Will She Stay??

[Intuit]

After my DW inherited some money from her parent's estate I suggested she should quit her job with the school system if she would like. She has been there 13 years and is now 49. Of course she was happy with this prospect, my plans are to retire at 55, I am now 48. Recently she learned that if she works a total of 15 years for the school system, she can retire at age 55 with medical benefits in addition to her pension. This is really almost too good to pass up. Now the challenge is to keep her motivated to get up at 4:45 AM for the next five years. One additional benefit she has in this job is being off for the summer in addition to a week in the fall and spring and two weeks at Christmas. Now that I think of it, maybe I can retire even earlier now if I'm not paying $1200/mo. for medical insurance. Hhhmmmm..... maybe I'll keep her now.

[Sundance Kid]

There would be NO END, to the sacrafices I would make, to keep her on the job.

Slim

[haha]

My Mom was a teacher. She stayed on until 65, partly because she didn't like the idea of being home all day with my retired Dad. He was quite a bit older than her, and was already retired by the time she was in her late 50s.
The medical benefits turned out to be a big help for both of them. Additionally, the fact that she provided them increased her power in the relationship.

[FlowGirl]

With summers off, hanging in there for 5 years doesn't sound that bad. Although a 4:45 am wakeup time would probably have done me in years earlier.

[Zipper]

I was a teacher for 33 years. I retired at 54.

If you had promised me I could go at 49, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.

Sounds like she can go at 51, but not collect until 55.

If she wants to go early at 51 and can afford it with her inheritance, then maybe you might be able to bridge her until 55.

[yakers]

Well my wife is gonna go. She submitted her papers to retire in May of this year after teaching 20+ years for the particular district she is in. She also taught in a private school for a few years in her career. She is 58 and looking forward to the free time. Amazing what a grandchild does. She will keep her had in things, probably a coordinator for student teachers. She loves teaching but got burned out by student (& parent) behavior issues.
We have our younger son left at home, a high school junior. I have a tentative retirement date for Oct/Nov 07 to get the kid into college and see how the reduced finances are working. I think I could pull the plug now but that would only cover the basics and my wife has a *lot* of stored up travel in her plan.

[Texas Proud]

I agree with Zipper... you only need TWO more years instead of 5...

Then she is eligable for the insurance when she reaches 55 and you can then piggyback on her until medicare kicks in (without the discussion of will it be there or not).... BUT, my sister has it and my BIL says it is the best thing they could have...

So, do a bit of financial analysis and show her how much insurance would cost for 10 years for both of you and make it look like she is making $X more for working those two years... it will keep here there...

[GTSViper]

Re Getting up early:

Buy a VCR/Tivo, go to bed earlier. She'll make it !

[tryan]

Quote:

you only need TWO more years instead of 5...

this is the way I read it .... Full medical at 51 but no pension until 55. Still a GREAT deal !