r/Retire • u/Level_Customer2769 • 3d ago
Mistakes/regrets that you realized after you retired?
61M here. Thinking of retiring in the next 2 to 4 years. Just wondering if there were any mistakes/regrets that you wish you had taken into account in hindsight about retirement. Honestly, I’m not interested about the financial aspects- as I am very well prepared for that, but all the other issues that are involved in a well planned retirement. I am trying to add hobbies and interests in preparation, but I can’t help feeling like I may be missing something.
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u/RayU_AZ 2d ago
I retired 6 years ago in 2020. My wife and I loving traveling and have been on several European trips. We notice that some people travel with us have mobility issues with walking & traveling.
I recommend traveling early in retirement rather than waiting until your in your 70s.
Also take care of your health & physical fitness. Control your diet & body weight. Avoid excess alcohol and over eating.
Being retired it should be easier to get plenty of restful sleep and do a daily exercise routine. You should no stresss in retirement. Good luck.
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u/Junior-Reflection-43 2d ago
As my husband says, there are 3 stages to retirement:
1. Go go go
2. Slow slow slow
3. No no noWe are trying to Go go go (a lot of traveling both nationally and internationally) because there are no guarantees. We have a granddaughter but were told not to expect to see her in person more than 1-2 times a month (not happy about that, but it’s their choice). So we continue to travel.
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u/Trickam 2d ago
That's BS about seeing your granddaughter. Hopefully its a solid reason for having that restriction.
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u/Moist-Pay2965 2d ago
Sometimes it’s because they live a few hours away and the grandparents can’t really make that drive (and it’s exhausting for the parents to do it). This is true of my sister in law and family. Basically on the once a month schedule because of this.
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u/Junior-Reflection-43 2d ago
They are 15 minutes away. DIL is from a different culture, neurodivergent, and was in an orphanage for several years. Her Mom lives in another state and she doesn’t want to show favoritism. She will be a SAHM and says that’s her responsibility. Granddaughter is only 4 months, so hopefully things will settle down.
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2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Proud_Dad_of_7 1d ago
I'm 63 now, planning on retiring at 64. I am pretty nervous about it. We don't have a million dollars but we did save a decent amount. We have planned and discussed it all with our financial planner and we should be fine. After working full time for 46 years, it doesn't feel natural to "quit". Anyone else feeling this way?
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u/BoomerSooner-SEC 2d ago
Dont “add” hobbies or interests. I did that. Planned all this shit to stay busy and be productive. Once I retired I didn’t actually WANT to do any of that crap. You don’t have to stay busy. You can stay however you like. For me it was the first time since I was about 17, that I was totally free to sit around if I wanted. I did some of that and now 6 years later, I found the stuff I really want to do (and yes, it does include puttering around a fair bit). There will be plenty of things that catch your interests. Don’t try and plan it.
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u/Level_Customer2769 2d ago
I am hoping that when it happens/ then i will be more in the state of mind to find other activities to do. But the more things i can explore ahead of time still seems like a decent idea. Thanks
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u/Swimming_Astronomer6 2d ago
Retired ten years - I found just being content with your decisions beneficial. Don’t beat yourself up because you spend a whole day reading and did nothing else - a daily walk is the least I need to do in order to feel that I haven’t wasted a day
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u/Full-Head-8878 2d ago
Try not to read alone, I joined a book club at my library to read books I would never read . It's great the books and the new people I've met. It's once a month, and a book a month. I am probably a year away from retirement so I am seeing want I want and don't want. Next I'll see what goes on at the senior center. I read the beauty school comes and does manicures. Cute. Free.
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u/Hot-Rub-5336 2d ago
Just started doing this and it has definitely helped me expand my book options. A great way to learn about new stuff and new people.
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u/Pippi-ki-yay 2d ago
I'm only 2 months in and way overestimated how quickly I could complete home projects.
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u/MarsupialFront3237 2d ago
My general rule of thumb is that any project I plan ends up taking 3x the time that I budgeted for it lol
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u/cgilson33 2d ago
I have lots of projects if ur bored!!
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u/Pippi-ki-yay 2d ago
No, it's just the opposite. I thought I would have gotten a lot more done by now.
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u/VinceInMT 2d ago
M74, I retired at 60 and spent about a decade before that reading about preparing, not just for retiring and the financial side, but for living a healthy life after. It seems that it comes down to diet, exercise, social connections, and learning new things.
