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The real answer. Health. I had Shingles in my head last summer and it is still causing problems.
I just got over shingles on my head too. I went to the Doc about 12 hours after the sores started appearing and they gave me anti-virals. Luckily knocked it right out. Not totally gone, but the pain is barely there and it didn't spread. It can be pretty serious.
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Originally Posted by Tek_Freek
July 1st.
Congrats, July 4th here.
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Originally Posted by yankinscotland
My dh loved his job and planned to retire at 60 but due to a health problem which was likely to be permanent, he retired at 55. The problem slowly cured itself to our surprise and he was fine after about a year.
Obviously, I don't know your specific situation, but it seems a lot of retires find themselves shedding old health problems once they retire. The stress and pressure at work, whether you realize it's there or not, takes a toll. Sometimes a big toll.
I am retiring from the state. I am taking my pension now because I have reached 30 years at any age criteria. Even if I wanted to stay it wouldn't be worth it. No way to get any better benefits. A lot of folks here leave and consult. best of both worlds for those that like the work and aren't ready to give it up. Two paychecks are better than one.
I, however, am ready to leave. Never my dream job, just kind of fell into a good situation and stuck it out. Things are going down hill and organizational changes in the last 4 or 5 years have really taken the fun out of what I do. I used to enjoy the work, not necessarily the environment I did it in, but the work. Now the fun has been sapped out of that. Between that and my colon surgery of a couple of years back, its time to start a new life, rearrange priorities and start enjoying myself. That may mean other "work" or it may not. I am taking my pension, but I am also ready to retire. Whatever retirement becomes, it will be what I want to do.
DW and I are definitely in finding ways to stay retired mode, rather than work a few more years to pad the nest mode.
However, there are people who are energized by their work. Some of them would be very unhappy in retirement. It depends on what really energizes you. One of the things that energizes me is not having to live my life by an alarm clock. I can sleep in or get up early. There are very few things that I "have" to do. Few places that I "have" to be.
You've made an excellent point here, and I can think of two people who retired, but would have been happier working.
The first person was my father-in-law...his identity and his career were intertwined. His company practically had to push him out the door when he turned 70, and after he retired, he drove my poor mother-in-law crazy. He had NO other interests aside from working. At the crack of dawn, he was up and dressed...sitting in the living room waiting for everyone else in the house to wake up.
The second person was my mother. My father was forced into retirement at 65 because the company was doing poorly, and the entire workforce was laid off. He's the type of person who has lots of projects around the house, and he loves to tinker in his garage. After he retired he talked my mother into retiring too (she had a part-time job that she enjoyed).
My parents are the type of people who do just about everything together, but during my Dad's tinker-in-the-garage stints, my mother sits in the house with nothing to do. She's a high-energy person who finishes her housework quickly, but she's not the type to go out shopping/lunching/crafting with friends. I think she's sorry she quit her job.
Surely it can't be just a financial decision? What led you to make the decision? Illness, family issues?
Did you set a date and then work up to it or did you just wake up one morning and decide- it's time.
DH is 70 loves his job and won't consider retiring. I manage the money and I know we can do it so that is no excuse. I think he wants to die with his "boots on".
Completely financial for me. The house will be paid off about 18 months before my retirement date. So 18 months of completely debt free living will just be gravy-time to sock away for savings.
If I didn't have that 18 months to save extra - I'd still be retiring. My freedom date has always been "when I don't have a mortgage".
I'm hanging in the extra 18 months because it will mean a major bump in my pension. If they happen to offer a Golden Parachute (usually 24 months service credit), I'll take it and be gone. But that's very unlikely in my state's economy - they haven't offered one in my district for 5 years.
I don't want to work anymore.
Your husband sounds like he has another frame of mind. Different strokes for different folks
My dh loved his job and planned to retire at 60 but due to a health problem which was likely to be permanent, he retired at 55. The problem slowly cured itself to our surprise and he was fine after about a year.
