Were you nervous when you retired?

[Markola]

I’m three months in and any nervousness is far outweighed by relief from being accountable to lots of people.

 

[Chuckanut]

I had a sense of immediate relief my last day on the job. As a retired teacher the real sense of joy came in mid August when I walked through stores with big "Back to School" signs up and I didn't give a hoot.

I did have two concerns: improving my long term health outlook, and watching for sequence of returns risk. The former I did by eating better and exercising more, both required more time than I had when working. The later never showed up, and I had a plan to deal with it if it did.

But, since I had prepared properly, I was never nervous.

 

[Dtail]

Yes. If you think about it, we all make a big "purchase" when we retire. We are buying freedom at the price of foregone wages.

There can be some buyer's remorse, but that quickly fades in most cases.

I was not worried since I had done all the worrying already in saving to hit my numbers. I was more concerned I might get bored but that has not been the case.

Nicely stated.

 

[brett]

No, not at all. Retired at 59 with a package from my employer.

The numbers were right, the timing was right.

The only thing I was nervous about was how long it was going to be before my employer's downsizing impacted me. I wanted a package and knew that it would only be a short time before one came along. Well worth the 10-12 month wait.

 

[MarieIG]

Can you take a six month sabbatical? (I would have done that if I had the option.)

This may relieve the nervousness, knowing that you can return.

I strongly suspect that (if so) at the end of the six months, you will decide not to go back; and any nervousness will have faded away.

 

[1242Vintage]

I wasn’t nervous about retirement for a few reasons.

Financially the decision was easy since the monthly pension I was eligible to draw became larger than my paycheck at that point. Not going to deal with all the BS of working for nothing!

And before retirement I was working and living (at my own expense) in Los Angeles, 500 miles away from my permanent residence. Rent on a decent condo in LA plus flying back home every weekend was $3k a month. Retirement let me shed those costs.

And finally, there was a little voice in the back of my head that kept reminding me that my father dropped dead of a heart attack at age 56 and never took the opportunity to retire with Mom. I turned 56 in April 2020, listened to that voice and retired on May 1, 2020.

Now getting to spend my days enjoying life with my lovely bride ... just celebrated 33 years of marriage yesterday!

 

[W2R]

Before retiring I had gone through my numbers and "beaten them to death", so I was sure that I was financially ready to retire. Despite that, retirement day was pretty scary and exciting. I imagine that must be what skydiving feels like.

I was quite determined and figured that even if I had made a mistake, I'd make it work somehow.

Turns out that I have done fine, financially, and have had more to spend than I really need. Also my adjustment to retirement was much easier than I had ever expected. I love being retired. But before I retired, I didn't know! I think that big step into the unknown is what was unnerving to me on my retirement day.

 

[pacergal]

I was nervous and excited, had a planned date that changed , but was finally set after I sent in my retirement letter.
OP--as a retired nurse also , I get it. You have been taking care of others and their medical, physical, emotional needs for years. It is time to take care of your self!
You state you have the financials taken care of, now its time for you to enjoy the rest of your life! Retire and have fun--do the things you want to do on your timeline. Thats my favorite part of retirement.

 

[scrabbler1]

Overall, not nervous. But I have had a few moments of nervousness in the short time leading up to my late 2008 retirement at age 45.


The first was walking to my boss's office with my resignation letter and handing it to them while telling them I was leaving after 23 years.


The second was a few days later when the balance in my employer's 401k/SOP account dropped to zero but before I received the money, some of it electronically, some it via a paper check.


The third was in 2011, after my health insurance premiums had risen 25%, a year after they had risen 20%, making me wonder if increases like these would eventually bust my budget before I became eligible for Medicare. The ACA had already passed but the exchanges would not become available until 2014. I switched to a cheaper, bare-bones, hospital-only policy for the next 2 1/2 years and hoped I stayed healthy in that time.


Otherwise, it has been great being retired for the last 12 years.

 

[brett]

We have been fortunate. Our spending has been at or less than we forecast each year after retiring eight/nine years ago.

