4 ms·

Giving Up a $250k Salary to Retire Early Is Hard

27 points by gist 2y ago

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
blitzar 2y ago
This (+ many other signals) are giving me the "market top" vibe.
- snowwrestler 2y ago
  I think the vibe may instead be: growing income disparity. The WSJ reported over the weekend that over 50% of all consumer spending now comes from the top 10% of household incomes. So while some folks are flush to retire early, many are not.
gist 2y ago
This is the OP: https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/faculty/erik-hofmeister/ https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/faculty/erik-hofmeister/
- ycombinatrix 2y ago
  College professor in Alabama makes $250k? Not bad. I guess being a doctor helps.
  - ofcourseyoudo 2y ago
    say you didn't read the article without saying you didn't read the article
    - ycombinatrix 2y ago
      i didn't read the article
    - blitzar 2y ago
      I comment on HN.
adam_arthur 2y ago
Sad to see people still parroting the 4% rule when you can get "risk free" US Treasuries, today, paying more than that. Not to speak of the numerous, still conservative, investments paying far higher. This isn't the 2010s era with ultra low fixed income yields. If you intend to retire early, please educate yourself on the state of the market
- whateveracct 2y ago
  I think 4% is still a fine thing to plan around. I don't think it's wise to plan as if today's treasury rates will last your entire retirement.
  - adam_arthur 2y ago
    You can lock in cash flowing assets today yielding 6%+ with very low risk. Think REITs with conservative portfolios and strong balance sheets. You can lock in today's treasury rates for 30 years by buying a 30Y treasury bond. So, yes, they will last if you understand where to put your money. The options are extremely numerous and plentiful now in cash flowing assets, and you don't have to deal with the uncertainty of selling off principal in down markets to finance your retirement
    - vaidhy 2y ago
      6% after inflation? The problem with 30yr bonds is that it is effectively 2% assuming 2.5% inflation rate. Stock returns have been generally around 10% even after accounting for inflation. A good mix is critical and what is a good mix depends on the personal circumstances.
      - adam_arthur 2y ago
        Are you trying to retire with stable cash flow, or grow your wealth? For many, retirement is first and foremost about generating a stable income. A guaranteed lower rate of return is usually desirable over a speculative higher rate of return.
eltondegeneres 2y ago
Someone in the article's comments asked about working part time and the author responded "veterinary academia doesn’t really understand <1.0 FTE." Is the same true of FAANG-ish companies? Can you (officially) work part time in a big tech job?
- SR2Z 2y ago
  You can and many do, although this tends to be reserved for more senior engineers. Obviously a pay cut is involved.
- lesuorac 2y ago
  Strictly the answer is yes with the more truthful answer being it depends on your manager. The easiest way is probably being in a country that requires part time to be offered.
- Cerium 2y ago
  In my experience large companies reserve part time employment for valued contributors with long tenure- usually they have title like principal or fellow, and contribute in ways that cannot be hired for.
- dnissley 2y ago
  In my experience you have to be very special and important to the company to earn a part time position like this. You definitely won't start out in a part time capacity.
- blitzar 2y ago
  Big tech hire a lot of part time workers. They scrub the toilets, serve the food, mow the campus lawns and classify pictures for the ai.
- stuaxo 2y ago
  The trick to asking something like this is to do it at interview time. Before you start working somewhere you can ask for all sorts of nonstandard things. Not sure about bigger tech, but I did a 4 day week for a bit and I'd shift the weekends, so I'd have a 4 day weekend then a day weekend then a 4, with 4 days of work between.

27 points by gist 2y ago

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

blitzar 2y ago

This (+ many other signals) are giving me the "market top" vibe.

snowwrestler 2y ago
I think the vibe may instead be: growing income disparity. The WSJ reported over the weekend that over 50% of all consumer spending now comes from the top 10% of household incomes. So while some folks are flush to retire early, many are not.

gist 2y ago

This is the OP: https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/faculty/erik-hofmeister/ https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/faculty/erik-hofmeister/

ycombinatrix 2y ago
College professor in Alabama makes $250k? Not bad. I guess being a doctor helps.
- ofcourseyoudo 2y ago
  say you didn't read the article without saying you didn't read the article
  - ycombinatrix 2y ago
    i didn't read the article
  - blitzar 2y ago
    I comment on HN.

adam_arthur 2y ago

Sad to see people still parroting the 4% rule when you can get "risk free" US Treasuries, today, paying more than that. Not to speak of the numerous, still conservative, investments paying far higher. This isn't the 2010s era with ultra low fixed income yields. If you intend to retire early, please educate yourself on the state of the market

whateveracct 2y ago
I think 4% is still a fine thing to plan around. I don't think it's wise to plan as if today's treasury rates will last your entire retirement.
- adam_arthur 2y ago
  You can lock in cash flowing assets today yielding 6%+ with very low risk. Think REITs with conservative portfolios and strong balance sheets. You can lock in today's treasury rates for 30 years by buying a 30Y treasury bond. So, yes, they will last if you understand where to put your money. The options are extremely numerous and plentiful now in cash flowing assets, and you don't have to deal with the uncertainty of selling off principal in down markets to finance your retirement
  - vaidhy 2y ago
    6% after inflation? The problem with 30yr bonds is that it is effectively 2% assuming 2.5% inflation rate. Stock returns have been generally around 10% even after accounting for inflation. A good mix is critical and what is a good mix depends on the personal circumstances.
    - adam_arthur 2y ago
      Are you trying to retire with stable cash flow, or grow your wealth? For many, retirement is first and foremost about generating a stable income. A guaranteed lower rate of return is usually desirable over a speculative higher rate of return.

eltondegeneres 2y ago

Someone in the article's comments asked about working part time and the author responded "veterinary academia doesn’t really understand <1.0 FTE." Is the same true of FAANG-ish companies? Can you (officially) work part time in a big tech job?

SR2Z 2y ago
You can and many do, although this tends to be reserved for more senior engineers. Obviously a pay cut is involved.
lesuorac 2y ago
Strictly the answer is yes with the more truthful answer being it depends on your manager. The easiest way is probably being in a country that requires part time to be offered.
Cerium 2y ago
In my experience large companies reserve part time employment for valued contributors with long tenure- usually they have title like principal or fellow, and contribute in ways that cannot be hired for.
dnissley 2y ago
In my experience you have to be very special and important to the company to earn a part time position like this. You definitely won't start out in a part time capacity.
blitzar 2y ago
Big tech hire a lot of part time workers. They scrub the toilets, serve the food, mow the campus lawns and classify pictures for the ai.
stuaxo 2y ago
The trick to asking something like this is to do it at interview time. Before you start working somewhere you can ask for all sorts of nonstandard things. Not sure about bigger tech, but I did a 4 day week for a bit and I'd shift the weekends, so I'd have a 4 day weekend then a day weekend then a 4, with 4 days of work between.