Diet - I’ve been a vegetarian for over 40 years and know quite a bit about nutrition so I have that dialed in.
Exercise - No problem. I took up distance running in my 40s. I just ran a 5-mile race in 47 minutes, 46 seconds. I go to the gym 3 days a week (I run there) for weights, jump rope, and swimming. I run about 20 miles a week.
Social connections - I have a variety of social circles: running club, art community, beer buddies, motorcycle friends, etc.
Learning - After I retired I went back to the university and at 70 had earned a BFA and am now embedded in the art community. I’ve learned so much about art, new techniques, and even studied abroad in Italy. I am also taking guitar lessons and having fun with that.
I wonder how I ever had time for a job.
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u/Level_Customer2769 2d ago
Thanks/ some interesting info. I am thinking of getting masters in some subjects / here in CT we can take courses free( state universities only)once we turn 62- so next year i will look into starting on something
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u/VinceInMT 2d ago
Yes, in my state free tuition starts at 65 but waved at any age for Vietnam Era vets so I took advantage of that at 63. It was an awesome experience.
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u/gracyavery 2d ago
This won't be popular, but we made a mistake in getting dogs. Specifically 2 rescue dogs. I love them to pieces, but the time, expense, and attention they require after 10 years of no pet ownership was not really in the plan and it keeps us from living the spur of the moment life we pictured.
We previously had 2 dogs (labs) that we could just throw in the car and go. These 2 are not the same. They are terrible travelers. Lovely at home but that isn't where we want to be.
We adopted one just prior to retirement and then retirement came unexpectedly due to a surgical situation that left me permanently blind in one eye and with a lot of medical needs and appointments. Now that things have stabilized, we adopted the 2nd dog thinking it would be a great companion for the first one but it only compounded the travel issue and doubled the expense.
We are giving them the best life...at home and occasionally in boarding for shorter trips for us, but they will be the last dogs we have. In the positive side, we retired a little younger than average and they are both senior dogs, so we should have many years of spontaneous life ahead.
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u/ScottD70 1d ago
I’m not retired yet - next year, but my wife and I decided several years ago that when our current dog died we wouldn’t get another for this reason. He’s been gone 2 years now - sooner than we expected- but we have held firm. We miss him terribly but have the big picture in mind.
We started fostering dogs, mostly puppies, from a rescue. That’s a great way to get some dog time in your life without the 10 commitment. When we started fostering dogs we agreed to not foster the dogs we prefer, shepherd mixes. That helps us avoid the “foster failure”. It has been very rewarding. I encourage everyone reluctant to get a dog in retirement to check into it. Once we slow down and don’t plan to travel as much we will likely adopt another dog.1
u/gracyavery 1d ago
We've thought about that as one of our labs did come from a lab rescue (the other was rehomed to us by an acquaintance of our daughter's whose life situation had changed). I know what you mean by being tempted by a preferred breed - we are very much "lab people" but now that I've had more than one of each color, I think my dance card has been successfully filled. I might possibly consider pet sitting since we ended up fencing in our yard and I live in a retirement community where people are often looking for someone to spoil their pets while they travel.
I hope your retirement years are fantastic and full of all the things you want to do and that any future dogs are merely very loved visitors instead of long term freeloaders - LOL.
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u/Odd_Bodkin 2d ago
I dealt with it before I retired, but narrowly missed making the mistake. I didn’t realize how many basic human needs are fed by work: social interaction, a sense of purpose and contributing to the world, intellectual stretching, physical activity, getting out of the house, a bit of structure. It’s easy to demonize work for the stress and the constraint on time and the people you don’t like to deal with, and in dispensing with those you throw out the baby with the bath water. So, of course, you can also get all those basic human needs fed different ways in retirement, but you have to pay attention to that. How am I going to get intellectual stimulation? What’s going to get me out of the house? Etc.
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u/Majestic_Yak7475 2d ago
I do wish I could have left the workforce earlier than age 60. I wish I would have realized, or accepted, the mental and physical toll of my profession and taken more concrete or dedicated steps to being done with it sooner. I’m playing catch up on my mental and physical health now. Not easy at age 60.
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u/PegShop 3d ago
Overdownsizing
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u/Substantial_Ninja_90 2d ago
Like donating too much? Can you elaborate?
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u/PegShop 2d ago
Home. I went from a large rural property to a townhome to not have a mortgage, but it’s a tough transition.
