Here's the Other Side
You didn't flinch. Now let's talk about what to do with that gap.
Most guys our age never sit down with that calculator. You did, and you saw a monthly gap. It probably stung a little. That's fine. It means you're done guessing.
Here's the good news buried in that number. It's already measured the right way. Retirement isn't about the size of the pile. It's about how much monthly income you have coming in, and your gap tells you exactly how much more you need.
There are two ways to close a monthly gap
You can save your way there, or you can build income. Here's what each one asks of you, using the same 3.5% withdrawal rate the calculator uses.
Coming up with an extra $738,514 is a tall order for most of us at this stage. Building $2,154 a month is a problem you can actually work on.
Rough math, pre-tax, and not financial advice. The savings figure is your monthly gap times 12, divided by 3.5%.
UnF*ck Your Retirement
This is the plan side of that number. It's the framework I wish I'd had when I was staring at my own gap. It doesn't ask you to save harder. It shows you how guys our age are building monthly income to close the gap.
- Why the plan failed you, not the other way around. The pension-to-401(k) switch, flat wages, and healthcare costs did more damage than any choice you made.
- Five ways to build income at this stage, with the honest downside of each: part-time work, consulting, courses, affiliate, and network marketing.
- How to vet an opportunity, including the one question that sorts real businesses from time sinks, and why I walk away from every crypto "investing" program.
- What's realistic at 90 days, 6 months, and a year, and why most people quit right before it starts working.
A quick word from me
I'm not a financial advisor. I'm a 60-something guy from Caldwell, Idaho who spent decades running convenience stores.
I thought I had the money thing figured out. I bought real estate on a lot of borrowed money, and 2008 taught me that leverage cuts both ways. My retirement account did what it was supposed to, but I hadn't fed it enough, early enough. My portfolio was still missing a comma. That's a hell of a thing to face in your fifties.
Cutting expenses helped some, but it was never going to close the gap by itself. What I needed was more income. This guide is what I learned the hard way, and the mistakes are in there too.
Steve NorrisMissingComma.net
What to do tonight
- Write your monthly gap on a sticky note.Put it where you'll see it tomorrow morning. That's your target from here on, not the big savings number.
- Read "What's Realistic" first.It's near the end of the guide and takes about ten minutes. It'll tell you fast whether building income is something you're willing to do.
- Watch your inbox for your breakdown.It has the details behind your calculator results. Add my address to your contacts so the follow-ups don't land in spam.
Missing Comma is written by Steve Norris, who is not a registered representative, financial planner, or tax professional. Nothing here is investment, tax, or legal advice. Income figures in the guide are illustrations, not promises, and depend on your own effort.
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