A 62-year-old attorney named Steve from Raleigh, North Carolina, called into “The Ramsey Show” recently with a situation most people would envy. Despite having no debt, a paid-off home and $3.5 million in retirement savings, Steve told personal finance experts Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze he was still struggling to feel comfortable retiring.
“What I really want is somebody to tell me that I can stop,” Steve said. While he had been thinking about retirement, he was hung up on two fears: losing income and the rising cost of health insurance.
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Incredible Finances, Lingering Doubts
Steve explained he earns $175,000 a year and has no pension, but a large nest egg spread across 401(k)s and IRAs. Ramsey broke the math down quickly: if invested in good growth stock mutual funds averaging 10%, Steve could generate $350,000 a year without touching the principal.
“[That’s] twice what you make now,” Ramsey said. Even if market returns dip, he told Steve he could draw $200,000 per year and still let the rest grow, calling it a “no-brainer” and even a “2x of a no-brainer.”
Ramsey also praised his discipline and success. “I assume you started with nothing and became a multimillionaire,” Ramsey said. “I’m very proud of you. That’s amazing. The American dream is not dead.”
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Steve confirmed that he had built his wealth over time. Still, he struggled with the emotional side of the decision. “Recent life events have made me realize that what I should be doing… is spending time with people that I love,” he said. “Pushing paper around is not a good use of my time anymore.”
When Ramsey asked what Steve wanted to do in retirement, the attorney shared that he wanted to travel and make the most of the time he has left. Ramsey warned him to avoid aimlessness. “Netflix doesn’t cut it,” he said. He encouraged Steve to find a meaningful way to spend his time, even suggesting using his legal background to help nonprofits or ministries.
Cruze added that those wake-up moments are important to pay attention to. “Whatever that thing was that caused this kind of change of heart… listen to that,” she said.
In the end, Ramsey gave Steve a green light: “You’re in excellent financial condition. You’ve done a wonderful job and you’re able to retire.”
Still, he advised Steve to develop a plan before officially stepping away from work.
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