Class of 2022

[caninelover]

Thanks YVR...very excited for my first relaxed vacation ever without checking in with office etc.

Upgrading my decade old camera equipment this year prior to pulling the plug. My old Canon cropped sensor DSLR will be upgraded to a Canon Mirror less EOS RP. And I just ordered a GoPro Hero 9 to bring on our Alaska cruise this year and the Galapagos next year.

Anyone else upgrading their stuff before pulling the plug?

 

[oiseux]

I too was timing my exit for a last set of RSU's to vest but then I just received a bunch of Options this year that need a couple of years to vest so I'm going to end up leaving that on the table. We're currently padding FAT too but also to serve as another buffer.

I had pretty much convinced myself that I would not have OMY syndrome but now as I round into the stretch run, I've discussed with the missus, "How crazy would the incentive have to be for me to stay OMY?" However, I can't see my VP approving enough of an incentive to convince me to stay, even though I have a pretty good relationship with him. (Though, it would only need to be a fraction of what I've seen him spend for a "team building" event. )

It can be lucrative to pad with OMY of variable compensation but at some point we all have to say, "enough". In your case, to justify several OMYs, any incentive better be huge. Who knows, any pullbacks with a stock price can make the decision really easy.

 

[Escapevelocity]

Thanks YVR...very excited for my first relaxed vacation ever without checking in with office etc.

Upgrading my decade old camera equipment this year prior to pulling the plug. My old Canon cropped sensor DSLR will be upgraded to a Canon Mirror less EOS RP. And I just ordered a GoPro Hero 9 to bring on our Alaska cruise this year and the Galapagos next year.

Anyone else upgrading their stuff before pulling the plug?

I'm fantasizing about the idea of returning home from a vacation and still being on vacation

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Anyone else upgrading their stuff before pulling the plug?

Just my cell phone because my megacorp has a phone plan and hardware subsidy perk that refeshes every couple of years. Looking to upgrade the cell phone late this year and hoping they don't ask me to pay back the subsidy when I leave early next year.

 

[Escapevelocity]

Just my cell phone because my megacorp has a phone plan and hardware subsidy perk that refeshes every couple of years. Looking to upgrade the cell phone late this year and hoping they don't ask me to pay back the subsidy when I leave early next year.

That's pretty ballsy, but has me wondering if I should do same LOL.

 

[CaliKid]

Having a conversation in the next few weeks with the co-owners of my business. Dropping the '22 bomb.. that is, that I am getting close to the finish line. Hopefully it's a positive meeting. Fingers crossed.

 

[beernutzbob]

400 days to go, but who is counting?

My work signoff will be, "Thanks, but I've had enough."

 

[ejw93]

400 days to go, but who is counting?

My work signoff will be, "Thanks, but I've had enough."

Guilty! 339 days to go

 

[EastWest Gal]

Thanks YVR...very excited for my first relaxed vacation ever without checking in with office etc.

Upgrading my decade old camera equipment this year prior to pulling the plug. My old Canon cropped sensor DSLR will be upgraded to a Canon Mirror less EOS RP. And I just ordered a GoPro Hero 9 to bring on our Alaska cruise this year and the Galapagos next year.

Anyone else upgrading their stuff before pulling the plug?

We pulled the plug two years ago. Now we’re upgrading stuff. The market increased our portfolio double my former annual salary in the last 4 months.

 

[caninelover]

I'm fantasizing about the idea of returning home from a vacation and still being on vacation

Same! I can't wait to not care how long the trip is because I have to carefully dole out my vacation days through the year, not have to work twice as hard the two weeks prior to the vacation, and catch up for a week after returning. Or have to worry about checking in during.

I CAN'T WAIT.

I can't do a days countdown because that number feels too large so I am counting down months. 11 months to go

 

[caninelover]

Just my cell phone because my megacorp has a phone plan and hardware subsidy perk that refeshes every couple of years. Looking to upgrade the cell phone late this year and hoping they don't ask me to pay back the subsidy when I leave early next year.

I'm using the group legal plan this year to make updates to my living trust. Gotta use those perks this year!

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Having a conversation in the next few weeks with the co-owners of my business. Dropping the '22 bomb.. that is, that I am getting close to the finish line. Hopefully it's a positive meeting. Fingers crossed.

That should be a really exciting step. Makes it that much more real.
I'm still about 5 months away from having the first part of that conversation with my manager but am already thinking about how it would go.

 

[GTP2022]

End of May 2022. Fed pension and supplement good to go. I'll be 53 with a 12 year old son. Looking forward to spending much more time with him and showing him the world instead of putting him in camps and care all summer.

TSP is strong and health is good but there have been issues. I think it's better to get busy living and enjoy the rest of the ride!

 

[Present Aside]

Planning on April 1, 2022 - I will be 53. Our bonus is paid out at the end of February so I had originally planned for March 15th but I like the thought of April Fool's day. Unfortunately for my employer, there are three or four people currently reporting to me that will also retire around then. We do give out packages (I am in HR) but not for us. Once the position is eliminated through a package it can never be filled again.

Widower so I collect on my late wife's SS at 60 and mine at 70. Oldest finished college this year, youngest will be a junior and married. Plus every calc says I can leave now and be fine (100% on Firecalc, 107 on Fidelity, etc). $1M in retirement (no pension), $550k in other investment, $550k house paid off (I will sell and right size). Feel it's time.

I have a countdown clock in my tracking spreadsheet of just work days (I took out holidays and vacation). 215!!! It feels so good to be able to at least tell someone besides my kids (who think I should just quit now).

 

[ClarkeK]

I'm planning on my last actual work day as 12/23/21 when my company heads into the Christmas break. I'll then run my banked vacation time thru mid-March to qualify for our 2021 Performance-based bonus. 8 months to go!

