Am I a Slackard?

[Sunset]

+1 but perhaps the OP is a second or late marriage where finances tend to be separate.... especially if they married later in life. We don't know. Also, the OP says they have 401ks but have not made any withdrawals. If the OP's 401k exceeds what his DW will collect in SS before she retires or his FRA, whichever comes first, then he is arguably FI even on his own as he could have just tapped into his 401k to fund his earlier retirement rather than rely on his DW's SS. We don't have enough information to know.

If he could have tapped into his 401K, then he wouldn't be able to complain that his wife took SS early and deprived them of $200/month

 

[Youngster]

Please end this thread. Thanks.

 

[REWahoo]

You can't un-ring a bell...

 

[Pilot2013]

There does seem to be a little bit of double...

standard going on in some of the responses. I have worked since I was 14 years old (I consider college work, plus I did bar tend during college... ok, that wasn't really work ). My wife has also worked for quite a long time. Now, by chance, I always was the larger earner, with a much higher stress level vocation, and that also gave the opportunity for her a couple of times to say "take this job and shove it", and take some time in finding a better work environment.

If I were to decide to retire early (and btw, what's early?) and she DECIDED to continue to work part time and start SS so that could happen, and then she called me a slackard. We would have a problem. Either we are a team working together to enjoy our upcoming retirement years (however we choose to spend them, meaning working part time or whatever), or we aren't.

At the end of the day, one person's FEELINGS are not more important than the other. IMHO of course.

 

[Sunset]

But wait.... if the wife retires early and the husband continues to work that is considered totally normal and perfectly fine? If so, then gender equality is a one-way street. If one is fine then the inverse should be fine as well.

So true.
I know a couple and the wife stayed home to take care of the kids, when I pointed out she should go back to work since the kids are in College, the excuses flew around.
If she worked they would pay more in taxes
She had to stay home to take care of the dog
Still she complained about the cost of things, the mortgage, etc. ..
She says they can't afford for her husband to retire.

 

[CountryGal]

We are in a very similar situation just opposite the OP. I am younger, the higher wage earner and retired this year about OP age (not my own decision). Hubby is the age of OP's wife and still working. Initially I felt the "slacker" attitude coming at me and felt it myself, as I decided if I was truly retired or not. As it turned out, I had a health scare and some residual issues that have made retirement a true blessing. Working would make my condition worse. I no longer feel like a slacker or feel hubby's attitudes (real or perceived). He likes his job and wants to continue working. His job will help bridge us until I can take SS at 62. I am just focused on enjoying life. We never know how much time we have.

 

[ivinsfan]

Yes, it is other stuff that she and I discussed. I am not a slackard because of retiring; but, because of other stuff we discussed. I should not have aired my personal issues on a forum. Probably a poor thread title that should have been different.

The question at the time (not now) should have been (or something like this) without me discussing my personal life as follows. Is it inaccurate to say you are retired when only the taking of wife's SS made it financially feasible?

Thank you everyone for your input.

Somehow I don't think you want to thank us any longer Say you are between jobs or Thinking about your options, or unemployed if you want to.Whatever you call yourself shouldn't matter to your spouse if you both are on the same page.

 

[RunningBum]

I don't get the whole "she took SS so I could retire" bit. The OP could've tapped the 401Ks for living expenses and waited on taking SS.

 

[travelover]

I don't get the whole "she took SS so I could retire" bit. The OP could've tapped the 401Ks for living expenses and waited on taking SS.

Which she will probably benefit from if/when he dies first.

 

[Sunset]

Because of the age difference, she is 6 years older, so it is probably him that will die first and she will soon follow, being pretty similar to both dying at the same time.

So there is effectively no spousal benefit to delaying SS, but what I see is they have taken SS early instead of using the 401K to bridge the time.

 

[HFWR]

YMMV, but I embrace my inner slackard. No wife, though, to opine differently...

 

[travelover]

YMMV, but I embrace my inner slackard. No wife, though, to opine differently...

If a man retires in the woods and there is no wife there to chastise him, is he a still slackard?

 

[Nemo2]

If a man retires in the woods and there is no wife there to chastise him, is he a still slackard?

Only if he manages to clap his hand.

 

[redduck]

Please end this thread. Thanks.

You can't un-ring a bell...

Doesn't this forum have a "mercy rule?"

 

[HFWR]

Doesn't this forum have a "mercy rule?"

We're already off topic enough that no one will be sure what the thread is about...

 

[Walt34]

We're already off topic enough that no one will be sure what the thread is about...

Wasn't it toilet paper? No, wait, that's another thread....

 

[foxfirev5]

Doesn't this forum have a "mercy rule?"

Not a chance when it's just getting warmed up