Retirement as Protest (pensions, conversation, social security, retirees)
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I think when people are closer to retirement, they can take very little BS anymore. Probably a lot of people who retire much earlier than they originally thought because of this.
When you don't have to take it, it's really hard to take.
My wife and I were fortunate. We had planned on working for 3 more years. I owned my own business, she worked for the state so we were more waiting for her to get better invested in their retirement. As it happened they came along with an early retirement including health care. She jumped all over it than her boss hired her back on a one year, full salary contract for 3 days a week. We were 62 and it worked great as I had time to sell my business.
Back to the OP. If hating your job as much as you say, then work the numbers and decide. You could always consider part time work to supplement retirement. We did and as it was earned income, we could continue to fund IRA's. We were collecting SS and still funding IRA's.
Was anyone's planned retirement suddenly triggered -- or at least greatly accelerated -- by a particular event or an upheaval in the workplace that you just weren't able to roll with? I can tell, with changes in mine, that I'm about to hit that wall and am beginning to fantasize about just walking out. It would benefit me financially to hang in there a bit longer to fully maximize my pension package, but I'm under no obligation to and think it's time to run a cost/benefit analysis. That is, more money in the monthly check versus months of what is beginning to feel like torture. Economics aside, it would feel so liberating and empowering to just pull the plug with no warning. The last job is the one job you can quit without repercussions. Who's done that? Share your story.
I have not. Yet. But it's on my mind because a good friend and co-worker just retired last week at age 55. She had NO intention of retiring before 60 or 62. But the workload just became unbearable; she tired of working nights, week-ends, the never ending stress and . . . she and her husband went to a financial planner. They figured it was doable (if he doesn't get laid off) and she did it. She said she knows she may need to find a part time job or even a full time job but she could not take it one more second.
Now I'm 58 and I'm wondering myself . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nanny Goat
I think when people are closer to retirement, they can take very little BS anymore. Probably a lot of people who retire much earlier than they originally thought because of this.
^^^ Truer words have never been spoken. I still care about my job and I want to keep my clients happy BUT ... I'm so done with all the politics; the corporate-speak, etc. D O N E.
Just curious if anyone has ever walked out on impulse and into the sunset. I mean, into retirement.
Yes.
I was 70.5.
My largest customer — of 20 years — torked me off by going behind my back more than once in the last year.
I was in one more day mode and decided on May 2nd to fire them with no notice.
Went on vacation the next morning. Did not answer phone calls.
I am happy and financially content.
Was anyone's planned retirement suddenly triggered -- or at least greatly accelerated -- by a particular event or an upheaval in the workplace that you just weren't able to roll with? I can tell, with changes in mine, that I'm about to hit that wall and am beginning to fantasize about just walking out. It would benefit me financially to hang in there a bit longer to fully maximize my pension package, but I'm under no obligation to and think it's time to run a cost/benefit analysis. That is, more money in the monthly check versus months of what is beginning to feel like torture. Economics aside, it would feel so liberating and empowering to just pull the plug with no warning. The last job is the one job you can quit without repercussions. Who's done that? Share your story.
I knew I had to retire when my wench of a boss refused me early retirement (I was well-eligible) when my husband had cancer and all the other admins were offered 25k to leave (retire).
It took about 8 months, but I found a new job in another state and left within two weeks of being hired. She was pretty mad during those two weeks.
Relocated, worked another 2.5 years and check out.
I can retire anytime I want but work because I love my job. OTOH, I have some non-financial activities at work that are, at least to me, almost like a train wreck happening in slow motion. I’m sticking around to see what happens next and am enjoying the view from a short-timer’s, untouchable perspective as our internal compliance and omsbud team does their thing. “Can’t touch this” - MC k7baixo
Once I was fully vested into my pension system, I attained the great feeling that I could tell the department brass to take this job and shove it anytime I wanted. With all the temptation, I never did. I retired on my own schedule.
Was anyone's planned retirement suddenly triggered -- or at least greatly accelerated -- by a particular event or an upheaval in the workplace that you just weren't able to roll with? I can tell, with changes in mine, that I'm about to hit that wall and am beginning to fantasize about just walking out. It would benefit me financially to hang in there a bit longer to fully maximize my pension package, but I'm under no obligation to and think it's time to run a cost/benefit analysis. That is, more money in the monthly check versus months of what is beginning to feel like torture. Economics aside, it would feel so liberating and empowering to just pull the plug with no warning. The last job is the one job you can quit without repercussions. Who's done that? Share your story.
Once I figured out that I would make the same amount (low part-time salary) as I would if I collected SS and my teacher's part-time pension, I felt so much better. I even had a date picked out, and felt even better. I told my boss about two months before my retire date. He said that he did not turn my resignation letter in, hoping that I would change my mind. I have not regretted retiring early, even though I got my pay cut a little.
I am 63 and am a new grandmother to a nine-month old. Doing some local traveling, joined a hula dance group, and exercise more. We are going to the Caribbean (both east and west) in November for two weeks.
There are just too many other things to do.
Yes, there were a few annoyances at work that I could have continued to accept, but it is so much nicer to move on with my life and a check every month.
I'm approaching the 2 year retirement anniversary, and it turned out to be a good choice. I turn 65 in a couple of months, but since retirement I've been covered by health insurance from my employer's retiree health plan. Without that coverage, it would have been a risky story to get HC insurance on my own to cover until medical kicks in.
I had been with my last employer for about 20 years, in the same engineering job. I was well paid (hourly) and did not work more than 40 hours a week. My work hours were 6 am to 2:30 pm, so I had a good part of the afternoon off everyday to enjoy my free time. I had been working in my engineering job for so long, that I knew the job up and down and did not have stress to complete most projects. Sure, there were challenges, but that is what I was getting paid big bucks for. I had nearly 6 weeks of vacation time per year to unwind and relax.
I had good bosses for the most part during my work years at my last job, and most of my co-workers were good to work with. There were a few irritating bosses and people that were not in my group, but I learned to avoid them and not get tangled in their problems. I was living a comfortable life in Orange County, CA. I knew I had a good deal at work, and was not in a rush to leave, but I wanted to have time in my life to go places and do things and not be tied down to a job. I made the decision to leave about a year in advance of my retirement date. There was not a lot of pressure or stress around this event, and I worked hard at my job up to the last full work day to complete projects that were on my list. It took a dose of courage to leave the good job behind, because the job felt like a security blanket to me. But after a month or two of having full control of my own time and making decisions about where to live and what to do, I knew it was the right choice.
Otter (OP) if you are under age 65, do you have access to your employer's retiree health plan coverage, if you decide to pull the plug on your job and head for the retirement exit door? Having enough money to live on is one thing, but health insurance coverage to bridge until medicare can take away a big chunk of income if you buy on your own.
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