Anyone at 64?

[Willistonite]

Originally Posted by jjpike

I'm 64 and even though the math says I can make it financially well past 100, I'm working until my 66th birthday. How do you get past the work ethic guilt? I can retire, but just not capable of pulling the switch before the magic SS date.

I am doing the same thing. Just seems to be the right thing to do as my wife and I will be both on Medicare and we can maximize our SS checks vs. retiring now. We try to take many trips as possible so id doesn't seem so long until retirement. I do catch myself counting the months (17).

[TheShadow]

I retired at 51 and have NO guilt. I worked hard, fulltime since age 16, and made sure to stay with a secure employer that paid a pension. We found a way we could afford it, so we retired. My co-worker who frequently dogged me about retiring early kept telling me (a fact I knew very well) how much better my pension would be if I waited a few more years like she was doing. She planned to retire at 62. Her hubby had a heart attack when she was 58, and she immediately retired. Roll with your own life. Don't worry about what others want you to do. Was it worth it? For me, it saved my mental health. If you're happy at work, stay if you want.

[brava4]

Originally Posted by alpineprince

Fify!

Is that like "covfefe"?

[Beach Sportsfan]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

I retired at 51 and have NO guilt. I worked hard, fulltime since age 16, and made sure to stay with a secure employer that paid a pension. We found a way we could afford it, so we retired. My co-worker who frequently dogged me about retiring early kept telling me (a fact I knew very well) how much better my pension would be if I waited a few more years like she was doing. She planned to retire at 62. Her hubby had a heart attack when she was 58, and she immediately retired. Roll with your own life. Don't worry about what others want you to do. Was it worth it? For me, it saved my mental health. If you're happy at work, stay if you want.

Correct, too many times we look only at the financial part of the equation and certainly the longer you work the more money and better financials you will be, but we should also think of how we are physically and emotionally. That larger bag of money won't do you any good if you can't enjoy it because of health or a short life span in retirement.

So you need to find your own sweet spot, that would be different for everyone that balances the financials pros/ cons vs your health, life span etc.

For me I know staying until 65+ will leave me financially better than retiring at 62. But for health and peace of mind 62 is the goal and I would be financially fine so 62 is the date. But that could change if I get to that age and I think I can make one more year.