Should I or shouldn't I ?? My retirement dilemma

O

old medic

Senior Member
Location
Western NC
My rant, chime in If you would like.
I have achieved the long awaited moment that I can retire with 100% pension, and not quite yet 56...
I have spent 32 years in an Ambulance, Love what I do, Hate what I've seen. Its rough on both the mind and body... Mind part I have a handle on, but I'm beginning to feels my age.
I rather not retire due to disability. even though that would provide me Insurance, One thing retirement wont provide me.
When I think of my other classmates... Only ONE other still on a truck, One just retired, 2 disabled and sadly 4 have passed away.
We have only 2 loans, Camper and Tractor, and enough in savings to pay that off.
Home place paid for, but house needs major restoration, or burnt and start over...LOL... And I have the tools and knowledge to do either.
The Wife has about 7 more years before she can even consider retirement.

Staying Pros....I have insurance provided.
About 1/3 more money, mostly going into 401K.
Longer time served and future raises will increase my pension. But money isn't everything
Cons ...Work schedule... Rotate days and nights, and weekends, so time at home for work and play.
Risk of injury I feel is increasing, More calls, Pt getting bigger, more traffic.. (yup.... been hit twice by folks looking at the wreck, jumped several other times.}
Might just loose my mind

Retiring Pros.... Basically More time, hopefully get back to normal circadian rhythm.... 30+ years of 12 hour jet lag and only sleeping about 4 hours at a time.
Get more done on the homestead, Possibly build a business, do a lot of side jobs now. Fish Hunt Hike Camp more.
Have camper will travel.... But long term cross country will have to wait till the wife retires.
Cons... Insurance is the biggest, I'm health and in good shape, but S*** Happens, Can get it though the wife's work the cheapest but still 25% my pension a month.
Will still actually have to work some, Can go back on the truck Part Time but limited amount of shifts. Max a year wont pay the insurance.

Other Options
Find another full time job with insurance...
Invest in my own Business... Got tractor and implements but expand and hire help...That type stuff is booming around here at the moment.

I'm going to work at least till 7-1-2020, Full 30 years since we switched to the county. (lost the previous years)
Thanks for listening....
 

Between your financial concern & knowing health wise as you point out "S*** Happens". Given your wifes time frame and concern for insurance cost, being smart enough to list pros & cons you probably know what the answer is.
 

I retired early. You know full well it's not simply 'pros/cons'. You have to do 'the numbers'. Wife and I tracked our expenses, quite literally to the penny, for two years on a spreadsheet. We then factored in (prorated) infrequent expenses, something that many potential retirees totally miss. That is, cost of car repairs/new car, house repairs (such as the $10,000 for a re-roof), travel (if so inclined), out-of-pocket medical, etc. Of course, we had to make educated guesses, and we were conservative.
Only you know what your numbers are and what you may want to do in retirement, and what it may cost you dollar-wise (always subject to change, of course).
 
retiredtraveler said:
I retired early. You know full well it's not simply 'pros/cons'. You have to do 'the numbers'. Wife and I tracked our expenses, quite literally to the penny, for two years on a spreadsheet. We then factored in (prorated) infrequent expenses, something that many potential retirees totally miss. That is, cost of car repairs/new car, house repairs (such as the $10,000 for a re-roof), travel (if so inclined), out-of-pocket medical, etc. Of course, we had to make educated guesses, and we were conservative.
Only you know what your numbers are and what you may want to do in retirement, and what it may cost you dollar-wise (always subject to change, of course).
Click to expand...

This is precisely what I did, too, for several years before retiring and I continue to track expenses. It works for me. I had certain criteria that I wanted to meet before retiring, the most important being that I had little or no debt. My pension is barely adequate so I continue to work on a part-time basis (telecommuting from home). I live modestly but comfortably and I don't regret for a nanosecond leaving my job. The stress negatively impacted my health and I wasn't willing to die for it.
 
