Red Badger on the Prowl

[Red Badger]

Red Badger here.
Just joined a couple days ago. Retiring June 2017.

Used to be a road warrior, but not so much anymore. Negotiated a work from home deal during heavy travel period several years ago. Still work from home ~85% and only go to the office for scheduled meetings (or a cameo if I haven't been in for a while).

WFH has made the last few years tolerable and then some. My actual work load varies, but is usually >50%. I work on a team that is globally dispersed, so I see my boss a few times a year. He's a great guy, and one time a while back, I mentioned that I had some "bandwidth" if needed. He assigned a few things that I slow walked, but completed in the allotted time. No new assignments since - and I'm not asking.

He is aware of my plans. I shared early in hopes of snagging a re-org layoff (no such luck ). Anyway, love the forum and I am prepping for jumping into the abyss at 60 YO. Two more international trips (3-4 weeks each) before THE DAY. I could have ducked them, but that's waaaay too many FF miles (CLT to SIN) to pass up!

Will have two modest pensions (1 COLA), SS in two years (both DW and I), and sufficient assets / NW to draw down a portion of our portfolio (and live same lifestyle) until 62. After that, our SWR rate will be =/> 3% and our living standard will be noticeably higher than at end of employment.

Anyway, thanks again for all the awesome posts, blogs, etc.

RB out.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Welcome, RB. Does the handle mark you as a U of Wis. alum?

 

[travelover]

Welcome. I was going to take SS at 62, but decided to take it at 70 instead. This is a much discussed topic here, but worth thinking through, especially the implications for a surviving spouse.

 

[pb4uski]

Welcome RB. Ex road-warrior here..... combined travel and working from home for many years, ~50% for the last 5 years or so. Like travelover, I'm probably going to wait for FRA or 70 to take my SS since DW was a SAHM. I like this website for a free analysis of SS options: SSAnalyze - Bedrock Capital Management

 

[Red Badger]

Thanks everyone!

Not a UW Alum; had a harrowing experience with a NA badger as a kid on the prairies of ND (if you shoot at one and don't kill it, it's a problem). The red part was my hair before it grayed

The reason for early SS is four-fold.
1. When I reach 62 DW will be FRA for spousal benefit - if we wait until I am FRA, the payback period goes into our later retirement years.
2. Short version of a long story; I also have another pension that will kick in about the same time SS recipients might get a haircut if not fixed. That pension will more than offset the potential haircut.
3. We're both comfy with our middle class lifestyle and want to have extra time to travel, putz around, volunteer before age robs us of those gifts
4. My first job was delivering papers at the age of 10 - - - 50 years of work is enough :banghead

 

[MBAustin]

Welcome Red Badger! If you haven't seen them yet, we have a pretty comprehensive list of questions to help you make sure you are ready to make the leap this year:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f47/some-important-questions-to-answer-before-asking-can-i-retire-69999.html

And feel free to join the Class of 2017!

 

[street]

I wish you the best. Interesting story on the badger! I was born and raised in ND and live so close to it I'm there in matter of minutes.

 

[Nodak]

ND badgers are dangerous, I had one charge at my pickup one time. Welcome aboard.

 

[Chuckanut]

Congratulations!