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Originally Posted by flyfishnevada
Obviously, I don't know your specific situation, but it seems a lot of retires find themselves shedding old health problems once they retire. The stress and pressure at work, whether you realize it's there or not, takes a toll. Sometimes a big toll.
He did have some stress with his job due simply to the nature of it, but he did love it and was very sad to retire. He tried to hang on for a year after his illness began but had to keep taking sick leave--difficult because he was the boss. His illness is a mystery but it was suggested he had a mini-stroke which caused constant vertigo. The improvement was gradual but not 100% as instead of having super-good balance, he now has normal balance like everyone else.
My job has been physically demanding. I have back problems from it, the docs say I will need rods in my back in a couple years. That will be my retirement date. If the recession had not hit I would likely be under the knife now, as it is I have had a year off.
I have my 30 years with the trade. After the surgery I will be maxed on my social security and my pension will max out based on expected income cut by disability.
I'm a retired fed. Tell Mrs. Tek - miserable in her management job - that the "High-three" is a trap.
Your "high-3" average salary is determined by finding your highest average basic pay over any three year period. The three years must be consecutive. Generally, the final three years of service include the highest pay, but pay from an earlier period can be used if it was higher. Source
With the exception of very few situations (like being downgraded), the "high-three" will be the last three years of federal employment. In other words, Mrs. Tek's high-three right now is higher than that of one year ago, but not as high as it would be one year from now.
It's a judgment call, but I know for my wife (also a CSRS retiree, and like your wife, miserable at work) it simply wasn't worth it to her to work beyond the 30-year, age 55 threshold. Her high-three would have gone up each year, and the percentage of the high-three she'd see in her annuity would have gone up each year, but ya gotta be alive (and hopefully sane) to spend/enjoy the pension.
If Mrs. Tek decides to stay on her high 3 will be her last 3. I have told her repeatedly that I'd rather have her than the money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyfishnevada
I just got over shingles on my head too. I went to the Doc about 12 hours after the sores started appearing and they gave me anti-virals. Luckily knocked it right out. Not totally gone, but the pain is barely there and it didn't spread. It can be pretty serious.
It will be a year the first week of July since my symptoms appeared. I still have stabbing pains in and above my left eye. The eye being where it started. Because it was on the eye I didn't get treated as soon as I could have. Both eyes had been irritated and I figured it was allergies or dust. The right one stopped and the left got worse. Something caught in the eye? No. I finally figured it out when the blisters popped up on my forehead. Luckily it hasn't affected my vision.
If you are having enough pain that is is bothersome ask the doc for Gabapentin. Amazing stuff with few side effects. It makes me irritable, but I only take it about 8:00 pm so I can sleep. It also helps with my Sciatica and Restless Leg Syndrome. I sleep better now than I have in decades!
Congrats, July 4th here. Thanks, and congrats to you, too!
Slowing down the velocitized mind isn't always done so easily, we get used to the speed of all things work, sloooowwwwly we begin to wind dooowwwn, walking on that country road just kickin rocks, stopping to watch some birds doing their fancy flying, never paying much attention to time. .
Unfortunately I am still working and feel as if I am already slowing down. That's probably because all the people around me are 20 somethings and come to work everyday with ideas, schemes and plans how to do things better or differently; make up a spreadsheet for this and a data base for that. They are working towards promotions or jumping on the fast track. I find myself working towards just keeping up and switching to the slow lane.
As they earnestly bring up their revolunionary ideas I am dreaming of free time. I am so out of the loop I can't even find the loop any longer. I just want a safe and easy part time job where thinking is not too much of a requirement. I think my brain is just tired. I know my body is.
Next year at the latest. The 6% penalty for Social Security will be worth it.
