[usaar333]

On the other hand, marginal tax rates are a thing. If you take six months off (across a year boundary), you might be only losing 55% of your salary or so, not the entire thing. (That is your marginal rate is much higher than effective)

Say you get 5% real returns in stocks after taxes on distributions. After 15 years, you've lost about 10 months of salary at your effective rate.

Having to work 4 extra months 15 years in the future to take 6 months off now seems like a reasonable trade. (It's a 3.5% annual discount rate on the future).

PS: if you get into a situation where you have an income surge one year (say an IPO), it's a no brainier to do this. The tax rate differences on income now vs future can be high enough to match all stock returns.