My husband says when the numbers are right, he will retire. Age has nothing to do with it. I am glad he didn't dump my non working ass.

Anonymous wrote:I retired from full time at 61 but have continued to work part time and I'm now 67. The part time work has helped cover a big percent of our overhead so we haven't had to yet tap into our retirement savings in a big way. With the stock market doing well our savings have grown. So far it's worked out very well but I'm getting ready to fully retire.

That is a good strategy. Too many people retire and then spend it worrying about running out of money.

I retired from full time at 61 but have continued to work part time and I'm now 67. The part time work has helped cover a big percent of our overhead so we haven't had to yet tap into our retirement savings in a big way. With the stock market doing well our savings have grown. So far it's worked out very well but I'm getting ready to fully retire.

I retired at 40 to become a SAHM. I am in my 50s now and the youngest of my 3 kids has only a few years of school left before she also leaves the nest. My schedule has been dictated by the schedule of my children. When they became more independent, I was able to volunteer at the school and follow my hobbies, while still following the school schedule.

When the last one leaves, I will not have their schedule dictating mine anymore, and I fear that my days will become very unstructured. I intend to go parttime so that I have some structure to my day. I don't expect to work full time though. My DH intends to keep working till 70. We have not seen people keep good health once they retire. There has to be a reason to get dressed in the morning.

I'm in medicine and will work until at least 65. However, in my experience most doctors do. I know many who still see patients a few days a week at age 80.
Endless free time sounds great until you have it.

I love what I do and want to do it until at least 65. Maybe cut back on the hours; however, there are still lots of good times ahead.

I'm over sixty and just working for health insurance. Would retire otherwise.

Anonymous wrote:I will work until I am 70 if I can. I see too many people who retire early, thinking they will live the high life and perhaps they do for a short time, but the only result I see is diminishing faculties at an astonishing rate. At first I thought it was an aberration and person-specific but now I see a noticeable trend in our set and I don't want that for me.

This. This. This! Maybe early retirement agrees with some people who can figure out how to manage their time and keep themselves engaged with the world but in the case of my ILs and my parents retiring was the beginning of the end. They did nothing to make new friends, travel, find new hobbies or rediscover old ones. Their senior years have been spent watching TV and waiting to die.

As long as you have flexibility in your position and want to be there, I think continuing to work keeps you young.

I will work until I am 70 if I can. I see too many people who retire early, thinking they will live the high life and perhaps they do for a short time, but the only result I see is diminishing faculties at an astonishing rate. At first I thought it was an aberration and person-specific but now I see a noticeable trend in our set and I don't want that for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:95% of the people I know who have retired were 65 or older. It should feel normal.

Same. The DCUM Group is unusually privileged.

In fact, working to 70 should feel normal soon. Our longevity and health is such that we shouldn’t retire so early. 65 was the life expectancy when it was established at the retirement age. I think second careers will become more normal in the upcoming years.

Anonymous wrote:95% of the people I know who have retired were 65 or older. It should feel normal.

Same. The DCUM Group is unusually privileged.

95% of the people I know who have retired were 65 or older. It should feel normal.

There are so many people who work for very different reasons. Some because they are in a fortunate circumstance, not because they are in an unfortunate circumstance. My Dad would have continued to work forever I think if allowed. My grandfather a small business owner worked into his 90's. He owned the business. They both liked working. I think they did. I can't be absolutely sure. That was the impression they gave. Maybe they also had to, I don't know. Their attitude was positive, that's what I remember and both were lucky in that - what they did, how they were employed allowed them to work. Many people don't really have that control.

I feel you. I went to good schools, worked hard, had kids later, and spouse has had unemployment for most of past 5 years. I probably have too much house, and will sell once kids complete high school. I will work until mid 60s. In my profession, hard to go much longer.

I feel ok, but sort of wish for lower cost of living and dumping the unemployed spouse.

Perhaps it is self selection, but you see people on DCUM talking about retiring at 55 or 60. I am nowhere near that at 60. Had children late, perhaps the house was too big, no pension, wife didn't bring in much money (major friction point). I would like to retire at 66 and hopefully teach college business courses as long as I can. In good health but sometimes reading about others makes me feel like a total loser who should have saved earlier, moved to a place with a better economy, etc. Especially with having a good education in a field with demand. Now I understand that a person should never compare because you have no idea what their lives are like, But if you are in the same boat, what are you thinking?