It will be a year the first week of July since my symptoms appeared. I still have stabbing pains in and above my left eye. The eye being where it started. Because it was on the eye I didn't get treated as soon as I could have. Both eyes had been irritated and I figured it was allergies or dust. The right one stopped and the left got worse. Something caught in the eye? No. I finally figured it out when the blisters popped up on my forehead. Luckily it hasn't affected my vision.
If you are having enough pain that is is bothersome ask the doc for Gabapentin. Amazing stuff with few side effects. It makes me irritable, but I only take it about 8:00 pm so I can sleep. It also helps with my Sciatica and Restless Leg Syndrome. I sleep better now than I have in decades!
My pain was relatively minor. I couldn't chew on my left side and I was taking Norco at night and Advil for the swelling. I have spoken with people that have had bad cases and I am thankful I caught it when I did. Not something to mess with, especially on the head.
And to keep this on topic...a lot of people where I work fall into the High 3 trap. We get COLAs starting in our third year of retirement. They don't understand that by waiting another year to get that 2 or 3% cost of living raise they are postponing their first COLA raise of 2%. You would have to work 3 years to get the cost of living raise because it is an average of the 3 years. Other wise that 3% COLA turns into 1% or so. You come out ahead by retiring now and getting your mandated retirement COLAs sooner. Some can still get as much as 90% with 36 years of service (changes that law 25 years ago, the day I was hired). They do the same thing. Work another year to get 2.5% more retirement, postponing the 2% COLA. Short term you get a few more bucks, but but long term it's just not worth it.
Obviously, when folks get a big raise close to retirement, it can make sense. Still, I see so many people working to get just a little more money. That is usually an excuse not to retire due to fear. They have plenty to pay the bills and downsizing and savings from not working (car, fuel, clothes, etc.) can usually offset the difference. Heck, we are on one day a month furloughs. I call it the ease into retirment program. My 75% turns into like 82% of my present take home becuase I get my pension contribution added back in that I have never seen before. Add the 5% or so cost of the furlough and now thats up to about 87% of my present take home. Not hard to make that up. You might even come out ahead if your work expenses are high.
Unfortunately I am still working and feel as if I am already slowing down. That's probably because all the people around me are 20 somethings and come to work everyday with ideas, schemes and plans how to do things better or differently; make up a spreadsheet for this and a data base for that. They are working towards promotions or jumping on the fast track. I find myself working towards just keeping up and switching to the slow lane.
As they earnestly bring up their revolunionary ideas I am dreaming of free time. I am so out of the loop I can't even find the loop any longer. I just want a safe and easy part time job where thinking is not too much of a requirement. I think my brain is just tired. I know my body is.
Next year at the latest. The 6% penalty for Social Security will be worth it.
I feel the same way. Next year will be 33 years of federal service, and I think I'm just getting tired. Financially, I won't have any debt, except about another years' worth of mortgage. I have plenty in savings, TSP, IRA's, etc. so I'm not worried. I will probably get a part-time job to supplement my income (as will the wife), but we are looking to de-stress our lives, and looking for opportunities to do things that have meaning and give back, instead of running to and fro to endless, meaningless meetings.
A number of people have posted about taking part-time jobs when they retire for a number of reasons, mainly financial, and there were plenty of people I knew in state service who retired, only to come right back on a modified schedule as retired annuitants; aka: retarded irritants. It just goes to show you that when it comes to retirement, a rising tide doesn't float all boats equally.
The week after I retired I was "forced" back as an RA for three or four days to testify on behalf of the state as an expert witness in a sexually violent predator court proceeding. I'd been subpoened by both the defense and the prosecution so I had no choice and expected to be paid for my time and travel. Other than that, I never even considered returning to my former career, or any other form of occupation for that matter. Perhaps I'm just lazy but after 45 years of work between the military and my final career, I'm done. Sure, extra money would come in handy but that would be a nice to have, not a need to have. I'm done and content to be so. For those of you with more drive, energy or need, I wish you well!
In the end, it's always a very personal choice!
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