Class of 2021

Checking back in

Another update. More ready to go than ever. A little less than 18 months left, 260 workdays counting PTO and that still leaves me with 6 weeks more of PTO to take or get paid when I FIRE. DH has less than 11 months to his date too.

All current projects for our team have end dates that are getting pushed out months to years past planned FIRE date. Most days are filled with administrative w*rk (as a manager) while the young 'uns have to w*rk the longer hours and do the travel to support the projects. It's getting harder to stay interested in never ending meetings about projects that won't see the light of day until after I'm gone but it feels good to start to disengage a bit too. Picked up a short term project management role to fill the gap and earn my pay.

Hope everyone else in the Class of 2021 is hanging in there too!
 
Goingtotravel, That sounds very much like my situation and sentiments, including the fact that we, too, are going to travel!
 
Goingtotravel, same here, re: not having much interest in future plans. Work keeps offering me training that I feel completely saying no thank you to!
 
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I’m rooting for you, Caramel!

Target date is January 1, 2021 but lately, part of me has been thinking, “Screw it. Why wait till 2021? June 30, 2020 is a nice, round number.” Regardless, starting this New Years, I will begin thinking, “Well, I’ll never have to do that again, which I won’t miss at all, or that, or that, or that....”
 
My DW will hopefully be part of the 2021 club at 57 years old(probably at the end of December). She makes a good wage being a project manager for a house building company, and does many site visits, meetings with clients, and most of the initial site preparation leg work, along with the contractors.

We still have to pay off my 401K loan, and a home equity loan which will free up between $1500-$2000 a month, and my son will soon be moving out, so our monthly expenses will drop significantly.

Our farm, and cars have been paid off for awhile, and some downsizing/decluttering will start happening soon after. I will probably have to remain working for another 5 years due to health care costs.
 
Markola said:
Target date is January 1, 2021 but lately, part of me has been thinking, “Screw it. Why wait till 2021? June 30, 2020 is a nice, round number.” .”
Click to expand...

Check out the SS website on which month to retire. Sometimes 1 day can make a big difference in your lifetime payout. Maybe look at July 1, instead of June 30 to get one more month's worth of SS payout, or go at least 1 month past your employment anniversary date, or birth date.
 
Happy New Year

Happy New Year to the class of 2021. DH is down to 42 weeks left before FIRE (class of 2020). I have 72 weeks left.

Trying to plan the last 16 months of w*rk and I will have 16 weeks of PTO by my FIRE date. I can get paid for 9 weeks when I FIRE or burn it all before leaving but at least 7 weeks have to be used or lost. If I can get over the fear of a 30+ year career where I never dropped below 6 weeks of PTO saved I would prefer to take (all? most? of) the time off instead of getting a check at the end. Having trouble switching to the burn stage not sure why. :facepalm:

Happy to finally be in the 2020's... I think I see a bright shiny light at the end of the career tunnel!
 
Being Authentic

Happy New Year!

To the class of 2021: if we plan to FIRE in 2021, then this is our last “full year” of employment!

I wish this could generate more energy and enthusiasm for work, but lately I’m just not feeling connected to my job or any of the numerous projects that are in the works and result in deliverables long after I intend to be gone. The reality of FI is helping me to not get involved with office politics and to let a lot more of the crappy stuff that happens to simply roll off my back, but I am aware that my lack of “caring” in some cases is beginning to seem odd to those with whom I work. So far, I’ve been relating it to maturity and perspective, and focusing on what really matters, but I’m not sure I can keep this up forever.

My work continues to be good, my contributions are solid, and my commitment to the mission of my company has not faltered. I just feel like I am living a dual career life. I don’t feel authentic.

How do others deal with this?
 
KrisQuit said:
Happy New Year!



To the class of 2021: if we plan to FIRE in 2021, then this is our last “full year” of employment!



I wish this could generate more energy and enthusiasm for work, but lately I’m just not feeling connected to my job or any of the numerous projects that are in the works and result in deliverables long after I intend to be gone. The reality of FI is helping me to not get involved with office politics and to let a lot more of the crappy stuff that happens to simply roll off my back, but I am aware that my lack of “caring” in some cases is beginning to seem odd to those with whom I work. So far, I’ve been relating it to maturity and perspective, and focusing on what really matters, but I’m not sure I can keep this up forever.



My work continues to be good, my contributions are solid, and my commitment to the mission of my company has not faltered. I just feel like I am living a dual career life. I don’t feel authentic.



How do others deal with this?
Click to expand...



Same, same, same. If you figure it out, tell me!
 
Ditto

Same here! Still providing value but no longer letting w*rk run through my brain 24/7.

Have already told management that I'm FIREing in 2021 (no repercussions where I work for letting that fact out). Justifying how unplugged I feel by working hard at training up the new employees, stepping back from decision making to guiding staff, etc. Still though it is unlike me to not feel 100% responsible, 100% of the time for everything. Might be healthier that we are all starting to back off a bit.
 
