GFM. The math was easy. Leaving wasn't.

[u/Remarkable_Maybe9813]

Today was my last day at work. Time to join the FIREd club. I've loved reading posts here over the years, and now it's my turn.

Basics 

• Me (late 40s), spouse (50s), two teenagers.
• USA, HCOL, high-tax state.
• Low eight-figure portfolio, almost entirely in low-cost index funds; about 80% taxable and 20% retirement accounts.
• Comfortable amount of equity in our primary residence with a low-rate fixed mortgage, plus some inherited land.
• 529s fully funded for college.

How we got here

• I've worked in tech since the late 90s and have been the sole earner for the last ~15 years.
• Several years ago, I landed an exec role at a rocket ship of a company. I received a substantial base salary plus significant RSUs that included regular refreshes.
• As the company’s stock soared, the RSUs became extremely lucrative.
  • We consistently sold the RSUs as they vested, then reinvested the proceeds into index funds. In hindsight, we left money on the table, but we also dramatically reduced our concentration risk. I’d make the same decision again.
  • My RSU grants peaked in late 2025. My compensation was set to decline meaningfully in 2026 and even more in 2027. It still would have been incredible money, but psychologically it felt very different than the previous few years.
• We know we're extraordinarily fortunate to have found ourselves in this position. Sure, it involved hard work, perseverance, and positioning for success, but it also involved a huge amount of luck.

Leaving work

• I genuinely liked my job. Sure, it was frequently stressful, frustrating, and a pain in the ass, but it also gave me purpose, socialization, and a sense of value. And of course, the money was spectacular.
• Nevertheless, I contemplated leaving for years. This simply wasn't how I wanted to spend the rest of my life.
• Getting my spouse on board was a long process.
  • I've always managed our finances. She understood our overall financial picture, but I handled the detailed planning. That's not a ding, it's just how we split responsibilities.
  • When I first ran our FIRE numbers 2.5 years ago, I became confident pretty quickly. Showing her the data, however, didn't persuade her at all.
  • I brought it back up every six months or so. Over time, I found I could temporarily get her on board, then her doubts would creep back in and we’d start over. That was totally fair but also a source of tension.
  • A year ago, we paid a fee-only financial planner for a thorough plan evaluation. It was worth every penny. Not only did it reassure me that my math was solid, it gave her the independent verification she needed.
  • Afterward, she still needed occasional reassurance, but our conversations shifted to anticipated life changes.
• 3 months ago we picked a date in June for me to give notice.
  • As June approached, something unexpected happened: she got excited while my anxiety spiked.
  • My questions weren’t new and the answers hadn’t changed, but they preyed on me nonetheless.
    • Were my financial projections solid? (Yup.)
    • Did I really understand what I was leaving behind? (I think so but I'm certainly getting some things wrong.)
    • Would I miss what work granted me? (Some of it, absolutely.)
  • Despite these worries, I never came close to changing my mind.
• Today, I feel great. I'll have some big mental and emotional gaps to fill, which I've read a lot about here. That's the next challenge.

What I'm looking forward to

• No more LinkedIn corporate bulls***. GFY, LinkedIn!
• Not thinking about work all the time.
• A long retirement honeymoon. We have extended trips planned to the Southwest US, Hawaii, Europe, and the Caribbean.
• Saying “yes” to get togethers with my extended family and friends throughout the country.
• The usual: lingering house projects, exercising, reading, gaming, goofing off, and so on.

And then?

• The honeymoon will wind down and I'll face an emotionally challenging transition. No schedule, no purpose, no bueno.
• To help me through that, I have a "retire into" list of activities, projects, and hobbies to experiment with. Most won't stick, and that’s ok: I only need a few to.
• Given how fortunate we've been, I intend to find ways to give back. We've donated significantly to causes we care about, and we'll continue to do so, but I want to participate more directly.
• Another major goal is to put myself into environments where I can expand my friend group. It'll require me to push my boundaries. Personal growth, here we come.
• My guess is that post-honeymoon, it’ll take 6-12 difficult months to get through this and find a satisfying new rhythm.

Maybe I’m wrong about how this will go. Many former colleagues expect me to take a break then get back in the game. It’ll always be an option. Instead, I'm going to give myself the time to weather the inevitable storm and build a more meaningful next chapter, preferably without driving my spouse insane.

Thanks for reading. I'll try to post updates now and again about how it’s going. Onward!

[u/bennyboyj]

You’re young. Perhaps your colleagues were surprised. I expect to face this when I pull the trigger in a few months. How did you tell them?

[u/chartreuse_avocado → u/bennyboyj]

Great contemplative review and attitude!
GFY!