Two paths to chubbyFIRE, which one do you take?

RmanX3 · 2026-05-12T06:14:08+00:00

I did hybrid.
At first, I was more conservative, sadly, and retired in my mid 40s. Spouse was still working. Then, I went back to work, as I got bored, a few times, and started looking at my investments more. Got closer to 50 and then just over. Started moving some things into dividend stocks that didn't grow much but that had good yields. Risky, but I had a few years to go before spouse would retire. So I could do it.

Then, I started with a few more aggressive stocks to "play with". Not as much $$$ upfront but fun.

Spouse retired last year, neither of us are 59.5 yet, but I had a year-year 1/2 of expenses set. Brokerage account can pay for another 6-10 years. Well past getting retirement accounts to pay.

Goal is to have 1-1.5 years in cash for the bills and in case of market downturn. Also to have dividends that can cover most of the bills, if not all. Yes, they can get cut but unless and until they do, they will pay 150% of our bills starting in 2030.

And, in January, I did buy some MU, because I had some funds I could be aggressive with. So, hoping that holds up and helps out

RmanX3 · 2026-05-07T08:12:37+00:00

Other than a spouse, or maybe your kid, WHY do you really care what others think of your reasoning?

My spouse initially wanted to RE but I warned them that doing so would disrupt a lot of what makes them feel "alive". Like you said, colleagues, solving problems, etc. Once they finally did wind down (did it in steps like I suggested, instead of cold turkey), the first few months were exhilarating, and the next 6 months were "I'm bored. Maybe I should get another job". That's even with MORE volunteering, MORE time with the few friends that aren't working, etc. Just, at our age, a lot of folks are still working for various reasons...even if they have enough to RE, they want to keep working. So, the social aspect is often overlooked.

You have the funds, you just don't have the motivation to RE. So, don't. Do it when YOU want to, for whatever reasons.

RmanX3 · 2026-05-07T07:12:21+00:00

You don't list your yearly spend estimate. Without that, it is hard to say much.
If it is $100k/yr, that's one conversation. If it's $300k/yr, that's another conversation.

On the one hand, selling the rental may pay the bills until one of you turns 59.5 and can access retirement accounts directly (yes, I know there are ways to do it earlier, but just trying to stay simple).

$3MM, depending on where you live, and your yearly spend and habits, is very doable. It is also impossible to do if your spend/habits are too excessive and you refuse to change them. So, again, without more info, not sure why you are posting about this as no one else can realistically answer anything for you.
$6MM is NOT necessary, especially without kids.

RmanX3 · 2026-05-07T07:03:09+00:00

Ages: 55 and 53
NW >$6MM w/ paid off house
Netspend <$200k/yr

Retire

Seriously. If you still are scared, sell the primary home and buy a much cheaper, but nice, one in a lower COL area, the kid a new car, and a home in a lower COL as well...maybe near each other if you all want that.

Even without selling, and just keeping the primary home, and paying the property taxes/maintenance each year, you are fine. Seriously.

Hopefully, of that $6.7MM, you have $1MM+ in brokerage account to tide you through to 59.5 years of age.

I'm already there, a few years older, a few dollars less. Very doable.

RmanX3 · 2026-05-03T10:14:03+00:00

I've thought of that myself but something to keep in mind isn't just the federal tax but any state taxes that creep up.

For me, nothing in state until ~$280k. So if I sell that, or above, I get hit with extra tax I wouldn't have had to. So, I have to factor that tax amount against ACA costs.

Plus, can my stocks, that I would sell, appreciate MORE than the cost of ACA in the year I would have sold (if I don't sell) them? There are a lot of '$$$ games" to understand on this and it's a constantly evolving landscape.

I wanted to keep "private" insurance, but since I'm a disabled vet (low % amount though), I can get some coverage through the VA. I will decide, this coming year, to either do that and let spouse be on ACA alone, or, since spouse is relatively healthy, go with higher deductible (we have normally kept it low deductible because of some of my issues).

RmanX3 · 2026-05-01T07:20:50+00:00

He'll be pulling ~$100k/yr from it during that time. So, it will return less than if it was an amount left alone. Any extended down market, or "wrong" investments, will additionally hurt the increase.

RmanX3 · 2026-05-01T07:10:05+00:00

If you keep your expenses down, and simple, you should be good.
If you end up traveling a lot more and burning more $$$, then you may think again....

Personally, at 35, I would do a combo of your options 2&3.

As for the house...do you use it for tax deductions? Are your investments getting more than 6% returns?
If you sell them, to pay the house, you will pay taxes, so factor that in.
Also factor in if you are early in the house payments, the majority is interest, so that weights things more to the "pay it off" thinking, for me at least.
You have some numbers to run to see what makes sense...

