Social Status of Early Retirees

[intercst]

Occupation 65
Education 91
Income 84
Wealth 85

Well!  It looks like the Education didn't help the occupation too much!  We computer dudes are still getting the shaft in status from the "old money" occupations. 

The last number is all that counts to me! 

Call yourself a "Data Base Administrator" or a "Computer Systems Administator" -- at 83, they both outrank everything except doctors and lawyers. <grin>

intercst

 

[JRB]

Occupation: 71
Education: 91
Income: 93
Wealth: 93

Average: 87

Personally I don't think these numbers can be a true indication of status. From general observation it would seem a lot more people have more than I do. A lot more.

 

[Spanky]

Personally I don't think these numbers can be a true indication of status. From general observation it would seem a lot more people have more than I do. A lot more.

This is pretty much the same conclusion that I would draw.

 

[HFWR]

I third that...

Since I have almost zero debt besides a mortgage, and am saving around 25% of pay, in the end I'll be the "winner".

 

[Nords]

Interesting-- I searched all the categories and couldn't find anything remotely related to "military".  So I picked nuclear engineer, which dragged the average waaaaay down.  Please correct me if military is in there somewhere and would drag it down further.

Occupation:  68
Education:  97
Income:  94
Wealth:  98
AVG:  89

It never fails to amaze me-- journalists "research" and write huge articles where they're shocked to discover that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.  Gee, maybe they're correlated!

1/3 of women with MBAs do not work full time

Is there any remaining doubt that women really are smarter?

 

[JonnyM]

Occupation: 81
Education: 75
Income: 78
Wealth: 85
AVG: 80

I used my present occupation, but input my estimated ER Pension. I didn't see a realistic occupation. "Paid to do Nothing" would seem to be appropriate, was some version of retirement hiding in there and I missed it?

 

[Spanky]

... "Paid to do Nothing" would seem to be appropriate, was some version of retirement hiding in there and I missed it?

That's kind of occupation that I desire.

Spanky

 

[Martha]

I have a relative that is a doctor and I happen to know how much money her family makes and how much they have in savings. They have a LOT less saved than we do and will probably need to work to age 65 at least. Nevertheless, beats me in the social status race. The power of getting the 99% occupation status for doctors.

Blood is important. I know some old wealth families. They move in different circles from us and it takes about two seconds of a discussion to know they are somehow different. One family I know lives in an old mansion on a lake in the twin cities. Has millions of dollars in inherited wealth. Family spends all its time in charitable pursuits. I have been in their house. Probably haven't bought a new thing for the house in 60 years.

People try to buy social status with acquiring stuff. I think they might be successful in some circles. After all, if nearly everyone but the very poor have a car and tv, you only distinguish yourself through your mercedes and plasma tv.

 

[intercst]

Interesting-- I searched all the categories and couldn't find anything remotely related to "military".  So I picked nuclear engineer, which dragged the average waaaaay down.  Please correct me if military is in there somewhere and would drag it down further.

Occupation:  68
Education:  97
Income:  94
Wealth:  98
AVG:  89

If you are well-educated and have a high income and net worth, the only thing that wouldn't bring the average down is claiming you're a doctor.

intercst

 

[LEX]

All:

If you are ER'ed, enjoy life to the fullest, have your health and energy, (by stopping off the tread mill early) spend quality time with family, travel, and are at the top of Maslov's pyramid as to personal motivaing energy, you do not require a  New York times article to verify that you are at 100.

Its how well you live by leveraging what you have. Anything else is accounting for its own sake.

 

[ESRBob]

All:

If you are ER'ed, enjoy life to the fullest, have your health and energy, (by stopping off the tread mill early) spend quality time with family, travel, and are at the top of Maslov's pyramid as to personal motivaing energy, you do not require a New York times article to verify that you are at 100.

Lex,
Well put. I feel like 100, even though we keep our cars 10 years and I look kinda scruffy when I go out some days.

 

[MJ]

"Paid to do Nothing" would seem to be appropriate, was some version of retirement hiding in there and I missed it?

That's kind of occupation that I desire.
Spanky

That's what I was doing for the last 4 years before theyfinally laid me off several weeks ago.

It was about time.

MJ

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I have a relative that is a doctor and I happen to know how much money her  family makes and how much they have in savings.  They have a LOT less saved than we do and will probably need to work to age 65 at least.  Nevertheless, beats me in the social status race.  The power of getting the 99% occupation status for doctors.

