If you are 20 years old, expect to live to 100, and can imagine maybe spending $1 million per year, your maximum lifetime expenses are only $80,000,000. Once you have a large enough share of this that investment returns can earn the rest, you do not ever need to work again
The threshold for “no need to work” is way lower than $1,000,000,000. More than 12 times lower, in fact.
If you are 20 years old, expect to live to 100, and can imagine maybe spending $1 million per year, your maximum lifetime expenses are only $80,000,000. Once you have a large enough share of this that investment returns can earn the rest, you do not ever need to work again
The threshold for “no need to work” is way lower than $1,000,000,000. More than 12 times lower, in fact.
Your point is valid, but the math is oversimplified. Due to inflation, $1m in 1946 (80 years ago) is worth about $18m today.
Still, $1b is way more than enough to live an entire life of luxury, without ever needing to worry (in any serious way) about money.