When is it time?

[riverrat958]

retired at 48 (25years@1/2 pay)medical is paid - house/5er/truck almost paid - reason I retired of course is 1/2 pay(pays all the bills with some left over) but could not stand going into prison another day.(correction officer) I've had 4 jobs since I've left, not great pay but still putting away.Biggest advantage is I enjoy what I am doing,seeing and socializing new and old friends. its been almost 10 years- spent time with my dad and children and have a better outlook on life. dont regret a minute of it

[johnruff]

It will be up to you and how you deal with it. I have retired twice and have one more time to go. Even when I retired, I ended up working full time and volunteering with kids - even got certified to substitute teach(something I had never done) and did that. I just happen to enjoy working, people and change. I will be 68 this year and plan to retire a third time. Used my RV (different ones) for work the past 18 years - IT Consulting. My DW finally has said - enough - and we are going to start going places other than where I work. I think I am ready

[edt]

I retired at 49 23 years ago if I run out of money i will worry about when it happens . You can't save enough to live long in a nursing home

[SkipnTerri]

Originally Posted by edt

I retired at 49 23 years ago if I run out of money i will worry about when it happens . You can't save enough to live long in a nursing home

And who would want to live in a nursing home???

[pwrstroke2012]

I plan on retiring in 2017 at age of 56, that will give me 36 yrs as a career firefighter. I still like the job, hurts a little more than it used to, but I still like it. I just didn't want to be like a lot of FF's and go too late and only enjoy 4 or 5 yrs of retirement before their health went bad or passed away. I plan on doing something else, just not with lights and sirens. My father was a LEO, when he decided to retire I asked him why are you retiring? You have it made, everything is going good with you. He said "that is why I am retiring, everything is good".

[mike.t]

When i read "if you can afford an Aviator" got me interested. Did some Google ing and it looks nice but seems inexpensive. Am i missing something?
Thanks
Mike

Oh. I retired at 65 cause i hated Mondays. Probably should have worked a few more years.

[lesteradams6060]

Plan on telling the Board of Directors tomorrow that I am retiring. I am 65, wife is also 65. She has been retired for 10 years. Hope we have enough saved with SS and pensions. No bills at this time but looking at new TV and 5th.

[CaptnJohn]

I retired at 55 ~~ that was 13 years ago. Moved to the Carolina coast. Now I'm sitting in my RV in Fl. What are you waiting for

[Blackhat6mike]

If you run out of money, you can always go back to work. If you run out of time.......well....
After 3 rotator cuff surgeries, two forearm surgeries and lossing my flight physical to COPD after 32 years of flying, I figured it was time. Having my daughter finally get her MBA, that was the last holdback. I also have several real estate properties that feed us. Wife will NOT let go as she has her own HOA management company that has grown exponentially over the last 5 years. She is FINALLY talking about selling out. I'll believe it when I see it!
When I first retired and bought the TT [Aviator], the DW asked what I would do if she couldn't go? I told her I would write...often.... Yep, she still talks to me and, yes I do write.

[CaptnJohn]

Work is for people that do not know how to fish,,,

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by mike.t

When i read "if you can afford an Aviator" got me interested. Did some Google ing and it looks nice but seems inexpensive. Am i missing something?

The Aviator was touted (at least by some) as a competitor to Airstream.

So they aren't exactly what most of us would consider "entry-level."

I assume they were viewed as over-priced by most, as they weren't made very long.

Others may have better insights than I.

[KenHwy61]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

The Aviator was touted (at least by some) as a competitor to Airstream.

So they aren't exactly what most of us would consider "entry-level."

I assume they were viewed as over-priced by most, as they weren't made very long.

Others may have better insights than I.

Great posts by everyone! Very interesting to read about the different ways and reasons people retire. I hope to see many more.

The Aviator story is FR wanted to compete with the Airstream so they built a rot-proof trailer made of aluminum, fiberglass and composites. They also have a slideout and giant panoramic front windows. Like the Airstreams, they were expensive, listing for 90K. They did not sell well I think due to FR underestimating Airstream brand loyalty, the high price during a recession, and people not really understanding how unique a rot-proof trailer really is. Most sold new for between 40-65K and since only 70 were ever built the few used have held their value quite well mostly selling in the 40K range.

[NoviBill]

KenHwy61, Thank you for starting this! All great advice.

I am 56 and thinking 3 more years to retirement (when I can get healthcare till 65).
I would like to work 1/2 time from 59- 65 to cover most of my bills and let the 401k grow. I do software for the automotive controls and can find part time work.

