Thanks for that discussion. It helps me understand another person’s perspective about one of the most important things in our lives: how long to keep working and why.

My question, though, was more narrow: Why do people believe it’s significant that someone dies shortly after retiring? Do they believe that there’s something about working that staves off some deadly force that can only take effect once someone is no longer getting up at a regular time, commuting, and working for X number of hours a week?

Yes, I’m being a little facetious because I doubt that anyone actually believes that, but if not, what is the significance of someone’s dying a month after they retire? Have they actually given their observations and comments about such events any thought?

And to hopefully clarify my position about retiring—and anything else in life, for that matter: Do what’s best for you.

For me it’s primarily one that has nothing to do with my (part time) job. There are things I’d like to do that my personal situation makes impossible, working or not, and therefore I don’t even think about quitting because that would only give me more time to think about what else I’d like to be doing.

quote:

Originally posted by 1lowlife:

My 88-year-old father has his will stashed in a safe deposit box

Bad idea. Banks typically will not allow access to a safe deposit box when the owner dies. Or even if one person dies and there is another on the approved access list.

Then the only way to get access is to get a judge's court order, which will cost time and money to accomplish. The order will typically specify access is solely to retrieve the will, and requires the presence of a local police officer.

Note, too, that a photocopy is not acceptable to the court. Only the original hand-signed copy is valid for filing with the court. So if he gave a copy to the executor it wouldn't do any good.

If secrecy is his goal, he could have a lawyer hold onto it. I do have a serious reservation with that, as my father's will was kept in a lawyer's safe, but then that lawyer died, and eventually that practice was merged with another, and the will was lost somewhere along the way. All we had was the photocopy.

The best way imho is to secure it in a fireproof safe in his home or the executor's home, where someone will have access once he passes. If he lives alone and then should die unattended, the police might well seal his home which results in the same judge's order scenario as a bank safe deposit box.

Jmho, the executor should read and discuss a will with the person in order to fully understand his intentions.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Thanks for that discussion. It helps me understand another person’s perspective about one of the most important things in our lives: how long to keep working and why.

My question, though, was more narrow: Why do people believe it’s significant that someone dies shortly after retiring? Do they believe that there’s something about working that staves off some deadly force that can only take effect once someone is no longer getting up at a regular time, commuting, and working for X number of hours a week?

Yes, I’m being a little facetious because I doubt that anyone actually believes that, but if not, what is the significance of someone’s dying a month after they retire?

I've posted before but not in this thread about my great-grandfather who had a devastating stroke shortly after he retired (maybe 1 year but I don't remember precisely). He was wheelchair bound and had difficulty speaking clearly until he passed away some years later.

He loved boating, and retired to Florida with a house on a canal where he had his boat. He was an immigrant who worked hard for 45 years to be able to not work and to enjoy his freedoms. In the end, had he retired a year earlier he would have increased his healthy retirement by 100%.

So, my point in these kinds of comments is that every extra day one works for the purpose of accumulating $$ in order to not have to work is a day less of enjoying being retired. We have a diminishing number of days remaining, and our health does become progressively worse, every single day. Furthermore, working an additional year likely does not amount to a significant increase in spendable dollars in retirement.

If you get satisfaction out of whatever you are doing in retirement, then that is success whether or not it brings in money. e.g. the doctor who continues to provide medical care even though his bank account would have supported him retiring decades ago. Or the part time job teaching valuable skills to young people in your profession.

quote:

Originally posted by Fly-Sig:

Bad idea. Banks typically will not allow access to a safe deposit box when the owner dies. Or even if one person dies and there is another on the approved access list.

Then the only way to get access is to get a judge's court order, which will cost time and money to accomplish. The order will typically specify access is solely to retrieve the will, and requires the presence of a local police officer.

Note, too, that a photocopy is not acceptable to the court. Only the original hand-signed copy is valid for filing with the court. So if he gave a copy to the executor it wouldn't do any good.

If secrecy is his goal, he could have a lawyer hold onto it. I do have a serious reservation with that, as my father's will was kept in a lawyer's safe, but then that lawyer died, and eventually that practice was merged with another, and the will was lost somewhere along the way. All we had was the photocopy.

The best way imho is to secure it in a fireproof safe in his home or the executor's home, where someone will have access once he passes. If he lives alone and then should die unattended, the police might well seal his home which results in the same judge's order scenario as a bank safe deposit box.

Jmho, the executor should read and discuss a will with the person in order to fully understand his intentions.

Thanks for the input, but my father did take my sister to the bank and give her access to the safe deposit box.
She is the executor of the will, and does have access to it..

