Catching Up to FI

Late Starter Real Numbers: 1.5 M ➜ 864 K — And Back Again | J. C. & Bev Webber | 163

14 snips
Aug 17, 2025
Guest
Bev Webber
Guest
J.C. Webber
J.C. Webber, a former Apple employee who retired at 57 after a late start in investing, and his wife Bev, a veteran in the auto and home glass industry, share their inspiring journey. They discuss how J.C.'s net worth soared to $1.5M, only to plummet during the 2008 crisis, yet their resilience kept them on track with retirement plans. The couple dives into their strategic career shifts, the impact of the GI Bill, and how embracing a nomadic lifestyle was key to their financial independence before the FIRE movement gained popularity.
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ANECDOTE

Reluctant Hire Turned Passionate Techie

  • J.C. described being reluctant to join Apple but accepted after a walk-and-talk with his boss and a sign-on package.
  • He enjoyed the technical work so much he joked he'd pay coworkers to let him keep doing it.
ANECDOTE

Peak Net Worth Before The Crash

  • J.C. and Bev retired to an RV after selling their house and reached a portfolio peak of $1.51M before 2008.
  • By February 2009 their investable assets had fallen to $864,000 during the financial crisis.
ADVICE

Clear Debt Then Maximize Retirement Contributions

  • After clearing credit-card debt, J.C. maxed his 401(k) and shifted to low-cost index funds.
  • He used a laddered CD structure as a cash buffer and spent one maturing CD every quarter.
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