Anonymous wrote:I am a tech lawyer who works in house. Retiring at 63 by the end of this year.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP - and I am still following this thread carefully!

I'm in comms/writing and editing/fundraising these days - I hope if I ever need to hang a shingle I'll at least be able to bring in some money. I'm on staff now but have been freelance in the past. Don't know why I am feeling so anxious about this right now - but I am, and am really appreciating hearing from folks about your experiences.

Anonymous wrote:I’m 62 and in consulting. Oddly age has been an asset in my business, which is expertise/experience based. I’ve been doing this for a while though, and have been with my current company for almost 15 years. I plan to retire in the next 3-5 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I retired at 63.

I worked with colleagues of all ages. My close team of 10 were ages 35-64. We got along but I did feel that the younger people wanted our jobs (if I left it opened up a promotion, which one of them did get). I also had noted a few people who stayed too long (67 and 69 years old) who got bitter/assholish and daffy/absent-minded, respectively, along with a couple of other people who died a month or two after retirement. I didn't want to become these people.

I was happy with my job but started to feel like I was treading water at age 59. When I realized I didn't enjoy doing my favorite parts of the job and felt stressed out, I decided to go. I planned it for a year, not telling anyone. I gave my notice three months in advance. Having that plan made the last year much easier and gave me a third wind.

My house was paid off a year before I left, I had enough in retirement and decided it was okay to go. Thank goodness for that. I am happy with the decision. I thought I would work longer, but I didn't.

Oftentimes younger employees want their bosses' jobs, but for the wrong reasons. They look at such higher-level jobs as a "reward" for their hard work. Furthermore, many younger employees use the phrase "rest and vest" to describe older employees collecting lucrative stock options and RSUs who they perceive as not working as hard as them. Yet what such younger employees fail to see is the 20+ years of hard work it took to get there - the same work they're putting in now. Gen X felt this way about Baby Boomers who lived it up in the 1980s and wouldn't get out of the way in the early-2000s. This led to a compression and in some cases promotions skipped Gen X and were given directly to Gen Y, causing even more resentment.

While there is no magic age for retirement, it does seem like 60 years old is a common age for folks to hang it up. For those who want to keep working, companies need to determine whether they're still providing value. If not, then it's time to let them go (see above bolded).

Anonymous wrote:In some federal agencies, I saw people working at late 70s/early 80s.

Anonymous wrote:I'm in my mid 50s and work in the cybersecurity space. The technology is always evolving and it is hard to keep up. I'm just trying to make it to 60 and squeeze every dollar out of the company I can and then move into a part time role. Fortunately, I work in a specialty area that is always in demand and it is easy to find part time work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I retired at 63.

I worked with colleagues of all ages. My close team of 10 were ages 35-64. We got along but I did feel that the younger people wanted our jobs (if I left it opened up a promotion, which one of them did get). I also had noted a few people who stayed too long (67 and 69 years old) who got bitter/assholish and daffy/absent-minded, respectively, along with a couple of other people who died a month or two after retirement. I didn't want to become these people.

I was happy with my job but started to feel like I was treading water at age 59. When I realized I didn't enjoy doing my favorite parts of the job and felt stressed out, I decided to go. I planned it for a year, not telling anyone. I gave my notice three months in advance. Having that plan made the last year much easier and gave me a third wind.

My house was paid off a year before I left, I had enough in retirement and decided it was okay to go. Thank goodness for that. I am happy with the decision. I thought I would work longer, but I didn't.

Oftentimes younger employees want their bosses' jobs, but for the wrong reasons. They look at such higher-level jobs as a "reward" for their hard work. Furthermore, many younger employees use the phrase "rest and vest" to describe older employees collecting lucrative stock options and RSUs who they perceive as not working as hard as them. Yet what such younger employees fail to see is the 20+ years of hard work it took to get there - the same work they're putting in now. Gen X felt this way about Baby Boomers who lived it up in the 1980s and wouldn't get out of the way in the early-2000s. This led to a compression and in some cases promotions skipped Gen X and were given directly to Gen Y, causing even more resentment.

While there is no magic age for retirement, it does seem like 60 years old is a common age for folks to hang it up. For those who want to keep working, companies need to determine whether they're still providing value. If not, then it's time to let them go (see above bolded).

I am a Boomer and I am working. I plan on retiring in 2029 or 2030.

I have a job I like. A nice big office. It is pretty much 9-5ish. I can do remote one day a week, dress down and get 4-5 weeks vacation.

It is a good chance Gen Z gets my job.

If it actually was the 1980s I would be working 50-55 hours a week in a suit in person in an office full of smoke being pressured to go out drinking with the clients 2-3 nights a week. No way I last past 55.

Work life balance extended boomer shelf life

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I retired at 63.

I worked with colleagues of all ages. My close team of 10 were ages 35-64. We got along but I did feel that the younger people wanted our jobs (if I left it opened up a promotion, which one of them did get). I also had noted a few people who stayed too long (67 and 69 years old) who got bitter/assholish and daffy/absent-minded, respectively, along with a couple of other people who died a month or two after retirement. I didn't want to become these people.

I was happy with my job but started to feel like I was treading water at age 59. When I realized I didn't enjoy doing my favorite parts of the job and felt stressed out, I decided to go. I planned it for a year, not telling anyone. I gave my notice three months in advance. Having that plan made the last year much easier and gave me a third wind.

My house was paid off a year before I left, I had enough in retirement and decided it was okay to go. Thank goodness for that. I am happy with the decision. I thought I would work longer, but I didn't.

Oftentimes younger employees want their bosses' jobs, but for the wrong reasons. They look at such higher-level jobs as a "reward" for their hard work. Furthermore, many younger employees use the phrase "rest and vest" to describe older employees collecting lucrative stock options and RSUs who they perceive as not working as hard as them. Yet what such younger employees fail to see is the 20+ years of hard work it took to get there - the same work they're putting in now. Gen X felt this way about Baby Boomers who lived it up in the 1980s and wouldn't get out of the way in the early-2000s. This led to a compression and in some cases promotions skipped Gen X and were given directly to Gen Y, causing even more resentment.

While there is no magic age for retirement, it does seem like 60 years old is a common age for folks to hang it up. For those who want to keep working, companies need to determine whether they're still providing value. If not, then it's time to let them go (see above bolded).