Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 12:08:48 CST
From: "jIM" 
Newsgroups: misc.invest.financial-plan
Subject: Re: Income needed to retire on??
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"My opinion is that this estimate, of all the estimates that goes into
retirement planning, is the one that requires the greatest individual
adjustment.  There are many reasons why one's current salary may not
be a baseline to indicate one's retirement needs. "

Tax rate is a huge factor.  I see the basic princpile of "use a Roth
IRA if tax rate at retiremement will be higher than tax rate while
working".  I haven't heard of a conceptual case where I would know if
this applied to me.  In what cases would a tax rate "go up" if one has
no income?  What types of investors have a higher income in retirement?

Savings rate is a good one (mentioned earlier).  If someone can save
25% of their income, they get a "25% raise" when they retire because
they don't "necessarily" need to keep stashing this money away into
savings.

Is their a "utilities guideline" which suggests one pay x% of income to
own a phone, cell phone, keep the heater on, lights lit and stove
running?  I wouldn't know what percentage I pay for utiltiies now, this
appears to be a fixed cost to me whether I work or retire.