RudyN
Member
I retired 12 years ago at 62. Got my pension and social security the following month and haven't looked back.
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At what age did you retire.........
- Thread starter BAM-BAM
- Start date
OP
Something I was thinking about yesterday at the pond; was my Dad,..... he took a disability at 60 after 39 years on the Police Dept...... Motorcycle Patrolman ( Indian Motorcycle 
) to Captain.................. after his second back surgery for a work related injury back when he was a Sgt......
Yesterday it hit me that by the time Dad was 64 he and Mom had enlarged the 'Cabin"; sold the house in "another Burb of the Burgh" and moved fulltime to the the Laurel Highlands ........ where he spent the next 28 years.....until the last 3-4 years he was in good health and fit from cutting firewood, riding ATVs and walking trails we cut and he maintained........ I use to say Dad was ...... " (insert age here) going on 60!" for almost 25 years.
) to Captain.................. after his second back surgery for a work related injury back when he was a Sgt......Yesterday it hit me that by the time Dad was 64 he and Mom had enlarged the 'Cabin"; sold the house in "another Burb of the Burgh" and moved fulltime to the the Laurel Highlands ........ where he spent the next 28 years.....until the last 3-4 years he was in good health and fit from cutting firewood, riding ATVs and walking trails we cut and he maintained........ I use to say Dad was ...... " (insert age here) going on 60!" for almost 25 years.
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johnt671
US Veteran
I did 27 and a half years in the military, four in the Corps and four and a half in the Army. The rest were in the Army National Guard. I retired from the military in 95, but as I retired from the Guard I had to wait until I was 60 to collect pay and health care benefits. I retired from work at 62, as soon as I got my first SS deposit, and I'm glad I did.
People where I worked couldn't understand how I was able to do this and got glassy eyed when I told them I would make more money being retires than I would by staying at work, and the extra years I would have had to work for a modest increase in SS money just wasn't worth staying at work.
People where I worked couldn't understand how I was able to do this and got glassy eyed when I told them I would make more money being retires than I would by staying at work, and the extra years I would have had to work for a modest increase in SS money just wasn't worth staying at work.
I retired at 55 1/2. Had planned on working until about 62 or 63 but due to a timely change in my job description I was no longer physically qualified to do it. The boss offered me a job in the office but given my low threshold for stupid stuff I declined. Told him he'd just wind up having to fire me the first week anyway. I had my points in so I made full retirement.
You know, the last 5 to 8 years you work that is when your 401K (provident fund in my case, Company matches your contribution) really kicks. We'd have had a lot more of a financial cushion had I been able to go as long as I'd planned. But it didn't take me long to realize that you reach a point at which you understand that it's not really about money. Not to say that it doesn't matter, but what REALLY matters is time.
I've had 17 years of good health and time for friends and family and ME and I wouldn't go back and work that extra time for all the ammo in Texas.
The old saying applies here:
No body lying on their death bed ever regretted that he didn't spend more time working.
I'd sure like to have more money but before I'd take another job I'd have to have a few requirements:
. Late start
. long lunches
. knock off early
. lots of breaks for coffee snacks and naps
. Loooong paid vacations.
. freedom to do as I please on the Job
. Very high salary
. and very easy and pleasant job assignment...like mattress tester. or perhaps quality control manager in a brewrey.
You know, the last 5 to 8 years you work that is when your 401K (provident fund in my case, Company matches your contribution) really kicks. We'd have had a lot more of a financial cushion had I been able to go as long as I'd planned. But it didn't take me long to realize that you reach a point at which you understand that it's not really about money. Not to say that it doesn't matter, but what REALLY matters is time.
I've had 17 years of good health and time for friends and family and ME and I wouldn't go back and work that extra time for all the ammo in Texas.
The old saying applies here:
No body lying on their death bed ever regretted that he didn't spend more time working.
I'd sure like to have more money but before I'd take another job I'd have to have a few requirements:
. Late start
. long lunches
. knock off early
. lots of breaks for coffee snacks and naps
. Loooong paid vacations.
. freedom to do as I please on the Job
. Very high salary
. and very easy and pleasant job assignment...like mattress tester. or perhaps quality control manager in a brewrey.
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Cancer forced me out of my "dream job". The company kept me around in a support job thanks to some good bosses. But people moved on, and my job (along with a lot of others) was targeted to move to a call center in India. And they were looking for ways to dump me.
I decided to go at 64 (just a few months ago), rather than wait for the axe blade from them, or worse from the cancer. So I signed up for SS, have an application in for disability, and start heavy duty chemo this week. If I had had the money, I would have gone earlier, but 8 years of treatments has bled me.
I decided to go at 64 (just a few months ago), rather than wait for the axe blade from them, or worse from the cancer. So I signed up for SS, have an application in for disability, and start heavy duty chemo this week. If I had had the money, I would have gone earlier, but 8 years of treatments has bled me.
hoc9sw, I pray your SSI claim is quickly processed and for success in your battle with cancer.