OldMedic while I understand what you mean about the possible "hazards" of staying on the job, your assessment of "sh*t happens" is so true about life. It would most likely be financially devastating if you or your wife got a long illness and had no insurance. Private insurance is incredibly expensive these days. A single friend of mine pays $2,500 per quarter but she's got that sucky Blue Cross coverage. She just got on Medicare though so I don't know if she made a change. Anyway, I wouldn't advise going without health insurance. Even if you start your own business, you'd have to net enough to be able to afford coverage. Question...is your wife covered on her job? If so can she cover you for perhaps a cheaper rate? If so, perhaps it would be feasible to retire now. I retired at 50 but I lost 12% of my pension...no problem due to owning a co-op with incredibly low carrying charges and being a debt free wiz at money management. But another key factor was I had and still have great health insurance and prescription coverage.
 
Thanks for the input.. current plan is looking for a newer truck, and work at least till its paid off. Figure if im going to have to work at something, just stay were Im at.
 
My husband still works, he's 72, his employer has great insurance and he has a sickly wife (lol) so no choice. Last year the docs wanted me to stay in a nursing home for 2 months after my hospital stay. I stayed for 1 day it was 2000 dollars. Since we are double insured, private and Medicare, the two months cost us zero, as did the one day.

This is was the first time I had been hospitalized for illness. 100,000 dollars for a less than lovely two week stay which cost nothing as we had met our deductibles. You just have to keep the insurance. You must never know.
 
Aneeda72 said:
My husband still works, he's 72, his employer has great insurance and he has a sickly wife (lol) so no choice. Last year the docs wanted me to stay in a nursing home for 2 months after my hospital stay. I stayed for 1 day it was 2000 dollars. Since we are double insured, private and Medicare, the two months cost us zero, as did the one day.

This is was the first time I had been hospitalized for illness. 100,000 dollars for a less than lovely two week stay which cost nothing as we had met our deductibles. You just have to keep the insurance. You must never know.
Click to expand...

Could you describe what services were provide for you in that one day?
 
old medic said:
Thanks for the input.. current plan is looking for a newer truck, and work at least till its paid off. Figure if im going to have to work at something, just stay were Im at.
Click to expand...

FYI Ford is the most stolen truck in the country. My neighbor just had his stolen after I told him. I bought a Titan to avoid the theft.
 
Wanna know why???? there worth more for parts....LOL..
I have owned many Fords over the years, from $100 bomb to one brand new with 7 miles on it.... nothing but trouble out of all of them....
The only Ford that was worth having ... an 8N tractor after I rebuilt the engine.
 
Never go without insurance -- as others have said, you never know what is around the corner. With my luck, I'd be uninsured for one day and on that day I'd get diagnosed with diabetes or something else that would make me uninsurable until medicare kicked in.
 
old medic said:
Wanna know why???? there worth more for parts....LOL..
I have owned many Fords over the years, from $100 bomb to one brand new with 7 miles on it.... nothing but trouble out of all of them....
The only Ford that was worth having ... an 8N tractor after I rebuilt the engine.
Click to expand...
I have a 1945 2N that I have had for 21 years..Great little work horse!!
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RIGHTSIDE.jpg
 
Fmdog44,

I had to ride from the hospital to the nursing home in the nursing home van-so transportation. Got to nursing home, shown to my room-rooms were not shared. There was a single bed, but it was very high off the floor and I had a lot of pain getting in and out of it. It was not adjustable for up and down. Sofa, tv, and chair in room. Tv had cable.

I could only use the bed as the other furniture was too low and I couldn't get up from them. Then consults with nursing aide staff which warned me not to put my clothes in the closet as they would be stolen. Asked if I wanted them to do my laundry, nope husband would. The bathroom, in the room, did not work well so sponge bath for me, which I did myself.

The toilet paper rolls were too big for the holder so could not get the paper out. Husband brought me a roll from home. Food was not adjusted for medical needs. It was high in carbs so I had to go on two different types of insulin to eat their food. I spoke to their PT, OT, and nurse.

