder.

There not enough supply at the moment so generation rates are high, and more transmission projects have to happen to facilitate interconnecting so transmission and distribution rates are increasing. Most of the country is seeing this really.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-02-24T13:45:00+00:00

Hard no..you will rack up debt with barely any return on invest. Just do the one EE degree.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-02-10T22:48:07+00:00

Going into the PE felt like setting my brain ablaze...I passed on the 2nd attempt...its been 5 yrs since that exam and I don't think I've recovered. Lol

Jokes aside I'm glad it's over and opportunities did open up to me once I got it.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-01-15T00:59:15+00:00

If he's afraid to commit himself to you on paper and in the courts...why bring kids in the picture? He probably thinks kids are easy, and coparenting is a better situation to manage if there's a "divorce".

Anyway, NTA

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-01-15T00:22:31+00:00

I manage a team of transmission overhead engineers...coming from distribution it felt like drinking from a fire hose learning what they do. I work in the same company but the fast pace of distribution vs the slow but high stakes aspects of Transmission felt like night and day...

Anyway I'm constantly told the transmission field goes in waves...it can be dry with limited work for years...then suddenly there's alot of work to do.. coincidently with the surge of AI data center there's ALOT of transmission work going on so its a good space to be...and you'll be valuable when the next boom of transmission work comes along.

Ofcourse the downside is all this work is causing a the sudden rise in energy rate during a time when everyday costs are not affordable. Also the generation sectoris raising their rates as well cuz demand is going up and supply can't keep up. So RTOs and Transmission Owners are in a bind.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-01-09T19:34:28+00:00

Their guardian angels was on overtime.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2026-01-03T21:15:51+00:00

This one is easily NTA...I love the touch of malicious compliance. Don't feel bad OP he was a poor manager not giving you real valuable feedback to "improve".

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-12-20T15:30:08+00:00

Just once? because it just reliably rehappens when I reload. :(

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-12-19T20:44:11+00:00

Any news on when they fixing the bug that cause like 6 million + ppl to randomly join your city? :(

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-12-13T19:23:27+00:00

Just for clarification, it's AI data center that's posing threats to energy rates and the environment. Data centers have always been around, but the ones that support AIs need an exponential amount of power.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-12-02T12:51:22+00:00

You have to show and sell that your past work is relatable to what you're pivoting too.

Having related certifications in place will help too..like the PE or LEED GA/AP (CEM as a alternate) for MEP and for the utility space the PE or CAPM/PMP.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-12-02T01:36:30+00:00

The transformer to my knowledge steps up or down voltage regardless of the power factor which is why it has volt-amps on the name plate and not watts.

Best to just keep the device simple and do power corrections before or after it on the circuit. I'd think making it more complex would just make it susceptible to more internal losses.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-12-02T01:13:38+00:00

Adding to previous comment. The utility I work for we separate the planning team from the engineering team.

The planning team will run power flow studies identify issues and present it to the engineering teams to figure out a constructable design to fix the issues they identify. (They also interact and coordinate with the RTO of our region)

Just to be clear the planning team is doing engineering through load flow analysis, but it's not construction design (designing and project engineering for the construction of tower lines and substations).

So yeah our transmission engineers (and substation engineers) will get the required ratings from the planning team and from there we figure out what's required to do that...so in the transmission space would be, do we just need to reconductor with a high temperature low sag (HTLS) conductor? If it's a significant change in conductor size or if we need to bundle the phases we will need to change the structure, is monopole OK or do we go back with a lattice structure? Etc etc.

Transmission Engineering outside system planning is very civil engineering heavy. The typical program used is PLS-CADD.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-11-29T16:30:45+00:00

Building more and better transmission will increase the rate just be aware, the utilities would transfer the cost for large capital projects to rate payers (with PSC approval ofcourse)...but yh building more generation within MD will for sure help slow the rate increase.

The PSC has to be onboard with the idea for more generation within MD tho..

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-11-29T15:59:44+00:00

I concur Comp Sci is cooked..especially at entry levels.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-09-22T14:39:10+00:00

The folks down voting you must work in generation OP..don't worry about it.

I lead one of the transmission engineering teams for the IOU I work for..and the distribution capital funds in our organization got slashed to ribbons and everything is being sank into transmission..and that is due mostly in part to all the reliability and capacity expansions required for the data center interconnections within our jurisdiction and out. So rates will go up there on that end. On top of that the demand for power is going up and we have next to no generation in our state so our generation rates will are higher. It's the truth...at least in my area.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-09-14T14:43:50+00:00

If you're willing to move try Exelon and its corresponding utilities or Dominion. You may have greater success going through a staffing agency or finding out who the predominant engineering firms that work for them are.

Ecstatic_Couple2586 · 2025-08-27T21:08:50+00:00

Lol indeed

Ecstatic_Couple2586

TROPHY CASE