How are your investments doing?

[riptides]

I began investing when I was 27. Then I made all of my retirement projections on an average 7% annual return on investments. We have actually averaged 14% over the past two decades. I still plan at 7%. Now, when I'm 60 (48 now) when we are drawing on it, I plan for a 4% return. We will likely have more, but 4% is the safest bet I suppose.

The reason I retired at 47 was because my 7% plan was much more conservative than what we actually achieved. So I shaved 13 years off my work plan.

I maxed a 401k and two Roth IRAs and an HSA for a lot of years.

Smart moves and good for you.

I did not get serious with finances until about a decade ago. Investing was just maxing out the company 401k to match (if I worked for one).

My market timing, was by pure luck as my "investments" just rode the waves.

I try not to install my laissez-faire attitude towards finances on my family.

 

[MossRoad]

I began investing when I was 27. Then I made all of my retirement projections on an average 7% annual return on investments. We have actually averaged 14% over the past two decades. I still plan at 7%. Now, when I'm 60 (48 now) when we are drawing on it, I plan for a 4% return. We will likely have more, but 4% is the safest bet I suppose.

The reason I retired at 47 was because my 7% plan was much more conservative than what we actually achieved. So I shaved 13 years off my work plan.

I maxed a 401k and two Roth IRAs and an HSA for a lot of years.

We did the same thing... planned on 7% and doubling our net worth every 7 years. We are fortunate that it's been much more than that over the past decades, but still planned on the 7. If I croak, my wife is set. If my wife croaks, I'm set. If we both croak, our kids are set. If we all croak, some nieces and nephews are set. Any further down chain and it's beyond our concerns because we'll be dead!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My Dad always got rid of life insurance salesmen by saying "when I die I want it to be a tragedy".

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I also started investing and planning for retirement in my 20's which everyone should do, living below their means. My Dad retired at 56 and I waited until 61 but should have retired earlier. Retirement at 47 is amazing.

When I was in my early 20s I spent every dime I had. I mean, I bought a NEW car or truck every 12 months.

Then I got married and had children and decided it was time to stop ******* around. Luckily my wife wants for nothing. We lived in $300k homes and drove 10-20 year old cars, while my fellow coworkers bought $1.5M properties, Porches, boats etc. We made good money, but we also made stark lifestyle choices.

They are all toiling away. Probably will be until mandatory retirement age.

I feel fortunate that I was able to eject from that career. Finally I can see family and friends and enjoy the outdoors like I want to, while my body is still in great shape.

My father in law actually helped me realize I was on a treadmill that I didn't need to be on. One day over some bourbon he asked if I looked forward to work anymore. I said no... But I get paid an exorbitant amount. He asked, do you spend it now? Or save it? I said, we save it, we don't want anything more. Do you have enough now, to live this lifestyle until you die? Yes we do. Then what the hell are you doing with your life? (He asked). Good question. But I've always been programmed to think that life, success, usefulness, was tied to working and earning a wage. I was wrong.

Oh, I'm busy. I have an unlimited supply of projects and interests. I just had to table all of them for 21 years while I lived in hotels.

 

[MossRoad]

We've always carried term life insurance since we were married. It was set to cover about 5 years of the other's income should one of us pass (double if accident). That was meant to give the surviving spouse time to adjust, cover the missed income, and move on with life. We upped it a bit once we had children, and lowered it a bit once the kids were on their own. We'll cancel it once we retire permanently, as it won't be needed anymore.

I've always told my wife to enjoy the fruits of our labors with her new boyfriend once I croak. But seriously, should something happen to me, I'd want her to keep enjoying life and not be lonely. She's a social person and I'd like her to be happy. She'll have the financial resources to do whatever she pleases. Hopefully, that'll be with me, but one has to be realistic, and it's good to talk about things with your partner before they happen.

 

[ultrarunner]

I also started investing and planning for retirement in my 20's which everyone should do, living below their means. My Dad retired at 56 and I waited until 61 but should have retired earlier. Retirement at 47 is amazing.

Me too

I began investing when I was 27. Then I made all of my retirement projections on an average 7% annual return on investments. We have actually averaged 14% over the past two decades. I still plan at 7%. Now, when I'm 60 (48 now) when we are drawing on it, I plan for a 4% return. We will likely have more, but 4% is the safest bet I suppose.

The reason I retired at 47 was because my 7% plan was much more conservative than what we actually achieved. So I shaved 13 years off my work plan.

