Why did you retire? (inherit, adult, twins, grandfather)
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Covid and politics destroyed my career, while simultaneously handing me enough overtime in one shot to comfortably retire at 42 years old, so why not?
Had I stayed, I'd be facing a completely demolished profession, in a city that didn't want me to do my job anyway. I saw no sense in continuing to risk myself for a population that either didn't want my work and/or actively wanted to see bad things happen to me.
I took the huge pension they owed me, moved to another state, and work part time making almost the same as my previous salary. Win win.
I retired early due to disability - two bad knees.
My employer had the option to find me a different job within the company, but at the time they were sort of downsizing (around 10 years ago). They were closing the facility i worked in.
Yes, when I was unexpectedly awarded disability I quit my casual job search since I couldn't really do the physical work anymore (bad joints). DH had closed his solar biz and was casually looking at something like Home Depot until actual retirement, but they required bi-lingual. We were 59.
I started teaching History in the early 1980s in a nice middle-class neighborhood. Over the next decade, integration brought us 13 buses daily from the worst part of town. Gradually, the good families all moved away (white flight) and were replaced by poor immigrants from Latin America, and savages from the ghetto.
Since there were 14 separate school districts in my city, I couldn't move to a better school without taking a large pay cut. Instead, I hung in there and did my best to educate kids who were mostly uninterested. Over the years, I counted 35 current or former students murdered, and even more who were imprisoned. Finally, I quit counting.
Many times, after a bad day, I wanted to quit, but the lure of an eventual pension made me stay. At age 60 after 32 years, I retired, sold my house, kissed my girlfriend goodbye, and moved to Maui.
Best decision I've ever made! I began substitute teaching and found the job that I had always dreamed of. Kids here are awesome!
This is my 40th year in the classroom and I've made many new friends in the local community.
Wow! Talk about making a clean start! I assume the girlfriend saw that coming in advance.
You're a real hero for hanging in that long under such circumstances. Yes, the pension carrot is a powerful incentive to stay.
I am glad I am not the only Pre Retiree lurking around on CD
Oh no, you're not. This is THE BEST place to get the real dirt on the logistics of retirement, including the emotional and psychological issues, which I'm finding can be quite overwhelming. I'm really enjoying hearing everyone's stories in this thread. Makes me feel less alone in my struggle just to arrive at the door of retirement. It's like trying to land a prop. plane in a headwind, and the landing strip keeps moving around!
Oh no, you're not. This is THE BEST place to get the real dirt on the logistics of retirement, including the emotional and psychological issues, which I'm finding can be quite overwhelming. I'm really enjoying hearing everyone's stories in this thread. Makes me feel less alone in my struggle just to arrive at the door of retirement. It's like trying to land a prop. plane in a headwind, and the landing strip keeps moving around!
So true!
Personally, it's this forum got me thinking & take inventory of my finances in retirement. Then started making plans on my retirement investments. By sharing our stories, like you said we feel "it's not just me" in our situations. This is the place where we can share our ups & downs, celebrate our victory, and share our sorrows & at the same time; encourage each other to move on.
Curious - how can the pension pay more than working? I will have a pension, but no matter how long I worked, it would never be more than my work pay.
With the years I put in, and age, my retirement pension is a little over 90% of what my working pay was. Take off the monthly contributions to the pension system, union dues, medical plan cost, and everything else they like to nab, my monthly pension pay is actually more than it was working.
Because of the years I worked, my medical is paid for by the county I worked for, as we did not participate in the federal SS system.
Curious - how can the pension pay more than working? I will have a pension, but no matter how long I worked, it would never be more than my work pay.
My pension isn't more than I received working, but my pension + SS IS.
I no longer make pension contributions, pay SS or Medicare taxes, or even pay state income taxes (both my teacher pension and SS are non-taxable in Alabama). That alone makes my income more than I received working. I also no longer make Roth contributions or contributions to RSA-1.
I still save, though, even if it isn't retirement savings. And I am paying extra on my mortgage. I still understand the concept of a rainy day. Fortunately, I haven't had to touch my IRA monies.
But it isn't that difficult to have more income retired than you did working . . . if you have a pension or a substantial IRA + SS.
I retired, though, because of my husband's health. He died five months after I retired.
Oh no, you're not. This is THE BEST place to get the real dirt on the logistics of retirement, including the emotional and psychological issues, which I'm finding can be quite overwhelming. I'm really enjoying hearing everyone's stories in this thread. Makes me feel less alone in my struggle just to arrive at the door of retirement. It's like trying to land a prop. plane in a headwind, and the landing strip keeps moving around!
I started posting here well before my retirement in 2018. I still maintain an interest even though my finances are all set, etc. I do like it if I feel I have something to contribute to the emotional/etc. aspects of retirement (although I am biased in favor of it- have never felt better or been healthier, despite some old emotional issues not related to retirement). I do think I'm one of the few posters who didn't have a cube life/job- I worked nights in a psychiatric hospitals for many years with a pension. No way to do the job half-way!
For me as I said a long time ago.I retired after 34 years age 55,as said,was not going to trade money for life.
My pension has not changed at all in these years,it is meager,but with health ins. and medicare B and $25 for phone service paid for,me and wife,not complaining.I am close to 89.
Mt SS has almost doubled.
We have had a good life until we were forced to move back to Ct a miserable state,very regressive after living our life in Denver and 20 plus years in North FL,FL was tax free,now we flush $5000 down the toilet each year.
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