When did you retire?

[lrgomez1976]

Originally Posted by TexasJeff

I like that story. I was born and raised in California when the job took me to our present home in Texas, the state of my father’s childhood. I have more relatives buried here than about anywhere else so I kind of feel like I returned to my roots.

Just don't join the family too soon!!

[Hector1959]

I retired at 52 because I knew this lady that wanted to retired with 30 years from work to get a little more in her pension. She did and was very happy that she was going to get her pension and Social Security.... Less than 30 days she died of cancer and never collected her first pension check nor her SS.

What I am trying to say, do it now, enjoy life with your love one because tomorrow is not guaranty.

I retire from the military with 33 years, VA disability and collected SS at 52. Its been 9 years since my retirement and I am having fun.

Just do it.

Originally Posted by cucotx

I just did. I retired about a week ago on August 21st at 65. My plan was to work one more year to 66 and full retirement age, but the pandemic changed that plan.

The company helped that early decision when they offered early retirement incentives. I jumped on it. Had enough of work and no need to go back to an office environment and take a chance of catching the bug.

My wife is already retired and is 69 years young.

What do I think of retirement? I love it. No meetings. No impossible project deadlines to meet. It's pure freedom.

I have all kinds of projects that I have been meaning to work on, now I can do them. I get up every day between 4 and 5 AM because I'm excited to get going on my projects. I feel so relaxed.

Now, all my wife and I need to do is stay healthy, wait to take a vaccine for the bug and get on the road fulltiming, hopefully by this time next year.

Life is good.

[RAMer-Jammer]

DW and I both retired in 2013, both at the age of 58. We had always planned to retire at 50, but took such a beating in the dot com meltdown in 2000 that it took thirteen more years to get to where we expected to be in 2005.
Now, over seven years later, we are caught up on a lot of projects at the retirement home and decided it was time to do something new and different. Of course the current pandemic killed all air travel and hoteling plans, so like many others, we have decided to join the RVing community and go our own way.
Recently purchased our TV and are actively looking for the right 5er to pull behind it.
Hope to hit the road in spring 2021, if the country isn’t completely shut down by then.

[Curtis in TX]

I retired on my 58th birthday in 2009. I was a Operations Technician for our local Power Company. Great Job, Great Pay & Jerk Boss.
36 years was enough of trying to stay alive. I have always had something going on the side. 10 years college at night. Custom Motorcycle builder. Hot Rods, 4WD Rock crawlers.
I commuted to work by bicycle 14 miles one way for 18 years. Weather permitting. So I've stayed in better than average shape.
Was getting tired of being on call for problems all the time.

My wife needed foot surgery that summer, so I saved 5 weeks of my 6 weeks vacation to stay home and take care of her while she healed, rather than take FMLA. Boss knew my plan for 6 months, but 2 weeks before surgery when I put in my prior notice for my official days off paperwork on the Friday, (my 58th birthday), he rejected it. Knowing my wife was going to be an invalid at home alone for at least 6 weeks. I went up to his boss about it. His Boss sided with him because he was afraid of my supervisor.
I figured that he'd pull something like that, and I had already talked to HR about my Pension forecast, looked at my finances. My investments and pension said I be fine. Wife is a lot younger than me and wanted to work until she was 58. (5.5 more years)(She too retired at 58)

I put in my request for vacation on my birthday (to start in 2 weeks) and Boss tried to screw me.
So. I reached in my pocket, pulled out my keys and security badges, all clipped together, and dropped them on his desk. Then I handed him my papers for a floating holiday I had left over and my papers stating my vacation now started the following Monday rather than the 2 weeks from that day.

I walked out the door and have never regretted it. I have stayed busy all these years (going on 11 years now) playing in my 3000 sq ft commercial machine shop I have behind my house here in the country. Or traveling!

I am amazed I was able to find time to work a full time career with the time I spend in my shop. Busier now than ever.

Remember that Johnny Paycheck song, "Take This Job and Shove It!"?
That was me!

Oh and DW's surgery went fine! She was a school teacher who worked with gifted kids and loved her job. She went back to her classes that Fall using an electric scooter I built her that Summer.

