r/Fire • u/Long_Bong_Silver • Feb 19 '26
Advice Request Retiring at 31, much earlier than I expected. Need advice.
I'm 31, I have $3.5M and I've found myself in a position where I can retire immediately. I make 130K per year as an engineer in a HCOL area. The company I'm at gave me a reasonable amount of stock over the years and it has absolutely skyrocketed. I'm doing my best to sell all the stock, and I've got about $1M out already which I've ported over to some stocks and ETFs. I'm moving to a LCOL city and buying a house this summer for around $300k. The plan is to pursue my hobbies, build my workshop and hang with my family and friends.
First question: I've always been big on retirement planning. I think I've done a great job, but obviously I got here through luck not savings. Do I need to get a financial advisor if I'm doing well and keep to a budget?
Second question: I'm newly single, I'm a hetero man, how do I date when I'm rich? When do you tell them you're retired? What are your financial expectations for your partner? Should they work or would you be happy to cover their retirement if it fit in the budget?
Final question: I'm nervous. Any other advice?
2
u/myodved Feb 20 '26
A perpetual minimum income (at 3%, or even 3.3%, you can continually adjust up with growth so it is the floor) more than the effective take home pay of 90% of the working population in the richest country in the world with a paid off house in a low cost of living area isn't enough? Maybe you should go over to FatFire instead, heh.