At what age did you retire or plan to retire?

[JustCurious]

At what age did you fully retire, or at what age do you plan to fully retire? I define "retire" as not working for money, and that includes working even though you don't need the money, or part time work or work that you do just for fun or just because you are bored. If you work for money or to generate income for any reason for any amount of time you are not retired by my definition. And that includes working to maintain rental properties.

 

[braumeister]

See here also, from last year:

At what age did you retire? (retire=NO paycheck)

 

[JustCurious]

Yes, but I want a poll that makes it clear that you are not retired if you are working for money in any capacity for any reason for any amount of time. For this poll it does not matter if you do not need the money, or the job is fun, or it does not feel like work, or you only work 2 hours a week, or you only do it because you are bored, or it is a temporary assignment, or any other reason. Working for money equals not being retired, including working to maintain real estate rental property. And you have no plans to return to work.

 

[Dtail]

Retired at age 57 y.o. after trying to gain employment for 1.5 months, but then realized I could retire.
Not working for any monies now and never will again.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Retired at 45 thanks to 1) being a tightwad, 2) investing in rental real estate in CA, and 3) never being married.

 

[Red Badger]

Retired at 60 (+26 days).

I volunteer a lot, but no w*rk for compensation. No plans to ever w*rk again

 

[geeky_grrl]

Retired at 45, not doing part time work or real estate. The closest thing I do to working for money is managing my mom's portfolio - she doesn't pay me, but it's in my interest since I'll eventually inherit half.

 

[Arizona1]

Planned to retire at 40yo but was able to stop at 34yo. Bought, owned, and sold many rentals while being in the military. Will be 20 years in August. I’ve been fing off now longer than I worked. It’s been the best years of my life.
My goal is to be retired for 50 years.

 

[Aerides]

I define "retire" as not working for money, and that includes part time work or work that you do for fun or just because you are bored.

If you work for money or to generate income for any reason for any amount of time you are not retired by my definition. And that includes working to maintain rental properties.

So if someone has a hobby fun thing on the side that is never retired?

Oops then by that definition, I went from 46 to probably-too-old-to-be-early.

 

[W2R]

I retired at 61.4 years old, on 11/9/2009.

Since that date I have not earned one single cent by working, either for someone else or in self employment. I am DONE, done, done, forever done, and frankly I would rather live under a bridge and starve than go back to work.

But luckily I am doing fine so no danger of that happening. My income sources are:

1) Social Security (32%)
2) mini-pension (13%)
3) investment portfolio dividends (55%).

I usually just re-invest most or all of those dividends because I don't need them, but IMO they are "fair game" if I want to spend more at some point.

 

[FreeBear]

I retired at 61.4 years old, on 11/9/2009.

Since that date I have not earned one single cent by working, either for someone else or in self employment. I am DONE, done, done, forever done, and frankly I would rather live under a bridge and starve than to back to work.


....

Wow, tell us how you really feel!


Actually, I feel the same way!


Surprised to see a decent contingent of under 49 yo retirees. Maybe should have options for under 39 and under 29, MMM style

 

[Toocold]

Yes, but I want a poll that makes it clear that you are not retired if you are working for money in any capacity for any reason for any amount of time.

How about owning properties and having it managed by a property management company, BUT I do my own taxes on the portfolio?

I also buy and sell individual stocks and etfs once in awhile. Does that count toward working?

 

[Big_Hitter]

I got an envelope with $14 in it today, which represents my earnings from the last 2 weeks of senior group Friday golf..does that count?

I'm still waiting on the envelope to sanitize so I haven't counted it yet.

 

[W2R]

Wow, tell us how you really feel!


Actually, I feel the same way!

It's great to be around people that understand me.

 

[rodi]

I guess I can't vote... We have a granny flat. I cash a rent check once a month - and by your definition, that makes us not retired. Since we've had the same tenants for almost 6 years, and spend about 15 hours a year on maintenance average - it sure doesn't feel like work. But the income is part of our retirement income stream.

Would it count if I had a management company managing the 1 unit that is on our property? Seems silly to give up a percentage of the rent just to meet your definition of retired.

But... your poll, your rules. A previous poll said if you had kids under roof you weren't retired, you were a stay at home parent. Even though I worked for a paycheck until they were teenagers.

