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$1,004,000 net worth (age 36)
Consistency - A 36-year-old active-duty O-4 military officer and his 34-year-old federal employee wife, both from lower-middle class backgrounds, reached $1M net worth after nine years of intentional saving. Their net worth is 92nd percentile based upon their ages. Thanks to military benefits (housing, healthcare, childcare), carefully avoiding lifestyle creep, and regular promotions, they maintained a projected 42% saving rate for 2025 while raising two kids. Core investments include TSP, Roth IRAs, brokerage, a touch of crypto, and a $65K bump from good real estate timing. Their journey was disciplined, consistent teamwork, two incomes, and compounding.
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“Military service (especially as an officer) is a great way to achieve FI if you can handle the lifestyle... There is nothing special about what we have done—just consistency and intentionality.”
TAKE-AWAY:
Financial independence is built not through windfalls or genius investments, but by steady, team-based saving, frugal choices, and leveraging compounding for years. The formula is simple: live below your means, stay on course, and let consistency do the work.
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