I got pills, I didn't get my nighttime oxygen. I spoke to PT, OT (who had my diagnosis wrong), and someone who wanted me to come and do puzzles. Lol. Never been able to do a puzzle in my life, oh, and did I want to color. There were no green spaces so I walked around the building and across the parking lot by myself. I saw their doctor to get signed out.

Services? None as far as I was concerned. For that my insurance paid 2000. Many of the other people there were sent by their doctors from hospitals and had no ideal, like me, why they had to be there. They accepted it, I did not.
 
I have been in many different nursing homes over the years, unbelievable the things I've seen in some. Just an expensive holding area for someone waiting to die. If I need rehab for something fine, but if it's ' long term care' my wishes are to be give a bottle of whiskey, fishing rod, and turned lose on the lake in a kayak wearing a flack jacket.
 
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First, YOU made a career out of ambulance work? Not sure what to think of that, because I was in EMS in the mid 70's, however, it wasn't called EMS back then. I done it for about three years, then had enough and quit. The hours really got to me, and, of course, all of the blood. After I left, went into manufacturing. Worked an 8-hour day shift, Monday thru Friday with every weekend off. Paid weekly as well. Actually retired in Purchasing and Inventory Management.

But, to this day, I have a full First Aid Kit at home, including a stethoscope. Also have First-Aid Kit, road flares and fire extinguisher in both vehicles and old boat.
 
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Yes Classic I did.... Grew up dedicated to the vol fire department, helping people, fell into the job and time slipped by. Had all kinds of other side jobs, ran my own shop on the side. Many times I about gave it up, but am proud of my service.
 
Still around and still researching for my permanent vacation... LOL
I have started an Anti-Retirement Plan... Borrowed from my 401K, 3 year payback, about 20% of my contribution is for the loan.
Half of it IMG_20190430_202003840.jpgbought our dream bike, the rest is going into the house restoration.
 
Gee, I was going to respond to your post, however, with so many others advising, I believe it’s best to just pass. You have enough thoughts to consider.
 
ClassicRockr said:
First, YOU made a career out of ambulance work? Not sure what to think of that, because I was in EMS in the mid 70's, however, it wasn't called EMS back then. I done it for about three years, then had enough and quit. The hours really got to me, and, of course, all of the blood. After I left, went into manufacturing. Worked an 8-hour day shift, Monday thru Friday with every weekend off. Paid weekly as well. Actually retired in Purchasing and Inventory Management.

But, to this day, I have a full First Aid Kit at home, including a stethoscope. Also have First-Aid Kit, road flares and fire extinguisher in both vehicles and old boat.
Click to expand...

You should carry an AED with you in your vehicle and then store it the house while you are at home. I am sure that you have experience with one and you would be a real asset if you were out and about and someone needed a “jump start.”

I have one and carry it with me when I go out. I have never had to use it and that has been a good thing. I had one in my cruiser when I was working, so I got hooked with carrying one.

I have been recommending to all first responders to purchase one and carry it with them. If all of us (both present and past first responders) get behind this initiative, we can help make this world a safer place while outside the home, anyway.

I know that the cost is an issue. I paid around $1800.00 (it’s not top of the line) for mine, 2 years ago. Granted, it’s a lot of money to lay out, but if I ever have the opportunity and save just 1 life (or mine) it would have been well worth the money.
 
My choice below. When having to make a difficult choice, I always go for the middle, compromising one, this way I'm neither 100% wrong or right

"Find another full time job with insurance...
Invest in my own Business... Got tractor and implements but expand and hire help...That type stuff is booming around here at the moment. "

But this is an old thread, have you made up your mind during these 9 months?
 
LOL.... Not really Ms Cat.... I have another job wanting me, actually ask if i would consider taking a supervisor position. Insurance, match 401K to 8%
but about 25% pay cut, and commute is about 5X more... Im going to try them part time just to get a feel for it.
Business... doubtful i'll go that route... I'm afraid that work will dry up with economy swings...But still make a little here and there.
 

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