I'd sign up for that...He said companies are increasingly looking to trim payroll, and churn their work force, by offering these packages. In many cases, depending on their expertise, retirees are brought back into the fold as consultants or to help train younger employees, essentially doing much of the same work but without the cost of benefits.
"They can't defeat the union, so they just buy it one worker at a time," Cox says. "That's essentially what the larger companies are doing. They are using the opportunity presented by the economy being the way it is to turn over their work force a little bit faster in the areas that are either lagging or are legacy parts of the business that really aren't producing the revenue they want."
I think blue collar/white collar has less to do with it than whether or not there is a pension and retiree health insurance in the picture. Though it probably is true that many white collar occupations may have had the income to fund retirement savings even without those blessings.I hate articles like this one that speak in generalities. I want to know how much the folks who ERed had in their portfolios. Notice none of them were blue collar workers.
I think blue collar/white collar has less to do with it than whether or not there is a pension and retiree health insurance in the picture. Though it probably is true that many white collar occupations may have had the income to fund retirement savings even without those blessings.
Early retirement is like Buddhism: there are many paths to the enlightened state.What I continue to find interesting about this topic and articles like this is how it's clearly not "one size fits all" when it comes to ER. There are so many ways someone might position themselves to RE. White collar or blue may not play a huge role one way or another. Controlling spending, LBYM, a saving mindset, inheritance, pensions, severance packages, etc. all get factored in. The common thread seems to be a desire to do it and the willingness to put together a plan to make it happen.
What I continue to find interesting about this topic and articles like this is how it's clearly not "one size fits all" when it comes to ER. There are so many ways someone might position themselves to RE. White collar or blue may not play a huge role one way or another. Controlling spending, LBYM, a saving mindset, inheritance, pensions, severance packages, etc. all get factored in. The common thread seems to be a desire to do it and the willingness to put together a plan to make it happen.
Translation: there is no way he can even consider retiring now, and I must have some kind of trick, inheritance or other means, besides LBYM and saving hard. I told him no, but we're not planning the lavish life many of our peers are counting on.
I hate articles like this one that speak in generalities and fantasy. The conclusion that expenses are a driving factor in meeting personal financial goals is utterly banal. I want to know how much the folks who ERed had in their portfolios. What does "by no means uber wealthy mean". The accountant who ERed must have had a > $1M nest egg to support ER at 45. To most people that's "uber wealthy". Let's face it, ER is not an option for most and if it's imposed by layoffs it probably means poverty rather than "ice skating in Rome".