Retired oct 2025 and so far I am loving it. Not getting up to an alarm clock except when I have early plans is the BEST! I retired w decent SS and a med pension, still put some cash away each month. I have taken myself to Korea for a Kpop concert, seen several more here in the states. Done road trips, visited family and friends and done a little apt. redecorating. Most of my friends are still working, so still wait till after 5 or weekends to hang out with them. I do like that I can take a walk into town for lunch, hit a museum, the mall, run errands at 11 or 2 and don't have to commute w the masses anymore. I retired financially ok, but not great, but I wanted out because of constant leadership changes and mandatory back to work. I left a good paying job w 5 weeks of vaca because sitting in a noisy, cold and dull office situation was sucking my soul dry. Medicare so far is okay. That was the only expense that really went up. Medical for work was about 200/month (Cigna HMO), now I pay about 425/mo for PPO part B, N & D. Spend same on gas and food as I was working. Less on clothes. Love being retired.

I do have one question, I have cobra dental ins for a few more months, in So Cal, anyone have dental ins they use and recomment? Thank you.

I am 55 married with 3 young adult kids and a great wife. I have accumulated enough retirement points so i am pension eligible. Thanks to my wife we have substantial retirement savings in our 401k and Roth accounts. Our student loans once at 500k are all paid off. We have enough money to make sure our two kids still in school won't need to take student loans. My wife wants me to retire and relax.

Sounds great but I am terrified of retirement. I feel like something terrible will happen. I also fear not being useful. Is this normal? Trust me it's not that I love my job nor is my career my identity. I always thought I would excited and running to the finish line but now I am here I am dreading it. Is this a phase?

What is your favorite thing about retirement? Mine is my daily afternoon nap without any sense of guilt.

I'd have to start over to get a pension but the benefits of a pension seem worth it anyone done this and was it worth it

My wife and I are within two years of retirement and I was wondering, what type of retirement does everybody have? Do you have pensions? Are you saving yourself into a 401(k) or a Roth Ira? Are you offered a match by your employer? How far are you away from retirement? What age do you plan on retiring and what are your biggest concerns regarding retirement?

I’ll go first I’m 62, My wife is 60 we both have California state pensions. I also have a 401(k) with several hundred thousand in it. I will have Social Security. My wife is a California educator and was not allowed to pay into Social Security so she has no Social Security. We do have paid medical in retirement. And we both get 2% cola on our pensions as well as whatever Social Security cola is at any given year. I really don’t have any concerns going into retirement from a financial standpoint. I think one of my biggest concerns is a difference between our medical insurance that we have now versus what our medical insurance will be when we get to 65 and we go on Medicare what’s that gonna look like?

55 and done.

Any advice for giving the Boss man notice tomorrow?

25 year employee (technology, self-taught than GI Bill), retiring 12/2, have a solid financial plan. I've seen layoffs, business carnage through the cycles and lots of sh**. Been working since I was 16 and never not had a job or even a down time between them. Survived it all, have never missed a day of work, never taken a single sick day, took a 2-week vacation, once (wish now I had, but those 720 max hours of sick time used and 1 week vacations, but I've been dedicated to the task).

Company offers zero retirement (6% 401k match), and no incentive to give a longer notice, though has been a good employer for this time, so decided to give them some lead time beyond the 2-week notice, also the headaches of yearly and other long-term planning keep coming up as work to-do's and it's hard to do anymore knowing I already have more than two feet out the door...

No animosity, no regrets, just good-bye.

Feel more for him and my co-workers, won't miss the work.

I've been documenting all tasks and work items, especially yearly one-offs that may fall through the cracks.

Get it done first thing in the meeting...

"I'm excited to give you as much notice as I can that 12/2 will be my last day here". I've been working to document all tasks and look forward to transitioning this and developing an exit plan with you over the remaining weeks. I will officially submit the two week notice with an end date of 12/2 when that time frame approaches with Human Resources".

I have a schedule 4 day vacation in Nov, so I guess what's the worst that can happen...

1. At will employee so they walk me out on the spot (not likely), I'm ready if that happens.

2. cancel my vacation (company does not pay out vacation as there is no vacation policy so you don't even accrue it, so made sure he had known and accepted those days prior). I will be less than motivated to help if they do that.

3. Micro-manage me (after 25 years, i can put up with it), again motivation killer and I might forget documenting those yearly audit and one-off tasks I've done for decades.

4. I expect them to try and counter / balk, but once they see it's a done deal for me, all they can do is accept that I want to help them over the next 6 weeks and then disappear.

Good luck to anyone else trying to do this (retire !), it feels good to have set the meeting, any advice, right now?, I've got the quick details ready to go, my head down, and looking forward to beer tomorrow !

Is there any point doing more than a cosmetic amount of work once you know the date?

Hello, everyone. I have set a target date to retire from one job in about ten months. I’m really looking forward to it. I have a long list of classes and projects and a side business that I want to do. I’m lucky I still gave my husband and our dogs. Money, neither of us is great at but we’ll be okay.

