Retire at 60 as fed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also I have worked much more than 5 years, but only in the last 5-6 would I consider it my “career”. But most of the money I made in my 20s and early 30s went to paying off students loans and into property/assets where we lost most of what we had in 2008 financial/real estate disaster and then trying to catch up after that. I was only a FT SAHM for a total of about 5 years, but it obviously impacted my ability to have a career, as did my undiagnosed depression and anxiety.

Okay? For 90% of us, yeah 20s was about paying for student loans, and basically every Xeniel bears scars from the 2008 crisis.

So you didn’t have a desk job before you SAH, why not go into that field?

No idea why you are at your desk 9 hours — are you days processing? You don’t walk to meetings or go walk around office while in a call?

It does sound like your depression is mismanaged; i have family with major depression and the onerous nature of having to work grates them too - to the point they are on disability and don’t work. They too had an easy desk job, steady hours, and no worry of being fired. But the gloom of knowing they had to get up every morning, and settle at their desk to work filled them with suicidal dread. So if you are reaching that point, maybe see if you can live off disability?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will only have 22 years as fed, but there’s no way I’m gonna want to stick around until I’m 68 or 70. That’s way too many years sitting at a desk. I plan more of a “downshift” to part time employment than true retirement, at least until SS kicks in.

House in low COLA will be paid for and kids will be out of college. No expensive hobbies.
I am partnered after a divorce and hope to remain partnered but marriage might not be on the table.

I started my career late after being SAHM and my savings got hit pretty hard in the tumultuous period after my divorce, but things are stable, if challenging, now. But I only have about 100k in TSP at age 43 and I can only put 10% in now, and don’t anticipate being able to amp that up unless my partner and I move in together or once my kids go to college and I move to low COLA. I will be 54 when my youngest completes college.

You need some perspective. Most of us have been working “at a desk” since they were 22, so by 60 they will have worked 38 years.

You and the luxury to SAH and not enter the regular workforce until you were 38. I’m sorry for your divorce, but you seem anxious to quit when you’ve barely been working 5 years.

Appreciate the time you did have to spend with your kids and not have to do the working parent grind, and I would work at least to 62 but honestly going to 67 and getting full SS should hardly be a hardship as that will still be less than 30 years in the workforce (plus whatever you did before kids).

I would address why you hate your job, maybe look for a different role. In my office people routinely work till 70, but we all believe in our mission, the work is cool, and our team is generally very cooperative. What is wrong where you are now? Do you have ADHD or something that makes sitting still difficult?

I actually love my work and the people I am working with. I am just noticing the creeping effect on my health that sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day is having on my health. No amount of ergonomics is going to change that.

I noticed the same things--this is what I do: Amplify my walking pre-work (jog in place while waiting for coffee, take a quick walk outside, park far away, take the stairs). During my work I set a half hour timer and stand up and walk somewhere for a minute on the half hour and then up and down the steps for 3 mins on the hour. At first I found this disruptive to my thinking, but I quickly got used to it. I found it embarrassing at first, but really have gotten either no notice, positive comments or people who say I should do that too and join me. I walk somewhere outside to eat the lunch I bring to work. Even though that 10k steps a day thing is made up, I just make sure I hit at least 7.5k steps a day on week days. I formally work out 3-4 days a week with more intensive aerobics/weight training.

If you're noticing health effects now, you need to change it now--not hope that retiring a few years early will solve it.

Health effects are probably mostly from hitting 43 than sitting at a desk. Did you exercise more as a SAHM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you wait 2 more years and get an extra 10 percent of your pension at 62?

Didn’t know this was a thing. Maybe I can hold out until 62. But being at my desk is slowly killing me.

Good lord, drama queen. Get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will only have 22 years as fed, but there’s no way I’m gonna want to stick around until I’m 68 or 70. That’s way too many years sitting at a desk. I plan more of a “downshift” to part time employment than true retirement, at least until SS kicks in.

House in low COLA will be paid for and kids will be out of college. No expensive hobbies.
I am partnered after a divorce and hope to remain partnered but marriage might not be on the table.

