Anyone feel guilty about retiring very young? (state, years, husband)

[Escort Rider]

"Guilt" would not be the right word, but I feel very fortunate that things worked out so I could retire comfortably (but not lavishly) at age 61, which I consider early. Many of you would not consider 61 to be early, but I do because a whole lot of folks have to work considerably beyond that age. I started my career late, at 27, and put in 34 years with the same employer. Yes, I worked hard and put up with a lot of b.s., so I earned and I deserve my retirement. But yet, since I have it so much better than many others who may have worked just as hard, and since I am not some sort of superior human being who deserves better than others, I do feel that little twinge of guilt now and again.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by 1717Guy

I retired at 54 and sometimes talking to other people still working past that or way past that age I feel at leat uncomfortable talking about it. Especially about what I do or don't do all day.

Any comments or experiences?

I retired at 55. I worked straight through from 15 with no breaks. I worked my way through college. For 34 of the 40 years I had the same employer.

The only thing I found difficult (but not that difficult) about retiring at 55 is everyone else retired, and home during the day, was much older. I'm 60 now. I figure it's going to be that way for at least another 5 years until people my age start retiring. But, I belong to two clubs, I go to classes, I teach a class during the winter, I belong to a book discussion group, I have a photography hobby and I take a long road trip once a year. If people are talking about me or are jealous, I don't know it so I don't care.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by ipoetry

But I do keep quiet about our pension. My husband coined it as 'pension envy' and there's a lot of it going around right now. Americans all want what someone else has these days regardless of the sacrifices made along the way. Pensions should be secret.

I'm not saying those of us with pensions didn't work for them.

But many people were never given the option of having a pension. Those are the ones from whom I sense pension envy, and I think they have a good point. "Equal" opportunity is a wonderful idea, but we're not there yet. We need to work to get closer to it for *everyone* - not just the few who have had and embraced the opportunity to make good.

And if pensions were secret, then we wouldn't all see the politicians with their fat pensions, who are making choices to lessen the possibility of pensions for the rest of us. So I think secret pensions should not be allowed to exist.

[TuborgP]

Some might say pensions are just another form of compensation and without them salaries would be higher. It is a competitive market place and government has to compete for talent just like private industry. Wait what am I saying, am I saying if you took a job without a pension you either had no choice or had a choice and exercised it.

[TuborgP]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

"Guilt" would not be the right word, but I feel very fortunate that things worked out so I could retire comfortably (but not lavishly) at age 61, which I consider early. Many of you would not consider 61 to be early, but I do because a whole lot of folks have to work considerably beyond that age. I started my career late, at 27, and put in 34 years with the same employer. Yes, I worked hard and put up with a lot of b.s., so I earned and I deserve my retirement. But yet, since I have it so much better than many others who may have worked just as hard, and since I am not some sort of superior human being who deserves better than others, I do feel that little twinge of guilt now and again.

Is it how hard you worked or how smart you worked? If you could have a job paying the same one with much better benefits than the other is it really a tough decision? Perhaps the job you took had attractions at the time and now in the rear view mirror they weren't as attractive. Sorta like the folks who leave teaching to make big bucks and didn't.

[Snowbird100]

I retired before 50 and have been really enjoying it.

I agree with all people who posted before me and who enjoy their early retirement.

Guilt ? Not at all but I did run into a number of people who asked similar questions and beyond.

One person asked me once, then didn't believe and asked me again 1 month later as that person saw me enjoying my yard work during weekday. So I told that person I am retired, and that person asked me one more time (to make sure I am really retired) "Are you telling me you could afford not to work ? ", and I replied "Yes !". But that's not the end of it yet, after that, that person's spouse wanted to find out more and asked me "May I know how old you are ?", so I told that person's spouse my age !

You see, there are always people like that, and I can't help them !

I really like the answer Curmudgeon posted here if asked "What are you doing all day ?", I will quote exactly "Whatever I want to, whenever I want to, or not ! "

In any case, I started working at my teenaged years (high school), through college (I paid for my tuition, room & board; I also worked almost full time after school), then full time (sometimes a side job) after college.

So I think I deserve an early retirement !

[tuteishungry]

Originally Posted by 1717Guy

I retired at 54 and sometimes talking to other people still working past that or way past that age I feel at leat uncomfortable talking about it. Especially about what I do or don't do all day.

Any comments or experiences?

If you can, do it. Plus, 54 isn't young. A 33 year-old MLB player retiring is young.

I just realized how mean that was. It was not intended to be.

[ipoetry]

Originally Posted by oddstray

And if pensions were secret, then we wouldn't all see the politicians with their fat pensions, who are making choices to lessen the possibility of pensions for the rest of us. So I think secret pensions should not be allowed to exist.

Secret in a sense that I don't go waving it around. If someone is hell bent on knowing someone else's pension, sure... google, snoop, do whatever you do but, as far as I'm concerned, you won't hear the nitty gritty from me.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by oddstray

And if pensions were secret, then we wouldn't all see the politicians with their fat pensions, who are making choices to lessen the possibility of pensions for the rest of us. So I think secret pensions should not be allowed to exist.

If what you're saying is that what my wife and I, both government retirees, individually receive as our monthly pension payments should be readily accessible to anyone who wants to know then I have but one word for that - "Preposterous!"

If what you're saying is that the existence of a pension plan for public employees should be common knowledge then I agree. However, that freedom of information would not apply to the private sector.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

If what you're saying is that what my wife and I, both government retirees, individually receive as our monthly pension payments should be readily accessible to anyone who wants to know then I have but one word for that - "Preposterous!"

If what you're saying is that the existence of a pension plan for public employees should be common knowledge then I agree. However, that freedom of information would not apply to the private sector.

It's the latter. The existence of pensions plans should not be secret. In the limited cases of people like politicians who are directly affecting the size and availability of our pension plans, then much more then merely the existence of the pension plan should not be secret.