2025 Performance

[srblanco7]

As we approach the end of the year, felt like we needed a spot to gather an annual update on the how everyone's investments performed.

Changes for us this year included pulling some more "winnings" of the table and moved to a 65/35 AA down from 80/20 two years ago and 70/30 at the start of 2025. We also onboarded with a "flat-fee" financial advisor and are set to "officially" retire on Jan 2, 2026 (unofficially I've already retired as we're just using PTO to bridge to the official retirement date).

YTD performance for our investments is +14.7%. Total investment portfolio is hovering just under $8M with about $1M of that being returns from this year. We're incredibly fortunate.

Excited to see what 2026 brings. Happy holidays to all.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

As we approach the end of the year, felt like we needed a spot to gather an annual update on the how everyone's investments performed.

Changes for us this year included pulling some more "winnings" of the table and moved to a 65/35 AA down from 8020 two years ago and 70/30 at the start of 2025. We also onboarded with a "flat-fee" financial advisor and are set to "officially" retire on Jan 2, 2026 (unofficially I've already retired as we're just using PTO to bridge to the official retirement date).

YTD performance for our investments is +14.7%. Total investment portfolio is hovering just under $8M with about $1M of that being returns from this year. We're incredibly fortunate.

Excited to see what 2026 brings. Happy holidays to all.

happy holidays! What a fantastic year investment wise and professionally to be retiring! Congratulations.

[kork13]

That's fantastic, congrats on your impending retirement!

I'm curious what your rough financial plan looks like -- expected annual expenses and withdrawals? How much cash are you currently holding (thinking toward SORR)? Where is your stash located (roth vs. trad vs. taxable)? Any roth conversions planned?

Very excited for you! I normally do my annual check-in & numbers crunching around 1 Jan, so I'll follow up around then with my own update.

[ua_guy]

Congratulations!

If I may ask, what ages are you/ your spouse?

[srblanco7]

That's fantastic, congrats on your impending retirement!

I'm curious what your rough financial plan looks like -- expected annual expenses and withdrawals? How much cash are you currently holding (thinking toward SORR)? Where is your stash located (roth vs. trad vs. taxable)? Any roth conversions planned?

Very excited for you! I normally do my annual check-in & numbers crunching around 1 Jan, so I'll follow up around then with my own update.

Asset location is 51% brokerage, 42% tax deferred, and 7% tax free

Currently holding 1 year of expenses in cash and another 2.5 years in short-term bonds/treasuries. We're migrating our portfolio to something along the lines of:

65% equities
1/3 in large cap (VOO or similar)
1/3 in extended market (VXF or similar)
1/3 in international (VXUS)

35% bonds
1/2 in core bond (VBTLX or similar)
1/2 in cash and 1-2 year treasuries or short term bond fund (VBIRX or similar)

At present we're a bit misaligned with this target - still a bit heavy in large cap equities and our bonds (mostly in our 401ks) are slanted more to a core bond allocation because the cash/short term options in the 401ks are too heavy on expenses and too light on returns.

Planning about a 3% gross withdrawal rate in year 1 as a starting point.. Will be taken entirely from my 401k. Keeping it simple in year 1 as we get into a rhythm with the financial advisor. We'll have a meeting in early 2026 for tax planning and discuss what our priorities are for the year. Have to balance some realigning of current brokerage assets and roth conversions.

Look forward to seeing updates from the forum as we head to year end.

[srblanco7]

Congratulations!

If I may ask, what ages are you/ your spouse?

I just turned 57 and DW will be turning 56 shortly.

[kork13]

Not a full roundup, just a random nugget that I noticed while wandering through my accounts today ... Our investments have earned significantly more this year than we've earned from all other sources -- my job, DW's pension, the rental property, etc.

The rough numbers are $240k in growth/returns from roughly $2.1M invested ... Most of which is in Roth, so it's largely tax free. Meanwhile, our gross income this year has been around $190k, before taxes.

To be sure, this year has been (although rocky) a generally strong year for stocks & other investments, as long as you stayed the course through all of the chaos. So it's not hard to find winners right now. But it's definitely encouraging to recognize that we're approaching (or surpassing) the point where our investments can reliably out-pace our earned or other income!

[disneysteve]

The year isn't over yet so I don't have final numbers but we are up roughly 420K for the year. We were up. well over 500K not long ago but the market has finally been reacting to the failing economy. Tariffs, inflation, unemployment, etc. are catching up with things. Still, if we can end the year up 400K, I certainly won't be upset.

