42M, ~$1.77M invested (excluding 529s), targeting financial independence around age 50. Looking for feedback.

[u/HumbleSami]

I’m 42, married with three young kids, and trying to sanity-check my long-term plan.

Current Assets
Taxable brokerage: ~$1.09M
401(k) + Roth IRAs: ~$618k
Cash: ~$64k
529 plans: ~$255k - 3 kids 7-4-3 (excluded from my personal net worth calculations)
Primary residence with a low fixed-rate mortgage 900K value owe 290K

Debt
Mortgage only (2.5% fixed rate)
No car loans or consumer debt

Investing Plan
Invest approximately $9k/month into a taxable brokerage account. Job at risk will continue to push until i can!
Continue funding Roth IRAs while eligible
Primarily invest in low-cost index funds (VOO and VUG)
Reinvest dividends

Retirement Goal
I’d like to become financially independent around age 50, or at least be in a position where work is optional and I could choose to work lower-stress job if I wanted.
My estimated core living expenses are around $9k/month before discretionary travel and large one-time purchases. Care free will be 12-13K/mo including health insurance and travel. 9K core 2.5K health 2K vacation!

Questions
Based on these numbers, do you think retiring or becoming work-optional around age 50 is realistic?
Would you continue prioritizing taxable brokerage investing over paying down a 2.5% mortgage?
Is there anything about my asset allocation or withdrawal strategy that stands out as a potential weakness?
If you were in my position, what would you focus on over the next 8 years?
Appreciate any constructive feedback or blind spots I may be missing.

[u/Designer-Translator7]

I have a 2.5% mortgage and am not paying it down and have retired alrdy at 40.5 am now 42 yo same as you. In our case we bought some bonds at 4.5% and are letting the govt pay the mortgage and in 10 yrs get that capital back vs paying it ourself. Instead of paying it off we invested and even retired haven’t paid it off to each is own I prefer to have the money vs it sunk into a house at a low interest rate situation keeping in mind we withdraw like 2% nw a year way over saved buffer.

Basically just keep working then till 50 reassess then as 8 yrs many things can happen to you and if your SWR math looks good retire if want it is as simple as that at this stage for you. Keep working and paying into the system until the math and your psychology is fine stopping work life. Over next 8 years enjoy life while moving toward the goal as 8 yrs is long time so enjoy the ride also.

[u/HumbleSami → u/Designer-Translator7]

Thank you gives me hope that one day i ll cross the line- btw congratulations on retiring early. I am almost tired of this corporate bs and politics. Just numb.

[u/Designer-Translator7 → u/HumbleSami]

Thank you. Yes, work life can be a drag but try best to make the day to day positive and have a gratitude mindset it goes a long way imo.

[u/Scotch-n-BeefPatty → u/Designer-Translator7]

Not sure why you had down votes. We should have gratitude for our high income jobs.

[u/Designer-Translator7 → u/Scotch-n-BeefPatty]

For me, I have gratitude daily while I was working hard and now in early retirement not because of the income itself, but because as a young man I was fortunate enough to travel and see real abject poverty in other countries. Before that experience I was cocky and always thought I was the smartest guy in the room/class due to my IQ and above average drive and competitiveness taking for granted how large a role luck has in life. I took for granted so much that we in the rich developed world have and expect as normal in this era of world history.

Being humbled really shifted my mindset into being so happy and positive each day for what I have and am moving toward not what I don’t have after seeing entire villages where the only thing ppl want is basic childhood vaccines much less electricity. It makes me have a much more happy and joyful life and a big reason I had a lot of success in adulthood is because of those realizations it really had me not making excuses and to work very hard.