What age did you retire ..did you retire early ..

I originally planned to continue working until late 60's or early 70s. I liked my job and enjoyed working (I worked in a juvenile facility and really liked working with the kids - and they considered me somewhat of a Goddess because I rode a motorcycle year round to work and back) ; however my employer decided not to allow those of us who had accumulated multiple weeks of vacation to use more than one week at a time from early spring to late autumn. At that time I was signing up for motorcycle and horseback riding tours worldwide and they often tended to last more than a week - which got me to thinking about a little earlier retirement.
The coup de grace to my working career came when I went to the SS office to discuss retirement and what I had to do. The person there talked me into retiring earlier. I did so on Nov 30 - just before my 66th birthday in December. I continued to work on call for a couple of years after that. I had a more than adequate pension which, combined with SS allowed me to live comfortably if not lavishly - LOL and financed my riding trips.
 

I retired at 70. After losing my wife when I was 67, I continued working since I had nothing better to do. Well, that all changed when I met my current wife.
I figured life is to short to keep working, so we started traveling while we still could. We just celebrated out 15th anniversary.
 

I retired at 54. I never had any intention of waiting for the traditional retirement age of 62 or more, and had been planning an early retirement for years so that I could insure I'd be in good health to maximize the enjoyment of retirement. As it turned out, I was diagnosed with kidney cancer during my last year of work. Doctors found it early enough to remove the kidney (renal carcinoma is not treatable by anything other than surgery), and I made a full recovery. It was a total fluke because they were scanning my gall bladder, when the tumor showed up. That year a fellow worker retired, then got cancer, and died that same year. Having dodged that bullet, I was even more convinced to enjoy the rest of my life without being inconvenienced by a job.
 
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I retired in 2015 a few months short of 60. My body and mind both wore out from a lifetime of hard work and long hours. I was done. I took the 2 pensions I was eligible for at the time and was able to survive the next 5 years alright. At 65 my income doubled and I'm saving more now than when I was working. I always wanted to retire as soon as I could afford it, my mother and father never lived long enough to enjoy retirement and I didn't want to fall in their footsteps. I still don't have a lot of energy and my body still aches but the absence of the stress of working is great. Spend my time playing with my computers, video game, reading, walking. I have a few friends in every age group I can enjoy so what more could I want.
 
Retired? I tried it for a year, got bored and went back to work. Besides, Social Security was never meant to be your only source of income. I keep working, it makes me feel younger while I'm working. Why stop working if you don't have to? I've seen so many people (mostly women) in the nursing homes where I worked, who just got totally crippled up with arthritis by not staying active.
 
1955 said:
I officially retired when I was 47 and moved from CA to the Ozarks back in 2002. Hmm, I guess everybody knows how old I am now. Anyway, I’ve never been bored and keep busy following my passions. I have an insatiable curiosity that just keeps me consumed...
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Kinda the same here. Took early retirement when I was 46, moved from California to Arkansas. This quote struck me to the core.... (y)


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1955 said:
Good to hear, I do miss the CA weather & ocean. My favorite pastime was trolling out on the ocean:

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Kindred spirit's here. The gulf was one of the few redeeming factors Florida had to offer. While we've had a twin engine cruiser, and a super fast outboard, we are currently without a boat as the 57 is taking up most of our time. That'll change later. :)
Wife always liked the speed of the outboard, while I preferred the slower pace of the cabin cruiser. Either way, it was hard to beat watching the sun set in the gulf and sleeping out by yourself.

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Trolling we would get albacore, yellow fin, dorado, skip jack & the occasional blue fin. Otherwise we fished for white sea base, calico bass, giant squid, sheep head, mackerel, halibut & rock cod. In my younger days we also dived for abalone.

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A pic of my buddy. We were out at the Channel Islands in our Whaler.

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We retired earlier than we expected to. DH was diagnosed with Parkinsons and worked 3 years before coming home one day to say, "I cannot do this any more." He was 61. He had been paying Long Term Disability Insurance out of his paycheck so he was able to get that income as he left work. We immediately moved to our dream location and the disability payment Co. applied for Federal Disability on his behalf - was granted in 4 months. So, with that income, his saved up vacation and unpaid leave time - we made an easy transition over 2-1/2 years. His small pension kicked in last year and we haven't had to activate any of our IRA's yet. We've not really had to skimp at all. We're down to one car but so far, it has not been a problem. Lovin' it in Maine!
 
I took about about a year off when my husband passed at 51. My boss, kept calling wanting me to come back. Wanted me to train new employees. I went back but part time, I had started to have the migraine problem then. Of course, some days turned into full days. I finally realized he wanted me full time but I could not do it.

I think I was about 55 I realized I just can't do this anymore, my health was suffering. Don't get me wrong, he was a great boss, very patient and understanding when my husband was going through cancer treatment. This was a small one owner company, not a corporation but he did everything he could for our family during our struggle. I am forever grateful for his kindness.
 
I "retired" at 63 due to my company cutting its staff because of Covid. They cut the oldest, most tenured and highest paid first. I spent 20 years at a job I sometimes loved and sometimes hated. The "hate" part was most prevalent at the end, so I was ready to go.

Fortunately I had socked away enough to be financially prepared. I am now 65 y/o. The first year was like "vacation", the second year was somewhere in between vacation and confusion. I'm going into my third year and searching for a new purpose in life. Whatever the situation, I no longer have the tremendous stress I had in my life while working. It was the best thing that could have happened.
 
seadoug said:
I "retired" at 63 due to my company cutting its staff because of Covid. They cut the oldest, most tenured and highest paid first. I spent 20 years at a job I sometimes loved and sometimes hated. The "hate" part was most prevalent at the end, so I was ready to go.

Fortunately I had socked away enough to be financially prepared. I am now 65 y/o. The first year was like "vacation", the second year was somewhere in between vacation and confusion. I'm going into my third year and searching for a new purpose in life. Whatever the situation, I no longer have the tremendous stress I had in my life while working. It was the best thing that could have happened.
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If you're retired, why are you still wearing a tie every day? ;)

Welcome to Senior Forums, @seadoug, happy to have you with us!
 

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