I have a job I really enjoy with great coworkers, and it can be intense at times ( surgical sub specialty ) and have been at it for 35+ years. If I was 100% assured that financially I could retire tomorrow I would! Between my shooting, and the worthy causes I volunteer for, I would still run out of time every day! Right now I am shooting for 65 for retirement - but would considering going at 62 if I could. My military reserve retirement kicks in before the end of the year, and don’t fear retirement at all.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Thanks for that discussion. It helps me understand another person’s perspective about one of the most important things in our lives: how long to keep working and why.

My question, though, was more narrow: Why do people believe it’s significant that someone dies shortly after retiring? Do they believe that there’s something about working that staves off some deadly force that can only take effect once someone is no longer getting up at a regular time, commuting, and working for X number of hours a week?

Yes, I’m being a little facetious because I doubt that anyone actually believes that, but if not, what is the significance of someone’s dying a month after they retire? Have they actually given their observations and comments about such events any thought?

And to hopefully clarify my position about retiring—and anything else in life, for that matter: Do what’s best for you.

For me it’s primarily one that has nothing to do with my (part time) job. There are things I’d like to do that my personal situation makes impossible, working or not, and therefore I don’t even think about quitting because that would only give me more time to think about what else I’d like to be doing.

Out of the several hundred other drivers I've known in my 39-year employment history, very few have passed immediately (within a year) after retiring.
I never stated it was commonplace or imminent.
I simply stated it happened to a few of them.
Not sure why you're on a high horse about it.

It's great that you can still work at your age doing something you love.
My plan is/was to work until I could retire and never work another day.
I may volunteer in the future, but I doubt I'll ever have a paying job.
I don't need one..

As to how long I will live, I don't know.
But I'm in better shape now than I've been in the last 12 years simply due to not having to go to work anymore.

I am 32 weeks and 2 days from retirement. I am also terrified, but I should not be. We have adequate assets, she has a pension and we both have good social security. It's the idea of that radical a change.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Thanks for that discussion. It helps me understand another person’s perspective about one of the most important things in our lives: how long to keep working and why.

In the beginning, you work because you have to. I mean unless you’re a trust-fund baby / come from a wealthy family and are spoiled.
You work because you need money to survive, along the line, you save, stash cash away, invest… then that day comes.

Sometimes it’s forced- mandatory retirement age, injury, whatever.
Sometimes it’s planned (and hopefully planned well).

I’m right there. As in a few weeks, I can walk away from this place and never look back.
Im staying for a few more years because I want to. Im making great money, have a great team, and have great (immediate) bosses. It’s still fun. Yes, frustrating and stupid, but still fun. Not that we would be hurting if I left, but college is expensive, and the amount of overtime (forced and voluntary) offsets tuition and probably going out and getting another job.

There’s a handful that I knew that did die shortly after retirement.
Various reasons-
Waited way too long. The “job” was their life. It was their identity. And now it’s gone.
Didn’t take care of themselves. Drank too much, ate like shit, couch potato.
No real “plan” after retirement- just kind of lost in the world.
There’s the “accidents” and cancer, but not too much you can do about that shit.

Cops, firefighters, military, high adrenaline lifestyle jobs (Stock trading as an example) then just stopping is another thing.
That adrenaline is a seriously addictive drug. Hell man, ITS FUN!!! Better than the best cocaine out there!
The body gets used to it, needs it, craves that rush.
Homeostasis is all messed up.
Now that drug is gone. How long will a 60yo junkie last if they just quit cold turkey?

Me? I want to suck up as much life as I possibly can after I walk away.

quote:

Originally posted by 1lowlife:
Not sure why you're on a high horse about it.

I’m not sure that those words mean what you think they mean.

Mine was a question about a common statement that, as far as I can figure out based on my knowledge of the human condition and human physiology, e.g., disease mechanisms, etc., is not based on rational evidence. But I’m curious about a lot of things, and that’s one that has recently piqued my interest.

“The job was his life, and he didn’t have anything more to live for.” Okay, is not having anything to live for a disease mechanism that can kill in a fortnight, month, or 180 days? Are there medications that can treat it? How does a mental attitude like that cause one’s body to spontaneously shut down? Something similar used to show up in Victorian tales, “She died of a broken heart,” but how a broken heart kills people has never been clear to me. On the other hand, it’s certainly true that if someone has been active for decades and then stops exercising or doing other things to keep himself healthy, that can catch up with him in time; but in a week, fortnight, or even 180 days? If so, he must have been in pretty sad shape before retirement, and perhaps that’s why he decided to retire when he did.

As I mentioned, I know that sometimes people die shortly after retiring, just as sometimes they die early in their careers, late in their careers, right before retiring, late in retirement, or after being confined to an assisted living facility for a few decades. What I’m asking is do the people who feel it necessary to report in a discussion like this that they knew a man who died 13.5 hours after his last work shift believe that his death was directly attributable to the fact that he’d retired—and more to the point, what do they know happens to one’s body when we retire that can cause such an immediate unexpected (or perhaps expected) death?

