You're right, those numbers were simplified and don't take into account fees or taxes. As you say, the basic assumption still holds: 50k saved in the next five

You're right, those numbers were simplified and don't take into account fees or taxes. As you say, the basic assumption still holds: 50k saved in the next five years will be worth significantly more 40 years from now when you retire. Whether that's 500k or 600k is immaterial to the central point: sacrificing salary early in your career means sacrificing huge financial gains over the course of your life.