Our investment income has been more that we forecast over the same period. Partly do to a big gain partially attributable to sequence of returns just prior to and shortly after retirement.

Health has been better too.

I think that the trick is to understand you spending pattens-current and projected. Be somewhat conservative in establishing a future spend and inflation projection and in investment income projections.

 

[GreenER]

Nervous? No - unless that's what you call how a 6 year old kid feels on Christmas morning, because that's exactly how I would describe my emotion upon retiring. Sans the green coloring, whenever I looked in the mirror this is what I saw:

I felt like that for about 1/2 year before retiring and at least a year after. I still get a thrill of happiness when I think how lucky we are to be retired for 3 plus years! I hit my number and then as soon as I hit 55 and was eligible for a pension I left.
No regrets about not working, especially now with Covid! My only anxiety was related to uncertainty with the ACA which we've depended on for healthcare.
I was an RN too and have kept my license as insurance incase healthcare becomes unaffordable. We still have 6 years to go before medicare, so I still worry some about that as the ACA is once again threatened. I think we could probably even manage going back to exorbitant premiums, but prexisting conditions could be a problem. But, aside from that, we love being retired. Our stash has grown enough to support 4 additional years of current withdrawals despite the past 3 years of withdrawals to supplement the pension. We likely won't take SS until 70 and at that point we won't need to supplement from savings at all.
No regrets, we love being retired and no problem staying busy even with Covid.
Go for it! As nurse you can probably jump back in if you wish to.

 

[Car-Guy]

Almost a decade now, but I don't remember ever being nervous about retiring. I had enough, money and of work and I was prepared mentally. Maybe partly because I was pretty sure I could turn into a high priced consultant if I wanted to work. I actually had a few unsolicited job offers shortly after I retired which I turned down... I'm to far out of touch with my old skill sets now to go back which is okay since I never really missed or needed it.

 

[RetMD21]

I stayed on past FI until I was 100% sure I wanted to go then gave long notice. I hung on longer than many on this board (63) but it was easy if not wise

 

[iloveyoga]

I don't remember being nervous. DH retired first and he was a good cheerleader for me. It was very strange to get used to no paycheck, even though we had saved plenty. It did not take me long to adjust though!

 

[camfused]

By the time I actually retired, i was not nervous, because I had analyzed the number to death and was confident I had thought everything through that needed to be.

My wife is just about to retire, and she is pretty nervous, about healthcare. As we fall off her insurance, we will go with either ACA or CORBA. ACA is, well, I would not bet for or against it right now. COBRA is pricey, but we have the funds if we really have to use them. I want to go with ACA, since it is much cheaper, and I assume that no matter what SCOTUS does, it would be there at least until the end of next year. I am not sure I can convince her to do that right now, and may have to pay for the pricey COBRA.

 

[Koolau]

When I (self) declared my Financial Independence at 51, I guess maybe I was "nervous" because I didn't retire at that time. I SAY it was because I still liked what I was doing. Several years later when I didn't like what I was doing I retired without any nervousness. YMMV

 

[WhenIsItTime]

It is a huge decision to walk away from steady income. I did at 47. My WR is well below 4%. I have lots of hobbies and young kids. More importantly, I was burned out on rat race of Corporate America. While I had a significant role performing a “strategic initiative”, I knew I didn’t need work to feel productive, useful or get my ego stroked. When I was confident my financial position trumped the rat race stress, I made the decision.

It’s been a year. I am stress free. Life is great. I do what I want to do for the most part and very little of what somebody else tells me I have to do.

One comment you made we seem to have in common. Daily exercise has become one of my key priorities and accomplishments. It’s aerobic and weight lifting along with several sports (favorite being golf where I’m lowering my handicap). So refreshing to do this without historical burden of constantly thinking about work.

For me, time still moves fast. I’m very fortunate to be spending it on my terms and not that of an employer.

Is work the best part of your day or week?

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I was a nervous wreck Before I retired.

 

[kcowan]

I was nervous because the portfolio had just melted down and DW was still enjoying work.

