At what age did you retire? (retire=NO paycheck)

[W2R]

W2R, that is an impressive feat. I have read that divorce is one of the most traumatic life experiences.

Thank you. Divorce is indeed awful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But, life goes on (much to my surprise!) and in time, one can recover from it both financially and emotionally, and have a happy life. But it takes some effort.

 

[Cobra9777]

Retired at 52 in 2013. Youngest was in her last year of college and the financial picture had improved rapidly since 2009. Original plan was 55 (Megacorp's official "early retirement" date). At that point I would have kept all options/RSUs and the pension gets a nice bump. But the job had become progressively toxic and all-consuming. I just wanted to control my own time and work on things I enjoy. I qualified for a modest pension and retiree healthcare, so I decided to hang it up at 52.

 

[KM]

DH and I retired same time at 55. Could have done it a few years earlier, but I needed to hit 55 to be eligible for subsidized retiree health insurance from my company. Not cheap, but a lot cheaper than paying for it on our own (not eligible for Obamacare subsidy) and a much better policy. So it was worth it.

 

[Alan]

I voted below age 45, but could have come in under 35 if there was a category for that!

Does your wife/SO work?

 

[Al in Ohio]

At 55 (2016)

 

[audreyh1]

There is a tiny handful of sub 40 folks here. I retired a few months shy of my 40th birthday.

 

[audreyh1]

I retired at 61, but I am proud of retiring that early after a bad divorce left me with essentially nothing at age 50. I just had to hit the LBYM really hard and plan, plan, plan. And reading posts from the wise people on this forum helped a lot.

There is life after divorce! (And retirement too if that is the goal.)

I also went through a divorce that wiped out my savings, but at age 28, so fortunately for me I had plenty of time and earning capacity to recover financially. I often completely forget about it. Just relieved that I figured things out so early and no kids.

 

[Dtail]

Retired at 57 in 2017. If I discovered this site earlier, probably could have shaved 2 more years off, plus did pay out in divorce starting at 49 y.o. and ending at 55 y.o.
Still very happy overall.

 

[griffithee]

Retired at 43 years, 5 months, 13 days. (2013). I had always planned on retirement in 2013 at end of service. A divorce end of 2008 took half my pension, all my houses, and left me with 50K in debt (plus alimony and child support). Rented a room and went on super frugal mode for the next four years to become debt free. Married my now DW in 2012 and she retired in 2015 at 41. We remain debt free and live off pensions.

 

[Walt34]

I retired at age 52, stayed retired for about four years and then "fell off the wagon" for about five years and permanently pulled the plug after that. Oh yeah, did the divorce thing at age 35 but fortunately no alimony, no kids, no debt, and actually came out of it with about $7,500 in the bank when the dust settled.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Does your wife/SO work?

Yes, YW started her career when our first son was 7. After 8 years of working she will leave her job this winter when we will move to the USA and she will start University to begin her next career as she is no longer challenged. She is 37 now.

 

[NYEXPAT]

I got divorced about 15 years into retirement and had about a million less than I started with, made it back pretty quickly though.

 

[RockyMtn]

July of 2009...coming up on 10 years!

 

[MuirWannabe]

On my 55th birthday. 19 months ago

 

[sengsational]

Driven by our illustrious lawmakers, retired age 54, but "in the year I turned 55"

 

[38Chevy454]

53, August 2017

 

[EQMAN]

At 55 in 2016.

 

[ejman]

52, 2002.

 

[Honeyfill]

61 in 2018.
but I just received a great job offer. Its for a lot more money with all the good parts of my old job and none of the bad parts. I'm torn , I have to decide by the end of the week.

 

[Koogie]

Been semi-retired for 3.5 years but didn't vote since that "doesn't count"....

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Thank you. Divorce is indeed awful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But, life goes on (much to my surprise!) and in time, one can recover from it both financially and emotionally, and have a happy life. But it takes some effort.

I'm curious as to how many were made BETTER financially because of divorce? I was divorced in the early 2000's and was financially devastated at the time, but this was the impetus that put me on the track to retire very early. Had I not gotten divorced...oh man, I don't even want to think about that!

 

[Lsbcal]

Been semi-retired for 3.5 years but didn't vote since that "doesn't count"....

I wanted to keep this poll somewhat simple to view. But there is a category for you to select.

You could always start another poll for semi-retired people. In that case you could just have one category for "retired with NO paycheck" ... I won't feel bad.

I certainly don't mean to imply that if one is earning some money it is a bad thing. People are quite free to choose their path. Something to celebrate.

 

[24601NoMore]

55 (Jan 2019). No paycheck or other W-2 income. Zip, zero, nadda.

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

I have a pension. Is that a 'paycheck'? I dont see it, it goes direct deposit to my bank account.

 

[Lsbcal]

I have a pension. Is that a 'paycheck'? I dont see it, it goes direct deposit to my bank account.

No a pension is not a paycheck nor is SS. Neither are compensation for recent work.