A couple with two toddlers in daycare weighs buying their first home on a combined middle income
Maya (32) & Chris (33), Columbus OH
exampleMarried, two young kids in daycare · $115k/yr household income
They're renting a two-bedroom apartment and deciding whether to buy a starter home while daycare costs are at their peak
Maya & Chris are renting a two-bedroom apartment and deciding whether to buy a starter home while daycare costs are at their peak The real question: Can we afford to buy a house while paying for two kids in daycare on a $115k household income?
There’s a gap to close$1.1M
Projected net worth at retirement (2057)
Retirement year
2057
Safe withdrawal / yr
$44k
Spending need / yr
$77k
First shortfall
2057
Modeled year by year, the plan runs short before the finish line. That doesn’t mean the goal is off the table. It means one or two levers (savings rate, timing, or the size of the purchase) need to move, and seeing exactly where and when is the value.
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Get my verdict →An illustrative example household. The numbers are modeled by Rightmont’s engine from these inputs; your real answer depends on your full picture. Educational only, not financial advice.