I started my career late after being SAHM and my savings got hit pretty hard in the tumultuous period after my divorce, but things are stable, if challenging, now. But I only have about 100k in TSP at age 43 and I can only put 10% in now, and don’t anticipate being able to amp that up unless my partner and I move in together or once my kids go to college and I move to low COLA. I will be 54 when my youngest completes college.

You need some perspective. Most of us have been working “at a desk” since they were 22, so by 60 they will have worked 38 years.

You and the luxury to SAH and not enter the regular workforce until you were 38. I’m sorry for your divorce, but you seem anxious to quit when you’ve barely been working 5 years.

Appreciate the time you did have to spend with your kids and not have to do the working parent grind, and I would work at least to 62 but honestly going to 67 and getting full SS should hardly be a hardship as that will still be less than 30 years in the workforce (plus whatever you did before kids).

I would address why you hate your job, maybe look for a different role. In my office people routinely work till 70, but we all believe in our mission, the work is cool, and our team is generally very cooperative. What is wrong where you are now? Do you have ADHD or something that makes sitting still difficult?

I actually love my work and the people I am working with. I am just noticing the creeping effect on my health that sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day is having on my health. No amount of ergonomics is going to change that.

I noticed the same things--this is what I do: Amplify my walking pre-work (jog in place while waiting for coffee, take a quick walk outside, park far away, take the stairs). During my work I set a half hour timer and stand up and walk somewhere for a minute on the half hour and then up and down the steps for 3 mins on the hour. At first I found this disruptive to my thinking, but I quickly got used to it. I found it embarrassing at first, but really have gotten either no notice, positive comments or people who say I should do that too and join me. I walk somewhere outside to eat the lunch I bring to work. Even though that 10k steps a day thing is made up, I just make sure I hit at least 7.5k steps a day on week days. I formally work out 3-4 days a week with more intensive aerobics/weight training.

If you're noticing health effects now, you need to change it now--not hope that retiring a few years early will solve it.

Part of the problem is I have my kids full time and after work I am doing the second shift, every single day. There is no room in my schedule for 3-4 days a week formal workout. At best, I do that one weeknight a week when the kids happen to have practice near the gym. Usually fit in a long hike or bike ride on the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also I have worked much more than 5 years, but only in the last 5-6 would I consider it my “career”. But most of the money I made in my 20s and early 30s went to paying off students loans and into property/assets where we lost most of what we had in 2008 financial/real estate disaster and then trying to catch up after that. I was only a FT SAHM for a total of about 5 years, but it obviously impacted my ability to have a career, as did my undiagnosed depression and anxiety.

Okay? For 90% of us, yeah 20s was about paying for student loans, and basically every Xeniel bears scars from the 2008 crisis.

So you didn’t have a desk job before you SAH, why not go into that field?

No idea why you are at your desk 9 hours — are you days processing? You don’t walk to meetings or go walk around office while in a call?

It does sound like your depression is mismanaged; i have family with major depression and the onerous nature of having to work grates them too - to the point they are on disability and don’t work. They too had an easy desk job, steady hours, and no worry of being fired. But the gloom of knowing they had to get up every morning, and settle at their desk to work filled them with suicidal dread. So if you are reaching that point, maybe see if you can live off disability?

FFS I don’t hate my job. I do not have suicidal dread. But human beings are not meant to sit at a desk for so many hours of their lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will only have 22 years as fed, but there’s no way I’m gonna want to stick around until I’m 68 or 70. That’s way too many years sitting at a desk. I plan more of a “downshift” to part time employment than true retirement, at least until SS kicks in.

House in low COLA will be paid for and kids will be out of college. No expensive hobbies.
I am partnered after a divorce and hope to remain partnered but marriage might not be on the table.

I started my career late after being SAHM and my savings got hit pretty hard in the tumultuous period after my divorce, but things are stable, if challenging, now. But I only have about 100k in TSP at age 43 and I can only put 10% in now, and don’t anticipate being able to amp that up unless my partner and I move in together or once my kids go to college and I move to low COLA. I will be 54 when my youngest completes college.

You need some perspective. Most of us have been working “at a desk” since they were 22, so by 60 they will have worked 38 years.

