 how much do you really need in your paycheck? This is a question that a lot of our clients are wrestling with when they first come to us, and I ask them, one of the first things we ask in initial call is, how much do you need each month in retirement? And it's amazing. I make $250,000, so I need $250,000, right? No, because what is your take-home pay? Because out of that $250,000, you're paying taxes, you're paying your 401k, or your TSP, you put money there, you're paying maybe for life insurance, maybe some other benefit, some disability insurance, whatever you pay, it's all coming out.