When Can You Comfortably Retire?

[DoggerDan]

I've noticed a lot of folks here seem to be up at all hours of the day and night. Either you're posting while at work, you're between jobs, or your retired. While I'm curious as to how many people are in each category, I'm more interested in when people retired or when they'll first be able to retire.

If you're still working but don't have to, I'm more interested in how old you were when you were first able to stop working and live comfortably for the rest of your life. I'm also interested in knowing if it's due to circumstances other than work hard, save much. Few folks win the lottery, but quite a few receive inheretances, and some had a golden parachute from work.

That, and I'm having fun fiddling around with the poll options! I'm choosing anonymous responses, but would appreciate your accuracy - thank you.

 

[Jack21222]

I hope to enjoy my job so much that I never want to retire.

 

[Integral]

I am on the WDYD retirement plan. (Work Till You Drop)

At 61, I am in a pretty good position to acess this.

 

[lisab]

I chose "never" but not because I have to - I just can't see myself as retired, I think I'd go crazy. More realistically, I think late 60s.

 

[BobG]

Realistically, I'll probably have to retire someday, but I plan to work as long as I can, so I put never.

Or, if I do retire early (with early being 60's) I'll probably do something similar to what my dad did when he retired. He and my mom started working with social groups - in their case, they worked for prison reform in Louisiana with CURE. He probably "worked" more hours per week after he retired than he did when he had a real job.

He actually liked what he and my mom did together a lot better than anything he did as a chemical engineer. He still shows off awards they were given, pictures of them meeting with Senators in Washington, etc, while he virtually never talked about his job as a chemical engineer the whole time we were growing up. The fact that he and my mom worked together probably contributes a lot towards that.

Now in his 80's with Parkinson's disease, he and my mom finally did have to "retire" from CURE, even though my mom does work with them a little bit. But it was mostly the Parkinson's and the lack of time that caused that forced them to cut back, not because they didn't like "working".

I kind of feel the same way. I have to do something to feel like I'm worth something and just can't imagine sitting around living the life of leisure.

 

[Borek]

I voted 60's, but that's just because the legal system in Poland is made that way that working past 65 doesn't make much sense. I doubt I will really retire - that is, I don't think I will ever do less than I do now.

Not that these days I do anything apart from browsing internet and mending forums. I put too much effort into finding ways of surviving not doing anything to not make use of what I invented.

 

[KingNothing]

I hope I die young, around age 50, so hopefully it won't be an issue.

 

[BobG]

I hope I die young, around age 50, so hopefully it won't be an issue.

I hope I didn't die when I was 50. That would mean that this was my afterlife - wandering the forums of PF for eternity. Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I had to renew my subscription to PF.

 

[rootX]

I have always been for working hard, enjoying every bit of life, and dying healthy, even if that means dying early.

 

[Astronuc]

Never! I have more than enough to do for several lifetimes.

Work is way too much fun, and I get paid quite well.

I know plenty of folks in their 80's who continue to work, and they take great vacations to interesting places.

 

[Doc Al]

I hope I die young, around age 50, so hopefully it won't be an issue.

I was counting on that too. Didn't work out.

 

[Astronuc]

I was counting on that too. Didn't work out.

Too much good karma!

 

[DoggerDan]

Hmm... While I appreciate the response rate, I thought the question was clear in asking the age at which you were, or expect to be able to retire. It's a question of your financial position in life, not your work ethic. Many folks continue to work long after they're able to retire.

For example, I hope that I'll always keep working, in one fashion or another. I like the challenge, for one thing, and the people for another. However, I was able to retire half way to the century point, and did in fact retire then.

But I'm still working...

 

[Jack21222]

Hmm... While I appreciate the response rate, I thought the question was clear in asking the age at which you were, or expect to be able to retire. It's a question of your financial position in life, not your work ethic. Many folks continue to work long after they're able to retire.

For example, I hope that I'll always keep working, in one fashion or another. I like the challenge, for one thing, and the people for another. However, I was able to retire half way to the century point, and did in fact retire then.

But I'm still working...

I think the title of the thread threw people off.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Apparently I have to work until I'm 67 but I doubt this is going to be the case. Firstly here in Europe we have a big greying population problem (the UK doubled in population in about 40 years but those generations had nowhere near as many children) IIRC to the point where in the next few decades retired and under 18 citizens will make up nearly half of the population. Also considering my life expectancy is creeping over 80 and like the many of my generation you only really do part-time work until early 20s (to fund university) I hardly think I'm going to be allowed to work ~55% of my life whilst having to work enough to keep another human alive and well. Not to mention paying for children, mortgage, student debt and the huge debts this country has.

The best generation was the one that is hitting 50/60 now in the UK, they got to live in the post-war boom and only really ever knew growth, employment and bad hair styles. Now they get to kick back on a retirement my generation could only dream of whilst we struggle through the mess we inherit.

EDIT: Make that 68! It's changed since I checked it a few years ago. Bring on April second 2057...