[ua_guy]

I just turned 57 and DW will be turning 56 shortly.

Well done!

[ua_guy]

~+16% return for the year. This included moving 80% of our assets into short term CD's at the beginning of the year, missing the dip when the DOW plummeted below 37k but also buying the dip, and then handing over assets and our AA to a CFP who since rebalanced us to about 75/25 in September, stocks will increase as the rest of the short-term matures. I think we'll be buying the next dip.

Couldn't tell you what's in store for 2026. Reports can only be cooked so much. Jobs and inflation aren't looking good.

[srblanco7]

Not a full roundup, just a random nugget that I noticed while wandering through my accounts today ... Our investments have earned significantly more this year than we've earned from all other sources -- my job, DW's pension, the rental property, etc.

The rough numbers are $240k in growth/returns from roughly $2.1M invested ... Most of which is in Roth, so it's largely tax free. Meanwhile, our gross income this year has been around $190k, before taxes.

To be sure, this year has been (although rocky) a generally strong year for stocks & other investments, as long as you stayed the course through all of the chaos. So it's not hard to find winners right now. But it's definitely encouraging to recognize that we're approaching (or surpassing) the point where our investments can reliably out-pace our earned or other income!

Congratulations. It’s a great feeling when “your money is working harder than you do”!

[disneysteve]

But it's definitely encouraging to recognize that we're approaching (or surpassing) the point where our investments can reliably out-pace our earned or other income!

Absolutely! That's the big tipping point for retirement readiness. Once your portfolio is matching or exceeding your work income, you're probably ready or close to it.

[srblanco7]

As we approach the end of the year, felt like we needed a spot to gather an annual update on the how everyone's investments performed.

Changes for us this year included pulling some more "winnings" of the table and moved to a 65/35 AA down from 80/20 two years ago and 70/30 at the start of 2025. We also onboarded with a "flat-fee" financial advisor and are set to "officially" retire on Jan 2, 2026 (unofficially I've already retired as we're just using PTO to bridge to the official retirement date).

YTD performance for our investments is +14.7%. Total investment portfolio is hovering just under $8M with about $1M of that being returns from this year. We're incredibly fortunate.

Excited to see what 2026 brings. Happy holidays to all.

Ran thru our final numbers for 2025. +15.2% for the year (caveat - includes contributions which were, in relative terms, fairly minimal). AA finished the year at 65%/35% (started the year at 71%/29%).

[kork13]

Not a full roundup, just a random nugget that I noticed while wandering through my accounts today ... Our investments have earned significantly more this year than we've earned from all other sources -- my job, DW's pension, the rental property, etc.

The rough numbers are $240k in growth/returns from roughly $2.1M invested ... Most of which is in Roth, so it's largely tax free. Meanwhile, our gross income this year has been around $190k, before taxes.

To be sure, this year has been (although rocky) a generally strong year for stocks & other investments, as long as you stayed the course through all of the chaos. So it's not hard to find winners right now. But it's definitely encouraging to recognize that we're approaching (or surpassing) the point where our investments can reliably out-pace our earned or other income!

Okay! Following up now that I've done my semi-annual asset check.

- Happy surprise #1: We crossed the line of $2.5M of net worth over the last 6 months -- in fact, we're actually just shy of $2.6M!
- Happy surprise #2: Not entirely unexpected, but still remarkable -- our overall annual investment returns were 15.5%, amounting to just over $220k of investment returns.

Most of 2025 was mostly just steady forward progress... The notable differences from the norm include this being the first full year invested with the 2x RELPs I got into during Dec'24. Additionally, I converted some of my taxable investments from stocks into real estate -- I purchased a home 50/50 with my father for my 98y/o grandmother to live in for her final years ... though she's honestly quite healthy & sound of mind relative to her age, and I can see her living another 3-5 years easily, if not longer.

Our finances are going strong ... Now I just need to prepare us for the potential of my upcoming military retirement, as early as 2028. I need to build up a bunch of cash.

Here's to a happy, healthy, and successful 2026 to everyone!!

[disneysteve]

The year isn't over yet so I don't have final numbers but we are up roughly 420K for the year.

Happy new year. Now that it is 1/1 I've got final numbers.

Our portfolio ended the year up $442,339. That represents an increase of 11.55%. I think that's quite good considering a relatively conservative asset allocation that stood at about 55% stock, 20% bond, 25% cash at year-end.