I spent 2 years as a private trader, and by the the time my wife was ready, our portfolio measured up too. After that everthing else seemed easy. I quit all my Board positions the following year.

 

[Green Papaya]

Three years ago, we were both working but kids were off to college. We were in good shape financially and could see light at the end of the tunnel. To battle empty nester syndrome, we decided to take dance lessons, plan more trips and couple activities together.

Early last year, we hit out target xxx NW number, and DW became unhappy with her BS bucket so she quit. I continued to work for 6 more months until 2 of our 3 kids graduated from college with good jobs lined up. I then gave notice at work, retired at 60 and we lived on our savings. DW was really nervous about it. When COVID hit, our NW took a hit and the anxiety level went way up. But I was still glad that I did not have to work and continued to enjoy our limited activities during the pandemic.

If you have enough money and have other things to do with your free time, then jump in. The water is fine. I am glad I did.

 

[Navigator]

I was definitely nervous about retiring. I liked my job but felt I had to leave because of health problems, so was really torn about what to do. Retirement is a huge life change - I think it is natural to be nervous about it.

 

[Sanstar]

Three months before retiring, I started making a list of “what I’m not going to miss”; read Zelinski books, made a travel bucket list; put a last day music play list together to listen to on the ride home; had a long list of projects and made a list of what to enjoy in solitude (DH wanted to keep working) and what to do to treat loneliness.

Five years later, still working to clear the project list, read the not miss list occasionally for a good laugh, continue editing the travel bucket list. Although, travel is temporarily on hold. Still enjoy the play list. Have yet to experience loneliness and am prepared should it occur.

Also, slept 10 - 12 hours every night for more than a year. Now, 7 - 8 hours. Can count on one hand the number of naps taken since retirement.

All in all, zero regrets. Loving life and looking forward to what’s next.

I hope your experience is all this and more!

 

[VFK57]

I was nervous only because I could not continue to do what I did all my life and understood clearly that the best part of my life was over. Sure there is freedom with FI retirement and if not for Covid, we would travel as we did twice, sometimes 3 times a year. In conclusion: enjoy your freedom and FI because our lives are not lasting forever. Many people could not retire even at 70. On the other hand DW sister was preparing to retire at 55 with the Standford retirement plan but died of cancer at 52. That is another main reason not to worry if you have enough and retired.

 

[bada bing]

Today is my retirement day. Not nervous, but it is an emotional day. I packed my bags and cleared out my room at camp this morning. Caught the company air charter to town for the last time. My crew had a small barbecue at the worksite last night to celebrate my retirement. It is good to go out while still on "top of my game" but I know that time is marching on and retirement is a big milestone marking the passage of time. Lots of stuff to do and and only a finite but unknown time to do it with.

I am going out on a very lucky note. I had planned to retire this year from several years ago, but serendipitously mega-corp decided to sell the asset at almost the exact time I would have gone anyway. Resulted in a nice severance windfall. Money isn't likely to be much of a limiting factor for me, which makes me fortunate and grateful. Having fairly simple wants and needs is a help as well.

On to the next phase

 

[Time2re]

Today is my retirement day. Not nervous, but it is an emotional day. I packed my bags and cleared out my room at camp this morning. Caught the company air charter to town for the last time. My crew had a small barbecue at the worksite last night to celebrate my retirement. It is good to go out while still on "top of my game" but I know that time is marching on and retirement is a big milestone marking the passage of time. Lots of stuff to do and and only a finite but unknown time to do it with.



I am going out on a very lucky note. I had planned to retire this year from several years ago, but surreptitiously mega-corp decided to sell the asset at almost the exact time I would have gone anyway. Resulted in a nice severance windfall. Money isn't likely to be much of a limiting factor for me, which makes me fortunate and grateful. Having fairly simple wants and needs is a help as well.



On to the next phase

Congrats! I believe my DH left the same mega-Corp way up north, about 21 years ago. Was a pretty big surprise to him, took awhile to recover, but ended up being good for both of us. Enjoy your new freedom.