Anonymous
Post 01/19/2025 10:45     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
I went air force > college > work force. I have some VA disability coming through.

By the time I was 30, I had 500kish saved up between TSP and brokerage. I was able to “retire early” and be a SAHM/volunteer.


We weren’t born to create slide decks under fluorescent bulbs in a stacked concrete structure. There’s so much more to life than creating shareholder value.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2025 10:38     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:
Only 15% of people voluntarily retire

The other 85% are forced due to physical problems/ailments or are fired at an age where nobody will hire them for the same kind of job (and they have enough saved to have an OK retirement…but not the retirement they wanted).


This. I'm mid-50s and my parents were forced out when they were my age. It was a shock to them, and as a result I saved enough $ so that it wouldn't be a shock to me. On top of that, I'm friggin' tired. I've been working since I was 12. Honestly, I'd love to take a year or so off and then re-evaluate, but agism is real, and getting hired in your 50s-60s is rare.

I feel like I've got plenty to do - hobbies, kids, travel, 2 houses to take care of, old people to take care of, maybe future grandkids, etc.

Upside: I'm set to retire.
Downside: I have a scarcity mindset.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2025 09:28     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:I want to retire because my job as a college professor has changed massively from what it was when I entered the profession. It is almost entirely a different animal today. Admissions standards are lower, students are less prepared, everyone is only interested in the explicitly vocational aspects of my field and we spend much too much time combatting plagiarism. Our class sizes keep getting bigger and our service requirements are out of control because there are so few full time faculty. most of our administrative leaders are not academics and they don’t understand what we do. Every few years they bring in a new team of lame consultants who don’t understand academia and they come up with even more bizarre tasks for the faculty accompanied by new and wacky jargon. I am just not sure I can take another round. I am sixty. t


Retire! It's not worth the hassle. The bolded happens in private sector too and is so annoying.
Anonymous
Post 01/19/2025 08:22     Subject: Re:Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because Americans are becoming lazy and value leisure over industry.


Why are you here? We don't need you to insult us and simultaneously want to be us. Go (or stay) home. There's a reason we are the best country in the world and ta not because we are "lazy". If you are here already, leave! Go to a place where people work hard and get rewarded. China? North Korea?


+1

And all of those European countries that everyone on this forum think are perfect? They offer way more vacation and work/life balance. But they won’t let you immigrate there.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 22:03     Subject: Re:Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
To a PP’s point, I worked for an abusive boss so bad I would vomit at home from the stress.

The previous employee was training me, and I later learned she was leaving due tot he abuse.

I was yelled at by my boss for not using purple ink to write. It was crazy town.

Eventually, I quit and she threatened me. I made sure to leave the key with HR and get a receipt so I would not be accused of stealing.

Total nightmare.

I had an abusive mom, so my first several jobs were working for abusive people.

Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 18:15     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:Why would you want to keep working? Life is limited. I belong in a nice small town near a beach in Thailand running a laid back cafe.


Yikes ! This is giving me "dark web" vibes
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 18:12     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Americans don't want to retire early, corporations push them out. This country is full of sh**t. One one hand our stupid government tells up to work until 70, but good luck finding a corporation that will keep you post 59. Yes a lot of people
would love to work longer so can save more for retirement. But our corporations which have now reached an absurd level of power and influence dispose of us as soon as we reach a certain age when we supposedly become toml expensive to invest in.


Only 15% of people voluntarily retire

The other 85% are forced due to physical problems/ailments or are fired at an age where nobody will hire them for the same kind of job (and they have enough saved to have an OK retirement…but not the retirement they wanted).


Please provide a citation for these likely made up numbers.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 17:29     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Because we know we aren’t going to live as long as boomers or have as much financial security. Our lives are more stressful than the lives our parents led. All the indicators are there. If I’m going to die young I’d like to live first.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 16:04     Subject: Re:Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:Early retirement became my goal. I chose a range of disturbed and mentally ill managers. Eventually, I chose better by learning what to look for.

But I decided I do not want to work for toxic companies and toxic employees.



What do you look for
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 16:00     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:Americans don't want to retire early, corporations push them out. This country is full of sh**t. One one hand our stupid government tells up to work until 70, but good luck finding a corporation that will keep you post 59. Yes a lot of people
would love to work longer so can save more for retirement. But our corporations which have now reached an absurd level of power and influence dispose of us as soon as we reach a certain age when we supposedly become toml expensive to invest in.


Only 15% of people voluntarily retire

The other 85% are forced due to physical problems/ailments or are fired at an age where nobody will hire them for the same kind of job (and they have enough saved to have an OK retirement…but not the retirement they wanted).
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 15:43     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
I plan to do some part time or consulting but I really want to leave my 9-5. I want to be able to move to a warmer place in the winter- the arthritis is killing me with the snow/cold
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 15:37     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Anonymous wrote:Jobs today suck.

In my 30s I planned to work until I was 70.

But now I will be out at 65 with my Medicare.

16 months!


Woo hoo! I’m about to turn 57 and figuring out if I can make it another 8 years.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 15:33     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Jobs today suck.

In my 30s I planned to work until I was 70.

But now I will be out at 65 with my Medicare.

16 months!
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 15:30     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
My dad died at 67. His dad died at 50. I’d like to enjoy life and not work til I’m dead.
Anonymous
Post 01/18/2025 15:29     Subject: Why does it seem like everyone wants to retire early?
Good threads with very depressing answers about the state of our work life. And I feel like corporations hate workers more and more. They trick us into offering us high salaries but with abyssinal benefits.