[TexasJeff]

Originally Posted by lrgomez1976

Just don't join the family too soon!!

IRGOMEZ, I can take that a couple ways... either don't rejoin the family in CA or TX too soon. First, no way I'll move back to CA. I enjoy my freedom and lower taxes here in TX too much. Second, re the Texas family, every day on this side of the dirt is a good day!!

[Dave]

I'm not sure yet....

My plan was to retire in 10 more years, at 67. Reason my job I only worked half a year, 21 days on and 21 off.

Not sure now, went out on Disability December 1, 2019. Not sure when or if I will be released to go back to work. Out due to cancer and chemo treatments. Sure means I will miss my goal or target for the value of my 401K.

At this point, I am working to figure out if its possible for me to not go back to work, I'll be 58 in march.

[Dennis58]

I'm 62 and from a financial standpoint can retire today but have pushed this off until Dec 2021 for no other reason than I'm currently 100% teleworking and made a drug deal ($$$) with my boss to hang around and finish a program I'm working. To be honest as long as I'm 100% telework and we have COVID lockdown there is no incentive to retire for now anyway.

I'm retired military so health insurance cost is not an issue. Other than a very small mortgage I carry no debt other than the normal monthly stuff we all have.

I currently don't have an RV but that is in my future plans for sure so I have another to figure all that out. The wife is retiring in June 2021 so rolling into 2022 we will both be looking for new adventures to experience.

Full time is not for us but I can see a few extended 30 day plus trips a year in our plan. I could care less about seeing the world as I have already seen most of that already in my military travels but I really want to explore the US via non-interstate roads.

[Down South]

Originally Posted by Dennis58

I'm 62 and from a financial standpoint can retire today but have pushed this off until Dec 2021 for no other reason than I'm currently 100% teleworking and made a drug deal ($$$) with my boss to hang around and finish a program I'm working. To be honest as long as I'm 100% telework and we have COVID lockdown there is no incentive to retire for now anyway.

I'm retired military so health insurance cost is not an issue. Other than a very small mortgage I carry no debt other than the normal monthly stuff we all have.

I currently don't have an RV but that is in my future plans for sure so I have another to figure all that out. The wife is retiring in June 2021 so rolling into 2022 we will both be looking for new adventures to experience.

Full time is not for us but I can see a few extended 30 day plus trips a year in our plan. I could care less about seeing the world as I have already seen most of that already in my military travels but I really want to explore the US via non-interstate roads.

Sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck.

[Ivylog]

Originally Posted by Dennis58

Full time is not for us but I can see a few extended 30 day plus trips a year in our plan. I could care less about seeing the world as I have already seen most of that already in my military travels but I really want to explore the US via non-interstate roads.

My advice is to buy more RV than you think you need...one time. A RV is a great way to see the US and Canada.

[TwoHuskies]

We are 55 now. I retired at 54 as a software engineer. My wife (55) essentially did the same thing. We both worked in the defense world for many years. I experienced a little burnout, so decided to pull the plug. I hear so much about people reaching retirement age and having health issues and/or pass away. We are both competitive cyclists and want to continue that passion. We now travel part-time with our two Siberian huskies (brothers) in 2020 Dutchstar. We kept our home in Colorado, but are on our first extended road trip for the next 5 months. The huskies are missing the snow, but me... not so much!

As for finances, we saved quite a bit over the years and are safely pulling a minimal amount from 401k using "rule of 55" which allows you to withdraw funds (without penalty) from an "active" 401k if you retire the year you turn 55. Works out really well for us. A good idea is to rollover other 401k's from previous companies into your active one, so you can better manage it all yourself instead of thru limited company plans.

[pduggs]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

We owned and operated a business for 37 years before retiring in 2010. I was 72 and my wife 70. Our big regret is not retiring when I reached Social Security age. My wife began having a lot of medical problems soon after that.

My advice is to retire as soon as you are financially able to do so and enjoy those later years!

