Should I stop daydreaming about retiring at 55?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congratulations on being responsible !

I just retired (older than your plan). I can advise you that retiring younger would have made traveling much more appealing (ie, it is difficult now, and I am more fearful of off-the-beat destinations).

I will say , however, that there is a lot of empty time on my plate now. So put thought into how you will want to fill that time.

maybe explore different careers /hobbles / volunteer jobs that you could do part time, intermixed with lots of travel.

How old were you when you retired?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Here’s a fun fact men live 3-7 years post retirement regardless of year retired.

My two uncle ms retired by 55/56 dead by 62. My uncle who worked to to 83/85 one died last week at 88 the other still alive

I'd rather die than still be working in my 80's.

[Anonymous]

Retire when you have enough money to no longer worry about money. The retirement calculators are good at telling you what you need to maintain your standard of living but they are not good at what is the real cost of peace of mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have another kid that will cure you.

Look I had my last one at 45 and wife 43. I have an amazing job I love, doing college tours now youngest kid. Looking forward to senior year next year, my middle kid just moved home after graduating college for a year or two, got a new puppy.

If I just has the oldest kid who moved out already and retired at 55 I might as well shoot myself in head I be so bored. Unemployed wirg no kids at 55 is sad.

May sound like a dream it is not.

Here’s a fun fact men live 3-7 years post retirement regardless of year retired.

My two uncle ms retired by 55/56 dead by 62. My uncle who worked to to 83/85 one died last week at 88 the other still alive

I can think of tons of men I know for whom this wasn’t true. The only people I know who don’t want to retire early are those who want to spend too much money now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have another kid that will cure you.

Look I had my last one at 45 and wife 43. I have an amazing job I love, doing college tours now youngest kid. Looking forward to senior year next year, my middle kid just moved home after graduating college for a year or two, got a new puppy.

If I just has the oldest kid who moved out already and retired at 55 I might as well shoot myself in head I be so bored. Unemployed wirg no kids at 55 is sad.

May sound like a dream it is not.

Here’s a fun fact men live 3-7 years post retirement regardless of year retired.

My two uncle ms retired by 55/56 dead by 62. My uncle who worked to to 83/85 one died last week at 88 the other still alive

There are studies to the contrary as well. Also, retirement age is 58-60 in a lot of countries (e.g. India) and many people live well into their 80s after retirement.

[Anonymous]

Be careful what you wish for. I retired at 55 per plan but now at 58, wish I had not. $$ is not the reason. There is not much to do after the first 6 month post retirement. Im still at my mental and physical peak to sit around planning the next vacation. Now I get why the most successful never retire or keep working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be careful what you wish for. I retired at 55 per plan but now at 58, wish I had not. $$ is not the reason. There is not much to do after the first 6 month post retirement. Im still at my mental and physical peak to sit around planning the next vacation. Now I get why the most successful never retire or keep working.

Fair. Appreciate this perspective (and other PPs that shared similar thoughts). And I'm guessing it's not as easy as just getting another job in your late 50s.

[Anonymous]

one possibility, OP is that you're burned out. Maybe you retire from current career at 55, and then take time off and do something else for a while.

As for the money, you should be fine, but you also have 15 years to prepare and make plans. you should do a retirement check in every year or so to see where you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Here’s a fun fact men live 3-7 years post retirement regardless of year retired.

My two uncle ms retired by 55/56 dead by 62. My uncle who worked to to 83/85 one died last week at 88 the other still alive

I'd rather die than still be working in my 80's.

Same! Ha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:one possibility, OP is that you're burned out. Maybe you retire from current career at 55, and then take time off and do something else for a while.

As for the money, you should be fine, but you also have 15 years to prepare and make plans. you should do a retirement check in every year or so to see where you are.

True. I feel stuck here right now as don't see possibility of matching compensation/benefits elsewhere. Last.12 months have been rough and we are a little understaffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be careful what you wish for. I retired at 55 per plan but now at 58, wish I had not. $$ is not the reason. There is not much to do after the first 6 month post retirement. Im still at my mental and physical peak to sit around planning the next vacation. Now I get why the most successful never retire or keep working.

I never get this mindset. Like, how small-minded are you? There is no artistic endeavor that has ever interested you? No political movement that has ever motivated you? No books that you would like to read? No religious/spiritual efforts that could add meaning to your life? No relationships that could be strengthened with some time invested? No athletic or other endeavors that might improve your health?

You have just…no purpose without a paper-pushing W-2 job from which you can easily be replaced?

[Anonymous]

Very doable with have good income, high saving rate, only 1 kid, small mortgage.
I am also planning to retire at 55 in 3 years, when our youngest graduates HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be careful what you wish for. I retired at 55 per plan but now at 58, wish I had not. $$ is not the reason. There is not much to do after the first 6 month post retirement. Im still at my mental and physical peak to sit around planning the next vacation. Now I get why the most successful never retire or keep working.

I never get this mindset. Like, how small-minded are you? There is no artistic endeavor that has ever interested you? No political movement that has ever motivated you? No books that you would like to read? No religious/spiritual efforts that could add meaning to your life? No relationships that could be strengthened with some time invested? No athletic or other endeavors that might improve your health?

You have just…no purpose without a paper-pushing W-2 job from which you can easily be replaced?

Wow. Lots of people struggle with this.

Btw posting on DCUM does not constitute participation in a political movement, reading a book, a religious or spiritual effort, strengthening relationship nor is it an athletic or other endeavour to improve your health so get off your high horse. Damn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be careful what you wish for. I retired at 55 per plan but now at 58, wish I had not. $$ is not the reason. There is not much to do after the first 6 month post retirement. Im still at my mental and physical peak to sit around planning the next vacation. Now I get why the most successful never retire or keep working.

I never get this mindset. Like, how small-minded are you? There is no artistic endeavor that has ever interested you? No political movement that has ever motivated you? No books that you would like to read? No religious/spiritual efforts that could add meaning to your life? No relationships that could be strengthened with some time invested? No athletic or other endeavors that might improve your health?

You have just…no purpose without a paper-pushing W-2 job from which you can easily be replaced?

+100..It boggles the mind that some people has no interests outside of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Daydreaming is free. 55 is far enough out- go ahead dream away. You might end up wanting to stay until your DC graduates from college (an extra year or two). Or you may not. It is also a long enough time to see how your investments do and see if you need to make any adjustments.

In the mean time, I would look around where you work to see if there is another job you might like better that is not as soul sucking. Is there a skill you could get that would give you a different job that would be more interesting? Changing up your job -even slightly helps. Is there a different department?

It's complicated. It has to do with senior leadership being terrible, especially to women. My awesome boss mostly deals with them but it can be demoralizing.

Heh, wondering if I wrote this in my sleep. My stats, timelines and conditions are similar.

I’m holding out for reaching the retiree health insurance threshold to see how things look. I think there will be something extraordinarily freeing about making it there and knowing I can walk away any time.

And perhaps the conditions will improve by the time I get to that point. A lot can change in 15 years.