A few month ago I was informed the contract with the DOT I was leading was going to be canceled by Elon and Company.

I really had no objection in theory.

I could have done a better job, top down cyber security. If anyone can put in a better system it will be Musk's Dogg boys.

I was planning to ride the contract for 2 or 3 more years.

I am over 70 and comfortable. I have worked since I was 16.

My neighbor who is 83 just had a stroke.

I am not sure what's next but I think it is time to not work anymore.

I am 69 and have been a software engineer since 1982 ( programmer in those days ) . I always told my wife and myself I will continue to work as long as it is fun. Well, I don't hate it but it is starting to be a bit of grind. Last year I actually enjoyed going to work on Mondays, now not so much. Add to that the wife's brother just passed. He was healthy, 67, and now dead. Pretty sure I am going to hang up the keyboard at the end of this year. Not pretty sure, I am doing it. The wife just rented a condo on Maui for the months of February and March. Good luck with your decision sig2392. From everything I've researched it's a pretty big adjustment.

quote:

I am over 70 and comfortable. I have worked since I was 16.

My neighbor who is 83 just had a stroke.

I am not sure what's next but I think it is time to not work anymore.

I think you've been given a sign, or two, go enjoy life!

I've seen so many people work until close to death that there was no room for fun retirement. So I (we) decided to travel when we can and try to enjoy as we could with our kids. Because you just never know when that time is up.

With that I've just reduced my work schedule to 3 days a week effective now. I call it a partial retirement at age 55! (just made it before I hit 56). I hope it to last from here on out until 62 then absolutely hang it up if not before then. Fingers crossed.

quote:

I am not sure what's next but I think it is time to not work anymore.

Poolside drinks at Caribbean resort swim up bar would be my suggestion.

You will come to love being retired. I'm 70 and retired two years ago.

I was also a software developer (yes, originally a "programmer"). I loved what I did, but like you, it just wasn't fun any longer.

It was a bit strange at first, but now I can't imagine going in to work.
I worked hard for 52 years and now it's time to relax - as much as that is possible considering all the things to do around the house.

Good luck with your retirement!

quote:

Originally posted by sig2392:
A few month ago I was informed the contract with the DOT I was leading was going to be canceled by Elon and Company.

I really had no objection in theory.

I could have done a better job, top down cyber security. If anyone can put in a better system it will be Musk's Dogg boys.

I was planning to ride the contract for 2 or 3 more years.

I am over 70 and comfortable. I have worked since I was 16.

My neighbor who is 83 just had a stroke.

I am not sure what's next but I think it is time to not work anymore.

I was blessed by God to retire back in 2016 and I do not miss work at all. My retirement income provides me a comfortable retirement, can't do everything I want to do but I can do some things I want to do so I'm content. The key to retirement is staying busy, I'm involved with a few ministries at my church, I try and travel once or twice a year, I keep busy with home improvement projects and I take day trips on my motorcycle when the weather permits. I enjoy not having to answer to anybody, I enjoy not having to ask permission for time off, and I enjoy doing what I want to do each day. Time is the one thing you can never recover once its gone and no one on their death bed ever wished they had spent more time at work. If you're healthy physically and financially my advice is to retire and enjoy life just find other activities to keep you busy.

Yes retirement is tough. Hard decisions every day like which Bourbon and which cigar for today?

Don't let anyone try to tell you you will get bored! The worst day of retirement, kicks the shit out of the best day of work !

I had two lessons early in my career. One was a packaging engineer who certainly looked like he was eligible to retire. One Friday, he was just shuffling along the hallway like he usually does; very nice man. Over the weekend, he died. The whole company (relatively small) took off a whole afternoon to attend his memorial service.

The second was another guy. He used to tell me when he started in the company, there were 20 people doing less than the work of the four of us were doing with computers. He also had a business in the mall and he would proudly tell me, "Rey, I make cookies for cents and people buy them from me for at least a dollar." Just about everyday soon after I met him, he would ask me how much interest would a million dollars spin off every year at such and such a rate. I would tell him and you can see him multiplying the number I gave him with how many millions he had at the time.

Then the dot com bust happened and he stopped asking. I moved to another position. After about two years, I heard he fell sick, went to the hospital and never came out.

Two people who could have afforded to retire but never got the chance. This was against the backdrop of learning the saying, "No one ever said on their deathbed that they wish they had spent more time at the office."