You and the luxury to SAH and not enter the regular workforce until you were 38. I’m sorry for your divorce, but you seem anxious to quit when you’ve barely been working 5 years.

Appreciate the time you did have to spend with your kids and not have to do the working parent grind, and I would work at least to 62 but honestly going to 67 and getting full SS should hardly be a hardship as that will still be less than 30 years in the workforce (plus whatever you did before kids).

I would address why you hate your job, maybe look for a different role. In my office people routinely work till 70, but we all believe in our mission, the work is cool, and our team is generally very cooperative. What is wrong where you are now? Do you have ADHD or something that makes sitting still difficult?

I actually love my work and the people I am working with. I am just noticing the creeping effect on my health that sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day is having on my health. No amount of ergonomics is going to change that.

I noticed the same things--this is what I do: Amplify my walking pre-work (jog in place while waiting for coffee, take a quick walk outside, park far away, take the stairs). During my work I set a half hour timer and stand up and walk somewhere for a minute on the half hour and then up and down the steps for 3 mins on the hour. At first I found this disruptive to my thinking, but I quickly got used to it. I found it embarrassing at first, but really have gotten either no notice, positive comments or people who say I should do that too and join me. I walk somewhere outside to eat the lunch I bring to work. Even though that 10k steps a day thing is made up, I just make sure I hit at least 7.5k steps a day on week days. I formally work out 3-4 days a week with more intensive aerobics/weight training.

If you're noticing health effects now, you need to change it now--not hope that retiring a few years early will solve it.

Part of the problem is I have my kids full time and after work I am doing the second shift, every single day. There is no room in my schedule for 3-4 days a week formal workout. At best, I do that one weeknight a week when the kids happen to have practice near the gym. Usually fit in a long hike or bike ride on the weekend.

Yep, most working parents don’t have much time for gym. We have some free weights in our storage unit I use in addition to video aerobic classes to work out once kids are asleep.

Formal workout? Man you miss the SAHM life. How did you end up divorcing? Why no shared custody?

[Anonymous]

Can you take walks outside at lunch time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also I have worked much more than 5 years, but only in the last 5-6 would I consider it my “career”. But most of the money I made in my 20s and early 30s went to paying off students loans and into property/assets where we lost most of what we had in 2008 financial/real estate disaster and then trying to catch up after that. I was only a FT SAHM for a total of about 5 years, but it obviously impacted my ability to have a career, as did my undiagnosed depression and anxiety.

Okay? For 90% of us, yeah 20s was about paying for student loans, and basically every Xeniel bears scars from the 2008 crisis.

So you didn’t have a desk job before you SAH, why not go into that field?

No idea why you are at your desk 9 hours — are you days processing? You don’t walk to meetings or go walk around office while in a call?

It does sound like your depression is mismanaged; i have family with major depression and the onerous nature of having to work grates them too - to the point they are on disability and don’t work. They too had an easy desk job, steady hours, and no worry of being fired. But the gloom of knowing they had to get up every morning, and settle at their desk to work filled them with suicidal dread. So if you are reaching that point, maybe see if you can live off disability?

FFS I don’t hate my job. I do not have suicidal dread. But human beings are not meant to sit at a desk for so many hours of their lives.

Okay, find a job picking berries or hunting saber tooth tigers?

You are living a pretty blessed life, home when kids are small, and then a steady 9-5 job that you don’t hate? Sorry about your dead best DH, but get perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you wait 2 more years and get an extra 10 percent of your pension at 62?

Didn’t know this was a thing. Maybe I can hold out until 62. But being at my desk is slowly killing me.

I think what the PP said earlier about you getting the SAHM years. Most of us don't get that.

I've been working a desk job since 24. Did not get to stay home. you are lucky you have a govt. job. I want to retire ASAP as well, but we do what we have to. Take vacations and long weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will only have 22 years as fed, but there’s no way I’m gonna want to stick around until I’m 68 or 70. That’s way too many years sitting at a desk. I plan more of a “downshift” to part time employment than true retirement, at least until SS kicks in.