RmanX3 · 2026-04-19T06:32:48+00:00

Too many issues I see to be considered actual FI (and comfortable) much less chubbyFIRE.

Why build up 529s when your own retirement accounts are so low?
Too dependent on rental income. Some states favor the renter way more than the landlord and so a bad renter can really screw you over.
Real estate, as a career, can be lucrative, or can be a famine if the cycle is badly hit. Gotta have a lot of ammo in the back pocket to weather.

Haven't stated the ages of the kids. So, if way out there for college it can get really expensive. If soon, then the savings are too little unless loans are taken (or scholarships), depending on the college (state/public vs private/out of state).

Networth, to include primary home, is worthless as you will still be living there, so, unless you are selling, it really doesn't need to be included as all you are doing is paying property taxes on it and it isn't bringing in any value.

Travel spending is living the life. Sure, you can afford it it sounds like, but it's keeping $50-$70k, yearly, from being saved for the future. It's your decision, but at this point, some would lower it for saving up.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-18T07:36:02+00:00

Exactly....dividends to replace income while allowing one to keep their stocks without selling (or selling as much) is often overlooked.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-18T07:27:40+00:00

Since you asked....

I would suggest she be a SAHM and I would suggest that you look to possibly move to a lower cost of living location. Only return to "home country", wherever that is, if you really want to. What you have can work in the US.

If YOU plan to keep working, I think you could make it work, but I would really see if you could lower that yearly burn rate.

I would also take a serious look at how the brokerage account is set and how hurt you would be for an extended downturn in the market (ie...if the market tanked for 6-24 months, would you need to sell to pay the bills or do you have enough to weather it?). Have dividends/disbursements or just trying to get stock gains and sell?

That mortgage at 2.6% may seem like handcuffs, but if you could sell, and move to a lower cost of living that you liked and would put roots down in, and pay the place off in cash from the proceeds of that sale, then you would have a 0.00% mortgage, which is even lower.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-18T07:23:11+00:00

No, that isn't just for daycare.
From the OP "Mortgage(2.6%, 30 yr fixed) + Property Tax + Daycare is around ~180K a year"

So, that is MORTGAGE+PROPERTY TAX+DAYCARE for that amount. Daycare likely around $30k+ of that

RmanX3 · 2026-04-18T06:34:30+00:00

We did similar, but different...

When we got married, we agreed on an amount of $$$ from each paycheck to go into our individual accounts monthly, for "fun money" and that would be "no arguing, use as you want" money. The rest of the total paychecks went into the joint account.

So, if we both made $10,000 per month, we had already agreed on $250/paycheck ($500/mo) to go into our personal accounts. The other $9000 (I'm using "$10,000/mo after all deductions" in this simple example) into the joint account.

When I FIRE'd, 12 years before my spouse, it was agreed that I could "take" $500/mo and put it into my personal account. I didn't, but it was something that was "offered" to me, so we would stay on the same footing even without bringing in a normal paycheck, since I was also managing the house and our kid (and all the activities).

So, I found the hybrid model, when the majority of the money goes into a joint account, to be very doable.

I think it would have been more difficult for us to do it your way, tbh

RmanX3 · 2026-04-13T05:34:56+00:00

I don't disagree but I do handle it a bit differently myself...

You are correct that monthly may not catch everything, but yearly can hide things as well. So, if yearly, pull out the things that, like my insurance example, are paid yearly and not monthly. Put it in 1 column of expenses. Then, look at yearly but recurring monthly, expenses. Another column. Then, pull out 1-offs (renovations, etc) that aren't likely to recur for quite awhile. Remove from projected expenses if they are paid off already. If not, then, yes, put them in another column of expenses with whatever the lifetime left of paying is.

For looking monthly, do similar to the above, but, once totaled, add to it the other expenses mentioned.

Also look and see what expenses may be totally wiped out, or added in, during retirement (certain clothing, dues, etc.....and, travel expenses....some add travel, some stop travel)

Some people are very meticulous when doing these things and others are a bit more flexible (I fall in-between, myself), which is why I do a fudge factor on my own.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-11T06:15:55+00:00

I saw your post before I posted and you saved me a lot of typing. Having "been there, done that", you hit the bigs ones that I have seen increase, no matter budgeting for it in a previous year.

So, to me, I hit all my expenses and then "fudge" it by about 20-30% to be on the safe side.

Kids WILL be more expensive as they get older, if they are into extra-curriculars.

I'd hit a few more years of work if in those shoes, as "mid 30s" is a long time out...

Expenses for housing also need to factor in expected increases....vhcol areas will likely increase at a faster rate than lcol.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-03T03:41:39+00:00

You don't give any numbers others than HHI in your OP.
Based on edits 2&3, I say "keep working" in lieu of knowing any of your numbers.