I admit to being skeptical of the idea, but I have been wrong more times than I like to remember (although I do remember a lot of them), and am genuinely curious.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Thanks for that discussion. It helps me understand another person’s perspective about one of the most important things in our lives: how long to keep working and why.

My question, though, was more narrow: Why do people believe it’s significant that someone dies shortly after retiring? Do they believe that there’s something about working that staves off some deadly force that can only take effect once someone is no longer getting up at a regular time, commuting, and working for X number of hours a week?

Yes, I’m being a little facetious because I doubt that anyone actually believes that, but if not, what is the significance of someone’s dying a month after they retire? Have they actually given their observations and comments about such events any thought?

And to hopefully clarify my position about retiring—and anything else in life, for that matter: Do what’s best for you.

For me it’s primarily one that has nothing to do with my (part time) job. There are things I’d like to do that my personal situation makes impossible, working or not, and therefore I don’t even think about quitting because that would only give me more time to think about what else I’d like to be doing.

been way to long, so no idea what the Merita driver I referenced died from

nice guy, he was, respected, and everyone in the biz, the customers I knew (as was) as well as his competition, was shocked when the word got to us,

mostly because we felt for him and his family that he did not get to enjoy his retirement,

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
he did not get to enjoy his retirement

That I fully understand.

A scenario: A good guy (or gal) works hard for decades, manages his life and money reasonably well, and then pulls the plug to start enjoying the benefits of not having to work any longer. But then fickle life decrees that his time is up just as he starts doing that: Do we feel some sympathy for him/her? Sure, but that’s not how I read many comments about people who die shortly after retiring.

What I often perceive are supercilious implications that if only someone had been smarter and done things differently (as the poster was able to do for himself), then the retiree would have been able to enjoy his retirement because 1. he wouldn’t have been working in a stressful, unhealthy job that made him more likely to die young, and 2. he would have been able to fully retire and join the jet set in seeing the world at age 45 rather than having to wait until 65+ to just have time to keep his lawn mowed and occasionally babysitting the grand kids.

When our smarter-than-the-average-bear poster mentions how the guy mowing his lawn dropped over from a heart attack* a week after his last shift, it’s not to express sympathy, but rather to say, “See: That’s what happens when you’re not smart like me.”

Or if it’s not criticism of our recent retiree’s failure to be smart enough to retire at a decent ~45 YO age, and more likely it’s a comment by someone who retired as soon as he could at whatever age, then it’s, “What’s the matter with people? Why would they continue working when they didn’t have to?” I.e., more, “Why aren’t they smart like me? Only a fool would do that, and he deserved to die before he started enjoying the good life” (i.e., whatever the poster considers the good life to be).

* And which he probably wouldn’t have had if he’d followed the advice of a personal trainer as he should have.

None of all that, though, was what I was questioning in my earlier posts, but now is what I know the answer to.

quote:

Originally posted by scratchy:
I am 32 weeks and 2 days from retirement. I am also terrified, but I should not be. We have adequate assets, she has a pension and we both have good social security. It's the idea of that radical a change.

Retirement is a process, not a moment in time when you're handed the pocket watch at the retirement party.

Ideally you can start easing into it now with activities or travel. If you've wanted to take up a new skill or get back to an old hobby, start now.

Financially it is a psychological change. For me that was a bigger challenge than finding things to do. Have a plan that you are confident is good, and execute it. Switching to spending out of savings caused me anxiety, as it does many people. I have a monthly allowance automatically transferred to the checking account, and I know my plan is safe if I stick to that. No guilt for going out to eat or buying something frivolous. Not spending the allowance doesn't improve my finances! My plan is safe (as best as the projections can guess). There's no benefit to "saving" money within the allowance except to my heirs.

One trick is to switch now to your retirement allowance. Have your allowance you are planning on deposited monthly into your checking account. and your current paycheck auto deposited into a different account. Live off of that allowance. Think of it as coming from savings, which it is, and you'll get accustomed to seeing that it works and that your plan is safe.

Six years until i can retire.
I am working on getting my business straight now.
Property is paid off. I own all my vehicles. Only my tractor is still financed.
I do not want to waste the youth of my retirement. I will draw SS as soon as I can. No waiting to max it out as I have no idea how long I will live. I have a couple of conditions that may hinder longevity and/or quality. I will burn those bridges when I get to them.
I have plenty lined up to do after retirement. Mostly it involves grandkids and how they will mix into cattle, firearms and motorcycles.
Oh, and trips for ice cream.

