50 and full retirement in education? How? Did he start teaching when he was 12?
FYI, from what I hear, teachers in Indiana have a pretty good retirement system. As you know, they have a monthly pension based on a formula of years of experience and top 5 years of salary. Then, on top of that, districts pay into a lump sum annuity.
Now, back in the day, TRF didn't really educate its members about the annuity, and many didn't know that if they placed a percentage of it in an aggressive investment situation, then forgot about it for a couple of decades (especially around 2008) and the market did well, they would be better off than going with the default setting, which was very safe, but low returns. If the person put, say 90% in aggressive investments, they would notice pretty decent growth when the later 50s rolled around...maybe not retire at 50 money, but certainly, say, 58. And teachers in Indiana, unlike some states, also pay into SS.
TRF has since made sure to include much more education on the advantages of not just letting your annuity sit there and make minimal gains. And, if a married couple are both teachers, then they will technically have 4 sources of income (pensions and SS), as well as two pretty good sized annuities, which they can roll over and continue to invest upon retirement, especially if they both went the 90% route and left it all alone.
Or, at least I have been told. I don't understand all that fancy talk, but I think that's the gist of it.
Now, teachers will never be millionaires like most of the posters here, but it sounds like a comfortable retirement is possible at an early enough age to enjoy it.