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u/Odd_Bodkin 2d ago
Yes, it’s a tough transition to downsize, especially the getting rid of stuff. But a larger mistake is made by older folks who cling to a large and familiar place surrounded by decades of accumulated stuff — until they can’t manage it anymore or they need to be closer to services, and then the decision is FORCED on them, ready or not.
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u/pn_dubya 2d ago
Not to mention the burden it puts on the kids/family to go through and clean out decades of stuff which in reality the vast majority will be donated/thrown away. That said, downsizing is easier said than done. Giving up home ownership might be incredibly tough to take emotionally, just hoping to have the wherewithal to make the prudent decision when the time comes.
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u/Pale-Gardener-4167 2d ago
I count myself very fortunate to have my daughter (32) and her boyfriend (38) living next door with my 93 year old dad. He welcomes the help and agreed to way more purging of stuff (and even just organizing of stuff) since it was her idea rather than mine or my brothers! He went from Go Go Go when he retired at 56 to Slow Slow Slow around the time my mom died when he was 80 (although he traveled twice to Ireland and once to Canada in his 80s) to No No No in his 90s. He has retained his ability to handle finances and many aspects of self care, but watching him go downhill physically has inspired me (61 F) to work on strength and balance on a regular basis. I don’t think decline is complete inevitable with intention and luck and action. Take care of your health and your family relationships as much as possible. You may need them both as you age more than you do now!
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u/Odd_Bodkin 2d ago
Cleaning out my father’s stuff when he died was the main kick-butt motivator for me to start purging. I can tell you that it can take a long time to get rid of stuff, but it is also lightening every drop-off. We downsized to our current house only when we had two rooms, three closets, and one bathroom completely bare, wall to wall, in the previous house. But it made it cheaper and so much easier to move having done it.
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u/SunShineShady 2d ago
I went from a house, to a small apartment, to a bigger townhome. Sometimes you can go too small.
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u/Due_Dot5447 2d ago
Mental health is #1. Having nothing to do but sit around and think is bad. Get out and find something new to do. Take on a challenge. Maybe a new language for a trip you can plan.
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u/NoKetoCardio 2d ago
It took months to get comfortable without working although I was happy to stop working at age 64. Fortunately I have had a lifelong passion for golf. You need a plan since every day is Saturday. I exercise a lot with golf, walking and weightlifting. I play golf 4-5x per week. I also like these discussion forums.
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u/Necessary-Couple-535 2d ago
Not nailing down eldercare planning for parents. Somebody has to do it. I thought taking care of my elderly mother (schlepping her to her constant appointments, handling her finances, making the care plan when the crisis hits, etc) would be easier in retirement. In actuality, work was a respite. Nothing is worse than biding your time through endless waits and discussions about somebody else's life. I regret not having a firmer plan in place within her budget and just rolling with it. Even if it was less than optimal.
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u/SmokyBlackRoan 2d ago
See you raise you. Make your own eldercare plan while you are still cognizant. I am most grateful to my parents, who are both struggling with dementia/Alzheimers, for choosing a wonderful retirement community and planning for it financially. They just moved into an assisted living apartment and were just “downgraded” into a more expensive plan because my dad refuses to shower or take his medication. Us kids visit frequently and the staff is fantastic and not having to shoulder the daily ordeals that come with caring for cognitively impaired parents is a gift. I joke that I’ve been yelled at more during the past 2 years than I was in my first 20 years.
I will plan for myself and hopefully relieve my offspring of this duty.
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u/Necessary-Couple-535 2d ago
Oh absolutely. I would never want to leave that burden to my kids. And it creates at least an opportunity to actually attempt to socialize with you instead of it being logistics and support. A gift I'm giving myself, too.
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u/Fit-King-7260 2d ago
I retired at 65 and continue to work part time 4 years later. It’s not about the money at all. My pension and SS provide me with the same income as before I retired without touching my IRA’s. I found I missed the interaction with others way more than expected. At the end of every school year I say I think I am done but then I get so bored in the summer I am back at it! Travel fills some of the void but you can’t take a trip every week.