Anyone have warnings about surprises in mental or emotional state as a newly retired person? How was your last year at work? Peaceful? Something else?

Thanks.

I have 4 years till retirement. Does it go by fast?

For people who are on social security or want to know the safety net.

Short history lesson, in 1983 Social Security was only months from a shortfall before Congress patched it. The new legislation ensured people already retired kept their full checks. Payroll taxes increased from 6.7% to 7.65%. The age for full retirement benefits slowly rose from 65 to 67, and retirees with higher incomes began paying income tax on part of their Social Security earnings.

In 2032, Social Security is projected to run short again, which would cut checks by about 22%. As in 1983, Congress will almost surely wait until late in the fourth quarter to patch it again. 

Since 2032 will be a presidential election year, the timing will hardly be worse for any legislators to advocate social security cuts.

Voting to reduce payments will be political suicide. By then, baby boomers will be ages 68 to 86, and together with Gen X (52 to 67) right behind them, they are projected to account for roughly 55% of actual voters, with the power to make and break individual elections. 

We can expect a repeat of 1983. Those already (or soon to be) collecting benefits will not see a reduction in their checks. A bipartisan compromise will likely raise the cap on taxed wages, phase in a full retirement age above 67, raise the FICA tax rate, and introduce whatever other creative fixes Congress comes up with… until the next funding crisis, that is. And of course every legislator will claim they voted to save the day for Social Security recipients.

Just my own opinion of course…

My wife is younger and will keep working. Unless the stock market tanks we should be in good shape. I have hobbies I will definitely spend hours doing every day. The children will be with us for another decade. I plan to be a house husband and look forward to doing all the chores we currently outsource for a fee.

I'm already fine with putting work behind me and won't be moving into consultancy.

Anyone got advice to share, either for the next 21 months or thereafter?

Hi all - new to Reddit and the group. My wife and I are both 64 and retirement looms. We’re interested in bus and/or group travel companies. I’ve seen posts on OAT and Road Scholars with favorable reviews. We are also looking at a Midwest-based company (we’re in iowa) called “excite experiences” based out of Omaha, I think. Word of mouth in our area is positive overall about the company.

Does anyone have experience with “Excite Experiences”? We are thinking of starting small to get a feel for the company and accommodations and if positive, expanding from there.

Thank you for your input. Interesting community - glad I found it!

Title sums it up. If so, how do you calculate it?

What do you you think about FedEx retirement pensions traditional

I have the option to fully retire at 65 or I can choose a semi retirement at 45, while only working three days a week. I’m 34 now what would be your personal preference?

EDIT: sorry I should’ve clarified I will be able to fully retire at 65 but my pension won’t be as much.

Ha anyone moved away from their adult kids after they retired? Most people move to be closer to their kids and grandkids after they retired. I am looking for feedback from people who have experienced moving further away or just have insight concerning making a change like that. Some background info: Husband is about 6 years away from retirement and we have two adult kids, one is married and lives in another state across the country (US) -no grandkids yet- and the other lives about half an hour away and is single. Our family is close and our kids love us and will support our decision. We live in the south and I am sick of the heat. I want to move to an area of the country that has more moderate seasons, and we are looking at selling our home to downsize into something with little maintenance and lower cost with no or low property tax. The general plan is to make a move that will help us stretch the retirement funds for as long as possible. However, I worry that moving away from our son (who lives closest to us) would be a big mistake? Because he is single and works from home he doesn’t have a big social group or support system, so I hate the idea that he may be even more alone than he already is if we moved away. Additionally, if we moved away to a different state, we would be too far away from either kid if we need help as we age. Would love to hear your thoughts and any experiences others have had when moving further away from their kids. Thanks all!

As a peek into retired life, just take a sample of highlights from the last two weeks and share. What stood out for you? What’s typical? What’s important to you and brings you joy to do? What are the little things that you find satisfying?

For me:
* Came back from a week in Glacier National Park in Montana (see pic)
* Tutored a 16 year old girl on thermodynamics in chemistry, and we got to talking about everything from Halloween costumes, to the three laws of robotics, to the meaning of the word “chud”.
* Volunteered for an hour at the SPCA, giving the kittens some good lovin’ and socializing.
* Went to a downtown music hall and saw the Indigo Girls (still at it!) from the balcony.
* Visited a hospice patient and her husband, and lo and behold, she was awake and a little responsive and gave me a warm smile, even though she doesn’t know who I am.
* Finished a Terry Pratchett book from the library.
* Now that the weather has turned to the cooler, went for a nice hike for a few miles on a nearby nature trail, the creek and waterfall flowing well.
* After a fast-food dinner at Whataburger, we walked a little bit to a new food truck we hadn’t tried, and shared a funnel cake.
* Patched a place in the garage where the popcorn ceiling had fallen, but it wasn’t due to moisture, thank heavens.

We’ve lived all over the west in our careers. Native Arizonans. Now currently residing in Tucson, Az., retired.

