Retired, or just UnEmployed?

[Dtail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwraigty You shouldn't be made to feel guilty for not wanting to scramble to get another job at 63, when you were planning on retiring at 64.

^^^^ This.
I mean, really, the difference between 63 and 64. Time to go and enjoy life.
If you wait long enough, it won't even be early retirement.

[brett]

I was fortunate enough to get a lucrative buy out at 59. I intended to take six months off and either go back to work or do some consulting. I did not follow up and subsequent job or consulting leads. My heart was not in it.

I simply walked away from it all and did not look back. I had enough of it all and my financial situation was secure.

The rear view mirror tells me that this was absolutely the right path to follow. No regrets. The oddest thing was not purchasing IT technology from my long term employer. I felt a tinge of guilt when we migrated to ipads and again when I purchased a new printer. Well, maybe for about a full ten seconds.

[camfused]

OP, you've worked enough! Time to start redefining who you are, that does NOT involve an 8 to 6 job. There are SO many things you can do, other than wasting 10 hours a day at a job. If you cannot think of what all those things are, then you just have not sat down and thought it through yet.

[pacergal]

Enjoy your retirement without guilt! You've worked hard and saved for a reason and your financials are in place. If you want to work at a "fun" job, then do so.
To me, retirement is all about being able to do what I want to do, if that includes a fun job I enjoy and can decide to stay or go, so be it!

[Koolau]

If you don't need or want a j*b, you are retired IMHO. YMMV

[cyber888]

I want to retire before I hit 60 yrs of age. If you can retire, do it. If you're no longer excited with work, then the path of retirement is there.

[jcretire77]

Retire ASAP. I just heard that a former team member that retired at the same time as I did just passed away at the age of 67. I have enjoyed the, close to three years, away from the job.

[Rianne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfsinc Got RIFed from BigSoftware in June. I'm 63 and was thinking 'one more year'... They offered me the option of finding another position or a pretty good package. I took the package.

DH did the exact same thing from a megacorp food company. I found out, pretty much the week he decided to do it. He worked for U of I for approx. a year after taking 6 mo. off. Now has an LLC, small consulting from home (20 hours/week). Could not be happier. Everything fell into place.

I got scared at first, just had major surgery 2 months before this abrupt decision. But package included HC for a year. Then, I think COBRA. This was early ACA years and I did not know or understand the process or the benefits. I'm just grateful we both have good health now and can enjoy.