Thanks OkGo - this is a very valid comment and one that crosses my mind often when I read AAM and particularly the money makeover section where nearly everyone seems to have investment properties/portfolios etc and I wonder where did we go wrong. I don't think we have an overly expensive lifestyles and if we do there is little to show for it. I would think that I may be typical of a type of person that came of age in the early 80's in Ireland, a combination of starting out relatively late on the property ladder/settling down (with zero financial family back up/assets) where I messed about in a variety of low paying jobs/education until my thirties, combined with emigrating/coming back to Ireland and moving about (renting) quite a bit at the early stage of the Celtic Tiger, and then when we did buy and redo our house it was before the crash where we had to pay significantly over the odds for an upgrade and then other unexpected but expensive issues arose and added to the costs during that period. In addition while my spouses salary is good now this is only a recent phenomenon and prior to this she would have been part time/and on reduced salary and it is only in recent years that we have been able to come up for air . You are correct in your projection of the figures and plan re spouses retirement i.e. lump sum circa €100k plus pension c€12k per year until addition of state pension and while our salaries are now not bad we are paying out a lot in mortgage payments, providing for two kids in college and front loading late in life pension contributions. Saying that we now do ok ( I buy expensive craft beer) and a major asset for the future is my pension which will be significantly more than my spouses. I take your point re needing professional advice however on a back of envelope assessment (including paying off mortgage with either lump sum) I figure our overall net income in retirement will be not be that far off our current net income (minus current mortgage, college and pension contributions) and I guesstimate we can put aside around an additional €100,000 in the next five years. We are we are as they say - but I take your point and appreciate any advice.