Ahh.... The elusive (for me anyway) retirement. I'll turn 61 in October and will probably go ahead and draw social security at 62. I get a small pension when I turn 65 so I'm trying to justify pulling social security early because this will make up for it. Maybe stinkin' thinkin'.
My biggest issue is 401k. It sure seems quite large when I look at the number, but when I try to figure out how to make it last 30 years my eyes just glaze over. Part of it is thinking about my mortality. Some is fear that once I quit I'll never draw the income I'm taking now. Future market crashes? So many things to think about.
But damn, I am so completely and utterly burned out at my job (or probably any full time job). Retirement can't come soon enough.
I see too many days now where I would rather be fishing but have to be at work. Then when I do have days off the weather sucks and I have to hang around and wish I was fishing. I want to fish when I want to, not whenican
The financial aspect is one of the reasons I am really thinking about Panama. Can live comfortably on a lot less money then I can here in the states. Add in no winter/snow and I am just about sold. My wife is not too sure about this idea so I am treading lightly. I have a person I worked with who did this a few years ago. I recently contacted her to see how it all worked out and she just loves it.
my FIL retired at 53 (after 35 years) with a full teamsters pension and got bored after 6 months. he ended up getting a no stress part time job at Bi-Mart (probably familiar to you OR/WA/ID folks). worked just enough hours to get full health care for he and my MIL, and also got the employee discount on everything in the store (and since Bi-Mart has food, electronics, and outdoor goods including ammo and tackle...that's a pretty good deal). just last year he retired after 10 years for the second time and will have the benefits and employee discount for the rest of his life.
1st. if you work instead of your pension you may be working for free. thats stupid.
2nd. flies drive me crazy too. inside the house i vacume thenm with a hand vac at the windows. in the barn use fly paper strips and it catches all of those that go near the light of the window.
3rd. dont retire to where it is cheap. because all those places are not stable and you get bored. plenty of reasonable places in the u.s. where you can live comfortably and have all the goodies. and retirement doesnnt mean you cant also make some money during the time.
4th. zeno is sweating and he deserves every bit of it.
5th. im not and loving it. plus catching lots of trout, and riding my harley around.
I just want to retire to someplace warm. But I'm not sure I could be away from friends, family, my kids, and grandkids. My daughter, though, said she would visit often, especially if I go to California.
do it as you will never look back. wait though for 66 for s.s. as you get 8% on the increases by waiting and also become vested and your spouse can get your full benefits when you are gone or you can get hers if you waited. or something like that. check it out.
consider moving to a state which doesnt tax s.s. benefits if you make more than those only. and one that has no state income tax and borders or is one without sales tax. then you get the best of both worlds money wise.
have a house free and clear and it makes living cheaper and builds a bigger nest egg for or if you want to downsize.
so many wait to retire late in life than keel over and die. stupid.
you can always go back to work to make ends meet at something you like doing.
like get a drift boat and be a fishing guide and make 400 a day for 3 months a year.
or build things you like in your garage and sell them. possibilities are endless. i still buy and sell real estate and make out well even though i dont need to. its still fun.
I'm going to wait to at least 66. I probably won't need to work once I retire, but I could always teach a couple courses a semester almost anywhere. There's worse work.
You should retire as soon as possible when you reach reasonable financial security. This varies with individual and family circumstances/obligations. Two important points I will add to advice from above.
1. Have no debt or no major debt when you retire (a thousand dollars on your credit card is not major debt).
2. The best thing about retirement that I enjoy is setting your own agenda and schedule to accomplish what you wish to do. To me that is worth about a million dollars a year.
And you can live with a lot less than what you think you need in both material and financial assets if you plan right. For example, good whiskey and cigars and a fishing pole are more important than a BMW. Wise priorities makes for the good life.
pacific northwest has a great year round climate in some spots. not too hot and not very cold in the winter.
and there are nice towns loaded with liberal ninny's and some towns loaded with right wing bigots, so both sides can have their own cake.
I'm a liberal, but not a ninny. At least I don't think I am. After attending a conference this February at the same hotel where CPAC was taking place, I'd rather be among the liberal ninnies.