Class of 2013

[Skybird]

No bridge for me either not rich but definitely free!

 

[martyb]

Finally UNDER 500!

 

[W2R]

Making progress!

 

[Skybird]

Yeah Marty!

I've had to revise mine to one year later than I thought. We are in contract negotiations and it's not looking good! So I may well be class of 2014.

 

[martyb]

Sorry to hear that......but at least you're still pretty close.

 

[martyb]

It's gonna be so much nicer in just about 3 months when I'll be able to say "I'm retiring at the end of the year!) I don't think I'll mention it to my boss until about 30 days out, though.

 

[Skybird]

I may be if the new contract is a two year rather than a three year! So it would force me out because this is the last best contract I would have.

 

[martyb]

 

[Finance Dave]

I'm still not sure if I'm a 2012 person or a 2013 person, it will depend on a few other things...but either way it's getting close.

The VERY earliest would be April 2012. I think the latest would be June 2013.

If the stock market participates, and I get 2 more rental properties going soon, then April 2012 is looking good.

P.S. I have a closing set up on rental #2 on Tuesday of next week.

 

[martyb]

My absolute earliest day, due to pension requirements, is January 2013. As of now, that's my intended departure date. Of course, I know nobody on here will give me any grief if I should happen to choose to work a little longer, meaning months, in order to maximize my vacation payout and/or ad another couple % to my pension. Not saying I'll do this, but it's possible. Odds are less thann 50/50 though.

 

[kyounge1956]

A year and a half to go....

 

[martyb]

Congrats! I've got just a little less than that and am chompin' at the bit!

 

[bikeknit]

I'm aiming for August 2013. I am interested in how people handle telling the boss. I work for a non-profit and know that my boss would love to have time to adjust duties etc. On the other hand I would not want to burn my bridges and make it impossible to change my mind. So I waver between 6 months - and just 30 days.

 

[martyb]

I'm still thinking 30 days notice is what I'll do.

 

[martyb]

Ok, after yesterday....make that 2 weeks notice.

 

[RioIndy]

As much as I am happy for you all, I think i'm going to have to stop reading all the posts of people who have reached or are so close to the finish line.

It all sounds so exciting/rewarding but then I am quickly brought back to my own world and have ~5,475 days left Oh well congrats to you guys anyways.

 

[StevenJ]

Congrats Marty, I'll leave the workplace for the last time a few weeks before you. Dec-31, 2012 will be my last day unless I catch the "one more year" bug. That will mark 26 years with the company and is just short of my 57th birthday. My boss is also a friend (how many of us can say that?) and I've hinted at this for over a year without naming a date. I'll make it official in January so we can begin planning my replacement.

 

[martyb]

I haven't even dropped a hint yet, though I might do that around summertime, just to watch 'em start to squirm...heh heh heh...

 

[bikeknit]

coping with work as retirement approaches - class of 2013

I'm planning to retire in August of 2013 and am having some problems wrapping my mind around how to handle that at work. I've always pushed for new and challenging projects to keep my work life interesting. Now as I expect to be working for a bit less than 2 years I feel a little guilty asking to be the person getting extra training etc. (I know better than to let them know my plans at this point) as I may only be using that training for a short time. But if I don't ask for these training and interesting projects, I'm afraid that I'll be bored to tears. 20 months could be a long time if I'm mostly spinning my wheels.

How have others wound down their last couple of years?

 

[martyb]

I'd say try not to feel guilty, and just keep on doing the things you'd be doing if you weren't planning to retire. If you start acting differently, people will wonder what's up...they will probably start to suspect you're planning an exit. For me, even though I'm down to 13 months, I've got 6 new training courses I'm gonna partake in, beginning in January. That will take me through August. Just about 4 1/2 months before I punch out. To do otherwise, I'd have to fess up sooner than I want to, which would then completely change the dynamics of my situation at work. Don't wanna do that. I'd rather things stay smooth until I'm ready to make the big announcement...whenever I decide it's time to do that.

 

[DoingHomework]

I'm planning to retire in August of 2013 and am having some problems wrapping my mind around how to handle that at work. I've always pushed for new and challenging projects to keep my work life interesting. Now as I expect to be working for a bit less than 2 years I feel a little guilty asking to be the person getting extra training etc. (I know better than to let them know my plans at this point) as I may only be using that training for a short time.

I can't speak in the past tense but I feel your pain (lol). I've got about 5 years left. I'm pretty young so my departure will be a shock. I have consciously stopped asking for much "professional development" like training or going to conferences. I'll probably go to my last big international conference for my field in 2012. I don't feel guilty about leaving or anything like that. I just think that it is the right thing to do for both my organization and my younger colleagues to give someone else a chance at the "perks".

I have a similar dilemma with some of our longer term planning. We have a somewhat vague 5 year plan and a more concrete 3 year plan and I have a big roll in both of these. Next year when our 5 year plan starts to deal with things I will not likely be here for I know it will have me thinking. In a couple of years when the concrete planning is for a time after I leave, I wonder whether I should back away from it a bit? I know how often I have resented carrying out someone else's plan.

 

[KM]

Ok, after yesterday....make that 2 weeks notice.

I swear you are my alter ego and I could have made any and all of your last few posts....particularly this one.

Things are getting pretty toxic where I am right now and I have serious doubts it will get better. I am contemplating applying for some different openings in other departments right now - but feel a little guilty doing so, knowing I would only be there for a year. But then I tell myself, I could do a lot of good in a year too.....

395 Days
283 Week Days
233 Work Days

 

[W2R]

Ok, after yesterday....make that 2 weeks notice.

I swear you are my alter ego and I could have made any and all of your last few posts....particularly this one.

Hang in there, guys. I may have been retired for two years, but I still remember how rotten w*rk usually got right before Christmas. Everybody's emotional, short-tempered, and overworked (with all the Christmas preparations at home and so many out on vacation time at work), and the weather isn't helping.

Things will start looking up in January, I predict.

 

[martyb]

I had use-or-lose annual leave, so had to take off the week between Christmas & New Years. I am always off on Fridays already, so that means I have 11 days off, but only "spent" 3 days of vacation time to get them. With the actual holidays falling on Sundays this year, my official days off get bumped to the following Mondays, so I don't have to burn vacation time for them. Also, I normally work 4 - 10 hr days, off on Fridays, so they don't count towards my vacation time either. Burning 30 hrs vacation time nets me the 11 total days off. I didn't make any specific plans for this time off, other than Christmas day with the family that's in the area (including my NEW granddaughter who was born on Dec. 16th!) So far, I'm really enjoying the time off, and think I could get used to it.

 

[palomalou]

Well, I am formally exiting the class of 2012 and joining 2013. The annoyingly flat market of 2011 did us in. But to make 2013 more certain, I have applied for a second part-time job (in addition to my full-time job plus a bit of independent consulting). After today, if I could retire in an hour, I would! But, wisdom prevails, and May 2013 it will be.