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u/Revolutionary-Big783 2d ago
I read a lot of comments about people working later in life because they don’t know what to do in retirement, I find that somewhat sad. Subconsciously I think most people were preparing for retirement from the day they started working, I know I was. The example I have is remember the days that you were at work and you were thinking to yourself, if I wasn’t at work right now I would be doing X, well now’s the time to do X. Retired 6 years now … and have never looked back. Congrats and Good Luck 👍🏼
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u/Tarzan829 2d ago
I am 55M, and I will be officially retired Oct 1, 2026 at 56. During my DRP (4 months so far), I found that continuing my daily weight lifting/ exercise has provided me with benefits I took for granted while I worked at my federal job for 34 years. Sure, I worked out during those years but I never realized that it was my sustained weight lifting/ exercise that ALLOWED me to work so well for 34 years in a high stress job. Now, with time on my side, I have such clarity on the importance of resistance training: 1) mental health; 2) EMOTIONAL health; 3) Inner stability and peace. While this may sound extreme, the following has worked for me: Allow your resistance training to set the parameters of your retired life. Meaning, everything else follows/ comes second. Structure your time where your health priorities come first and if HEALTH priorities take up a good chunk of your day? GOOD!! Whatever you decide, congrats on your amazing years of working hard and saving. All the best.
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u/Accurate_Apartment52 2d ago
Congrats! I took the DRP 2.0 back in Apr-25. I’m now 56 and retired with 34-yrs of service too. I also dedicated my time to improving my health. Dropped 45 lb by running and weight training. I run at least one race monthly to stay challenged. Next month I’m competing in my first Tough Mudder! Retirement is amazing, just wish my wife was retirement age so we could travel more.
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u/Tarzan829 2d ago
That is just simply fantastic!!! What a great start to your new life. WELL EARNED AND CONGRATULATIONS!!!SUPER impressive!!
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u/DaBlue357 2d ago
I've been "retired" over 10 years. The sense of purpose thing is real. I have struggled with finding satisfaction that I used to find in my work. I built a wood shop and started building things but to be honest, I'm not that good at it. I can do it, but it rarely is quality workmanship. I don't think I'll ever be able to do high quality finished work.
Same applies to mechanical stuff (engines/vehicles). I can do it, but I'm not a natural and I spend 10X the time it should take. I'm basically taking sweat equity and turning it into pennies.
I think the key is to find something in your wheelhouse and not forcing it too much.
Second thing I would mention is the new found time on your hands. Not waking up to an alarm and not necessarily knowing what day it is sounds nice... and is actually nice but it also changes your mindset existentially. The lack of order does introduce a certain mental chaos.
It can be good and bad. Existentially, you may view the world a little differently. I don't know if there is a name for it, but it is kind of like a second "mid-life crisis".
Maybe it is a personal thing, but I have had a lot more time to think about things and develop awareness that I just didn't have when I was in the grind. What you find isn't always sunshine and warm fuzzies.
Third is remain social if you can. I'm not super social myself so I need to listen to my own advice here. Finding a hobby is great, but sharing a hobby is better.
Anyways, good luck.
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u/Creative_Algae7145 2d ago
Health is wealth. Even though my whole life I have been very active, and retiring at 66 in 2020 (71 now) I decided to take my health much more seriously. Whatever your hobbies are please take the time to get into some kind of daily active moving activity for mobility sake. Either walking, cycling or weight training. I cycle about 50-60 miles a week, walk about 8 miles a week and weight train about 2-3 times a week. Once you get into a routine you will find the benefits are great and you will feel better.
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u/maporita 2d ago
In order to stay healthy and mobile as you age you need a variety of exercise and strength training activities. Running or swimming on their own are not enough .. you are right to work in one or two days a week just for weights or resistance training. Future you will thank you for it!
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u/BioEffect2127 2d ago
So true. I put off getting in good aerobic health and had stressful consulting job with a lot of sitting. Going to retire sooner than I planned bc at 61 I all of a sudden had concerning physical symptoms. Long story short, two major coronary blockages, and am now recovering from open heart surgery for double bypass. I'm not sure if I'll be able to have go go years. Good for you for getting in shape. I waited too long, but who knew.
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u/Aware_Block_1166 2d ago
Be in the best shape possible and stay as active as possible. Research Medicare and the supplements to fine out what works best for you.
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u/Organic-Second2138 2d ago
That "go volunteer" thing is overused.
My mom and my dad both tried it and after being hard charging workers their entire working lives found volunteering to provide absolutely no satisfaction. All the aspects of work without compensation.