I definitely feel like I'm on cruise control at work...been feeling that way for several years now, but it started to intensify throughout 2019, as the stock market continued to climb. If everything plays out the way I originally planned, I'm gone on April 2021!

A few weeks ago, we had our annual holiday party, which I dodged. It was a good feeling, knowing that I'll most likely only have to deal with dodging one more of those. In the past, I always used to get the "We missed you at the party!", to which I'd respond with "That's because I wasn't there" or "Yes, you did" etc. I think I even let out a "YEEEESSSSS!!" with a happy face, sort of like how Frank Nelson used to do on "The Jack Benny Program", "I Love Lucy", etc.

I think my cow-irkers are getting used to me dodging those parties though...no comments this year.
 
I’m aiming for either a June 30 or 10/31 or 12/31 departure. The reason for my ambivalence is that I want to leave on the best terms possible with my boss, whom I like and have known a very long time and whom I want to be a strong reference and ally when I’m consulting or seeking a lower stress/lower pay job for 5-7 years, as our semi-retirement plan calls for. I should be able to map it out with her in the next few months.

One big benchmark I just passed is that 2020 is the year in which I turn 55. The Rule of 55 means that I can access my 403b penalty-free if I leave my employer. DW is already on that program and she is semi-FIREd.
 
Congrats to everyone in the Class of 2021! You’re all officially on deck now. While I will be working probably until the tail end of this new decade I look forward to following along to see your progress. It will keep me motivated knowing there is eventually an end date.

Congrats on being one step closer to retirement! :dance:
 
KrisQuit said:
Happy New Year!

To the class of 2021: if we plan to FIRE in 2021, then this is our last “full year” of employment!

I wish this could generate more energy and enthusiasm for work, but lately I’m just not feeling connected to my job or any of the numerous projects that are in the works and result in deliverables long after I intend to be gone. The reality of FI is helping me to not get involved with office politics and to let a lot more of the crappy stuff that happens to simply roll off my back, but I am aware that my lack of “caring” in some cases is beginning to seem odd to those with whom I work. So far, I’ve been relating it to maturity and perspective, and focusing on what really matters, but I’m not sure I can keep this up forever.

My work continues to be good, my contributions are solid, and my commitment to the mission of my company has not faltered. I just feel like I am living a dual career life. I don’t feel authentic.

How do others deal with this?
Click to expand...

We reached FI last year. July 2021 I get one last company stock cash-in (and it's not insignificant), so we're holding out until August 3, 2021 so the dust can settle. Plus I'll be 59 1/2, FWIW.

Sitting here on Monday morning after 2 weeks off, I'm not going to lie, is rough. Gonna do some spreadsheets, maybe a few PowerPoint slides, make some phone calls, drink some coffee and write some Python code.

578 days should go by like that. :)
 
I enjoy my job but as I get closer to Dec 21 FIRE, I really don't like going into the office 5 days a week (not every week as I do travel at least once a month) so I asked to work from home every Wednesday. They said yes! Makes it easier knowing that I will only work the next 23 months but now I can work for home about 92 times. The change has energized me.
 
Hi Classmates - thinking my last day will be right after Easter in 2021. I will have PTO to burn the first few months, and I have to hang on for bonus 401k deposit MegaCorp makes in Feb. We have some work to do on the house this year -- lots to do in next 15 months!

Mixed up in my head right now -- excited, nervous, stressed...ready.....
 
We need a count down ticker so we can track each other to say congrats! I am going to hunt around on the web.
 
I keep waffling between 2020, 2021 and 2022. Need to get a package to go this year. 2021 is still my target but OMY gets me into silly extra money due to stock vesting. It's a disease.
 
corn18 said:
I keep waffling between 2020, 2021 and 2022. Need to get a package to go this year. 2021 is still my target but OMY gets me into silly extra money due to stock vesting. It's a disease.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call OMY a disease. Just an economical choice that many of us make.
 
Are we there yet?

322 workdays left. Just asked management for an entire month off later this year so DH and I can go on a long vacation to celebrate his retirement. They are 'thinking about it'. Cannot wait until we can plan our lives without having to get approval from some outside entity (w*rk). :rolleyes:
 
goingtotravel said:
322 workdays left. Just asked management for an entire month off later this year so DH and I can go on a long vacation to celebrate his retirement. They are 'thinking about it'. Cannot wait until we can plan our lives without having to get approval from some outside entity (w*rk). :rolleyes:
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I'm taking a month off, starting this Friday. I let my supervisor know that I was going whether or not it was approved! They approved it, but convinced me to stay on another 2 months after my return :(. T-42 work days! Forever Freedom is calling....

Well, at least I'm filling up the 401(k), 401(k) catch-up, spousal IRA, and ROTH IRA contributions one last time!
 
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