Why would 1.5 million be surprising when the average household income today is close to $80k? I thought I was a rich man the day I built my $130K dream home. I was making $30K/year at the time, as a Computer Programmer with three degrees. I thought I was really something, making my age. That's minimum-wage burger-flipper money today! And yet I somehow retired comfortably, despite three stock market crashes, my employer's bankruptcy in the Enron debacle, and a forced move and job hunt 500 miles away in my 50's.
Any fool can retire a millionaire. All it takes it a savings account and a lick of common sense. $80K, with a 3% inflation adjustment per year, and enough sense to save 10% a year at a 5% return, is $2,081,365 by age 65.
Somebody ought to tell the kids to quit begging for government handouts and just get a damned job!
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