I maxed a 401k and two Roth IRAs and an HSA for a lot of years.

I started in earnest at age 21 buying my first income property… figured it would pay for itself and projected 30 years out and said the heck with that… what about 15… what about 10 years and I decided on 10 years.

For the next decade every 12 to 18 months picked up another property always taking the long view of things.

A very wise elderly woman told me 5 paid for units will provide a nice retirement.

 

[MossRoad]

...

A very wise elderly woman told me 5 paid for units will provide a nice retirement.

Funny thing you mention that number.... my dad's parents had 3 two story duplexes. They lived in one unit and rented out the other 5. Grandpa was a barber. He had a shop in a garage behind one of the duplexes. They had a fishing cottage on an island about 45 minutes north of here, and a trailer in a park in Florida. He retired and they spent 20 years of summers at the cottage and winters in FL. Grandma had a garden at the duplex, the cottage and the trailer. She managed the money and kept the house(s). He handed her the barber money and did the maintenance.

He passed at 91, she at 98. They seemed pretty content with life.

 

[Snobdds]

Guys...a dumb, blind and a deaf person can make 15% in todays market.

This brings up a rule that I have for myself. When your are up and are playing with house money, when there are no economic headwinds in sight...then is the time to get more risk tolerant and go for the higher return possibilities. There is momentum on your side and the real risk return premium is very favorable.

There are some opportunities that are coming into focus. Our US government is shrinking in size, which means normal things are changing. There is more GDP when productivity comes from the private sector than the government sector. The trade deficit is shrinking. I think the growth of 2026 will come from consumerism again. Stocks like Amazon, Nike, Starbucks, McDonalds etc look cheap. If you have the risk tolerance, some individual stocks outside of exchange traded funds will do well.

The AI trade is crowded and there will be a shift to newer opportunities.

 

[RSKY]

My “Rare Earths” stocks shot up today.

Something about finding a large lithium deposit in Nevada/California??

RSKY

 

[Hay Dude]

I shifted some more of my “fun” & semi-serious investing money into rare earths mining and ship building.
After Trump announced the gubmit would be building new “super ships” I thought General Dynamics might not be a bad idea with their military vessel building capability and the re-tooling of the Philadelphia Navy Yard. I didn’t buy in a lot, just enough to egt in.
Also, I can’t imagine with AI and the push towards more electronics, robotics, satellites, etc. that rare earths wouldn’t be at the forefront of materials needed.
I am pretty saturated with precious metals and will continue to let their historic gains be part of my “base” along with funds like FXAIX, etc.
I like the look of silver mining opportunities as silver looks poised to be in crazy-high demand.

 

[two_bit_score]

And replaced with what? The money's got to come from somewhere.

The taxing entities must be forced to cut their excessive spending. Dang, sometimes I think they must have gone to school in Minnesota.

 

[riptides]

The taxing entities must be forced to cut their excessive spending. Dang, sometimes I think they must have gone to school in Minnesota.

Seen the US governments deficit lately?

 

[jyoutz]

Before the Sixteenth Amendment established the federal income tax in 1913, the government was funded primarily by
tariffs on imported goods, supplemented by excise taxes on goods like alcohol and tobacco, the sale of public land, and other fees. These sources provided the main revenue until larger expenses, such as the Civil War, necessitated new forms of taxation.

We were also a simple agrarian society back in the 1800s with no interstate highways or substantive military for example.

 

[two_bit_score]

Seen the US governments deficit lately?

Yes. It's being reduced daily.

 

[MossRoad]

Seen the US governments deficit lately?

New math...

On October 23, 2025, the National debt reached $38 trillion, a new high.

 

[Hay Dude]

“debt” and “deficit” are 2 different things.

 

[MossRoad]

U.S. hits $38 trillion in debt, after the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion outside of the pandemic

This rapid debt accumulation is the fastest outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the debt having reached $37 trillion in August.

www.pbs.org

 

[MossRoad]

In other words.... trying to justify "I overdrew my checking account 2% less that I did last year."

 

[drssg]

In other words.... trying to justify "I overdrew my checking account 2% less that I did last year."

I haven't been keeping up on the stats, but that would be at least moving in the right direction. We haven't balanced our "checking account" in a LONG time.

 

[two_bit_score]

U.S. hits $38 trillion in debt, after the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion outside of the pandemic

This rapid debt accumulation is the fastest outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the debt having reached $37 trillion in August.

www.pbs.org

Back out the "mandatory spending" brought on by the prior administration and it is much different.