I named this blog based on a goal I set back in 2002, to retire at age 55, one year before the age my Dad retired. The objective drives many of my financial decisions. It has all the markings of a SMART goal – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. But now that I’m older […]
The concept of early retirement has gained in popularity and legitimacy over the past decade fueled by knowledge sharing over the internet and healthy market returns. Though I’m 12 years away from my retirement goal and have plenty of time to prepare, I still harbor early retirement concerns for the future retired me. Most people […]
About twelve years ago before starting a family, I met up with an old college friend for happy hour at a bar in Washington D.C. called The Big Hunt. I remember the booth, nachos, and the conversation like it was not so long ago. My friend was a new Dad. He told me about the college […]
Imagine a life free of obligations to anyone. Sounds great, right? That may never come true when it comes to family, friends, and work life. But you can choose to be free of obligations to banks and lenders by being debt-free. The temptation to borrow is ever-present in our society. Some retirees choose to be […]
A few months before the summer of 1996, I committed to a lifeguarding job at a local pool. It was supposed to be my fifth consecutive summer as a guard. Lifeguarding was an easy and stable summer job in my youth, but it never paid well. This new gig was at a private club with […]
Saving for college is no easy task. If parents decide to pay for their kids’ undergrad education, it’s potentially a 22-year commitment from birth until graduation. Yet, saving for college is often a minor component of an overall financial plan. Not in our family. For our three kids to each attend four years of in-state […]
Later this month I turn the big 4-0. The day after, I’ll grab my messenger bag and commute back into the office. If things go according to my plan, the road to retirement will continue another 15 years. I will not retire at 40, though it’s a nice round number. It’s most notably “the hill”, […]
More than a decade ago when my Dad retired from his teaching career at age 56, I told him my retirement goal was to beat him and stop working at age 55. It seemed natural to me that in order to live better off than my parents, I should retire before them. I reject the notion that […]
I recently opened a new 529 account for my daughter’s college savings. After a lot of thought, and without much fanfare, I have decided to use the Virginia 529 inVest Plan, the same plan I use for my son. From my research, it’s the best 529 plan available for our family. I have written an […]