Sure felt like I retired when I quit being an engineer and gave up my paycheck. That was when I was 52, in June 2014.

 

[MichaelB]

Since that date I have not earned one single cent by working, either for someone else or in self employment. I am DONE, done, done, forever done, and frankly I would rather live under a bridge and starve than go back to work.

Wow, tell us how you really feel!
Actually, I feel the same way!

It's great to be around people that understand me.

Another here, I’ll join that group.

 

[W2R]

Another here, I’ll join that group.

 

[JustCurious]

So if someone has a hobby fun thing on the side that is never retired?

I don't know what you mean by "on the side," the side of what? My answer would depend on whether that person earned money from the hobby. If you work at a hobby and earn money from that hobby then I would not consider you to be retired.

 

[6miths]

Yes agree on the strictness of the poll is a little artificial. It isn't my fault if people insist on giving me money for things that I would do (and have done in the past) for free. But yes... your poll, your rules!

 

[JustCurious]

How about owning properties and having it managed by a property management company, BUT I do my own taxes on the portfolio?

No. Almost everyone has to file taxes, so I don't consider doing your own taxes as working for money, especially if you are not getting paid to do it. And to anticipate your next question... no, saving money by doing something yourself is not the same thing as getting paid.

 

[jollystomper]

I retired at 60. I first started looking seriously at retirement at age 53 (a little before joining this forum). Various calculators (including FIRECalc) and a Megacorp-provided financila advisor all said it was possible. But taken a closer look at our planned expenses, I decided I wanted a "comfortable" retirement living level, once that did not depend on me even having to work part time, or be required to take SS too early.

Given the amount of age discrimination occurring in the workplace, I did not assume that I could easily get a job. I also did not want to have to get a job requiring physical work - any good physical health I had left I wanted to spend on things for enjoyment, not for employment. So I kept working until my expected pension (fortunate to have one) grew to the required level, also building up a buffer of cash/investments assets well beyond what the calculators/planners said I needed.

While I was financially ready to go at 58, I decided to follow an "OMY Glide Plath" process for 2 years that I detailed here (https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/omy-glide-path-plans-81406.html), if you are interested. The result was me retiring in June 2018 at 60.

So far I am very happy with the results. I have a couple of friends who retired around the same time as me, but took on part time work. The coronavirus downturn is impacting their retirement. I still have very good health, and the market run up and fall down since I retired has helped reassure me that my plan is actually working. I have had offers for work from former colleagues, clients, and headhunters, but my head is just not into working full time or part time.

Of course, every person has their price... if someone came along with an offer of, say, no more than 8 hours a week, work from home, no physical work, paying $150 an hour or more, it would be tempting .

 

[JustCurious]

Yes agree on the strictness of the poll is a little artificial.

Perhaps. But I want to avoid the never ending parade of "what ifs"... "What if I work a few hours a month at the golf club just for fun even though I don't need the money?" So I decided to make the definition as pure as possible.

Also I've noticed a trend of people claiming to be retired while continuing to work (they make up whatever definition of retired that suits them and claim to be retired even though they are working) and I want to exclude those people from claiming to be retired in this poll.

 

[rodi]

I keep coming back to this... And pouting. I will never be retired under your rules unless we change where we live. And moving sounds like w0r%. Since our granny flat is on our home's lot - we'd have to tear it down or let it sit empty to qualify as retired under your rules. As I said before - I sure feel like I'm retired and am super bummed to find out that I'm not.

Ironically - my sister, who does about 40 hours of scheduled volunteering a month - on a rigid schedule, qualifies as retired under your rules. She has to set an alarm and show up places at specific times for specific shifts. No pay, does it because she likes it.
But I don't qualify... Pout.

 

[JustCurious]

I guess I can't vote... We have a granny flat. I cash a rent check once a month - and by your definition, that makes us not retired. Since we've had the same tenants for almost 6 years, and spend about 15 hours a year on maintenance average - it sure doesn't feel like work. But the income is part of our retirement income stream.

Ok, out of respect for you I will allow this one exception...if you spend less than four hours per month maintaining a rental unit and you do no other paid work you can qualify as retired.

 

[RobbieB]

Fully retired at 59. Income from investments and social security, no pension.