They just keep on working

[copyright1997reloaded]

So I am in the category of FI then RE and now back at work. FI by 45 or so, RE at 51. I'm now 61 and working full time. I have no financial reason why I would have to continue working.

I went from lots of travel, high stress Mega Corp to teaching (college). The pay is much less but I am having fun. I have a long break between fall and winter terms, a decent spring break (1+ week) and the summers off. Since students are taking so many on-line classes, 3 of my 5 classes this term are on-line only. So that makes for fairly easy weeks in terms of specific hours that I need to be there (three days a week including office hours).

On top of that, my mind is being stimulated every day. I continue to learn new things, and I am being paid to learn...how great is that!

So every story is different, even here in the land of retirement nirvana. It's just a bit funny...I was the first of my group of friends to RI (by quite a bit) and in the end will likely be the last to truly retire.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

My father retired at 52, thank goodness. He disliked his corporate job, and as a depression baby, he saved like crazy all his life. I say "thank goodness" because at 67 he became sick with cancer, and he died at 69. I'm so grateful he was able to retire early.

I have not been as good as he was at managing my money, and I'm not retiring until this summer, at 66. But I've been working part-time for two years, doing work that I love. I'm very much looking forward to having my time to myself. I could have done it sooner, but I tend to get anxious and be unsure if the numbers are telling the truth!

 

[Teacher Terry]

My chiropractor is 67 and is down to working 3 1/2 days a week. I loved teaching my one online college class until it recently ended. I was offered a chance to contract work with the VA. It was part time but would involve a hour flight once a week to see clients and 12 page reports. They also micro manage and I turned it down even though the money would have been good. I am getting fussy in my old age.

 

[Walt34]

The guy who owns and runs the auto repair shop where we take our vehicles is in his mid 70's and says he's done that all his life and can't imagine what he'd do if he wasn't doing that. He seems to enjoy it, he and his wife are always cheerful, and he runs an honest shop, so I hope he is able to continue to work as long as he wants to.

 

[Cobra9777]

My best friend from Megacorp is still working. He's a VP and makes a ton of money, mainly via stock options. I'm guessing his NW is somewhere between $30M and $50M. When I ask, his reasoning for continuing to work is some combination of:

1. sacrificed a lot to get to this level of earnings... would be a shame to turn it off
2. don't really know what I'd do all day... no interests or hobbies
3. not sure I have enough money to support my lifestyle
4. work's not that hard and the company needs me

He never mentions it, but I know it's also an "identity" thing with him, maybe even ego. His entire existence revolves around his position at the company and the power that he wields. He reads email continuously. We have lunch together about once a month. During an average lunch, he will read 15-20 email, respond to 2 or 3, and take 2 phone calls. I can tell from his body language that he enjoys it.

He's a good friend but I worry that he will be quite unhappy once he finally retires (or is forced out).

 

[joeea]

I went from lots of travel, high stress Mega Corp to teaching (college). The pay is much less but I am having fun. I have a long break between fall and winter terms, a decent spring break (1+ week) and the summers off. Since students are taking so many on-line classes, 3 of my 5 classes this term are on-line only. So that makes for fairly easy weeks in terms of specific hours that I need to be there (three days a week including office hours).

On top of that, my mind is being stimulated every day. I continue to learn new things, and I am being paid to learn...how great is that!

Sounds pretty great. And you seem pleased - which is all that really counts.

 

[Which Roger]

Some people value power and prestige and don't mind the stress and actually thrive on conflict and competition. None of these are easy to find in retirement.

 

[street]

So I am in the category of FI then RE and now back at work. FI by 45 or so, RE at 51. I'm now 61 and working full time. I have no financial reason why I would have to continue working.

I went from lots of travel, high stress Mega Corp to teaching (college). The pay is much less but I am having fun. I have a long break between fall and winter terms, a decent spring break (1+ week) and the summers off. Since students are taking so many on-line classes, 3 of my 5 classes this term are on-line only. So that makes for fairly easy weeks in terms of specific hours that I need to be there (three days a week including office hours).

On top of that, my mind is being stimulated every day. I continue to learn new things, and I am being paid to learn...how great is that!

So every story is different, even here in the land of retirement nirvana. It's just a bit funny...I was the first of my group of friends to RI (by quite a bit) and in the end will likely be the last to truly retire.

That sounds like a great arrangement and there are people that love to work and want to work till they drop. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. A couple of the ones I know that continue to work have nothing but work, no hobbies no other interests, except climbing the corporate ladder.

 

[WestUniversity]

Many of the people I used to work with at MegaCorp were like this. If it works for them, great. Not my cup of tea...

 

[jollystomper]

That could easily have been me. Job I mostly loved, paid way above I had ever expected, got along with my co-workers... had I been single I probably would have kept going for as long as I could. To keep going I know I would have put in more and more time that I did not mind (the more technology I got paid to evaluate and support, the better), but would have left very little time for anything else. My retiring was less about wanting to leave the job and more about wanting to do whatever I wanted.

 

[ziggy29]

Whatever floats your boat. For me.......I enjoy no corporate responsibilities and politics.

Avoidance of office politics reminds me of my dad's own retirement. His BS bucket was full and was intending to retire as soon as he turned 55, which was the earliest he could retire. But shortly before he turned 55, his boss basically shielded him from almost all the office BS and politics, let him just do what he enjoyed and emptied out his BS bucket, because his boss didn't want to lose him.

He spent three more years there -- he said they were the best three years of his career because his job was more pleasant AND he knew he could walk away at any time. And he only left because Megacorp dangled an early retirement incentive that was waaaaaaaay too good to pass up: one year of severance pay, an extra five years of service credit for calculation of his pension, and 100% employer paid medical until age 65. Bye, Felicia!

