Is "early retirement" insensitive right now?

[RockyMtn]

When I left at the end of my contract with mega corp in 2009 most of coworkers assumed I would take some time off and then reappear with another company in a related line of business. I was 51 at the time. Only a few close friends knew that I was basically done.

Even the company felt that I was likely going to appear somewhere else. They offered a multi year consulting deal that was basically structured like a non compete although I could do other outside work if it was not directly competitive. I could also terminate it with sixty days notice. It took me about ten seconds to agree to that!

So my suggestion is to announce whatever makes you comfortable when you are ready to leave. Being vague could end up being to your advantage. Besides, it's really nobody else's business but yours!

 

[Green Papaya]

About five yrs ago, a friend said we should retire now so that a new generation could have jobs like ours. He was speaking particularly about his children. I retired 3 years later when I met my goals. The friend is still working even though his situation is similar to mine.

Within my former work place, most people stay on for a long time so my not-so-early retirement was rare. I chose to be quiet about my retirement, but did help others with retiring questions when asked. I made my decision based on my situation and cannot be concerned about what other people thinking. Just do not gloat about it.

 

[tb001]

Yes, to Rocky Mountain! I’ve never understood why anyone felt the need to announce or expect others to celebrate their retirement. I suppose if you’re in your 60s and have worked for the same company for the last 30 yrs, I get it. But that’s not been my career experience at all.

If there is a need to tell someone, I would drop the ‘early’ part and just say I’m retiring/retired. I think most people care a lot less about your life than you’d think! And those that are overly interested usually aren’t of interest to me.

 

[rk911]

... I’ve never understood why anyone felt the need to announce or expect others to celebrate their retirement...

when i gave my notice to my boss the HR manager wanted to throw a retirement party for me (we were friends, not just co-workers). I asked her not to...i just wanted to quietly leave. but she was determined to go thru with it. it turned out to be a very nice baseball-themed send-off. that was on my 55th birthday. the next day i came in, turned in my ID and keys and picked up my next-to-last check. my buddy was waiting for me and asked if i was staying the whole day. i smiled and left. i attended his retirement send-off a few years ago. i think his smile was bigger than mine.

 

[brett]

I cannot imagine why anyone would think that 'early retirement' is insensitive.

Why on earth would it be

 

[Nemo2]

I cannot imagine why anyone would think that 'early retirement' is insensitive.

Why on earth would it be

Why not? Just about everything else has been reclassified disparagingly of late.

 

[Major Tom]

This is the part that other people don't want to hear about. Nobody outside this forum welcomes stories of "what I suffered to get where I am today." (But you can share all the details with us, and we'll even try to top your tale of deprivation).

To the rest of the world, it comes across like telling all the overweight people that they could be thin, if they'd only eat less and exercise more, like you do.

This would be an interesting topic for another thread - how much people feel they have sacrificed to achieve ER. It has probably already been the subject of a thread, I imagine. I don't feel that I sacrificed much at all, as I'm naturally wired to save, and not consume excessively. When I see posts by folk talking about how they sacrificed to achieve ER, I wonder whether it was really that hard for them, or whether they're merely feeling a little superior.

That doesn't go over very well on this forum either.

 

[rk911]

This would be an interesting topic for another thread - how much people feel they have sacrificed to achieve ER. It has probably already been the subject of a thread, I imagine. I don't feel that I sacrificed much at all, as I'm naturally wired to save, and not consume excessively. When I see posts by folk talking about how they sacrificed to achieve ER, I wonder whether it was really that hard for them, or whether they're merely feeling a little superior.

we're childless (by choice but it had nothing to do with $) so we had it a bit easier than couples with kids. we really didn't sacrifice much but had we started investing earlier than we did and purchased late model used cars rather than new we'd likely be farther ahead than we are. as it is our NW is in the low 7-figures which is our nest egg should our public pensions go poof. there's nothing to gain by coulda/shoulda/woulda at this point in time. decisions, choices were made and we're living with them. life is very good!

 

[Chuckanut]

Back in my teaching days, some of the schools used to sell bumper stickers that said something like "My child is an Honor Student as Dudley Jr. High". A few parents became offended. "What does that say about the other students?", was their big objection. The answer was simple - it said nothing about the other students. I see no problems as long as you are not putting down others. In fact, you are opening up a position somewhere for an unemployed person who probably needs the paycheck much more than you. That is good.

Just don't get a bumper sticker that says "My grandchildren are cuter than your grandchildren." Them is fighting words.