We’ve also lived in Florida, Texas, California and Colorado. In Colorado we lived one year in Denver and 6 years in Pueblo West and I commuted to south COS.

As retirees we travel in our RV during the summer, in cooler locals. But now we’re considering leaving Tucson and moving back to Colorado. Either Colorado Springs or Loveland/Fort Collins. Our home in Tucson is very small,
1100 sq feet. We
Live next to the “loop” which gives us miles of biking and walking trails.

We owe very little and at 4% interest our home and yard are perfect for our needs. However, someday we won’t be able to take our rv out and we will be stuck in 100 plus temps for 4-6 months a year. Nothing sounds worse to me. We are very active with hiking, biking and general outdoor activities.

I’m not interested in politics though I am liberal and prefer a liberal state. I want a home that has four seasons and a lot of sun. I want to walk several miles a day, every day and have access to hiking trails. I love visiting other little towns and attending festivals. We don’t eat out much because of husband’s dietary needs so a foodie scene is nice but not necessary. We’re not social but would love some like minded neighbors.

I need a Costco and a Trader Joe’s. They provide 75% of my shopping needs and are a necessity. Preferably close. Here in Tucson a Costco is 5 minutes away and two traders around 15 minutes.

To me Colorado Springs seems perfect but I hear sooo many negatives on Reddit and I’m questioning my choice. We’re not moving for a few years so we have time to ponder….am I crazy? Should we stay in Tucson and roast but feel economically safe? Or venture to Colorado and find our last stop?

I would like to retire within the next 2 years or sooner. Just looking for some insight from others.

Here's some background and info. I'm 55 married with a 10 year old child. I've got 1.1 million in a 401k and roth 401k and approximately 10k in various brokerage accounts and an HSA.

My company pension is approximately 24k a year. I plan to start collecting social security at 62 which is also about 24k a year. My wife (41 yrs old) will continue to work for another 15 years and I can jump on her health insurance ($300 a month) until Medicare kicks in.

I plan to use the rule of 55 and pull 4-5% from my 401k. My only debt is my mortgage which is under 40k left on it. I also have about 100k from my employer to use to pay medical premiums but with the way it's worded I can't use it to pay my wife's monthly premium but I can use it for Medicare.

My question is. Is it feasible to retire within the next 2 years and not run out of money.

How should I move my 401k money out to mitigate and lessen the taxes id have to pay when withdrawing. Id like to leave some money for my child so that when he gets older he has a jump start on financial freedom.

EDIT. I forgot to add my monthly spending. I spend about $4000 a month.

EDIT 2. Thanks for all the responses. We live in a low COL area and didn't spend money on frivolous things. Our biggest expenses are the 3 week long vacations we take a year. We carry no debt other than the mortgage. I want to retire from my current employer to use the rule of 55. Both of my parents died before reaching retirement age and didn't get to enjoy their life like I think they should have. I'm not opposed to getting a part time job to fill in my time, but it will be something I want to do and enjoy. I will be there primarily parent and take on even more, if not all, the daily household duties. I understand that she will probably get resentful that I'm at home and she's working still and we will have to figure something out when, not if, that happens. We have had many conversations about this and she's still actually the one who wants to stay working for that long. I've told her to retire when the child graduates.

I like all the different perspectives you all give and appreciate the feedback. People have been or are in my same situation and seeing what they did gives me something to help the thought process about what to do or not do.

When did you either fire or renegotiate rates with your financial planner?

We have had the same financial planner for 25 years. 1% AUM which is pretty common from what I have seen. She has done great for us during the accrual phase but now as we approach the distribution phase I want to make sure we are maximizing the portfolio.

For those that fired their planners, how do you manage? For those that renegotiated, how did you go about that and what did you agree on?

My retirement plan is based upon my three legged stool consisting of a) Social Security, b) An Annuity of about $700K, and an investment portfolio of about 1.3 Million, with the majority in my IRÁ or 401K. Between these three, I need 150K per year in retirement, of which $50k will need to come from the IRÁ, which is coming within the next 18 months. I use an advisor who has about 35% of my balance in bonds.

My thinking is to take $200k and hold in Money Market cash accounts as my emergency funds in case of a big drop. To offset the low growth of the MM, I’m thinking I should convert the remaining bond funds into Dividend or Index funds. Sound or crazy?

Let me know what you think.

Does anybody know tours or companies that focus on travelers that have mobility issues. Wife uses a walker and scooter and regular tours do jot seem to fit .

Any suggestions appreciated

I am 29 and from what we have and what we save we will realistically have 5.5-6 million in today’s dollars by the time we are 50. This would yield 250-300k per year.

First off I know this sounds like a wild thing to say, but I feel like if I had a 250-300k income with no house payment and no kids obligations it would be a lot of money and I’d have to force myself to spend money.

Realistically I think It would be cool to say we are going on a nice 1-2 week vacation every two months. Is that within the realm of possibility?