I've seen the grandparents get so f-ing self-involved, nasty, and bitter after they retired. I don't want to turn into that person. It sounds like it would be paradise to do nothing but exactly what you want to do all day, but it's a generally miserable life when all you do is think about yourself.

Anonymous wrote:47. I consider myself semi-retired, but I do not tell anyone this.

If you still work you aren’t retired.

Anonymous wrote:Female, age 34. I'll probably switch to part time around 45.

That doesn’t answer the question. Part time is still working.

Anonymous wrote:I would stop working right now if I could.

Only if we could

I’m 48. I plan to work 20 more years. I WOH and we have one more minor child at home. I have to work 15 more years to get my measly pension.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Logically, how can someone work 40 years, have kids, own a house, and save enough to retire and live another 30 years? You never know what other challenges are down the road, including children's needs.

They can’t. They are bragging.

If course you can. If I work 40 years, I'll be 65. I am 47 now, and have a net worth of around $2m. That's likely to triple in the next 15 years, based on appreciation, savings and earnings (both active and passive). That'll be more than enough to retire at 62.

I am by no means an anomaly in DC and its suburbs.

Very similar net worth at 45. Actually, I think it makes early retirement at 55 possible.

46 female and hoping to have the option at 55. My husband thinks I’m not the type to stay at home and would get bored, but I don’t think so. Right now we’re making good money, but I’m not assuming it will last especially into our late 50s. I don’t see many people in my office who look like they are in their 60s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 48 year female. I have a flexible job that I love. I can take time off when I want and only work as many days as I want. I don't see any need to plan for retirement. I plan to do this as long as I am enjoying it. Won't likely need the money after 55 or so.

What is your job?

Call girl.

Anonymous wrote:66 and a half...and I am counting the seconds (is that how ALL Federal employees fell??)

This one does!!

I am 49 (turning 50 in February) and have 24.5 years in.

However, 66.5 for me would be 41 years of work with Feds. No way I am giving the Feds 41 years of my life. I really want to be out st 62.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 65 and my goal is never to retire. I run a consulting firm and my intent is to position it to sell in the next five years and after that I will consult with similar firms who want to be acquired. I want to be engaged in business and be challenged every day.

I have a number of friends who are five to ten years older than me who retired at 60, 55, and earlier. Those with a substantive hobby or other interests have done well. Those without any real interests have drifted along.

My two cents, YMMV......

This. My father retired early at 60 in 2000. Stopped running with the world and at first it seemed great. But he's lived a lot longer than he thought - I always thought he would live longer - and he struggles now. It has been a visceral lesson in not punching out too early.

I agree with this. People decline pretty fast when they are older and don’t have a sense of purpose. I’m a researcher and intend to work at least until I’m 70, hopefully 75. I make my own hours and love learning so it’s not going to be a big burden.

66 and a half...and I am counting the seconds (is that how ALL Federal employees fell??)

Anonymous[b wrote:]62 years old max. 60 possibly.[/b]

I will have 37 years as a Fed employee when I turn 62. I started with Feds at 25.

I worked full-time in a lab while attending grad school age 22-24.

In HS/college- I had random jobs—summer camps, waitressing, retail.

I babysat a ton in late elementary-MS.

This. My parents absolutely thrived in retirement. They traveled a ton, hit all the new restaurants, spent time with their grandchildren. They kept in touch with former work colleagues. They stayed close with old neighbors, childhood and college friends. My mom volunteered one day a week, was in book clubs. They worked out at Gold's, took long walks.

My mom has said that it was some of the happiest times in her life. My dad passed away unexpectedly from cancer at 76. I do remember him saying when he retired at 62 that he saw too many co-workers over the years get sick/die before ever getting to experience retirement. He planned to get out and I'm so happy he had a good 12-13 year run before cancer.

I can't wait to retire. I am not somebody that has no capacity to figure out what to do with my free time. I think one of the keys for my parents was staying in this area. They had a network of friends and family was close. I have read that aging in a multi-generational area is good for the brain and the psyche and many people do better than going to old-folk communities.

Anonymous wrote:I plan on working on a consulting basis at some level until I can't any longer, seventy now, could well afford to retire but,
watched my parents shrivel up an die once they retired at 65. Seriously their cognitive decline was rapid and they became shadows of themselves. I truly enjoy my work and my work relationships, can't imagine not having that as part of my life. I travel plenty and have lots of hobbies, just can't imagine losing that work component of my life.

Interesting, what kind of work do you do?

Anonymous wrote:I'm 48 year female. I have a flexible job that I love. I can take time off when I want and only work as many days as I want. I don't see any need to plan for retirement. I plan to do this as long as I am enjoying it. Won't likely need the money after 55 or so.

What is your job?

Anonymous wrote:I'm 48 year female. I have a flexible job that I love. I can take time off when I want and only work as many days as I want. I don't see any need to plan for retirement. I plan to do this as long as I am enjoying it. Won't likely need the money after 55 or so.

Are you single? If yes, you are a hot property!