When I first started investing, internet forums were a source of motivation. Even the early days of Motley Fool were fun. It was 95% free and there were thousands there trying to do legitimate Peter Lynch style DIY style research of new tech companies. It later turned into a pay site and pump and dump was the only real purpose of the member forums after the tech bubble popped.
S.A. is the most comprehensive forum now, but way too many of the posts are mean spirited and not really meant to help anyone, or even share meaningful info. You can scroll though and look for info, but it's not nearly as enjoyable as here.
How much wealth one needs in a stock portfolio at retirement has too many variables for one solution. If you are diversified you need less from your stock port. Pensions other than SS matter of course and those are almost non-existent for the investor starting today. I have zero desire to retire to an expensive urban area. Housing costs matter in your retirement numbers.
The 4% rule is always a good topic of debate. It seems safe but not fool proof. 2% or 8% years could turn out to be a viable course. I intend to live my life, but not overspend in the early years so I have the flexibility to draw less from my stock port if the market gets hammered. The blind luck of timing is huge. The GFC wrecked some retirement plans around 2008. If one is retiring this year they just enjoyed a 10 year bull market when their port should have been fairly large. When you get into the large numbers stage, a 25% up or down year is huge. I guess that's why I am diversified now. That $2MIL port could be 2.5M or 1.5M in a flash if it's invested wrong.
S.A. is the most comprehensive forum now, but way too many of the posts are mean spirited and not really meant to help anyone, or even share meaningful info. You can scroll though and look for info, but it's not nearly as enjoyable as here.
How much wealth one needs in a stock portfolio at retirement has too many variables for one solution. If you are diversified you need less from your stock port. Pensions other than SS matter of course and those are almost non-existent for the investor starting today. I have zero desire to retire to an expensive urban area. Housing costs matter in your retirement numbers.
The 4% rule is always a good topic of debate. It seems safe but not fool proof. 2% or 8% years could turn out to be a viable course. I intend to live my life, but not overspend in the early years so I have the flexibility to draw less from my stock port if the market gets hammered. The blind luck of timing is huge. The GFC wrecked some retirement plans around 2008. If one is retiring this year they just enjoyed a 10 year bull market when their port should have been fairly large. When you get into the large numbers stage, a 25% up or down year is huge. I guess that's why I am diversified now. That $2MIL port could be 2.5M or 1.5M in a flash if it's invested wrong.