Any others in their late 50s/early 60s recently laid off?

[Anonymous]

I'm a federal contractor in my early 60s who was just laid off and trying to figure out what's next. It was never easy for those in this age range to find another job and in this environment I wonder if it's even possible.

I'm a single parent, but DC is more or less launched and my house will be paid off in a year or so. I wonder if it's just time to call it quits on working. I have some consulting work and can get unemployment for a while, paltry as that it is. Doing the whole selling myself to potential employers thing is not appealing to me at this point, although, of course, I can try. I had hoped to get more saved before retirement, but maybe it's just time to retire and be frugal.

I'm interested in hearing from others in similar circumstances.

[Anonymous]

I’m 57 and a single parent. She’s headed to college next year. I am likely going to be terminated because I won’t move across the county to keep my job. I have to find another job. But I’m scared I won’t find anything. I really don’t want to start over right now but what choice do I have? If you are able to retire. Or even take a break. I say go for it.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fed, but I will probably get laid off this year, at almost 55. My spouse is laid off last year at 60.

I think we will call it quits for the most part, maybe find a PT seasonal job here and there. We have a decent amount saved to pay for private healthcare which is expensive.

We are probably stuck here for the next 6 years before our youngest graduates from college. After that, we will probably move to a lcol. Might want to think about that, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 57 and a single parent. She’s headed to college next year. I am likely going to be terminated because I won’t move across the county to keep my job. I have to find another job. But I’m scared I won’t find anything. I really don’t want to start over right now but what choice do I have? If you are able to retire. Or even take a break. I say go for it.

When I was 58, I was laid off (on a group conference call) from a private job that I had for almost 10 years. I fired off a whole lot of job applications and got a part-time job two weeks later, no benefits but a couple of months later they offered me full-time. Then I was referred for a federal job, moved 100 miles away and rented an apartment. And here I am, still working but not sure for how long or what rto would look like for me. But I will figure it out. I have no choice either.

Check into state jobs, some states have initiatives for older workers. Also, don't rely solely on the big employment sites; go to individual companies and apply right on their site.

[Anonymous]

Also, think about a pivot to a different career.

Example: Most public schools (e.g., FCPS) are desperate for teachers. Salary is not great, but one would get solid health care benefits, some retirement match in a 403(b), steady income, and no pressure to retire.

[Anonymous]

Change expectations about salaries, and don't expect that you can get another Federal job.

[Anonymous]

Both DH and I were laid off last year in 50s.

I just do some part-time work now, he was hired through connections as government contractor.
We'll bracing for him to be laid off this fiscal year (if not sooner), if so, he will retire.

We looked into the Rule of 55 (our current age) for 401K withdraws (without penalty) which should keep us afloat.

Or plan B is to rent out the basement.

[Anonymous]

I guess J1, J2 and J3 guy was right

[Anonymous]

I’m 62, fed contractor and likely to be laid off within 6 months after an assignment ends. I’ve hated my job for much of the past 10 years but I am a single parent so I needed flexibility, short commute and very good pay and benefits. No cost Health insurance has been keeping me there otherwise I would have left for a lower paying, more enjoyable job. I wanted to leave work life behind on a high note, with a challenging federal job (like my past positions) but I will settle for taking early social security and living frugally—driving old car, no home renovations, no lavish vacations and more importantly, state college for my son (By working 2-3 more years, I was hoping to send him wherever he wanted to go).

[Anonymous]

My dad was not a fed, but did get laid off in his early 60's. He was out of work for a while and then got a job comparable in salary and worked until he was 75. So, it's possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad was not a fed, but did get laid off in his early 60's. He was out of work for a while and then got a job comparable in salary and worked until he was 75. So, it's possible.

This happened to my dad too, except he was a fed—federal scientist in a really niche field who had been doing the same thing his entire career. I was worried that he wouldn’t find anything. But he had multiple interviews, found a comparable job, and retired at 72.

[Anonymous]

Spouse landed a fantastic new job at 62 after being fired rather dramatically - don't give up without trying. Utilize your networks, something good will turn up

[Anonymous]

I’m 52, laid off due to the destruction of USAID. I can’t retire yet - I need 15 more years of income, though I could stop saving for retirement and accept that retirement will be a bare bones affair.

I’m taking classes for certification to freelance in a totally new field. It won’t pay as well (not that I was paid well by DCUM standards before) but it should be in-demand enough that I can pay the mortgage.

Trying to whack back our budget. DH is finding the change pretty painful, but it is what it is. When you’ve spent a decade buying whatever you want at the grocery store it’s a shocker to have your wife say “did you really need to buy frozen lazagnas for lunches? Couldn’t we make our own?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 52, laid off due to the destruction of USAID. I can’t retire yet - I need 15 more years of income, though I could stop saving for retirement and accept that retirement will be a bare bones affair.

I’m taking classes for certification to freelance in a totally new field. It won’t pay as well (not that I was paid well by DCUM standards before) but it should be in-demand enough that I can pay the mortgage.

Trying to whack back our budget. DH is finding the change pretty painful, but it is what it is. When you’ve spent a decade buying whatever you want at the grocery store it’s a shocker to have your wife say “did you really need to buy frozen lazagnas for lunches? Couldn’t we make our own?”

I’m so sorry. We’ve been approaching the grocery store in a completely new way too. I feel I have come to some level of acceptance though. At least the past few days. My retirement will also not be what I hoped. Good luck in your job search.

[Anonymous]

Ive heard of people who have 19 years of government service and have been cut off before their pensions will kick in