As long as you are financially able to retire , and you have adequate medical insurance , don't be " terrified " to retire . Yes , it's a change . By the end of the first week you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. DO NOT immediately go out looking for something to occupy your time . Get used to the idea and it'll happen in due time if you want it to .

I officially retired last month, but had been essentially retired for 4 years when I lost my FAA medical.

It’s actually been a pretty crappy 3 weeks so far, had my truck wrecked and 2 out of 3 AC units in the house went out. But in other ways I have been really blessed.

I am confident that I am financially ready for retirement and finding things to do isn’t an issue for me. I’m content doing very little or being very busy.

Wife wants to travel, I’ve been traveling the last 43 years as a Coast Guard and FedEx pilot so I have to try to do so even though there aren’t too many places I want to go. Flying all over the world is a pain, I’m good with just seeing the US by auto.

I don’t plan on working, I keep pretty busy and want to be able to go somewhere on very short notice without having to get out of a part time gig.

I have been umpiring High School baseball for a couple years and will continue to do that as long as I’m physically able to and the parents don’t drive me off.

I liked both of my flying jobs but am much happier to be able to just do whatever I want each day and ready to move on with the next phase of my life.

It’s a big change to start pulling out of savings instead of adding to them but it’s time and having lived pretty frugally over the years and saving regularly has put us in a good position to retire comfortably. Plus the wife is going to work one more year part time (physical therapist) and could work longer if needed but probably won’t.

Good luck with your decision.

This topic is timely since I spoke with my boss two weeks ago that I wanted to retire. He was hoping to retain me, and I was able to come to a joint decision to work three (instead of five) days a week. This will allow me to ease into retirement. My financial advisor says I've been ready financially for a year now, but continuing part time should erase nearly any financial risk that still remains. My reasons for retiring were:

1) I was really getting tired of working, after 42 years. I have several hobbies that I never have time for.
2) My body was beginning to show some negative signs (elevated blood pressure, bad cholesterol numbers, etc.).

As a result of item 2), I've joined a health club and am now working out 4 times a week. I am being evaluated by a cardiologist, and I think I have discovered these issues before any permanent damage to my health. Now that I work only 3 days a week, I have time for going to the gym, and spending time with hobbies.

I think I am very fortunate since I didn't think my employer would allow me to work part time. It's a pretty good deal though - I still get 401(k) matching, and accrue vacation, although at a lower rate. As far as salary, they literally took my full-time salary and set my part-time salary at 60% of that, so I am very happy.

I'll be 65 in February, so I will start Medicare.

Quite frankly, this transition to part-time has re-energized my enthusiasm for my job. I figure I will work another 1-1.5 years and then retire fully.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigfan Roy:

Wife wants to travel, I’ve been traveling the last 43 years as a Coast Guard and FedEx pilot so I have to try to do so even though there aren’t too many places I want to go. Flying all over the world is a pain, I’m good with just seeing the US by auto.

Tell me about it! My wife loves to travel. She and her late first husband did a moderate amount of fun travel, e.g. Christmas markets in Germany or taking the family to an all inclusive Caribbean resort, and a small amount of cool business trips. She was with NASA for a while, then did some high level tech marketing. Picture generous expense accounts to interesting places. Nothing like a pilot's travel.

I am super happy just being home. I do enjoy going on cruises, but there is a strong psychological barrier to the initial thoughts of travel. Seeing the world from ground level at low speed is my preference now.

I deeply miss the flying, but not the job nor being away from home.

quote:

Originally posted by 1lowlife:
Thanks for the input, but my father did take my sister to the bank and give her access to the safe deposit box.
She is the executor of the will, and does have access to it..

You're not reading his message.

If the bank somehow has knowledge of the death before she accesses, they won't care one bit about the second party on the access approval to the box.

Granted, they may not, but you are relying on that AND her not being unable to lie convincingly if asked.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

You're not reading his message.

If the bank somehow has knowledge of the death before she accesses, they won't care one bit about the second party on the access approval to the box.

Granted, they may not, but you are relying on that AND her not being unable to lie convincingly if asked.

Thanks for that. I was rather busy with a sibling in hospital that I had to make those hard decisions for. The relevance is that all is good until somebody decides they need to go by the letter of the law to protect against potential legal problems. The bank is one such place where they have laws and lawyers telling them not to allow access after a person dies. With the hospital, all was fine until it wasn't, and they wanted all the legal POA documents, and had lots of forms for me to sign.

It is about them protecting themselves legally, nothing to do with logic or reasonableness. They need to CYA.

Estate attorneys seem to universally say the worst place to put a will is in a safe deposit box.

Any word from the OP on this subject?
Are you going to retire? Keep working?