How many years do you work before retire???

[traineeinvestor]

Assuming I retire in early 2013, I will have spent 24 years at the coal face.

No pension, no SS etc.

[Donzo]

26 years for me - got out at 49 - have not missed the mind numbing silliness of the corporate world..............at all!

[Dreamer]

I worked sporactic, part-time jobs in and right after high school for 6 years, then worked full-time for 32 years and 8 months, then early retirement for 4 years and started back part-time work 3/10. I am hoping to work part-time for the next 3 years. We shall see.

[FreeAtLast]

30 years at my career full time. The past 5 years at my career P/T. I am now down to under 20 hours per week.

No solid plan to retire in full, but I am ready should the job end or something else happen.

[chemist]

Started full time job in Dec 1981. Retired Aug 2010 at age 55. Almost 29 years in the salt mines.

[Moscyn]

28 years (rounding up by months). I think life is a series of phases. First you are pampered and educated for like 20 to 25 years and then you work and sometimes slave for 30 to 40 years (Many prolong this phase because they like their careers or because of finances - DH likes his job. I like to pursue hobbies). Hopefully you get out of that working hard phase and enjoy the fruits of your labour with great health for another 20 years. Thereafter, downhill we go.

[Ronstar]

36 years, but the last 8 have been a gradual reduction in hours

[Enuff2Eat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaqxsw 35 years in a few more weeks. D.O.N.E. as noted below!

Very happy for you. I can't wait for my turn to post up here.

enuff

[Nords]

20 years and five days from graduation/commissioning to retirement. Just went over the "nine years of ER" mark a week ago.

Spouse went "part time" (Navy Reserve) just before 18 and retired at the 25.5 mark.

How many years does it take to become financially independent? | Military Retirement & Financial Independence

[JOHNNIE36]

I consider myself very lucky. Started with megacorp at age 17 in a coop engineering program. Retired in 1988 with 34.5 years service at age 51.5. My four years at their engineering school counted toward my retirement and vacation time. Through the years I saw execs retire at 55 and thought that would be pretty neat. A "special early" they called it. As luck would have it, when I reached my 34th year, mega corp was trying to reduce the work force, my project was coming to a close and so I tested the waters for a special early retirement. It was granted and I got 2 years salary when I left. Just couldn't see working another two years for nothing. Also, megacorp paid me a social security supplement until I reached age 62 at which time 50% of that was taken away and the remaining 50 % added onto my retirement check. And, it included health care, dental and vision. Then in 2008, megacorp ran into financial trouble and took all my health care benefits away. Not to worry. They added $300 per month to my retirement check. They say good for life, but who knows. They could probably take that away if they want. Overall, I'm ver happy with what I have. How many people get to retire at 51 or 52?

[Enuff2Eat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOHNNIE36 I consider myself very lucky. Started with megacorp at age 17 in a coop engineering program. Retired in 1988 with 34.5 years service at age 51.5. My four years at their engineering school counted toward my retirement and vacation time. Through the years I saw execs retire at 55 and thought that would be pretty neat. A "special early" they called it. As luck would have it, when I reached my 34th year, mega corp was trying to reduce the work force, my project was coming to a close and so I tested the waters for a special early retirement. It was granted and I got 2 years salary when I left. Just couldn't see working another two years for nothing. Also, megacorp paid me a social security supplement until I reached age 62 at which time 50% of that was taken away and the remaining 50 % added onto my retirement check. And, it included health care, dental and vision. Then in 2008, megacorp ran into financial trouble and took all my health care benefits away. Not to worry. They added $300 per month to my retirement check. They say good for life, but who knows. They could probably take that away if they want. Overall, I'm ver happy with what I have. How many people get to retire at 51 or 52?

Sound awesome!!!! I don't hear deal like that anymore. At 51 you can work another 10 years and still retire early. Congrats.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Full time career '81 to '08 = 27 years. Plus 1 year as a lab rat between college and grad school, assorted part time jobs before that.

[ksr]

Full-time career for 25 years. Prior to that, I worked part-time jobs (in high school and college) for 6 years. Since I ESRed almost four years ago, I still do a little pt work (teach a couple of classes a week, putting in maybe 6 hours or so).

[brewer12345]

I expect to walk off the full time/career path job in my 40s (unless I unexpectedly find it interesting to stay longer). After that I will very likely consult or have a part time small business. So call it 25 years of full time career stuff post college.

[Animorph]

31 years. Could have been less with better saving, but could have been 10 years worse without some luck.

[bbbamI]

25 years for me and 35 years for DH.

[CyclingInvestor]

27 years of programming, retiring at 48. No pension, inheritances, etc.

[BigNick]

I finished college three months before my 21st birthday, because of how the admission birth vs academic years worked. So I've now been working pretty much every day for 30.5 years. (I was technically unemployed for about one day in 1988 when I managed to get myself fired from a start-up on the Thursday before I was due to start, on day #1 of the start-up's official existence, on the Monday, but my old company took me back the same day.)

It's starting to feel like enough.

[Alan]

33 years full time after graduation. 3 countries, 4 companies, 4 pensions, 1 wife, plus retiree health benefits.

More importantly, both of us retired healthy and happy.

[chinaco]

About 35 years