There's always one concept that stops people in their tracks. It's based around the Twin Test, where one twin starts saving for retirement at 20, saves for 20 years, then stops forever. That's when the other twin starts saving, and saves forever.

The central question: How many years will it take for the 2nd twin to catch up to their sibling?

(Answer yourself before continuing...)

Some guess 20 years (!), some 30, some 50. But in truth, the second twin will NEVER catch up; not in 50, and not in 50,000. The 20yr lead + compound interest will insure the gap keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. The only way to catch up is for the 2nd twin to wildly increase their proportional savings.

Now...look at America, and realize most of the elite haven't had a 20 year lead, they've had a 120 year lead (or a 60 year lead, or a 200 year lead). It should be no surprise the gap keeps getting bigger.