Who on here is retired?

[Rapid Red]

One of the main reasons I retired early was because too many friends/relatives are dying. I lost my 67 YO brother last year to dementia...His illness forced him to retire early, and he never had the chance to enjoy retirement. Just don't be the richest guy in cemetery is my philosophy.

Curious did that change anything?

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[LSchicago]

I don't expect to retire for another 13-14 years or so. About the time I hit 70.

 

[lacanteen]

I won't be retiring any time soon. There were too many medical bills as my wife was very ill with multiple issues. At 61, and widowed now 4 1/2 years I'm getting it together. Have everything paid off but the house. The Mustang keeps me sane. This one will be 4 months old next week and I'm already at 6300 miles. YOLO!

 

[Strokerswild]

Some interesting takes here....

I'm currently 53, and was recently promoted to run our corporate machine shop in addition to my normal mechanical engineering work. Became debt free last year, which is liberating in itself. I've done some number crunching, and I'll be damned if I couldn't conceivably retire before 60. Trouble is, I start climbing the walls after a straight week off work and I'm not sure if I could do it.

Apparently I'm more like my Dad than I thought. He busted his ass to retire at 58, and made it almost four years before he was bored out of his skull (you can only fish so much) and was looking at getting a part time job with the local county assessor. Then out of the blue he passed away at 62.

I enjoy what I do, so I'm not really sure when I might actually pull the plug as of today.

 

[Justpassingas]

Curious did that change anything?

It changed my outlook on life…Tomorrow is not guaranteed….Financially I could retire at 62 and it made no sense to continue to work, especially at that time when Covid was peaking. I worked my whole life to get to this point so Its time to enjoy what little time I may have left. Physically I’m healthy but that can all change in a heartbeat. Life is good living stress free and the only worry is what’s for supper.

 

[BEERCHAMP]

Just turned 65, worked for the last 43yrs. I plan to work atleast another 3 yrs. if health remains good!

 

[Paul McWhiskey]

Each of us has to make their own decision on when is the right time to retire.

I asked my portfolio manager one time "What is a good age to retire?" His reply, "Do it a soon as the numbers are right." He stated that he had watched many of his clients work until they were 67, 70, or even longer only to retire and then their health would not allow them to do the things that they had wanted to do, or they died within 6 months. So, I retired at 63 and my wife two years later at 64 because she enjoyed her job and the people that she worked with. Happy wife, happy life. The Lord has blessed our families with financial security and good health, so we don't have to concern ourselves with securing their futures (but also understand that it can change in the blink of an eye). So we enjoy each day and hope that we have many of them to share with friends and family.

 

[jtmat]

I'll retire in my late 50s.... need time and age to receive the retirement package. Soon as I'm eligible I'm out. I'll start a business to make use of my free time (I operated a business for many years before returning to work for someone else... it is fun).

Far as funds, I'm good... no great. All thanks to a Senior Chief when I was in the Navy (early 20s). She said "I don't care if you start with $25 dollars, start saving money each paycheck and don't ever spend it. Ever."

I didn't have much of a clue what she was talking about but I followed her "order". Actually saved more.

I owe her so much... I'm sure I'd found "personal finance" at some point another way. The fact I found it early through her has put me in a great spot.

 

[Balr14]

My brother had to retire with a work related medical disability at 53. He is 75 now. He used to be the "life of the party" kind of person. But as he has gotten older, he has become more and more of a recluse with few interests. We can't even get him to join us for family gatherings or holidays. There's a lot of truth to the expression that "a body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest". It's very easy to get into the habit of doing nothing when you have been retired for awhile.

 

[ajsfirehawk]

I retired 8 weeks ago. Turned 63 two weeks ago. It'll stick. I had a ballbuster job for decades. I'm learning to sleep again. I rebuild old Kawasakis. Help the kids. Anything broken seems to find its way to me. I've got a heated 5 car garage. Something always needs pokin' at. Starting to exercise, Jan 2nd, we clean up our diet. (Mrs J and I) Peace, no stress, more smiling, more motorcycle and car rides. Longer ones too!

 

[Joe Mac]

In at 22 out at 52. Retired in 2016.

 

[Mach1man]

After 41 years with my current employer the United Nations in NYC. I'm finished as of Dec 30 2022, turning 64 in two weeks. My job became very stressful with Covid and reduced staff. So I cashed in 61 vacation days starting in Oct. What a difference in lack of stress. Plan to enjoy life so much more. Bought my Mach 1 last year to cruise as many car shows I can find. Route 66 here I come.
But as others have said walking out debt free...

 

[Bulutt]

70 years old and self employe. Still very good at what I do so no thought of retirement. In fact, during Covid, when it got really quiet, the thought of a forced retirement crossed my mind with panic. Don’t know what I would do if I didn’t work.. my retired friends all tell me how busy they are but from what I see I don’t want to retire.

 

[moosestang]

Retired at 60 in 2012. Was a happy Electrical Engineer until H1B visas killed all the raises and promotions for US citizens. Why bust my ass when a layoff might be looming around the corner. Luckily I loaded up my IRA and bailed. Now living in the Keys, with no snow to shovel, my boat at my dock, no place to go and all day to get there.

 

[David Schmidt]

I won't be retiring any time soon. There were too many medical bills as my wife was very ill with multiple issues.

Good on ya. If I should outlive my wife, she will benefit from me working as hard as you do to uplift her. That is as it should be.

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