Afford Anything®

#669: Q&A: 44 Years Old, $2 Million Saved – Why They’re Still Hesitant to Downshift

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They’ve done everything right on paper. Mid-40s, nearly $2 million saved, clear spending numbers, and a realistic plan to downshift work within the next five to seven years. And yet, the hesitation is real.

In this Q&A episode, we unpack the hesitation that shows up right before a major financial transition, even when the numbers say it should work. The first listener question dives into how to fund an early-career downshift without accidentally locking yourself into a strategy that limits flexibility later. We explore withdrawal sequencing, the role of a large taxable brokerage account, and why committing too early to rigid rules can feel riskier than staying put.

We also briefly touch on two additional listener contributions, one about choosing between a 529 plan and a 457(b) for college costs, and another that introduces a more advanced asset-location strategy involving bonds and tax efficiency. Those conversations add depth, but the core of this episode centers on the uneasy space between financial independence and actually changing your life.

Listener Questions in This Episode
  • Slade asks: How should we fund a career downshift in our early 50s, and does a 72(t) make sense given a large taxable brokerage account? (1:44)
  • David asks: Should we use a 529 plan or a 457(b) first to pay for our child’s college if we may not need the 457(b) for retirement? (21:55)
  • Graham asks: How can asset swapping between taxable and pre-tax accounts reduce taxes while keeping the same allocation? (38:10)
    • Key Takeaways
    • Why feeling “almost ready” can be more uncomfortable than not being ready at all.
    • The subtle tradeoff between flexibility and certainty when you’re planning an early career downshift.
    • How a strategy that looks smart on paper can box you in later.
    • What really changes once your taxable brokerage becomes your primary bridge.
    • Why future tax decisions can loom larger than today’s net worth.
      • Resources and Links

      Afford Anything Episode 94, our deep dive into 72(t) early withdrawal rules

      Chapters

      Note: Timestamps are approximate and may vary greatly across listening platforms due to dynamically inserted ads.

      (0:00) Framing the early retirement dilemma

      (1:44) The real question behind a $2 million portfolio
      (6:04) Why 72(t) sounds appealing and where it bites back
      (13:32) De-risking without killing flexibility
      (25:55) College funding choices and hidden tradeoffs
      (46:10) Asset swaps, tax efficiency, and behavioral complexity

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