Suffice it to say, they don't make deals like that any more.

 

[WhenIsItTime]

So I am in the category of FI then RE and now back at work. FI by 45 or so, RE at 51. I'm now 61 and working full time. I have no financial reason why I would have to continue working.

I went from lots of travel, high stress Mega Corp to teaching (college). The pay is much less but I am having fun. I have a long break between fall and winter terms, a decent spring break (1+ week) and the summers off. Since students are taking so many on-line classes, 3 of my 5 classes this term are on-line only. So that makes for fairly easy weeks in terms of specific hours that I need to be there (three days a week including office hours).

On top of that, my mind is being stimulated every day. I continue to learn new things, and I am being paid to learn...how great is that!

So every story is different, even here in the land of retirement nirvana. It's just a bit funny...I was the first of my group of friends to RI (by quite a bit) and in the end will likely be the last to truly retire.

Glad to hear your story! I’m close to RE and considering this option. Would love to give back through education and stay mentally challenged, but not at mega-corp pace.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Glad to hear your story! I’m close to RE and considering this option. Would love to give back through education and stay mentally challenged, but not at mega-corp pace.

Me too. Can you give us details/more info on teaching college as a second career?

 

[Bir48die]

To each his own. Many of us could teach with our experience. However, I choose not to. Have fun. I've had enough

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Explaining things to clients and seeing understanding light up their faces is my favorite thing about my job, and I'm only 47. I just need a more time and a little less stress. I might like to do it. On the other hand I might like retirement so much that I don't want to do anything. But I'd like to hear more about it anyway.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

My best friend from Megacorp is still working. He's a VP and makes a ton of money, mainly via stock options. I'm guessing his NW is somewhere between $30M and $50M.

My sister is in a similar situation. She has no need for any more money, but I believe she has reached the career level where people kowtow to her and she pretty much writes her own ticket with regards to hours worked, vacations, etc.
I don't think most REALLY top-level executives ever bail out early. They're corporate demigods -- why would they want to give that up?

My brother in law is another story. He's an engineer with the same Fortune 100 company that employs my sister. He's cranky by nature and clashes regularly with whatever supervisor has the ill fortune to have to manage him. I've heard him grumble for 30 years about work, but he could retire tomorrow if financial security was an issue. I think he just likes to fight.

The fact that he's married to a senior executive has probably saved his job more than once.

 

[CaliKid]

It's hard to walk away from a well paying job. I like stashing extra cash even though we have "enough" already.

 

[COcheesehead]

I see/know people like this. Some just lack imagination. They have never put much thought into “what would you do if you had the time and the money.”
No disrespect to anyone, but it’s easy to hit the alarm, get up and do the same thing everyday.

 

[USGrant1962]

As my signature line says, I'm semi-ER. By any reasonable measure I am FI, so I am FIsRE or something.

When I retired from megacorp two years ago, which was 4 days after my 55th birthday to make sure I could access my 401(k) if necessary, I planned to consult about 1/4 time. I was well below that in 2017 and 2018, though I made enough to cover health insurance premiums. I did get a little bored - especially in winter. This year I have a pretty solid commitment to work 1/3 time. And a lot of that is at home in my pajamas .

In my case, I like my line of work but didn't like the megacorp BS that went with it. Yes, my BS bucket was full . So by consulting I get to do the fun stuff and my clients get to deal with the corporate BS. On an hourly basis consulting pays better than the corporate grindstone. I can't even count the weekend work, travel on Sunday, getting home after midnight on Friday, two-week business trips, and short term assignments away from home I did as an employee.

I guess my bottom line is I "just keep working" (part time) because I like the intellectual challenge, like the social aspects, and like the occasional travel (versus half-time or more away from home when I was corporate). And the hourly pay is way better, especially accounting for my former commute.

 

[brucethebroker]

It is interesting of some of the people I know that continue to work. I'm talking about 4 couples that we know that are multi millionaires and still working. These couples are all at 60 to 64 years of age. They don't own businesses but work for prominent companies and making huge wages and I may add these jobs are high stress. None of them over spend and a live modest life styles. I guess they love to work and want more. Not all want to retire but want to keep making money and socking it away. Lol I think all of them just don't want to give up their prestige's titles and identity. Any of you know people like this?

Do I Know any? No, but a huge number of those folks check into this forum each year. "I have X multiple millions in savings/retirement plans and am scared to quit working" is the typical first post.

 

[ckelly78z]

I have always valued off time at home as an unbreachable commodity that no job will ever touch. So many workers just plod along, never planning to do anything else, with no dreams, but all driving new cars, and living beyond their means.

 

[albireo13]

We need more folks to keep working, to continue funding the SS coffers!

 

[street]

I have always valued off time at home as an unbreachable commodity that no job will ever touch. So many workers just plod along, never planning to do anything else, with no dreams, but all driving new cars, and living beyond their means.

I see this a lot also, driving the 50000 to 60000$ vehicles and expensive boats and beautiful pull campers etc.. They are happy and I'm happy for them also, to each there own. Lol

albireo13
We need more folks to keep working, to continue funding the SS coffers!

True, just keep on working, we need those also. Lol

 

[braumeister]

There are several people on my block who are known to be wealthy, yet still go to w*rk every day in their 80s (one recently turned 90). Some own their own businesses, others are partners. They all seem very happy with their lives, which is all that matters.

 

[street]

^ that is interesting! If you own or a partner I could of seen myself working late in life. In most cases it isn't the work we did that was a drag but the politics. In ownership you are the Gov so the politics don't have the effect like an employee. Which would make staying and work more appealing. Lol