Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 12:56     Subject: Re:Anyone retire a little early?
My dad retired from full time at around 62 but wanted to, for five years, make enough money part time to cover their overhead. When my mother, who paid all the bills, told him what it was he said he needed to go back to work full time! He didn’t but he worked part time until age 70 but he had plenty of time to enjoy retirement. They have a very high net worth and he didn’t need to work at all but he’s very goal oriented and needed a plan to keep from getting bored.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2025 11:10     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Retired at 55. NW 8.1M
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 13:13     Subject: Re:Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:I took a break at 40 to be a SAHM. My DH declared it "Early retirement". I guess that's what it is. I am 60 now. Happily married. Happy family life.


So nice
Anonymous
Post 08/24/2025 13:10     Subject: Re:Anyone retire a little early?
I took a break at 40 to be a SAHM. My DH declared it "Early retirement". I guess that's what it is. I am 60 now. Happily married. Happy family life.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 16:32     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.


Similar situation with my Dad. One thing helped is that him and Mom hadn’t travelled a lot so got to do that. We have travelled extensively with our children and are able to do that with the leave we get from our jobs. My takeaway from the discussions here is that people that REALLY hate their jobs want to retire desperately and can’t understand people that really enjoy theirs. To the extent, they think they are crazy to want to keep working.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 12:32     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.


My takeaway is he worked hard and deserved his retirement. He can do whatever he wants to make himself happy. He earned it.


Very true. However, most people need "something to do" when they retire. It can be extensively traveling. It can be volunteering, it can be hobbies. But you cannot just sit at home all day---you need "something to do".

Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 06:56     Subject: Re:Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:I'm not retired yet but wonder if I could in about 5 years. I'm 49 now and have $960K in 401K, $195K in brokerage account. My SSN would be about $1500 a month if I work 5 more years. I also will have a small pension ( about $1000 a month). My spouse already receives SSN and pension in the amount of $3000 a month ( healthcare insurance is deducted from his government workplace). Our child will be heading to college in a few years and we have 4 semesters prepaid in 529. I wonder if I can retire in 5 years. We have no debt, house is paid off. We are pretty frugal. I'm so jealous of all retired people who have time and money and can travel anywhere they want. Can I retire too?

You can, but try to get your money into Roth IRA going forward. Also, keep working part time to make the $8k so you can contribute to Roth. Then go and travel several months.
The pension, the SS, and the 401k will be taxed possibly more than necessary. Read the book Power of Zero and see it you can do something about it before RMD.
401k is taxed as ordinary income which is much higher than your brokerage account.
Anonymous
Post 08/23/2025 05:45     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for clearing that up because no one had any idea what was meant in the original post. 🙄

Do you even recognize how useless your correction was? Who cares if autocorrected to something else on a casual forum.

You’re still pedantic.



Not the PP but thanks to them for correcting so o didn’t have to. It’s actually helpful to know what dummies are on this site lest we take their advice.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 17:56     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.


So your dad isn’t smart. Doesn’t mean the rest of us aren’t.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 17:39     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.


My takeaway is he worked hard and deserved his retirement. He can do whatever he wants to make himself happy. He earned it.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 17:24     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.


That’s on your dad. His choice to laze his retirement away. I have a list of hobbies I want to try that’s a mile long. I don’t think I’ll be bored for a very, very long time. And by then I probably won’t be capable of enjoying some of the things I want to do.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 17:16     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.


That is on you, the retiree to figure out. It shouldnt' be that difficult to "find something to do"---many many places need volunteers, most ES love the grandparent types coming to read/assist in the classroom several days per week if you cannot figure out anything else
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 15:51     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
My dad retired my dad retired at 60 - full pension NW around 5M. He waited till 70 to take SS. Worse decision I have ever seen up close. He has wasted the last 15 years watching tv and getting into fights with his brothers. Most of his friends didn’t retire until a few years ago. He says it was like getting to the playground hours before any one else shows up.

My takeaway- you need to work until you definitely have something better to do.
Anonymous
Post 08/22/2025 15:30     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:40
Worked and saved every cent before that.


What do you do with the next 40-50 years?


we retired in our mid 50s. Last kid almost out of college (college funded). we plan to travel extensively for the next 5-10 years and then just enjoy life
We have hobbies and activities to do, friends to hang out with and just relaxing after years of 8-8 stress it's nice
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 16:17     Subject: Anyone retire a little early?
Anonymous wrote:40
Worked and saved every cent before that.


What do you do with the next 40-50 years?