One million bucks to retire? Not even close.

Run the math on any mediocre apartment in the States—$1500 monthly rent burns through that million in just 60 years. And that's assuming zero inflation, zero emergencies, zero life actually happening.

The "millionaire retirement" narrative is outdated. Cost of living keeps climbing while that number stays frozen in people's heads like it's still 1995. Healthcare alone could wipe out a chunk of that before you hit 70.

Real financial freedom? You're looking at multiples of that figure, or alternative income streams that don't drain principal. The game changed. The goalpost moved. Most people just haven't updated their targets.