The first time was at 53, late last century. But I was on pre retirement leave of absence and was contracting back when it happened. From 1963 until late 2016 I'd been unemployed for 5 weeks. I still 'help out friends' for beer/gas $$ and a yearly fishing trip to Canada. God bless those who can spend 24 hours a day with another, but it ain't me. I need to put on a different hat and head for town. And if I'm lucky, i'll drop dead on a day a was supposed to be helping out a friend.....I'd like that.
wilkoi
Member
At 61, 8 years ago.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I hit mandatory retirement at 57. I could have gone at 52, but I was having fun so why leave?
I still work a little. I do firearms qualifications and training for a large defense contractor, and background investigations for a local PD and a big company that has the contract for TSA backgrounds. It gives me gun money without dipping into my savings and it gets me out of the house. I'll probably keep at it until I get bored with it.
I still work a little. I do firearms qualifications and training for a large defense contractor, and background investigations for a local PD and a big company that has the contract for TSA backgrounds. It gives me gun money without dipping into my savings and it gets me out of the house. I'll probably keep at it until I get bored with it.
italiansport
Member
I "retired" when we sold our video production business when I was 62. I say "retired" because this allowed the time to get more directly involved in my life long love of gun collecting. I went thru the process of becoming an accredited firearms appraiser and did a television series devoted to collecting for 2 years. I thoroughly enjoy having turned my hobby, which I've now been at for 13 years, into a paying activity and it keep me as busy as I want to be but still allows me the discretion to set the times I want to actually work.
Jim
Jim
Plan is 70. 6 years to go .....Unless i hit the lottery lol. Wish it could be this year...sigh
Retired from police work at age 50 in 1993, then worked in the insurance business until 2012 at age 69 before completely retiring. Up until I was about 60 I only saw a doctor once a year for check-ups, but now it seems I'm on a first name basis with large numbers of them. If it is at all possible for you, retire as early as you can: you will not (like good wine) improve with age. Do what you can while you are younger.
I retired at age 58 when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wanted her to have a support structure (me) 24/7 while going through chemo, radiation and herceptin treatments.
Besides, I was very weary of all the political correctness **** in the workplace.
I haven't regretted it for a moment.
That was in 2010 and my lovely wife is a seven year survivor.
Besides, I was very weary of all the political correctness **** in the workplace.
I haven't regretted it for a moment.
That was in 2010 and my lovely wife is a seven year survivor.
Long Barrel
Member
I left at
Age 63 from full-time work, which is the national average (I read that somewhere). Retired from part time work at 68.
Age 63 from full-time work, which is the national average (I read that somewhere). Retired from part time work at 68.
67 for me!I got surprised,boss asked me to see him & close the door.I asked what he wanted me to take care of & he said he was disc.my job.I had 36 yrs! Lord looked out for me,$$$$ was good,S/S at 67 was good & I have a good Fin.Adv.Months later got a call ,asked if I would like to come back as a Contractor!Bwaaaaaaa! I love retirement 8yrs.so far!
Jim
Jim
S&WIowegan
US Veteran
I retired at 65 10 years ago. I had a profession that I was born to do and loved the work. But, at age 63 I had a quadruple bypass in spite of daily workouts and clean living. I never had high BP or high cholesterol, but I did have extremely high triglycerides which no doctor ever tested me for. I learned the high Tri. is a family trait.
I had been in management at several companies and hated it, so I was doing a high stress job working for people who couldn't carry my bags. When my newly hired financial planner told me I was in great financial shape, I decided to pull the plug. My boss, who had a hard time with compliments, wanted me to stay but I told her it was better for both of us for me to go.
Once you know your finances are solid it gets harder to put up with the daily BS. I collect pension checks from 3 companies, SS and since I passed 70 1/2 YO I take required distributions from IRA/401ks.
My wife loved her profession and worked until she was almost 70. Her work environment became very stressful and was affecting her health. Told her to quit and she put in her papers on June 1. She was worried about leaving her boss in the lurch, but he totally surprised her by retiring the same day.
We do anything we want when we feel like it. We both came from good families who owned little more than the clothes on their backs and the cars they drove.
There is no right time to retire that fits everyone.
I had been in management at several companies and hated it, so I was doing a high stress job working for people who couldn't carry my bags. When my newly hired financial planner told me I was in great financial shape, I decided to pull the plug. My boss, who had a hard time with compliments, wanted me to stay but I told her it was better for both of us for me to go.
Once you know your finances are solid it gets harder to put up with the daily BS. I collect pension checks from 3 companies, SS and since I passed 70 1/2 YO I take required distributions from IRA/401ks.
My wife loved her profession and worked until she was almost 70. Her work environment became very stressful and was affecting her health. Told her to quit and she put in her papers on June 1. She was worried about leaving her boss in the lurch, but he totally surprised her by retiring the same day.
We do anything we want when we feel like it. We both came from good families who owned little more than the clothes on their backs and the cars they drove.
There is no right time to retire that fits everyone.
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