I'm close to 59, wife will be 65 in January. We both work part time, she took her SS at 62. House is paid off, we have roughly 50% equity in a 6 unit apartment building. Retirement portfolio is roughly 60% individual blue chip dividend stocks, the rest is managed EJ and American Funds, funds. I talk about shifting more toward managed funds/fixed income with my advisor all the time. The reality is I can work as long as I want and I enjoy it, so I'm willing to leave more in equities for at least the next 5 years. If the market goes in the toilet I can wait for it to recover. If the world really goes in the toilet at the wrong time, we could live in one of the apartments and sell the house. A divorce in my 40's halved my net worth or I'd be done working.

^^^ Are you in EJ's Advisory fund? The last 4 years in that have been real good.

A portion of my wife's IRA is, not a big chunk though. I believe my Mom's $'s are. We put her excess cash with EJ over 5 years ago and it has worked out well.

My previous post listed out what I invest in but didn't state my "theory" on investments.

My Theory:
Invest 15% of your gross income for your entire life; I wish I had done that.

Unfortunately, I did what a lot of people have done and I cashed out portions of my 401k. I had to because my roof was leaking in every room of the house so I pulled out money to put on a new roof and while I was at it, I pulled enough money to buy my '74 911. That was a long time ago.

Since then, and it's been many years, I regretted using my 401k to buy a car (but I love having it and it's mint and fortunately held its value). Since then, I have put the max into my 401k; allowable limit for every year and the additional catchup once I turned 50. I also put $$$ into my portfolio thru direct deposit on the 15th & 30th (every month). I was never a saver until I could do it thru automatic payroll deductions and you get used to it.

My theory: It's better for me to buy stocks/funds rather than buy things I don't really need. I think I am better off than most of my friends/co-workers and every time I see them buying expensive purses, watches, nails done every 2 weeks, clothes, and other stuff.....I realize that my portfolio is my hobby and it makes me happy. Their choice is their choice and I don't criticize. I still have a little left over to enjoy life but my portfolio has become my real interest. I watch a lot of Warren Buffet, Charlie Munger, and John Bogle as well as many small investor's videos. I am relatively conservative on which companies I invest in and I don't like or do Cripto (even though I see people making a lot of $). I am an investor and not a speculator. I only buy companies I believe in and don't buy any companies that, even it profitable, if I don't like their business.

That's my investment theory. As far as age, start young. It's ok to start small but never stop. Being close to retirement has no effect on how I invest.

My theory is this: High yield over time = high yield.

If you can stomach the dips, you will win.

My discretionary investments are in equities and apartments. I probably should do commercial real estate at some time.

I do have some other investments in my business and a family business, so I guess I am a little more diverse than it seems up front.

My equities are currently supposed to be somewhat protected against a dip. Not sure this is possible but that is what "my guy" says.

There are thousands of experts who disagree with me. Hopefully they are never correct.

No question about it....having debt while entering retirement, is not good.
Get rid of the debt and everything will work out.

Being debt free has been a way of life for me for the past two decades... it's worked out ;).

Let me get some powerball tickets.

Exactly. It's great when the only monthly bill is the electric and cable. :)

Getting rich is really very simple. There are two parts. Both are necessary. No budgets, no loans, no savings plans no investment strategies, no nothing except:

1) Earn more

2) Spend less

I use debt on my investment real estate. Not over levered. But a mortgage.

If you can pay the mortgage worst possible time, you are good. It is a yield multiplier.

^^^^ Nuthin' wrong with "good debt" either .... or attempting to maximize returns via stocks, etc. imo... I'm just different at this point in my life. I have a theory :D

My theory might suck .... but it's not a bad suck ... for me ;)

That was always my game plan too. I used to go to one branch of the bank to get a loan to go to the next branch and pay the mortgage LOL It worked out well.

I would not bank on that. I have seen a couple of forecasts now predicting a depression. On marked 2030 as the year, the other marked 2026 as the year. I dismissed that forecast the first time I saw it, the second time kind of rattled me.

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I like to pay off my credit card balance with a different card. Works great!

I am and have banked on it for decades. It has proven to be a successful strategy for me while we've weathered 3 or 4 recessions/depressions/economic collapses. In fact, it has proven to be a very profitable strategy. Need proof? Just consider the technology sector alone and what it's done for the market in 30 years time.

There will always be those who predict doom and gloom. Sooner or later, they'll be right. Kind of like dancing for rain. It's going to rain sooner or later.

Meanwhile, missed opportunities cost the portfolio exponential returns. You don't make money when you sell the (classic) car/house/stock, you make it when you buy it.

Let the depression come. I'll ride that out like the others. I'm well insulated.