In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Want to Learn about Retirement?

Go to the Source

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Decades of retirement under our belts

Recently we have read articles on retirement in general - and early retirement in particular - in notable publications. What strikes us odd is that the authors might interview one retiree, and then three or four “financial experts” describing the risks that retirement entails. We are told over and over that $500,000 net worth is not enough, $600,000, $800,000 - it’s never enough. The “new number” for net worth before retiring is 1.3 million. And according to Suze Orman, it's 10 million, or maybe 100 million. Then, perhaps you would be “safe.”

While these articles might shed light on the topic - and could be interesting to discuss with other retiree wannabes - in our opinion, if you want to know what it takes to retire you should go to the source. Ask retirees, not people who profit from keeping your money invested with them. Remember, these people are still working and have not managed a retirement themselves.

Thankfully, when we left the work force in 1991 we did not read these misleading articles thereby creating doubt about our decision. Penciling out our figures, we had confidence in ourselves that we could make adjustments if necessary and took a leap of faith.

Financial planners aren’t doing their job

So many of these career financial planners don’t seem to know about how the stock market works, what the stock market has returned over the last several decades, or even about the power of compounding. (When we retired in January of 1991, the S&P 500 closed at 312.49 and over the last 33 years has returned 8.12% plus about 2% in dividends.) When interviewed by these authorities on finance, they show surprise when we say our net worth has increased more than inflation during our retirement. They don’t seem to understand how that happens. 

And they appear baffled and disbelieving about the historical market returns, spending 4% of what you make, and allowing the rest to be invested to create more wealth.

We wonder if they have ever tracked their spending or managed a daily cost average. Now THIS is useful information to you.

Taking advice from “experts” who are still working and who are not retired is like asking your waiter how to prepare the meal you ordered. He may have some understanding of the procedure but he is not the Chef who creates your entrée. He doesn't really know how it’s all put together in a practical, manageable way. And it's the same thing with these "experts."

Our advice

If you want to learn how to sail, it’s a good idea to hang around a body of water where there are boats and sailors. If you want to learn about retirement, we say to go to places where retirees spend time and get to know them. Discreetly ask what kind of lifestyle they have, how much they spend per year, if they own their home or rent, how many cars they drive and if they think they need millions of dollars to live the lifestyle they are enjoying. Does Social Security cover most of their expenses or just a portion? Over time, you will learn how to frame questions in order to satisfy your curiosity and still be respectful. Heck, buy them a beer, a cup of coffee or a meal and your knowledge will be greatly expanded and many of your fears put to rest.

No doubt if you go to a country club or golf course you will get one set of answers as compared to your local coffee shop or an active adult community. Go to them all and ask questions. With that information – from real retirees - you can decide on the lifestyle you want to support.

Then, you too can become an “expert in retirement”.

What's Your Number? - How much money do you need to retire?

For more on Retirement Topics, click here and here and don't forget to signup for our free Newsletter.

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

HOME   Book Store

Retire Early Lifestyle Blog      About Billy & Akaisha Kaderli      Press     Contact     20 Questions     Preferred Links     Retirement     Country Info    
Retiree Interviews      Commentary     REL Videos