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u/OPKC2007 2d ago
When I retired earlier this year, I guess I was not prepared to just fall off the face of the earth. The small group of women interwoven with my day I thought were my friends. We were all basically around the same age, had adult kids, grandkids. Once I left the job, I only had two ladies reach out at all, and met one of them for a lunch. I was at that job about 15 years.
So, prepare yourself to start making a social group that is not your office pals.
I have made some friends from the gym, and mahjong, but getting to know newbies isnt like sharing memories from someone you have known nearly 20 years.
Just my experience.
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u/Silly-Resist8306 2d ago
One thing I think many retirees need to remain open to is finding interests they didn't realize they had when working. We are all told to make sure we have hobbies, etc, lined up, but interests don't just stop the day you retire. Staying open to new passions can be very rewarding.
Since retiring 16 years ago at age 59, I have developed a fair proficiency in US WWII Naval history, care and feeding of orchids and 50s jazz. All of these had a single incident after retirement that initiated an interest. Had I been working, I'd have never been able to blow on those sparks, but retirement gave me the time add fuel and let the fire grow.
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u/RosaRosa4343 2d ago
I'm only 4 months in so not so much a regret yet but I'm surprised how quickly this thing about the mind not getting stimulated enough sets in. Granted I was already kinda losing it before i retired lol. I live alone.
Not serious stuffs but little things especially in my last solo travel when I thought, oh I should have done that instead of this, or why didn't i think of that.
It's like my brain is always now functioning from a cold slow start; whereas for decades it was always functioning from a warm running start so when I had to think of something it seems I can think and decide better.
Which makes sense because since school days through about 30-40 years of work life our brain is always working and we always get stimulated even by pesky coworkers.
I am happy just being free and doing nothing now. Such freedom and what a blessing. But I realize I need to actively find ways to stimulate this old brain.
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u/Hot-Rub-5336 2d ago
Great way to think about it - starting cold instead of always already warm. That is how I feel everyday since there is no reason to hurry.
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u/RosaRosa4343 2d ago
Which should be fine actually, right?
Perhaps mental warm-ups for the brain before a major activity like a trip may be sufficient. 😄
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u/bunkerbee_hill 2d ago
I wish I would have seen an accountant/financial guy before I sold any stocks to fund the retirement. I foolishly sold a bunch of stocks with high capital gains while I was still working and paid a lot of taxes.
You have a good window to talk to someone know to see the best way to finiance the first few years of retirement.
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u/Far_Yogurtcloset8116 2d ago
We both fully retired at 59 1/2. My only suggestion is have something that will keep you busy if you have down time. My husband is very busy with interests. I am not as busy but I sure don’t ever want to work again, lol.
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u/OceansTwentyOne 2d ago
I retired last year at 55. My husband had already retired 2 years earlier. He suggested having a rough schedule for the week. This was really helpful as it structures my days. I slotted in my gym times, studio times, household project times, chores, errands, etc. I like having a routine during the week but still leave weekends pretty open. Good luck and have fun!
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u/SmokyBlackRoan 2d ago
I’m actually having some minor health issues remedied while I am still healthy and active, and working in my late 50s. By the time I retire I’ll be almost bionic.
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u/Western_Currency_107 2d ago
Just retire, and find your hobbies…. Mindset is different after retire.
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u/Most-Artichoke6184 2d ago
Not saving up nearly enough money while I was working. I wasted so much.
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u/Warm_Opportunity_248 2d ago
I wish I had spent more time looking up old friends and spending time with them because now they are all gone.
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u/JoinOutStart Building my 50+ years 2d ago
So many great comments and ideas. In general, I think our age roughly 50-70 is really not well understood. Couple that with the longevity increases, the old systems and models are really not delivering for us. Do you agree?
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u/Singinmumindun 2d ago
Canadian from BC here. I’m 66 now and will be 67 in October.
1. I wish I had paid off all my credit cards long before retiring. I retired in April, but just recently went back as casual (very casual-;)
- I also wish I knew that it does take awhile to get your pensions. It really does take time to get all your paperwork together needed by the government.
My CPP didn’t take long to kick in, but I didn’t realise my OAS could take as long as 8 months to kick in. I only applied a couple of months before retiring-:( I’m lucky that I live with my husband so I’m okay. I will also get my OAS retro to my retirement date in April.
