re: What are your realistic 5 year financial goals?

35 years old today.

By 40, I want to have $500k liquid (retirement, personal savings, etc.) I need a ~12% return to do that.

I have no debt outside my 3.25% mortgage.

I'd like to increase my salary 25% in five years. That might be a little tougher without a promotion, which is hard to come by where I am. There are literally about six positions that I could be promoted into in that time period, all are currently held by people that don't seem to want to leave.