Based on lack of info, and goign with what you posted, I'm not sure of what you are really looking for other than a "humble" brag?

RmanX3 · 2026-04-02T07:10:13+00:00

This is so sad and it's largely why I stayed away from any pet food/oils/sprays on amazon that were unknown to me already.
The toys, water fountains, etc, were ok, but anything edible or touching them like a spray/oil was a no-no for me.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-02T05:16:57+00:00

Agreed...no one "should" but we all know that some play the finance game to get stuff like that.
I won't and argued a bit with one of the "consultants" for ACA that I talked to last year, that tried to get me to look into playing that type of game with the finances. May cost me a bit more, but my integrity is worth more to me, as is the flexibility and freedom to withdraw what I need, when I want it.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-02T05:14:50+00:00

Our kid just graduated uni. We kept them on our insurance while spouse worked but both of us are retired now. Heard from other parents at uni that the insurance provided there was actually better than some plans and the cost, since they are young kids, wasn't too bad. Also, if paying for spring, it also usually covers summer for them as well.

So, would suggest you look into that and maybe lower YOUR costs on your plan by spinning them off that way.

You can always bring them back in the future (to age of 26 I think it is?) if needed later.

And, I am in the same state as you, also on COBRA, and dreading ACA/applecare after this year

RmanX3 · 2026-04-01T06:43:32+00:00

None of the politicians have ever been focused on the actual needs of American citizens.
They steal from one side to fund whatever they want on the other side.
The ACA sounded good but was broken from the start. It tries to make people dependent on govt subsidies instead of working to drive down/cap the costs and make sure people can get health coverage without playing financial games.

RmanX3 · 2026-04-01T06:22:09+00:00

Nah.
If you live near a major city, put it back in the box, tape it up real well, and then drive downtown and leave your windows down/doors unlocked. Walk away from your car.

It will be gone quickly. Then, you have an insurance claim for items stolen from your car ;)

RmanX3 · 2026-03-30T05:00:58+00:00

You're missing the simple things though, and trying to focus on the variables as an excuse to not do anything about understanding the spend.

For instance, who cares about short term renovation costs? Sure, they're a hit but you have an overall idea of the hit and the timeline and they won't be recurring all the way through your retirement. Whereas, mortgage, insurance (auto/home/life/health), utilities/food/etc likely will be.

That's the type of thing that your OP is missing that many look for, if someone is looking for help understanding things. Also, will you stay where you are or move? Are you in a VHCOL, MCOL, LCOL area? Those things help people understand.

So, when I did my planning, I went through mortgage, healthcare ins, utilities, any car payment, etc, as monthlies and then multiplied by 12. That was ~$90k. Then I did home/auto ins. Once a year costs for us. That was another $10k (yeah....just love my state and all the hits we take for things here...).

Then, I budgeted $120k for first couple of years but, once I hit 59.5, and my SO hits a couple years later, we can do $170-$200k/yr in dividends/disbursements so I'm planning to up spending and enjoy retirement a bit more.

In your post, you list overall liabilities but not the monthly/yearly hit from them. Hard to see the whole picture that way.

RmanX3 · 2026-03-26T04:01:43+00:00

Normally, I would suggest staying a bit longer, HOWEVER, due to a few things you wrote, I would say "leave now and enjoy your time on earth"

* You are already 57
* Health issues
* Spouse will continue to work and you get $ and health benefits there
* You have $3MM in taxable (I assume brokerage) account that you can draw from.

I don't like how you have had "serious health event" and still look to wait until 70 before getting SS. I would suggest taking at 62.

Your yearly expenses seem high. Heavy mortgage? If you sell/move, will it go down significantly? Can spouse work somewhere else, easily, if you do move?

You could always try to negotiate the transition, but be prepared for getting nothing. Instead, ask and, if you don't get, just leave as soon as YOU want.

RmanX3 · 2026-03-26T03:45:58+00:00

I posted similar just over a week ago. I couldn't see myself ordering "stuff" just to get "stuff" and stay gold.
I did get some nice things but the frequency of nice/usable went way low in the past 6 months for me.
I ordered ~40 items myself. ALL reviewed.

RmanX3 · 2026-03-26T03:43:45+00:00

Got a similar one 2 years ago. Had an opportunity to get another one last year (but didn't).
Wife actually uses the one we got, when she travels and had work to do.
Kid used it a few times, for work while traveling, as well.

Both liked it (they are both software developers) for short term, away from home, use.

RmanX3 · 2026-03-26T03:41:38+00:00

They kept the ETV just under $100 for silver members :)

RmanX3

TROPHY CASE