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66. I had planned on earlier, but family medical expenses had to be paid. In retrospect, I wouldn't have done it any other way. My wife is okay now, and life is sweeter in retirement than I ever thought it would be. Lots of years left to enjoy!
Retired/stopped looking for a full-time job when I turned 62. Applied/got my SS Early Retirement. Had been looking for a full-time job since early 2008, when I quit a job I really liked w/nice pay so wife and I could move away from "Mr. Winter" while living south of Denver, CO. She quit her job as well. I was 59 then. Had an extremely tough time finding the kind of job I had left in CO, so when I turned 62, and all of my Emergency UI had run out, wife and I decided that I should go for my SS Early Retirement. It's not a lot, but it helps. BTW, to get that Emergency UI, I had to be unemployed for an entire year. Thank God my wife had a very nice paying job then.
I am very fortunate. I started working full time when I was 25. I worked at the same job for 32 years and received full benefits in the form of an annuity and health insurance. I retired when I was 57 but not by choice. The retirement system dictated that after a certain point (30 years, give or take a few), there would be no increase in benefits. I could have continued working, but it would have been of no benefit to me, pretty much working for free. The year I took the retirement deal, the University I was working for was experiencing a financial crisis. They had to cut salary money from my department. They said they would have to fire two of my full time employees if I wanted to continue working. I could not have done the job without them, so it was a simple choice.
What sucks is, I was very happy working and wanted to continue. I am a specialist in a field where it is difficult to find gainful employment. I have not worked since I retired and I'm not very happy about it.
My wife has had multiple health problems including four surgeries on her spine, so I couldn't work even part time if I wanted to. Caring for her is a full time job. I guess, things have a way of working out as they are supposed to.
62. I could have kept going but DH was bored and lonely, so I retired. If I hadn't retired, I would probably have been laid off by now so de-facto retired.
Wife and I retired at age 62 and started collecting SS. She retired a year before me (she is older) and they hired her back at full salary for a year, working 3 days a week and paid on a 1099. That was a good year. It took me a year to sell my business thus I was 62 and she was 63.
Several years later we both took part time jobs (12 to 16 hours a week) more for something to do versus needing the money. It was what we called fun money but the income allowed us to continue to fund IRA's. We each did that for about 3 years before finally stopping work.
... I hit the "Big-Seven-Oh" a few months back , and continue to work full-time, while drawing my Social Security, which I was kind-of forced to begin taking when I was 62, due to running-out of Unemployment Benefits, and having no prospects for any work (2008) at the time.
"I'm still standing" though; found full-time, albeit temporary employment - My DW will retire in the next 2 - 2.5 years, and we'll fully retire then. "720-Days" is what I tell all you youngsters around me ...
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My wife has had multiple health problems including four surgeries on her spine, so I couldn't work even part time if I wanted to. Caring for her is a full time job. I guess, things have a way of working out as they are supposed to.
Or not! I can commiserate. I spent my entire retirement from 2008 until two and a half months ago as the fulltime caregiver for my wife. To show her appreciation she left me because there was a major issue she could have "cured" herself but refused to do so and I admittedly started feeling used and became somewhat testy. The physical issues I was fine with providing the care for.
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, and continue to work full-time, while drawing my Social Security, which I was kind-of forced to begin taking when I was 62, due to running-out of Unemployment Benefits, and having no prospects for any work (2008) at the time.
