Skilled trade / apprenticeship (no 4-yr degree) Post-secondary is optional: a two-year trade program living at home (~$10k/yr), then an apprentice→journeyman→master→owner path. Little to no debt and earning years earlier — often the strongest net-worth path.

Customize

2033–2034

Trade school · Trade school / apprenticeship (live at home)

age 18–19

2083

Roth + brokerage at age 68

$11,879,870

Total cost of attending

$29,711

compound inflation

529 after graduation

$49,194

left in the fund

Rolled into Roth IRA

$35,000

lifetime cap $35,000

Roth IRA at 68

$559,676

+ $0 still in 529

Brokerage at 68

$10,728,119

leftover drawn down · $8,333 lost to tax + penalty

Starting salary

$78,540

at graduation · 4.0%/yr raises + partner/owner stages

Lifetime saved & invested

$4,111,214

after 28.0% tax + 50.0% spending & loans

Ownership equity at 68

$592,076

partner + practice-owner stake

Net worth at 68

$11,879,870

assets + equity − loans

2035: rollover skipped — account must be 15 years old (eligible 2039).

2036: rollover skipped — account must be 15 years old (eligible 2039).

2037: rollover skipped — account must be 15 years old (eligible 2039).

Year by year

Phase	Year	Age	Cost	529 End	→ Roth	Roth IRA	Brokerage	Salary	Net worth
Accumulation	2026	11		$10,000					$10,000
Accumulation	2027	12		$16,885					$16,885
Accumulation	2028	13		$24,232					$24,232
Accumulation	2029	14		$32,070					$32,070
Accumulation	2030	15		$40,433					$40,433
Accumulation	2031	16		$49,357					$49,357
Accumulation	2032	17		$58,878					$58,878
Trade school · Trade school / apprenticeship (live at home)	2033	18	$14,493	$54,543					$54,543
Trade school · Trade school / apprenticeship (live at home)	2034	19	$15,218	$49,194					$49,194
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Apprentice	2035	20		$52,488				$47,124	$52,488
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Apprentice	2036	21		$56,003			$10,652	$49,009	$66,656
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Journeyman	2037	22		$59,754			$22,276	$84,949	$82,030
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Journeyman	2038	23		$63,756			$42,618	$88,347	$106,374
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Journeyman	2039	24		$58,026	$10,000	$10,000	$64,769	$91,880	$132,795
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Journeyman	2040	25		$51,912	$10,000	$20,670	$88,853	$95,556	$161,434
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Journeyman	2041	26		$44,889	$10,500	$32,554	$114,999	$99,378	$192,441
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2042	27		$0	$4,500	$39,234	$178,408	$139,526	$217,643
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2043	28		$0		$41,862	$219,076	$145,108	$260,938
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2044	29		$0		$44,665	$263,086	$150,912	$307,751
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2045	30		$0		$47,657	$310,660	$156,948	$358,316
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2046	31		$0		$50,848	$362,032	$163,226	$412,880
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2047	32		$0		$54,254	$417,451	$169,755	$471,705
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Master	2048	33		$0		$57,887	$477,182	$176,546	$535,069
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2049	34		$0		$61,764	$541,504	$231,209	$1,195,344
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2050	35		$0		$65,900	$621,473	$240,458	$1,279,450
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2051	36		$0		$70,314	$707,625	$250,076	$1,370,014
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2052	37		$0		$75,023	$800,358	$260,079	$1,467,457
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2053	38		$0		$80,047	$900,096	$270,482	$1,572,220
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2054	39		$0		$85,408	$1,007,290	$281,301	$1,684,774
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2055	40		$0		$91,128	$1,122,413	$292,553	$1,805,617
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2056	41		$0		$97,231	$1,245,969	$304,256	$1,935,277
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2057	42		$0		$103,743	$1,378,493	$316,426	$2,074,312
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2058	43		$0		$110,691	$1,520,547	$329,083	$2,223,314
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2059	44		$0		$118,104	$1,672,730	$342,246	$2,382,910
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2060	45		$0		$126,014	$1,835,675	$355,936	$2,553,765
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2061	46		$0		$134,453	$2,010,051	$370,173	$2,736,580
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2062	47		$0		$143,458	$2,196,567	$384,980	$2,932,101
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2063	48		$0		$153,065	$2,395,973	$400,380	$3,141,114
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2064	49		$0		$163,317	$2,609,061	$416,395	$3,364,453
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2065	50		$0		$174,254	$2,836,672	$433,051	$3,603,002
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2066	51		$0		$185,924	$3,079,692	$450,373	$3,857,693
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2067	52		$0		$198,376	$3,339,062	$468,387	$4,129,514
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2068	53		$0		$211,662	$3,615,774	$487,123	$4,419,512
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2069	54		$0		$225,837	$3,910,878	$506,608	$4,728,791
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2070	55		$0		$240,962	$4,225,485	$526,872	$5,058,523
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2071	56		$0		$257,099	$4,560,769	$547,947	$5,409,944
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2072	57		$0		$274,318	$4,917,970	$569,865	$5,784,363
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2073	58		$0		$292,689	$5,298,401	$592,660	$6,183,166
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2074	59		$0		$312,291	$5,703,448	$616,366	$6,607,815
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2075	60		$0		$333,206	$6,134,577	$641,021	$7,059,858
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2076	61		$0		$355,521	$6,593,336	$666,661	$7,540,933
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2077	62		$0		$379,331	$7,081,363	$693,328	$8,052,770
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2078	63		$0		$404,736	$7,600,386	$721,061	$8,597,197
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2079	64		$0		$431,842	$8,152,232	$749,903	$9,176,149
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2080	65		$0		$460,763	$8,738,831	$779,900	$9,791,670
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2081	66		$0		$491,621	$9,362,223	$811,096	$10,445,920
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2082	67		$0		$524,546	$10,024,561	$843,539	$11,141,182
Post-grad (529 → Roth) · Owner / contractor	2083	68		$0		$559,676	$10,728,119	$877,281	$11,879,870