Long slow trigger pull!

[wmc1000]

Been reading here for the past year with some commenting. I kept thinking about when we could retire, (my wife stopped working almost 6 yrs. ago when she was 55-not an official retirement!).

I finally told my employer - small 7 person company - that I was either be retiring or maybe going part time at the end of 2016.

I have 26 weeks of vacation/PT that I can use so I am going to work 3 weeks per month for 26 months and then finish out the rest of 2016. Won't really be Early Retirement as I will be 64.5 at that time! We'll see what happens - it is still a ways away but at least I have set a timeframe for full time work!

 

[gauss]

I transitioned into ER first through 6 months of part time work followed by a year and quarter of dependent care leave of absence. When the leave expired I was emotionally ready to pull the trigger and actually resign. This scenario worked well for me.

-gauss

 

[wmc1000]

Gauss - If I decide to go earlier I can use up my time at a faster rate!

 

[braumeister]

A friend did something similar. He had lots of vacation days saved, so he set himself up to take at least one of them in every week that didn't already have a holiday in it. That way he never worked more than four days a week, often just three days. He called it "tapering off."

He loved the arrangement (his boss not so much), and when he ran out of saved days he resigned and retired.

 

[pb4uski]

I was 80% time and then 50% time over the last 5 years I worked. It was a win-win. I had a good gig and the firm kept access to an experienced resource wtih a broad network of firm and client relationships.

If the nature of the work was such that I could close the door on the days I had off I might still be doing it but unfortunately, the nature of the work was such that I was constantly "on-call" so it was hard to have full days off to do what I wanted to do - so I quit.

 

[MBAustin]

Only problem is that you need space on the wall for 3 calendars so you can cross off the days as you go!

Good luck with the plan!

 

[wmc1000]

I have 3 walls for calendars- maybe i should use those 1 day at a time ones! - and I miscalculated - I will be 63.5 not 64.5 I feel even better now!

 

[robnplunder]

I have 3 walls for calendars- maybe i should use those 1 day at a time ones! - and I miscalculated - I will be 63.5 not 64.5 I feel even better now!

LOL! Your mind is already going. You may have to pull it in sooner.

 

[wmc1000]

ok, only 1 month later and the scenario has changed. Employer, (or should I say owner - it's a very small company). has to do my work when I am on vacation and he doesn't want to have to work long hours 1 week a month each and every month - (eyeroll) - so he said that scenario isn't in the best interest of the company!

So back to the drawing board - I submitted an alternate plan where I take 3 weeks of vacation this year and next and other than that I work 6 hours per day, (30 hrs. per week), and still get full pay through 2015. After that I take a 25% cut in salary and continue to work 6 hour days for 2016. This maintains my company paid health insurance for my wife and I. This proposal was accepted so I guess I can consider myself semi-retired for the next 2.5 years and take it from there.