[celiboy]

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LOL @ $2k/month.

But setting that aside, back of the envelope calculation:

Inflation-indexed government bonds yield something like 2%. To have $24k/year after taxes, you probably need like $35k/yr income or something. If you want money to gradually increase (in real terms, after expenses/taxes), you need like $40k/yr. At 2%, that means you need $2 million.

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$2K is reasonable. I track my expenses every few months and I come in around $1650 per month, but my mortgage is only $300. My mtge will be paid off in the next few months, so I'd be looking at $1350 per month in expenses. I live in Canada so I don't have to worry about health care at all and I'm not married or have any kids so obviously that would be higher with either. The key to retiring early is getting your monthly expenses as low as possible...no mortgage, no car or other debt payments ever. Just sock that money away every month in EFT's and low cost mutuals that have outperformed their group average for 15 years or more. Working for the man is [censored] hell and the sooner you retire the better.