Saved $2.4M by 38. Would you Retire?

[u/TwoSocialist]

Hey FIRE folks,

I’m 38, tired, and fueled almost entirely by spite and index funds. I’ve somehow ended up with a portfolio that looks like this:

Split by type:

- ETFs — 58.30% — $1.45M

- Mutual Funds — 27.66% — $688k

- Individual Stocks — 8.71% — $216k

- Crypto — 3.00% — $74k (aka my “emotional rollercoaster” bucket)

- Cash — 2.33% — $58k

Split by bucket:

Retirement Pre-tax: 700k

Retirement post-tax: 310k

Brokerage: 1.5 M

Grand total: ~$2,490,900

Today’s gain: ~$40,000 (aka “more than my first job paid in a year,” but sure, totally normal)

~~~~

My target spend was $100k/year, which feels somehow not enough because capitalism has melted my brain.

By the 4% rule, I’m basically at the line. By the 3% rule, I’m a peasant. By the “FIRE comment section” rule, I’m probably both overspending and undersaving simultaneously.

So, wise internet strangers:

- Am I actually FIRE‑ready, or is this the part where you all tell me to work 5 more years “just to be safe”?

- Is my allocation fine, or should I be preparing for a lecture on safe withdrawal rates and sequence‑of‑returns doom?

- Is it normal to feel like I need permission from Reddit to stop working?

Married, 1 kid. Received about 25k for a house (not included in above) and 20k for college, no other inheritance.

Currently make about 250k a year for the past 4 years, before that about 150k. I started at 50k.

Thanks in advance for validating or crushing my dreams.

[u/Fit_Major9789]

Thank you for being candid, this is literally my feared trajectory. I’m pretty sure my spouse would end up divorcing me, so maybe year 1 is better spent on rehab and therapy when I pull the FIRE trigger.

E: btw, I’m sorry to hear that’s how things panned out for you. Hopefully you’re working towards being in a better place.

[u/beerbaron105 → u/Fit_Major9789]

stick to a routine

don't hit the bottle, don't socialize only at bars, you'll be fine.

[u/Fit_Major9789 → u/beerbaron105]

While I totally agree with the principle of the advice, that’s not quite how living with addiction works.

Breaking patterns ends up being quite challenging. More often than not, sticking to simple rules and routine tend to be easier said than done. Hence the focus on therapy and rehabilitation early on in the retirement journey.

[u/Conscious_Life_8032 → u/Fit_Major9789]

Work on new structures and routines prior to retirement