did your parents retire yet?

[Anonymous]

So, I retired this year at 58, but I m working sporadically part time, and hubby is thinking maybe 2 more years, when he is 61 or 62. We both have pensions- his is better than mine, and I can get SS, but I won't pull it for a decade. We have a fairly generous savings, which we do not plan to use. House paid off.

We don't plan to sit around- we have lots of projects. Basically we feel that we are leaving one job for more interesting things to do- some of which may make $$or not. We don't care about careers, per se, happy to leave the daily grind.

[Anonymous]

My Dad was a dentist and retired at age 66 and helped out my brothers (four) who are dentists for another few years till around 70 when he was up in their area. He is almost 94 and my Mother is 93 They had a wonderful retirement going between a NE state and a Florida community until a year ago when she fell and needed a pin put in her second hip. We got them relocated to a beautiful tiered community in independent living.My Dad did volunteer work with Habitat for 20 years in FL and played golf 3/4 times a week. My Mother got into painting as an interest and did crafts until maybe five years ago when her short-term memory started to decline. All in all they have had and are continuing to enjoy retirement, though life in the 90s is naturally marked by decline. My Dad still drives, food shops and cooks breakfast/lunch. They are close to several siblings as we are out of state. We visited the area last week and both are doing very well for their ages.

My husband retired at age 66 as our youngest daughter has a disability and resides with us. I would say it was not the first year in retirement which was hard, but more the second when he really had to define what he wanted to be doing with all this "free time." As he noted, my routine in terms of household running and sort of organizing our daughter's work/recreational life did not change. Retirement I would say for us is a work in progress, but a lot better than six months ago for him. We are 67 and almost 69 and really do not see ourselves as "elderly". We have two daughters in DC area married,each with two young children and jobs. I worked part-time at times, but mostly did a lot of volunteer work in the area of disabilities. In our case, I am glad that my parents have the family support of other siblings because I always knew my focus would need to be on our daughter and lifestyle more than them. My husband still has an office at a university that he goes into - now working on projects he chooses and helping out in classes at times if a faculty member is away. Many peers are staying on into their early 70s still teaching at least part-time. I think for many keeping up a professional license to have options for part-time or volunteer work is a nice transition into retirement. For others finding a volunteer outlet that can utilize one's skills sets is also another positive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My Dad was a dentist and retired at age 66 and helped out my brothers (four) who are dentists for another few years till around 70 when he was up in their area. He is almost 94 and my Mother is 93 They had a wonderful retirement going between a NE state and a Florida community until a year ago when she fell and needed a pin put in her second hip. We got them relocated to a beautiful tiered community in independent living.My Dad did volunteer work with Habitat for 20 years in FL and played golf 3/4 times a week. My Mother got into painting as an interest and did crafts until maybe five years ago when her short-term memory started to decline. All in all they have had and are continuing to enjoy retirement, though life in the 90s is naturally marked by decline. My Dad still drives, food shops and cooks breakfast/lunch. They are close to several siblings as we are out of state. We visited the area last week and both are doing very well for their ages.

My husband retired at age 66 as our youngest daughter has a disability and resides with us. I would say it was not the first year in retirement which was hard, but more the second when he really had to define what he wanted to be doing with all this "free time." As he noted, my routine in terms of household running and sort of organizing our daughter's work/recreational life did not change. Retirement I would say for us is a work in progress, but a lot better than six months ago for him. We are 67 and almost 69 and really do not see ourselves as "elderly". We have two daughters in DC area married,each with two young children and jobs. I worked part-time at times, but mostly did a lot of volunteer work in the area of disabilities. In our case, I am glad that my parents have the family support of other siblings because I always knew my focus would need to be on our daughter and lifestyle more than them. My husband still has an office at a university that he goes into - now working on projects he chooses and helping out in classes at times if a faculty member is away. Many peers are staying on into their early 70s still teaching at least part-time. I think for many keeping up a professional license to have options for part-time or volunteer work is a nice transition into retirement. For others finding a volunteer outlet that can utilize one's skills sets is also another positive.

Your parents are really lucky people as they've managed quite well for very long,and even now. You are right,if one makes it to the 90s, that is great, but there is a sharp drop at this time. Sounds like they planned well.

[Anonymous]

My dad retired at 53 and my mom retired at 58. The both worked for blue chip companies and have pensions and health insurance. They are now 75 and 76 and travel internationally about half the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can the younger generation get a chance at jobs if people never retire? If they have the money to retire and don't because they're scared of being bored, that's very selfish.

Yes. That's the plan.

[Anonymous]

My parents amaze me - both still working at 75. My father "officially" retired 15 years ago but still has his office/lab/clients and works 1/2 time earning the same salary - mom is a solo doc still going strong. Crazy. But they are happy.