 

[Amethyst]

Ants are wired differently from grasshoppers, it's true. That doesn't mean the ant wouldn't have liked to be carefree as a grasshopper. Ants just can't get away from thoughts of the cold hard winter, without anything saved in the nest

This would be an interesting topic for another thread - how much people feel they have sacrificed to achieve ER. It has probably already been the subject of a thread, I imagine. I don't feel that I sacrificed much at all, as I'm naturally wired to save, and not consume excessively. When I see posts by folk talking about how they sacrificed to achieve ER, I wonder whether it was really that hard for them, or whether they're merely feeling a little superior.

 

[Nemo2]

Just don't get a bumper sticker that says "My grandchildren are cuter than your grandchildren." Them is fighting words.

We win -- TKO in the 3rd :

 

[FDC319]

I don't worry what other people think. No offense, but folks are too sensitive these days. I laugh at those people. I don't worry about other people's success or failures. I wish them well either way. All I worry about is me or mine. I don't gloat, I'm not green with envy, I just go about my life.. I have a blue collar background and made a decision to stay in a blue-ish(green?) collar career. I don't care about those born into wealth or those who have had significant pressure by parents to go into lucrative careers. MYOB, have a thick skin, and expect others to do the same is how I go through life.

<--happily retired at 47.

 

[Dtail]

We win -- TKO in the 3rd :

Very cute. The one on the left looks a little like your wife?

 

[CardsFan]

This would be an interesting topic for another thread - how much people feel they have sacrificed to achieve ER. It has probably already been the subject of a thread, I imagine. I don't feel that I sacrificed much at all, as I'm naturally wired to save, and not consume excessively. When I see posts by folk talking about how they sacrificed to achieve ER, I wonder whether it was really that hard for them, or whether they're merely feeling a little superior.

Bold by me.

I think sacrifice is too strong a word. Even saying that we "did without" isn't right. We just made choices. My son "did without" $100 Air Jordan's in 1990. Sorry, the cost/benefit was not there. He did, however, get a fully paid education at a pretty good university, with no loans.

We took vacations. Simple at first. Camping in the Berkshires, or a weekend on Cape Cod (off season). We visited family 2-3 times a year. Boston, SFO, Tahoe, STL, Cape Cod. Even took a 3 week National Lampoon European Vacation (seriously, it WAS that bizarre).

We did not get here by sacrificing, but by saving and investing, and the acronym we all know by heart LBYM. That does not mean you cannot have fun, just be a little smart about it.

 

[Nemo2]

Very cute. The one on the left looks a little like your wife?

She's the one to be watched out for, so it's quite probable.

 

[anothercog]

Think of it as leaving a job opening for someone else, an act of charity

I actually do see it that way. I have a number of great people on my team right now and me staying is curbing their ability to rise in my department.

 

[Lienlord]

This is probably how I'll feel, so this is probably what I'll say!

 

[RobbieB]

Guilty are you? Of what? What evil did you inflict on humanity to feel guilty about?

 

[Badger]

Congratulations on your well earned retirement!


Cheers!

 

[Major Tom]

Ants are wired differently from grasshoppers, it's true. That doesn't mean the ant wouldn't have liked to be carefree as a grasshopper. Ants just can't get away from thoughts of the cold hard winter, without anything saved in the nest

Very true. I think that many (most?) of us are not that exceptional, in that we are simply acting according to the way we were conditioned when growing up. The folk I admire, are those who succeed in breaking patterns of destructive learned behavior, and replacing them with new, more beneficial behaviors. Now that is hard work.

 

[Andre1969]

This is the part that other people don't want to hear about. Nobody outside this forum welcomes stories of "what I suffered to get where I am today." (But you can share all the details with us, and we'll even try to top your tale of deprivation).

To the rest of the world, it comes across like telling all the overweight people that they could be thin, if they'd only eat less and exercise more, like you do.

Yep, and those are the same people who will downplay your hard work and success by saying "you don't know how lucky you are!"

 

[retired1]

No guilt at all. In fact it'll be a sign of encouragement for others to save and get out of rat race early.

 

[Amethyst]

My Dad did that, long before I arrived. Granted, based on what he told us (and what I surmised, much later on) he only changed because he had to. But that in itself is an accomplishment. Some people will go on pressing the same broken doorbell all their lives.

The folk I admire, are those who succeed in breaking patterns of destructive learned behavior, and replacing them with new, more beneficial behaviors. Now that is hard work.

 

[Amethyst]

That's the only way they can stand it. "Luck! It's all luck!"

And they're always partly right about that.

Yep, and those are the same people who will downplay your hard work and success by saying "you don't know how lucky you are!"

 

[RobbieB]

I stopped worrying about retirement sensitivity a long time ago.

Sorry, I lied. I've never worried about retirement sensitivity.

If ya gotta work, ya gotta work.

As for me I ain't gotta work anymore so I'm gone with the wind -