If you were to lose your job at age 55+, would you retire/dial back or look for another full-time position?

[Anonymous]

Retire.

[Anonymous]

I plan to retire at 55 but will probably try to find a volunteer or PT gig for something to do. I'm sure finances have a lot to do with if people retire then or not. I have a moderately high NW so it makes sense for me.

[Anonymous]

I would need to find work - full time. I envy those who have a choice, though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH is about that age, and if he loses his job, we are in a world of hurt because our lifestyle requires his income, which is entirely on him (the big house, his car lease, the club memberships were effectively unilateral decisions by him). Without his income, we would have to make drastic changes, including listing the house. On the other hand, if I lost my job, whatever. Without my income, we would have to cut back on household help, save less, and change how we travel. But these are all choices he made as the primary earner. All I can and have done is create an emergency fund to hold us over for about a year if it happens.

Note house values are dropping in DMV. Hard.

[Anonymous]

55 is tough for me because it would be just short of when I want to leave the workforce. If it happened at that exact age I’d probably just fully retire and hope for the best. That’s a long time to social security and Medicare though which is the scary part.

[Anonymous]

DH may be RIFed soonish from his federal contractor job. If so, he'll retire. Mortage is paid. I'll keep my WAH job as long as I can. I'm in a completely different industry and this will provide insurance and cashflow. Youngest is a senior in HS and college is funded.

[Anonymous]

My DH can retire at 62 or work till 67. He probably will continue working for a few more years.

[Anonymous]

I would look for another job but I also still have minor children.

My brother got cancer at age 62 just as he was getting ready to retire and died in less than a year. Which is to say life is short and if I had the means to retire early I would absolutely do so.

[Anonymous]

My kids would be completely out of college by then (in college now). So as long as I had the house paid off, I'd retire.

[Anonymous]

I lost my job at 52 - kids still in HS so I found another job at slightly less pay (but no travel and WFH). If it happens again, I’ll move to PT.

[Anonymous]

I’d like to continue working. Not only for the financial cushion but retirement is boring

[Anonymous]

I took an early out/VERA from my Federal agency earlier this year at 56. Had planned to work another 5 or 6 years, but wasn’t relishing working in a second Trump administration in an agency hit hard by RIFs, DRPs, and VERAs. Our finances are healthy, and I have no plans to look for other work. Still mourning over the senseless cuts and harm to hugely important programs, but I’m happy in my day to day life. Feels weirdly similar to COVID times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Note house values are dropping in DMV. Hard.

I bought my McLean house in 2008 for 1.3M. Even house values are dropping in DMV hard, it will not go back to 2008 level, right?

[Anonymous]

I would dial back or found a different part time job.
I'm not 55+, but my first job at the age of 18-30 was physically hard and mentally abusive that I knew I had to get out. Perhaps you have been lucky to enjoy your job and it's only now that leaving crossed your mind. Why not prepare starting now if you haven't and get out.
I got out at mid 40s. There are benefits that come with free time that most people can't even imagine. Even AI doesn't mention the main ones.

[Anonymous]

I’m 57. I’m a divorced mom of 2 , 20-something’s.

I’m retiring. I need to work until I’m 59 1/2 so I can get to my retirement.

I’m gonna work part time for the next three years.

My brother is 70 years old and he is already slowing down on being able to travel, etc. he spends a lot of time with grandchildren, which seems glorious.

Don’t like one very healthy decade of retirement.