[Anonymous]

My father is 85 and still goes to work every day. Believe it or not he's a lawyer (trusts and estates) and loves it. I don't think he'd know what to do with himself if he retired. He's had two wives predecease him but he's still going strong. He does yoga and works out almost every day.

[Anonymous]

My parents are 65 and 64 and have not yet retired, but have nebulous plans to do so within "the next few years." They've saved and planned well and my mom is constantly bitching about how much she hates her job, so I wish she'd go ahead and reap the benefits of that careful planning and just quit, but I think the idea of not having a constant paycheck coming in is (understandably) anxiety-provoking to her. When the topic comes up, though, I put my plug in for retiring.

[Anonymous]

Yup. My dad retired at about 65, and my mom did at the same time. They love it-- they keep busy with hobbies and volunteering and friends, come to visit us and do other travel, and are so happy.

[Anonymous]

Mine retired at 63&68 and are now 74&79. They moved to live near my sister and are quite involved with her family, usually watching her boys at least one afternoon a week. They live in a golf course community and my dad plays with a couple teams. Mom mostly takes care of the house and reads a lot. They come visit us in DC 1-2x per year, same with my brother in Kansas and dad's family in Iowa. Plus the occasional group trip with a seniors group. Neither seems at all bored. They are generally in great health, although my mom has had a couple injuries from falls so I worry about that

DHs parents worked in their dry cleaning business until they were 71 and 80. Both were in poor health. MIL died less than a year after they sold the business and FIL about five years after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Neither is retired, and both are around 80. They are crazy about their work, though, and will likely never give it up.

Whoa..80??? what is this wonderful career? PLEASE tell us.......

My dad is a doctor, and my mom runs a small business. Both are self-employed. My dad (82) cut back some on the patients he sees, but my mom (80) has cut back not at all. I WISH I could find a career I love the way they love theirs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they retired 20 years ago. My mom passed away last year and my Dad is probably not going to last the next year. Dad retired at 65.

I cansee that as we go along, later retirements wil be the norm. The 65 age for retirement was set at a time when the expected age of death was near 65. Now it is close to 80. There is no reason wh it shouldnt be raised to 72 or 75- at least for pension and social security payments.

Here is the problem with your suggestion: do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a job in most professions if you are laid-off in your 50s' let alone your 60s'?

Quite apart from the lack of income, there is a need for health insurance which one has to pay for oneself and that can really add up? These suggestions of a later retirement age are all well and good if one has a job but it can be a nightmare if one does not have a job.

I retired in my late 40s' but I was lucky because although I got severed when the company where I worked was sold, I was in a senior executive position and got a very generous severance package - and I was making a lot of money when I was employed and was able to save a lot of money. But if I had to find a job in my fifties it would likely have been a real challenge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they retired 20 years ago. My mom passed away last year and my Dad is probably not going to last the next year. Dad retired at 65.

I cansee that as we go along, later retirements wil be the norm. The 65 age for retirement was set at a time when the expected age of death was near 65. Now it is close to 80. There is no reason wh it shouldnt be raised to 72 or 75- at least for pension and social security payments.

You don't know what you are talking about. Infant mortality used to be a lot higher so the "average" lifespan was a lot shorter. Life expectancy at retirement has not changed nearly as much as life expectancy overall, and people anticipated that life expectancy would increase in the future.

Alos there are plenty of other reasons why the retirement age shouldn't be raised-- maybe if you sit an office all day pushing paper you can keep doing that into your 70s but a lot of people have hard difficult jobs.

[Anonymous]

Dad retired at 67 great gov pension. He has learned to fill his day with hobbies and interests. He's an introvert and homebody but has gotten into the swing of socializing.

Mom retired a year later when she was 60. Good private industry pension. She hated being not busy and went back to anther job doing retail. Money isn't an issue so it works out.

5 years later, they are about to move to a new city out of a desire for change of pace and a more enjoyable quality of life. I have mild concerns about them finding a niche but have every reason to believe they will be happy. We will likely see them more because a few days of visit time adds up, whereas living 90 minutes apart in this area with busy schedules doesn't allow us to get together much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they retired 20 years ago. My mom passed away last year and my Dad is probably not going to last the next year. Dad retired at 65.

I cansee that as we go along, later retirements wil be the norm. The 65 age for retirement was set at a time when the expected age of death was near 65. Now it is close to 80. There is no reason wh it shouldnt be raised to 72 or 75- at least for pension and social security payments.

You don't know what you are talking about. Infant mortality used to be a lot higher so the "average" lifespan was a lot shorter. Life expectancy at retirement has not changed nearly as much as life expectancy overall, and people anticipated that life expectancy would increase in the future.

Alos there are plenty of other reasons why the retirement age shouldn't be raised-- maybe if you sit an office all day pushing paper you can keep doing that into your 70s but a lot of people have hard difficult jobs.

This is a good point. I see a lot of people facing bleak futures as they hit their fifties.