Is anyone else working 1/2 time? If so what advice do you have?

Random thoughts on my retirement :

• I love my job, but I love travel more
• My DW is type 1 diabetic, great healthcare is a must
• I want to travel while our health is good
• If I bike across country (pedal) how do I talk the DW into following me in the MH?

[mike.t]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

The Aviator was touted (at least by some) as a competitor to Airstream.

So they aren't exactly what most of us would consider "entry-level."

I assume they were viewed as over-priced by most, as they weren't made very long.

Others may have better insights than I.

After doing a little more research boy was i wrong on inexpensive. ( hurt me to spend 20k on my TT)I'll shut up now.

[Wayne Joan]

I retired at 57 been retired for 18 years, will turn 75 in March. I have said many times that "retirement is the best job I ever had". I do what I want to, when I want to, and for as long as I want to. I have a defined pension, SS, and some annuties. Health care is medicare and great health care insurance (negotiated by my union) that pays everything thas medicare doesn't. My advise would be to get out as soon as you can and enjoy the rest of your life.

[mlatter]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

I retired at 55 ~~ that was 13 years ago. Moved to the Carolina coast. Now I'm sitting in my RV in Fl. What are you waiting for

Best... Post... Ever!!!

[ColoradoRick]

Wow, amazing posts by everyone!

I'm 53 and retired from the Air Force just under 12-years ago but my pension is hardly enough to live off so have been working in the defense contractor arena since I retired. (While my healthcare isn't free, we still are allowed to go to the doctors at the AF Academy and all of our prescriptions are filled by the base and this is a huge blessing as I have folks at work now paying $800 a month for healthcare.)

To retire, retire, we plan on having zero debt and as much in our investments as possible. We don't plan on having SS available since our government is about as bad as a teenager managing money, so all of our planning doesn't include any SS estimate....but if we do get something, wonderful! (A huge government ponzi scheme, but don't get me started!)

So we really don't know when I will retire....may be at 60 or it may be at 70. I currently love my job and my company and they keep giving me very generous yearly pay raises and even a bonus check yearly since we're a private, small-business, company and the CEO shares the profits with her managers.

I have learned a lot from my dear neighbor who recently turned 70. He is retired from the Navy and also retired from being a master electrician. He had a hard time adjusting to retirement so about five years ago was told by his wife to go find something to do so has been working part-time at the golf course at the Air Force Academy doing various things and finally has settled into working in the little booth where the golfers are scheduled and just ensures the next group up starts on time. (And, of course, he also gets to golf for free anytime he wants.) His wife is a retired school teacher so they are not wealthy but are comfortable...which is our goal!!

[CNYCamper]

I'm 65 and retired at 55 with a golden parachute after 35 years as a commercial broker and client manager. Worked as a broker for another 3 years at a small firm and even sold RV's for a year and a half (wanted to see what it was like to work on pure commission - answer, not easy). I honestly miss none of it - not even a little bit. I don't understand people who get bored, not with the sites to see in the U.S., great books to be read, loved ones to visit with. My job was always just my job, never my life.
Coming from the private sector, healthcare cost was a biggie until I hit 65 and we have one more year for DW. I was not debt free at retirement and we still make payments; but none are crushing. If we had waited until we were "set" prior to starting a family, we never would have had children. DW and I love to camp and have been doing so for over 40 years and it is not a financial burden - at least the way we like to camp.
Best piece of advise I received is that this life is not a dress rehearsal. Wait too long and it can all be snatched away. My good friend still owns his '57 Chevy from high school. It's been on blocks awaiting restoration for the 35 years I've known him - was always going to "next year". Next year never came.

[Pipeman]

I just wanted to add some advice for those young people who can't wait to retire. Don't be in such a hurry because before you know it you'll be that much older, maybe not in great health and look like the rest of us more experienced people, not as you are today.

[BKBuilds]

Originally Posted by getsum

I'm 35 and have 17 years in the military. I've moved up rapidly and am set to "retire" in 3 years with my undergrad and my MBA paid for by the military. Also my Post-9/11 GI Bill has been transferred fully to my only son making his college and monthly stipend paid for. My wife even took a handful of classes until she maxed out her benefit and could take no more.

My background is in Nuclear power, sales/recruiting, engineering, aviation, safety, electrical, security, and obviously an MBA.

I plan on starting my second career at 39 years old and only giving them 20 years max.

My military pension provides my healthcare and a COLA ~$40k a year.

I hope to be set like others in this thread have shown how to do when I get there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Go into Civilian Federal service and get the 20 year pension... Double Dip.

Thank you for your service.