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Just had a casual chat with my manager recently and he let me in on that some staff (not our team) will be forced out over the next couple of weeks and that voluntary offers will likely follow in the months beyond that. Ugh, that might force my hand to move the timing to let my manager in on my departure/retirement plans up by a few months to see if I can snag one of those voluntary depature packages (and move me into the class of 2021 ). I was originally planning to hint at it in October. Want to try to find out how good the packages are without letting the cat out of the bag.

I think it's better to get busy living and enjoy the rest of the ride!

I'm with you on that!

but I like the thought of April Fool's day.

LOL! I like that idea.

I'm planning on my last actual work day as 12/23/21 when my company heads into the Christmas break. I'll then run my banked vacation time thru mid-March to qualify for our 2021 Performance-based bonus. 8 months to go!

And I thought I had a lot of backloaded vacation time. I'm jealous! Great timing w/ your performance bonus.

 

[Jim59]

Hello all, I’m a late entrant to the class of 22.

Originally I had planned to retire April 21, however after a written quotation from my pension administrator, my DB pension was increasing by 10%. Add in the pandemic and restrictions that was meaning and I was more than comfortable to add an extra year. 6 May looks like the date.

133 days to go

I note that many, if not most posters, are intending to retire in their early 50’s. Is that a common experience in the US, or just on the savvy posters on this forum ?

Another observation is that quite a few will leave the state they currently reside/ work in when they finally retire. Again, is that common ? Brexit has closed down that option for many new retirees from UK, who had thoughts of moving to warmer climes in Portugal, Spain or Canary Islands.

 

[SecretlyFI]

For the population on this forum, being Early Retirement, yes, 50’s is common. Not so much for the general US population.
Moving out of state is common, usually for tax (varies widely by state) or climate reasons.
I don’t blame you for staying a year for a pension bump, I’m doing the same exact thing. But you only have 133 days left for the year until May 6 2022? Is that work days and you’re part time?

 

[Jim59]

Thanks, yes work days and going part time, becoming a TWaT in July. This 133 days will be less as I have not included 21/22 annual leave.

 

[Poopycat]

Class of 2022 dilemma

I have had a June 29, 2021 early retirement date in mind for nearly a year now; it’s the date my relocation agreement with my company expires. In fact, I’m counting down the weeks (45 down, 59 to go...). But now I’m starting to wonder whether to suck it up for one more year

I’m concerned that the housing market will still be crazy in 2022 and that it may be best to wait for things to calm down before firmly planting roots somewhere. Also, my heart tells me west coast but my head tells me to at least explore less expensive, more tax-friendly options.

My company has an office in Tampa. I would have to get my manager’s permission, but one option is to relocate to the Tampa office after my lease expires in my current location in June 2022. I could see whether I can stand Florida summers and storms, and see for myself whether the tennis in Florida is all that and a bag of chips. I’d basically be paid to explore Florida. Plus, rent is cheaper than where I live now, and I’d have the benefit of no state income tax. Another year also gives me an extra year of bonus payment and a chance to keep a little more of the company’s 401k contribution (although that amount isn’t a huge deal). Weekends and vacations could be spent on the beaches and exploring the parts of Florida to see which areas I like or don’t like. And if I hate it there, at least I know. I’ll move to the west coast and never wonder whether I made a mistake by not considering Florida.

The hard part will be finding the motivation to work for another year when it has been a struggle to stay fully motivated just to get through 10 months here. I’m trying to adjust the attitude but knowing that I’m potentially looking at two more years instead of one is tough. I guess it wouldn’t have to be a full two years; i could leave after bonus payout at the end of the first quarter of 2023. So 21 months

I could just leave in June 2021 and rent in Tampa for a year, but I really like the idea of having it be “paid” by receiving income while I’m there, especially because I’d be likely to spend more on travel and vacations around the state. And on those delicious Publix chicken tender sandwiches...good grief...maybe I should avoid Florida...Publix chicken tender sandwiches will make me regain the 120 lbs I have lost...

 

[oiseux]

Just had a casual chat with my manager recently and he let me in on that some staff (not our team) will be forced out over the next couple of weeks and that voluntary offers will likely follow in the months beyond that. Ugh, that might force my hand to move the timing to let my manager in on my departure/retirement plans up by a few months to see if I can snag one of those voluntary depature packages (and move me into the class of 2021 ). I was originally planning to hint at it in October. Want to try to find out how good the packages are without letting the cat out of the bag.

You might find the packages are a bit more targeted to functions or performance. They might not want to go. The last time my company offered one, they had so many undesirable departures they pledged not to offer any more.

Regarding some other posts, I mentioned to a (non work) friend that I had 17 months or so left. She had a shocked look on her face, as she was not expecting people to retire early. For many people it is a foreign concept.

On the other hand, I have a spreadsheet that tracks my vacation as I am near an accrual limit and don't want to lose days (it has been easy to not use vacation during the confinements). I had the joy of extending it exactly to my departure date.

 

[caninelover]

So now all of a sudden 2 members of our team will be out on maternity leave in the August/September timeframe. One will be out the rest of the year at least.

My plan A was to tell my boss in late November but I was also considering moving the timing up and telling her in September because I may want my end date to be January or February instead of March. Now it seems like I'll stick with my original timeline, or close to it. My boss will probably be pretty stressed through September at least and I can wait a bit longer to break (what she'll perceive) as bad news.

 

[old medic]

106 12 hr shifts to go.....
Not that I'm counting or anything

 

[Present Aside]

106 12 hr shifts to go.....
Not that I'm counting or anything

No harm in counting.

 

[SilentWalker]

Since we are "not" counting: I just hit the one year to my last w@rking day milestone. Official RE day still July 1. Effectively 215 w@rk days left given the fact I try to use up all the accumulated PTO.