That’s good advice. I think many people fear retirement as it’s an unknown. We work most of our lives, so not working is difficult for some to comprehend.

I’ve seen many posts in this thread saying they worked till 65, to get Medicare. They think they can’t get affordable HC prior to 65, which is entirely wrong. We retired at 60 and got HC through the exchange in Florida. It cost us NOTHING and was very good coverage with a nationwide network, which we needed since we full time.

[pduggs]

Originally Posted by Hector1959

I retired at 52 because I knew this lady that wanted to retired with 30 years from work to get a little more in her pension. She did and was very happy that she was going to get her pension and Social Security.... Less than 30 days she died of cancer and never collected her first pension check nor her SS.

What I am trying to say, do it now, enjoy life with your love one because tomorrow is not guaranty.

I retire from the military with 33 years, VA disability and collected SS at 52. Its been 9 years since my retirement and I am having fun.

Just do it.

I wonder how common that is, dying before enjoying retirement. It has happened to several people we’ve known.

We have a couple close friends still working in their mid-60s. Both have nice nest eggs and don’t need the money, but can’t see themselves retired. I sure hope they don’t die on the job and miss out on a nice retirement.

[BillJinOR]

Unfortunately some folks have no identity outside their Jobs/ carriers and no outside interests of any scale. I don’t think they could find happiness outside of that so they are doing what probably is best . It’s sad for those who see so much more and are finally free to experience all the different opportunities to see it in their friends but it’s reality.

[Curtis in TX]

Originally Posted by BillJinOR

Unfortunately some folks have no identity outside their Jobs/ carriers and no outside interests of any scale. I don’t think they could find happiness outside of that so they are doing what probably is best . It’s sad for those who see so much more and are finally free to experience all the different opportunities to see it in their friends but it’s reality.

A lot of truth there Bill.
Many Poeple don't plan on life after working. They simply think things will work out, or fear that once they are done working, because they can no longer work, that they will magically find something that makes them happy to do for the rest of their lives.

And it's surprising how many have not prepared financially for that day. Or think their going to need a lot more than they can put aside to get by on. (My Son is a Financial Planner Coach!)

And yes there are a lot of folks who never see retrirement because they don't live that long.
One of my Good Friends was one of those people. He worked 38 years for our Company, and had saved a lot for that day. But his 3 adult children always came to him for bailouts, and he felt he needed to work for them. I urged him to cut that apron string and start thinking of himself for a change. He was 6 years my Junior.

I walked away on my 58th Birthday (DW did too) and I played/ worked in my shop behind the house building custom motorcycles until my SS kicked in. (I took it early, because there was no gaurentee that I would live to see 84 to start seeing more money overall than I would have by taking it as early as possible. Our investments and my wife working those 5 more years, she's younger than be by 5 years, and we never missed my paycheck. Mainly because I was not driving into town everyday anymore and ate at home. My buisness brought in enough to fill in the gap my retirement check didn't do.

Danny started feeing bad and went to the Doctor, all while still working 50- 60 hours a week.
Long story short, He was eat up with cancer inside and lived 6 weeks. He retired officially 10 days before he died, and was bed ridden the entire time. A sad funeral!

My wife and I both have since fought cancer and won. And my broken legs and feet last year have dented my activity level, but we are still enjoying not having to roll out of bed and fight traffic. And our investment money has grown enough we are planning onm spending it and dying broke.

We travel as much as we want, and as soon as I finish my Buses remodel we are planning on doing some long layovers.

I was set up financially to retire at 55, but my first wife wiped me out on my 38th bitrhday in a divorce and I had to start over. Hence the 58 YO Retirement. And DW #2 and I managed to get it together after we married when I turned 48. I was single 10 years before I remarried a second time. So it can bee done late in life.

And the kicker, I am still trying to figure out how I managed to work a full time job and do the things I do everyday now since I retired. I'm actually busier now.

Ya'll don't sell yourself short. Learn how to invest. Even if it's just a little each month.
Drive that old car anther year or two and put that car payment to work for you.
Read "Rich Dad, Por Dad" Your money should be working for you, not the other way around.