@srystress,
That is a lot of returns.
Why would you retire?
Can you find a way to just do the returns that are the most interesting or the easiest to do and forget the rest?
In other words, can you cut back your workload?
Then you would not have to worry as much about an unexpected medical crisis.
My CPA wants to retire in a few years. I asked him why would he do that? I told him to think about doing 50 returns a year. He is thinking about that. He does my mom’s. It is not that difficult. 
I worry that the CPA we’ve switched to in the last few years because of the surprise death of our prior CPA may retire one day. Fortunately, he seems to be training some young staff. It’s hard to get used to new staff.
Saw this article and thought of you all. Happy to know there is somewhere that makes the NYC metro area look relatively affordable.
@scout59, I understand what you’re talking about. You have saved so much already, isn’t that enough and time to spend on something you’d like, when is that point? However, you can’t pass on that match. I say, hit the match, then stop saving and do something fun!
We will (hopefully) soon have the same dilemma, when our debt is paid off.
Mr. B will be 60 this year. I am a tiny bit younger, but we both plan on working until my retirement comes which I am afraid might not happen… Not for financial reasons.
In other news, I am done with taxes. The IRS will be rolling in dough when they get our check. Only need to file the kiddo’s stuff.
@CT1417 –
$-)
@mstee and @CT1417 , they’re probably academic economists, the same ones who won’t pick up $20 lying in the street because if it were real, someone would have already picked it up.
We have agreed that our time is in 2.5 years. I would like to continue working from home though, if I am given a chance. We are planning to live 50 - 50% in 2 different homes. It remains to be seen how we will sustain that. Retirement will definitely move us into a poor category. So, how much we need for retirement? - I would not not mind few millions if anybody can share them with me.
2% is a lot of people. There have to be others than academic economists. I am sure many of us here are in the 1% but don’t think they are anybody special. There are enough people in the 1% that they come across each other. 0.1% on the other hand…
@iglooo, it was mostly a joke about efficient markets, but I don’t think that the 2% referred to where they fall in the economic spectrum, just the percentage that thought the COL was reasonable. The economist would think it’s reasonable (rational), by definition, because otherwise it wouldn’t exist.
I’m willing to bet that the Bay Area has many more 0.1%ers than 0.1% of the population.
For the record, if I spot a $20 on the sidewalk, I pick it up. My theory is that maybe only economists saw it before me :))
Maybe those 2% have always lived in the Bay Area and have no idea of what “reasonable” really is. Reality distortion.
@doschicos, maybe they’re like the proverbial frog in water slowly brought to boiling. Never noticed how unsustainable it was.
I was walking with a friend in Belvedere, California yesterday. He lives there. He is inheriting enough that he may enter the top .1 percent in wealth.
We were walking and he saw a dime in the street. He picked it up. He said last week, his wife picked up $20 on a street in Belvedere.
He just retired. I think his retirement is looking pretty good.
“Maybe those 2% have always lived in the Bay Area and have no idea of what “reasonable” really is. Reality distortion.”
Very likely! If you own a house and your tax basis is grandfathered in, and if you dont follow RE news… For example, we have not shopped for real estate in 17 years. When 4 years ago kiddos were buying their fixer without a garage, Mr. almost had a heart attack that they paid almost half a million for that place. And they got a bargain, apparently.
I have no idea who the 2 percent are. I haven’t met them.
I’m not joking.
I don’t think I know anybody who thinks the cost of living in the bay area is reasonable.
Ok… I just realized people who live in Hong Kong or London think the cost of living in the bay area is reasonable.
People who grew up here… No.
I have an aunt who bought a house with her H in San Anselmo in 1960. I’m sure she has no idea how much that asset is worth now!
@CountingDown, I used to live in San Anselmo. I love it there. I lived on Karl Avenue, a very tiny street near Drake High School.
“For the record, if I spot a $20 on the sidewalk, I pick it up. My theory is that maybe only economists saw it before me”
I’ve spent half of my life looking down at the ground for change, but I finally don’t do that anymore. I’d pick up the $20 if there was nobody around, but if I was in a crowd, I’d tell the nearest young person that I thought they’d dropped it.
Talking about young people, I can see how someone could find SF affordable. Say you’re making a couple hundred grand as a techie in SF, no debt, no dependents, your only expense being your apartment and beer (techies can live pretty cheap). I personally consider SF expensive, however it would be a lot cheaper and more affordable to rent an apartment there than to pay for a house in many places. And you’d get to live in the most amazing city, ever.
At some point, the young techices are going to get older. Maybe they will actually want to own something. Then they will discover the true cost of living…
@busdriver11, I do like your explanation. I watch these young techies travelling on a constant basis. “This weekend I am going to Vegas. Next weekend New Orleans. In a few weeks…Boston”.
Nice lifestyle. "Older people like me discuss… “How are these young people living so well? We don’t live this well”.
This reminds me of the George Carlin routine about “Stuff”.
I think it is easier to live well if you don’t own stuff.
Then again, you better own assets. Makes retirement easier.
Yes it is easier and cheaper, with no stuff. And no family, unless your spouse is another high earner with no stuff. Then you’re really living large. Hopefully they’re smart enough to save some of that money while it’s flowing to their paychecks, you never know when that will stop.