House in low COLA will be paid for and kids will be out of college. No expensive hobbies.
I am partnered after a divorce and hope to remain partnered but marriage might not be on the table.

I started my career late after being SAHM and my savings got hit pretty hard in the tumultuous period after my divorce, but things are stable, if challenging, now. But I only have about 100k in TSP at age 43 and I can only put 10% in now, and don’t anticipate being able to amp that up unless my partner and I move in together or once my kids go to college and I move to low COLA. I will be 54 when my youngest completes college.

You need some perspective. Most of us have been working “at a desk” since they were 22, so by 60 they will have worked 38 years.

You and the luxury to SAH and not enter the regular workforce until you were 38. I’m sorry for your divorce, but you seem anxious to quit when you’ve barely been working 5 years.

Appreciate the time you did have to spend with your kids and not have to do the working parent grind, and I would work at least to 62 but honestly going to 67 and getting full SS should hardly be a hardship as that will still be less than 30 years in the workforce (plus whatever you did before kids).

I would address why you hate your job, maybe look for a different role. In my office people routinely work till 70, but we all believe in our mission, the work is cool, and our team is generally very cooperative. What is wrong where you are now? Do you have ADHD or something that makes sitting still difficult?

I actually love my work and the people I am working with. I am just noticing the creeping effect on my health that sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day is having on my health. No amount of ergonomics is going to change that.

I noticed the same things--this is what I do: Amplify my walking pre-work (jog in place while waiting for coffee, take a quick walk outside, park far away, take the stairs). During my work I set a half hour timer and stand up and walk somewhere for a minute on the half hour and then up and down the steps for 3 mins on the hour. At first I found this disruptive to my thinking, but I quickly got used to it. I found it embarrassing at first, but really have gotten either no notice, positive comments or people who say I should do that too and join me. I walk somewhere outside to eat the lunch I bring to work. Even though that 10k steps a day thing is made up, I just make sure I hit at least 7.5k steps a day on week days. I formally work out 3-4 days a week with more intensive aerobics/weight training.

If you're noticing health effects now, you need to change it now--not hope that retiring a few years early will solve it.

Part of the problem is I have my kids full time and after work I am doing the second shift, every single day. There is no room in my schedule for 3-4 days a week formal workout. At best, I do that one weeknight a week when the kids happen to have practice near the gym. Usually fit in a long hike or bike ride on the weekend.

It's tough--and I'm not a single parent! My gym is by my work and I either go before or after or during lunch so I can work with kids' schedules--and sometimes I just do my formal workout at home with a video and hand weights. (DH travels for business 2x month and generally works longer than me so about 1/3-1/2 of the time I'm covering both ends of the kids' days). I used to lapse when he traveled until I just decided it was non-negotiable and made it work--kids have to do a bit more on their own so I can leave for work early enough. My kids are now 13 and 16 and it's gotten easier with time--they each know they need to cook the family dinner once a week, do their own laundry, figure out carpools with friends if they want to do activities when I'm working etc. Maybe you're just in crunch period of life? But back to my point which is that dreaming about retiring at 60 when you are 43 really won't help you with the issues now--that's too long a wait--so do what you can to solve the sitting too long thing now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you wait 2 more years and get an extra 10 percent of your pension at 62?

Didn’t know this was a thing. Maybe I can hold out until 62. But being at my desk is slowly killing me.

Work on spending less. Keep a spreadsheet of everything you spend and see where you can cut back. Once you feel like you are comfortable with your current income you can think about reducing it by retiring.

Figure out what you can do to make your life better now. Can you find a volunteer gig? Can you start an exercise routine?

I really doubt that it's sitting at a desk that's killing you. It's probably middle aged malaise / mid life crisis. Add some more meaning into your life and you'll find sitting at the desk to be a lot less horrible.

If you didn't know that working to age 62 would get you 10% more pension income forever, you're not ready to retire yet. Look at the details, all of them. Your current spending and then money you'll have in retirement and you'll have a better idea of whether or not you'll be ready to retire at 60. None of us can adequately answer BUT it's bad that you feel low on cash now.

