As 2025 draws to a close, many of us are doing our final checks of our spreadsheets/Monarch/Personal Capital/pivot tables/abacus calculations/I still miss Mint etc. and reflecting.
Please use this thread to report anything you want – whether it be a massive success, reaching a mini-milestone, actually accomplishing your goals from last year, or even just doing nothing while time does the work for you (for those of us in the 'boring middle' part). We want to hear about all that 2025 did for you – both FI related and personally as well!
After reflecting on the past, we also want to look towards the future. What are you looking for in the new year – what are your goals and aspirations that will help guide you this coming year. Are you looking to finally max our your retirement accounts, get a 529 going for your kid, nearing that next comma, becoming completely worthless, or finally hitting your number and cashing in all the GFY's you can get?
Here is a link to past threads- thanks again to u/Colorsmayfadeintime for the links.
2025 Year in Review & 2026 Goal Post
byu/therapistfi infinancialindependence
Posted by therapistfi
5 Comments
31M. This year in 2025 I FIRE’d. Back in March there was a lot of uncertainty in my company and I was offered a buyout and benefits for the rest of the year. I’m projecting a 3% SWR on ~$3M. The switch to a retired lifestyle has been a massive change (and as I highlight in the daily threads something I am still getting used to).
For 2026 I’d like to read 75 books a year and find something to do part time (paid or unpaid volunteer work). I also would like to either go to Scotland or Seoul, SK. I’m looking forward to cooking new meals, going on a few dates and overall just having fun with the community of regulars in the dailies.
(Oh and I want to steal u/therapistfi’s thunder at least once a month with a unique question!)
2025
* Wife (31F) and I (34M) combined made over $1 million in W-2 income for the first time ever.
* Maxed all tax-advantaged space, including her mega back door roth (I don’t have access to that feature).
* started regularly contributing to 529s
* Exceeded 2M in net worth (~1.75M in liquid assets & ~500k in house equity).
* Had our first child (wow–**best thing ever**). Parenthood has been amazing, but it has also completely changed our outlook. Even last year, we figured we would both keep grinding with the goal of affording a comfortable, early retirement in maybe a decade. But, after our child was born, my wife is eager to be a stay home mom, at least for a few years. This is both a financial and non-financial decision (and a tough one!). But we’re going to figure it out.
2026
* Figure out how to better balance parenthood and our careers–even if it means slimming down to a ~600k income.
* Give more to charity.
* Have another kid?!
Happy holidays to all! Onward!!
On track for my target
For 2025: I stopped budgeting which increased my enjoyment of my life and decreased my stress levels significantly. Based on my tentative calculations I only spent $3-4k more this year despite having multiple large expenses compared to 2024.
I am very, very close to hitting $100k NW, which is about 2x my annual income. I expect to hit this milestone in early February at the latest. I’m a little disappointed that it doesn’t look like I’ll hit it this year, but $100k on a $40-55k annual income at 26 is still awesome.
In 2026 I am finally eligible for the 401k at my part time job, so I started contributing 6% to that (matched). It’s not much, but most of my paycheck goes to the ESPP anyway.
2025
We crossed a major NW goal, I started going back to school (then took a break, pivoted, and started going back to school again), we tried out fostering children and realized supporting a child with trauma wasn’t for us so solidified ourselves as DINKs (though I’m not sure if my income even counts because it’s so low). But, perhaps most importantly, I reframed my thought process to think of this time as a mini retirement instead of feeling like an underemployed loser.
2026
My main goal is to get straight As. Other than that, to survive on my husband’s gross income from 10 years ago (which is about half of his gross income now). Of course, buying a new house will remain at the back of my mind. We’re also going to start living with a roommate, which will bring in between $800-$1000/month of extra cash. We also plan on getting a dog in the new year.