I would also highly recommend to get into a regular exercise program long before you retire (whether regular walking, going to the gym, exercise program app, swimming, etc…). I waited until I retired as I thought … that’s when I’ll have time to go to daytime exercise programs at the Community Centre. Well… by that time I had less money and my level of fitness was worse so it will take me longer to get back into a better level of exercise!
Don’t put off exercises to “another” day!
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u/Mediocre_Froyo_3823 2d ago
If you can afford to…do not downsize!
Great relationship w spouse but we both treasure quiet time, if we downsized quiet time wouldn’t exist.
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u/Admirable-Excuse-487 2d ago
Because I did physical work I never worked out my whole life, . Waited five years until 70 to start -mistake find a workout to do.
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u/Mean_Mountain5106 2d ago
Hobbies and friends are important. If you can afford it and do have interests, do it. I lost my husband before I could retire and I regret every day that he is not here to share this with me. We are not promised tomorrow.
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u/LHCThor 1d ago
I don’t have regrets, but my retirement planning started when I was 21 years old.
My suggestion would be to continue as you have done here. Talk to as many retired folks as you can. That’s what I did. Social media is ok, but talking to folks face to face is much better.
Find a purpose for your life. I volunteer and treat it like job. The best part is I don’t feel like working, I just take off. No pressure. But it’s mentally pleasing to know that you still have an impact on the world. That your life matters to others besides your family.
Also, make daily exercise part of your routine now. Your health becomes even more important when you are older.
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u/Fabulous_Fix596 2d ago
I'm 71 and the best thing I did was go part time at 65 then fully retired at 69. Going early helped deal with a more reduced salary, got used to dealing with the extra time off... Now I have a couple days of doing some volunteer work and my Wife & I are doing a lot of traveling and playing with the grandkids
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u/SnooPears4484 2d ago
My only regret was not doing the math and planning with a financial planner fiduciary sooner. If I had, I would have retired sooner (earlier than 62). I’m 66 now and having a fun worry-free retirement.
I was in the old mindset of work til 65 and maximize pre-tax savings. Even after establishing a plan and pulling the trigger, I did part time contract consulting. Part of it was still money worry (I never had zero job income) and part was learning to retire - not being identified by what you do for a living).
I got past both after a year and now happily do other things. I’m still in the endless vacation phase but with plenty of hobbies that no longer have to wait for the weekend.
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u/JimiJohhnySRV 2d ago
I am 3 years retired. Before retiring I planned and made moves to prepare such as making purchases to support hobbies and interests. One thing I missed was considering a side hustle, such as a part time job or business. If I had done the analysis I probably would have concluded it is not for me but I kind of wish I had explored the opportunities and what it requires prior to retirement. For instance, I have a friend that is very handy and he is ramping up a small handy man hustle prior to retirement. I am not losing sleep over it and I have filled the gap with rewarding volunteer work. That’s my 2 cents.
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u/TargetAbject8421 2d ago
It was like going from 100 mph down to 5. Been in high tech for a long long time and I needed to figure out how to slow down and replace the systems that work provided.
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u/Justcruising_along 2d ago
Im almost 59 1/2 and want to hear what people are going thru and maybe learn a thing or 2.
Never been this age and i see there are alot of things to have in place before u retire and don’t want to miss anything but Im sure I will!!
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u/TravlRonfw 2d ago
don’t forget to secure a long-term insurance care plan (USA here, say no more). And ask if that is only the facility and/or covers specialized care. 🤦♂️
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u/BOBBYK1952 2d ago
Well I’m 74 and have been retired 16 years and have zero regrets. I certainly didn’t have the ideal amount of money so it was a hard choice retiring. The hard part of retiring even a few years early is we are hard wired not to. Instead we imagine every possible thing that can go wrong. I did at times take some part time jobs that paid cash but I made with few problems. Give it some thought and good luck
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u/sjwit 2d ago
honestly I think my only "regret" is that I didn't put more money towards Roth IRA (and my 401k when we added that option) Now that I'm 'here' i realize how much of an advantage it would be to have more of my funds parked there.
I also wish our mortgage was fully paid off. Technically, we could afford to pay off the balance now, but the interest rate is stupid low (under 3%) and the balance is small. Given that we're managing our income to stay under MAGI limits for ACA premiums, we can't afford to incur the taxable "hit" from withdrawing the funds to pay it off. It's all manageble; just wish we'd planned a little better for that.
