Sadly, its not going to happen the way I hoped...

[wishing4it]

Hi, I joined this forum awhile ago but never introduced myself. I'm 57, DH will be 57 later this year. He lost his job a year ago and can't find another making more than minumum wage, so he is now counted among the "forced retired". We both hate that we aren't retiring together as planned with the usual retirement hoopla... But, we've run the numbers thru FIRE CALC and Monte Carlo simulators, etc. and we find we can still live the dream!

Here's the "new" plan... I'm trying to talk my boss into giving me a severage package since my company does layoffs every year. I would get more than a year's salary plus a decent bonus. Plus we have some cash savings as well. If it happens, we will sell our house and go on the road fulltiming in our RV! Then, when we are tired of that (don't think it will be soon because we love camping), we will settle down in Texas where we have some land. Build a house, etc.

So, it's not going to happen they way we once hoped it would but we've adjusted our plan and and hope the new one will work. Maybe later this year!

 

[REWahoo]

Congratulations, sound like you've got it all figured out.

Just one point - you've got the relocation plan reversed. Once you retire the thing to do is move from TX to CO, not the other way around...

 

[W2R]

Hi wishing4it, and welcome to the Early Retirement Forum. Congratulations on being so close to living your dream! We never know what life will throw our way, but often it is for the best, for some reason. I hope that severance package comes through for you. That sounds just wonderful.

 

[Nords]

Just one point - you've got the relocation plan reversed. Once you retire the thing to do is move from TX to CO, not the other way around...

Which side of the Texas border has the armed guards-- the ones to keep the Texans in, or the ones to keep everyone else out?

Holy cow, I just realized that I made a snarky Texas joke while my kid is either a hostage or a refugee...

 

[Bestwifeever]

Welcome to the boards, wishing4it, and just pay no attention to REWatexas up there .

Your thread title says "Sadly"--if your plan works to finagle the early buyout, that's fabulous. But even if it doesn't and you watch your DH enjoy his forced retirement for a little while, sounds like things are still in the "Happily" range! Had he not been forced into retirement, what was your target date?

 

[wishing4it]

Thanks "ya'll"

Seriously, I know most people think that CO is a great place to live but I've lived here my whole life... tired of the snow and looking forward to the Hill Country. Of course if we fall in love with another place in our travels, it could be a different story!

And it really will make us happy to retire sooner rather than originally planned... in 2.5 years. Thanks again!

 

[REWahoo]

...and looking forward to the Hill Country.

Good grief....

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Keep your wheels. You will need them again.

 

[chris2008]

When I read here how difficult it is to take the ER decision and actually resign instead of staying another year .... and another year...a forced retirement can be a blessing in disguise if your ducks are lined up.
Be careful how to frame your plan in your company and when to speak.
If your employer feels that you will leave anyhow sooner or later they might decide to save on you.

 

[BigNick]

When I read here how difficult it is to take the ER decision and actually resign instead of staying another year .... and another year...a forced retirement can be a blessing in disguise if your ducks are lined up.
Be careful how to frame your plan in your company and when to speak.
If your employer feels that you will leave anyhow sooner or later they might decide to save on you.

+1... my ESR job opportunity seems to be starting to fall into place with an end-2011 time frame. I would like my employer to pay me off, which would bring in $150K, but if they don't plan that for 2011's budget round, I will need to decide whether or not to take a sabbatical to slide into the ESR position. Of course, if I do that, my chances of getting them to abolish my post will be reduced, since they can just wait for my maximum sabbatical entitlement to run out and then I have to return or resign ($0).

 

[Texas Proud]

Good grief....

Yep... in your area... not mine

 

[rescueme]

Holy cow, I just realized that I made a snarky Texas joke while my kid is either a hostage or a refugee...

Heck, I was a (military) hostage in Texas and went to Nam back in '68 to escape.

Got tired of the tornados, blowing dust, and tumbleweed (up in the panhandle) along with nights below freezing and days above 100.

Sometimes you do what you have to do ...

 

[LARS]

So, it's not going to happen they way we once hoped it would but we've adjusted our plan and and hope the new one will work. Maybe later this year!

It’s important to be flexible/adaptable as your retirement progresses: you’ve already learned that lesson at the start. Hopefully that means smooth sailing from here…