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Missouri Retiree Hits $1 Million at 52

A Missouri retiree built $1 million with modest state government salary.

Nov 7, 2026

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Missouri Retiree Hits $1 Million at 52

A Missouri retiree built $1 million with modest state government salary.

In brief

A Missouri retiree built $1 million with modest state government salary. A 62-year-old Missouri retiree reached $1 million through consistent IRA contributions and low-cost investments. Originally reported by Kiplinger.

Quick answers

Who is the retiree?
A married 62-year-old retiree in Jefferson City, Missouri.
What was his job?
He retired from a state government job as a program manager.
What was his salary?
His salary range was $60,000 to $70,000.
How did he build his wealth?
He maximized annual IRA contributions and state employee deferred-compensation plan.
What investments did he use?
He invested all in low-cost equity mutual funds.

Who is the retiree?

A man at sunset holding his arms out as if he's free.

A married 62-year-old retiree in Jefferson City, Missouri.

What was his job?

A piggy bank has muscles.

He retired from a state government job as a program manager.

What was his salary?

What was his salary?

His salary range was $60,000 to $70,000.

How did he build his wealth?

A Roth IRA conversion concept.

He maximized annual IRA contributions and state employee deferred-compensation plan.

What investments did he use?

What investments did he use?

He invested all in low-cost equity mutual funds.

What was his return?

A piggy bank has muscles.

His annual return was about 9.5% over 30 years.

When did he hit $1 million?

My First $1 Million logo

He reached the million mark about 10 years ago.

What is he doing with the money?

What is he doing with the money?

He continues with same investments and takes occasional vacations.

What matters most

A 62-year-old Missouri retiree reached $1 million through consistent IRA contributions and low-cost investments.

Read the original on Kiplinger

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