That gave me a goal to at least taste retirement before dying. For a period of years around the 2008 housing and market crash (which was also around the time I found Sigforum), I was depressed with the thought that I would have to work until the day I die because my house was under water and my 401k was cut in half.

When circumstances made me realize I could retire, I took it and have enjoyed not having to work. I'm still busy. So busy I still haven't yet played golf in Arizona in the three years I've moved here.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
When circumstances made me realize I could retire, I took it and have enjoyed not having to work. I'm still busy. So busy I still haven't yet played golf in Arizona in the three years I've moved here.

We need to get you to a counselor Rey HRH , golf in Az is wonderful in the wintertime. On a more serious side a few guys I worked with pretty much walked away from golf at retirement. To much other fun stuff, projects, etc. to do. I won't fall into that category, at least for a the first year or two. I could very easily walk away when I don't need the stress relief.

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Originally posted by jgerge222:
<snip>
The worst day of retirement, kicks the shit out of the best day of work !

I have to disagree. I enjoyed my work, and took pride in my accomplishments, over most of my career. I was salaried, and often worked more hours than required for the enjoyment of it.

I am close. Single digit years til govt retirement. Maybe even closer than I realize depending on what types of Early Outs get offered over the next few years.
I plan to get out as soon as I can. The job isn’t bad, but the bureaucrats I work for….thats another story.
Plus, just yesterday, a fella drove all the way to work. He was missed at his morning meeting. He was found dead in his truck in the parking lot. Probably a heart attack. Early seventies, I think.
Makes one stop and think.

quote:

Originally posted by sig2392:
<snip>
I could have done a better job, top down cyber security. If anyone can put in a better system it will be Musk's Dogg boys.

Maybe DOGE boys?

I'm 63 and I've been a driver with UPS for 40 years.
10 years of package car delivery and 30 years of feeders (semi-trucks).
Both of my shoulders received total replacements this year, left in January and the right in May.
I'm still on disability for PT and recovery.

I've been considering retirement for about a year.
Thought it would be better to get these surgeries done on full-time insurance as opposed to my retirement insurance.

Being off for 7 months and now UPS is offering a driver buyout, I think it is time.
I applied for the buyout, should know in a day or two if I got it.
Buyout or not, the plan is to retire since I have no desire to get back in that truck.
Hopefully, I'll get the buyout, and there won't be any lapse in being released to go back to work and a potential retirement date.

The professionalism of being both a UPS employee as well as a professional driver is gone.
Driving for a living isn't what it used to be.
I'm tired of sitting down for 13 hours and driving over 600 miles 5 days a week.

Since I've been off this last 7.5 months, I've lost 30 pounds, doing PT and working out, and I feel better than I have in YEARS.

I don't need to work if I retire.
Maybe do some volunteering or a little part-time job if I get bored.
Wife and dogs have kept me pretty busy the several months.
Still trying to figure out if I should go ahead and take social security or wait until I'm 65.

I worked for a S&P 500 company and loved my job. I had a chance to take early retirement at 55 so we started to plan for it about 5 years before my 55th birthday. I took it and realized I could do things that I wanted to do and not worry about what it paid. I became a Reserve Deputy, and an NRA certified firearms instructor and had an RV so we could travel a couple of times a year. I now work church security, once again for free.

After I left my career job the place started to go downhill and most of the people I worked with left - three of them intentionally on the same day. It's now 21 years later and I consider myself blessed by the opportunities since then. Go for it.

Start enjoying life and spending that nest egg you have saved. You have earned it.

I was 62 when I retired...66 now and was pretty scared about it as it wasn't part of the plan. My company went out of business. But it's been fine and I don't regret not finding another job at all. I stay plenty busy...or not if i don't want to. Making your own schedule is great!

Congrats and enjoy!

quote:

Originally posted by Powers77:
Start enjoying life and spending that nest egg you have saved. You have earned it.

I couldn't agree more! I retired eleven years ago at 60 years old, and am so glad I did.

Been retired for 18 year. It ain't easy. Have to make tough decisions like, "Should I cut the grass today or go shoot a little at the range?"

Would love to retire now, waiting til next year if I can, will be full retirement then. Hardest part will be the decrease in income, but everything is paid off at least. Hubby not yet old enough, wants to retire at 62 if possible. Used to love my job, not so much anymore, I think I’m just tired of all the changes the last 5 years at work.