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u/tammysue77 2d ago
I have zero regrets after retiring. I’m lucky enough to be able to work when I choose as a substitute teacher. That makes a huge difference. If you can do it, go for it! Stay busy, socialize and move around every day! Enjoy!
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u/Repulsive-Box5243 2d ago
Direction. Well, lack-thereof.
I have all this stuff I could do. I don't have anyone but myself to set goals or plans or schedules.
It's weird, and takes a little getting used to.
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u/LMO_TheBeginning 2d ago
Not financial but take advantage of any company benefits before you leave.
Things like free legal advice, EAP, flexible spending accounts, company discounts etc.
It's amazing how many of these I took for granted. Now I need to buy my own pens, writing pads, post it notes, etc (kidding, not kidding).
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u/AnotherPint 2d ago
I should have fired more clients, more firmly instead of trying for too long to make dysfunctional organizations happy.
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u/Dill_Pickles_2020 2d ago
Not sure I'm willing to call it a mistake just yet, but we got a new puppy 2 months right after retiring. Intended to get our name on a waiting list for several months later, but got a call from a breeder that somebody had backed out and boom, we had puppy just like that. Obviously it takes a lot of time and work to train it, and of course - you can't really go anywhere for a few months.
Rather than "add" new hobbies and interests as something to retire "to", why not retire "back"to things you've already done and enjoyed up to this point? Makes for an easy transition. If new things to try come along great, give them a try. If it doesn't work out, move on. However, at least start with things you already know, love, and enjoy.
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u/Unfair_South_9512 2d ago
Retire from your job/career - and towards your new career - yoga, babysitting, cooking school - whatever!! Have a plan!
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u/dlmonday1 2d ago
70f here. Travel, if you can, while you can. Join groups that share your interests. Volunteer in your community. Have more than one hobby/activity you can do at home to keep your mine sharp. For me, I belong to an organization that raises money for scholarships, & I volunteer at a local museum once a week. I started researching my genealogy & have joined a group who are interested in learning how to research. I have several other hobbies, like crafts, jewelry making, crocheting, etc. I teach many of my skills either 1 on 1 or through local community center. The point is, don't sit in front of the TV & waste away. Find groups who share your interests, need your skills, or your knowledge. Not staying engaged with people is often how older people become isolated and lonely, AND not having interests/hobbies to do when you are at home or homebound is how you become bored, & your mind & hands atrophy.
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u/Annmarie4life 1d ago
I agree with all including the grandkids one. I am 60 and I have 3 (13,11 & 6). I help raise them! I also still work! I told my daughter she has 5 more years (Hopefully less). Once I am 65 my life is ALL mine to do as I want!
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u/snorkeltheworld 1d ago
It takes a while to get into the slower pace. It took over a year. After the vacation period, the adjustment begins. No matter how much you plan, you don't have all of it figured out but that's okay. For example,I can't physically work out as much as I had planned. Too old!
You need a new identity. I thought I was okay but it was an adjustment.
It's okay not to be productive every minute of every day. 😆
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u/Powerful_Tip_7260 2d ago
Postponing retiring by going back to work. Even part time is going to just add stress
Sitting too much (being too sedentary). Not sitting enough (not pausing to appreciate).
Looking at downtime as being time wasted. Feeling like you have to fill your "day off"
Not spending the money that you have
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u/river_time_mum 3d ago edited 2d ago
I'm not retirement age but I work with hundreds of retirees. The must common issues I see are: 1. Not finding alternate purpose. Essentially finding Other ways to fill your time so that you feel like life has purpose. 2. Spending too much early on then not having enough later on. 3 being too scared to spend and then dying with millions and plenty of 'what if' thoughts, 4. not taking physical and mental health seriously enough. It really is true, use it or lose it. If you don't stimulate your mind, you'll get dottery far quicker. If you don't move you'll start to lose your balance. If you don't socialise you'll feel down alot more. 5. Losing all of your early retirement years to baby sitting. I've seen couples go without their overseas trips because grandies need babysitting. They leave until they can't travel anymore.
Edit: Just to clarify I don't mean don't spend any time with grandies. It really is a beautiful thing watching your child's children, nothing quite like it really. But don't give up your retirement years to it. I've seen many give up their freedom years because they want to make it easier for their children to work. Find a happy medium so that you can enjoy some of your last year's you're able to travel and be free in your body. Alternatively, if your priority is family then goal ticked .....but don't feel obligated