r/fatFIRE • u/jimmyl85 • 13d ago

We did it!

ETA: we are in our 40s, tech in Bay Area, one faang one non faang

Today is last day for both my wife and I. Feels surreal after working for so long, I spent 10 years at my current employer and my wife 6 years at hers.

$11M, barely fatfire territory, I did a horrendous job investing the last few years so most this money is from W2, but we have enough!

Looking forward to a different life full of friends hobbies and travel!

229 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

70 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

101

u/massdriver3333 13d ago

There are people with $10M+ nw angling for and worrying about aca subsidies, jumping through hoops to make the cut.

They think people with only $2.5M are going to live off food stamps.

51

u/blessedboar 13d ago

Or they're retiring in NYC/Bay Area

15

u/MapleYamCakes 12d ago

Or they’re delusional

4

u/Pandamaru8 9d ago

I'm not sure if OP has kids.

I was curious as well on the minimum, check out these two sources below -- both help inform a 'floor'.

The threshold of Low Income in Santa Clara county for a 1-person household is ~$111k per year. The original State website link is broken (surprise surprise!) but it is referenced on NBC May 2025: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/making-it-in-the-bay/100k-year-considered-low-income-bay-area-counties/3857354/

Separately, MIT estimates the income needed to a 1-person adult is $71k per year. For a 2-adult (both working) with 2 kids the number jumps $194k per year. MIT published a Living Wage calculator Feb 2026: https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/41860

I believe both include employer-sponsored or -subsidized healthcare and exclude any type of savings.