[loire280]

Sure, but if you're 10+ years into your career and have been financially conservative (i.e. have a positive net worth), a lump sum of $1m could be enough to retire to a lower-cost location.

[mathiaspoint]

If you're willing to be fiscally conservative, go to a cheaper location, and continue working on side projects you don't need the payout at all.

The question everyone seems to be asking is "is the payout worth spending the first ten years of your career in the West Coast startup scene." Ten years is quite a lot of time to spend somewhere you don't actually want to live.

[okdood64]

The converse(?) is also true; how easy is it to leave somewhere you've made roots (family, friends, community) in for a decade or two?

[andrewmcwatters]

Hell, roughly $600,000-800,000 is enough to lean FIRE, the last time I checked.

[dmoy]

Lean fire on $600k-$800k is taking an extreme gamble on the cost of health insurance continuing to be subsidized way beyond Medicaid levels. Which you might be fine with, but it's a pretty big risk.

Unsubsidized healthcare in a lot of places in the US costs $10k-$20k per person per year. For early retirement that eats up like $400k-$500k per person.

[usaar333]

Sure, if you are single with no family and wiling to live outside California.

[quickthrowman]

If I retired at 40 I don’t think I’d want to remove more than 2% a year from the principal amount, which is.. $12,000-$16,000 a year.

How is that possible? Even with a fully paid off house, you still have property taxes, utilities, maintenance.

Even 4% a year which is recommended for a 30 year retirement, you’re only taking out $24,000-$36,000 a year.