Blood is important.  I know some old wealth families.  They move in different circles from us and it takes about two seconds of a discussion to know they are somehow different.  One family I know lives in an old mansion on a lake in the twin cities.  Has millions of dollars in inherited wealth.  Family spends all its time in charitable pursuits.  I have been in their house.  Probably haven't bought a new thing for the house in 60 years. 

People try to buy social status with acquiring stuff.  I think they might be successful in some circles.  After all, if nearly everyone but the very poor have a car and tv, you only distinguish yourself through your mercedes and  plasma tv.

Another thing about ER I didn't fully research (it's a long list folks)
After I ran my first company (1977) until I semiretired in 1993, I mostly
mingled with what is perceived as the cream of society, expecially
when I was doing my thing in smaller venues (big fish in a small pond).
But, we had all of the trappings and spent money like water.
coincident with semiretirement in 1993
I recognized that we were no longer able to be "The Jones". In some
ways that may have been a self-fulfilling prophecy. In any case,
very few of my circle of friends here are left from my livin' large days.
I was hoping after we were all retired we could reconnect.
Didn't happen. I regret it. Not sure what I could have done
differently.

JG

 

[Spanky]

I have a relative that is a doctor and I happen to know how much money her family makes and how much they have in savings.

My brother is an internist. He does not have much saving at all.

Spanky

 

[LEX]

My wife is a Doctor, though she bailed out of full time adult responsibility before I did. She will "consult" for a few friends as a cover when they are on vacation (substitute doctor?) Any way she's from eastern europe and very very frugal (Doctors back there are not Rock stars, they are paid straight wages). She has and remains able to avoid the god complex that many american doctors adopt. Doctors often feel (at least the ones I know) that they work 100 hours a week and deserve the royal lifestyle when they are off duty. I can see how they get to this point, as they are trying to compensate for a real lack of personal life given the demands of the job and burn out. However, that costs a lot of money and becomes a real earn and spend trap.

Paul Terhorst said it well: Treat your career like a professional athlete treats theirs, work hard for ten years and then hang it up.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

One of the dentists at my dentists office just had to come out of retirement because he was running out of money. In his 70's.

Every time I go there he immediately works the somewhat one-sided conversation to how he owns a plane, his many exotic vacations, his big house, his expensive car.

Hey, thats great. Hope you enjoy sticking your hands in peoples mouths every day for the rest of your life to enjoy it.

Which one of us enjoys a 'higher social status'. Depends on who you ask, methinks...

 

[unclemick]

Got a call from my eye doc's office yesterday - overdue for the annual checkup. First eye doc hung it up in his forties - his office had a Sailfish covering practically one whole wall of his office. Lots of Safari International and fishing mag's in the waiting room.

I'd like to think - he is still 'out there' somewhere.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

He may have been eaten by something...

 

[rmark]

In my wifes small home town animal control specialist was the policeman with a shotgun. No tag, no collar, lights out. He did take out an old ladies front window once by accident.

 

[LEX]

I guess that is a practical way to deal with the issue.  What did this guy do when someone called him to get their kitty down from a tree? 

 

[REWahoo]

In my wifes small home town animal control specialist was the policeman with a shotgun.

Sounds like the BTK serial killer recently arrested in Kansas. Gives new meaning to the term "animal control"...

REW

 

[Nords]

What did this guy do when someone called him to get their kitty down from a tree? 

That would probably require both barrels... unless the kitty stayed very, very, still!

 

[Spanky]

In my wifes small home town animal control specialist was the policeman with a shotgun. No tag, no collar, lights out. He did take out an old ladies front window once by accident.

Hmmm... sounds like a good case for a lawsuit.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Had he shot one of my dogs, tags or no, he'd have had a different occupation shortly thereafter.

Fertilizer.

 

[unclemick]

Water meter man threatened to do in my step daughter's dog with a shovel - she countered with a loaded shotgun. When he reported her - she went down and politely explaned - Hey! This is Mississippi! Which it was then - end of argument.

My late father in Washington State threatened to come out of retirement and run for dog catcher - on the 'right to poop' ticket when pooper scoopers and leash law restriction proposals were running rampant before the city council in a certain rinky dink logging town.

Got a college degree in poly sci - after retirement - the PUD and city council were the main recipients during public hearings.

Thought it was 'a good thing to do in retirement'.