How much to consult, and for how long? Every combo mapped.
Age
41
Location
Seattle, WA
Income
$210k → $80k or $45k
Saved
$650k
A 41-year-old senior engineer in Seattle earns $210k and wants to step back — but is unsure whether to consult at $80k or $45k, and whether to do it for 5 or 10 years. With $650k saved, this scenario runs all four combinations at once so the full matrix of semi-retirement options is visible in a single view.
The earliest retirement age at which this plan does not run out of money is 51, after 5 more years of full-time work. Market risk matters more than that headline: the earliest age that succeeds in at least 80% of 500 Monte Carlo simulations is 52.
| Retire at | Full-time years left | Semi-retired years | Best Monte Carlo success |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 5 | 5 | 75% |
| 52 | 6 | 5 | 87% |
| 53 | 7 | 5 | 94% |
| 54 | 8 | 5 | 94% |
| 55 | 4 | 10 | 92% |
| 56 | 5 | 10 | 81% |
| 57 | 6 | 10 | 93% |
EARLIEST 80%+ PLAN: Retire at Age 52 Switch to semi-retirement at age 47 (after 6 high-salary years). Portfolio bridges to full retirement at 52.
Growth rate (4.0%) keeps compounding during spending — the extra buffer matters most against bad early-retirement market sequences.
Social Security: $38k/yr starting at age 67 is included. Healthcare: $16k/yr before Medicare at 65.
Across the simulated market histories (in future dollars, not adjusted for inflation), the median portfolio is $1.93M at 70, $2.12M at 80, $2.32M at 90. In a poor sequence of returns (10th percentile) it is $0k at 70, $0k at 80, $0k at 90.
This example uses illustrative figures and should not be treated as financial advice.