[Anonymous]

Can you get a standing desk? Walk on a treadmill at your desk? I sometimes do flights of stairs up and down on my lunch break. If I'm working at home, I take pauses to jump around.

I feel the concern that sitting at a desk is awful for your health. It is.

[Anonymous]

The solution?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will only have 22 years as fed, but there’s no way I’m gonna want to stick around until I’m 68 or 70. That’s way too many years sitting at a desk. I plan more of a “downshift” to part time employment than true retirement, at least until SS kicks in.

House in low COLA will be paid for and kids will be out of college. No expensive hobbies.
I am partnered after a divorce and hope to remain partnered but marriage might not be on the table.

I started my career late after being SAHM and my savings got hit pretty hard in the tumultuous period after my divorce, but things are stable, if challenging, now. But I only have about 100k in TSP at age 43 and I can only put 10% in now, and don’t anticipate being able to amp that up unless my partner and I move in together or once my kids go to college and I move to low COLA. I will be 54 when my youngest completes college.

You need some perspective. Most of us have been working “at a desk” since they were 22, so by 60 they will have worked 38 years.

You and the luxury to SAH and not enter the regular workforce until you were 38. I’m sorry for your divorce, but you seem anxious to quit when you’ve barely been working 5 years.

Appreciate the time you did have to spend with your kids and not have to do the working parent grind, and I would work at least to 62 but honestly going to 67 and getting full SS should hardly be a hardship as that will still be less than 30 years in the workforce (plus whatever you did before kids).

I would address why you hate your job, maybe look for a different role. In my office people routinely work till 70, but we all believe in our mission, the work is cool, and our team is generally very cooperative. What is wrong where you are now? Do you have ADHD or something that makes sitting still difficult?

I actually love my work and the people I am working with. I am just noticing the creeping effect on my health that sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day is having on my health. No amount of ergonomics is going to change that.

I noticed the same things--this is what I do: Amplify my walking pre-work (jog in place while waiting for coffee, take a quick walk outside, park far away, take the stairs). During my work I set a half hour timer and stand up and walk somewhere for a minute on the half hour and then up and down the steps for 3 mins on the hour. At first I found this disruptive to my thinking, but I quickly got used to it. I found it embarrassing at first, but really have gotten either no notice, positive comments or people who say I should do that too and join me. I walk somewhere outside to eat the lunch I bring to work. Even though that 10k steps a day thing is made up, I just make sure I hit at least 7.5k steps a day on week days. I formally work out 3-4 days a week with more intensive aerobics/weight training.

If you're noticing health effects now, you need to change it now--not hope that retiring a few years early will solve it.

Part of the problem is I have my kids full time and after work I am doing the second shift, every single day. There is no room in my schedule for 3-4 days a week formal workout. At best, I do that one weeknight a week when the kids happen to have practice near the gym. Usually fit in a long hike or bike ride on the weekend.

It's tough--and I'm not a single parent! My gym is by my work and I either go before or after or during lunch so I can work with kids' schedules--and sometimes I just do my formal workout at home with a video and hand weights. (DH travels for business 2x month and generally works longer than me so about 1/3-1/2 of the time I'm covering both ends of the kids' days). I used to lapse when he traveled until I just decided it was non-negotiable and made it work--kids have to do a bit more on their own so I can leave for work early enough. My kids are now 13 and 16 and it's gotten easier with time--they each know they need to cook the family dinner once a week, do their own laundry, figure out carpools with friends if they want to do activities when I'm working etc. Maybe you're just in crunch period of life? But back to my point which is that dreaming about retiring at 60 when you are 43 really won't help you with the issues now--that's too long a wait--so do what you can to solve the sitting too long thing now.

She has a partner, presumably living with her from the language, so why not split child care duties with them? That’s part of the deal when you date single moms.

[Anonymous]

OP, I am you in almost 17 years - turning 60 in three months with 36 years of service this year. Capped GS-15. Easy answer is stay until, at least 62. You can't give up on that 10% bump. Also, if you retire at 60, you are walking away from COLA adjustments until you hit 62. And just because you don't get COLA for two years, your outyear pension will be that much lower. Don't get me wrong but how come you only have 100k after 22 years of service?