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Old 07-29-2019, 04:17 PM   #61
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There probably was a poll about this but I've never seen one. Did you retire at the right time, or:

Way too early
A little too early
At the right time
A little too late
Way too late
I did a poll that was similar to your question:

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ght-96015.html
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Old 07-29-2019, 04:54 PM   #62
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When I was just turning 30, I set a goal of being FI by the time I was 55. I wanted to be in a position to tell MegaCorp to go pound sand if I didn't like what I was doing, and not be worried about finances. During the first part of this year, at several extended family gatherings, several people asked me if I was retired/when I would be retiring. It got me thinking that I needed to start going over the numbers. Turns out that we are already FI and I am only 53. DW and I just set a date that works for both of us. I think we will retire at just the right time.
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Old 07-29-2019, 05:12 PM   #63
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I loved my job, but in retrospect retired a few years too late. I was 61 and had health problems that were getting worse. I now wish I had a few relatively healthy retirement years and worried less about money and health insurance.
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Old 07-29-2019, 05:20 PM   #64
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I retired at 33/34 and probably was to early compared to everyone here. 30+ years later, it seems right although I can not keep up with my Decamillionaire friends!
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Old 07-29-2019, 05:26 PM   #65
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Many good comments here.
I think I am retiring too late - I loved my job until I did not. I will retire Dec 15 2019.

Three of my friends retired in May and the culture is growing more toxic.

Use to have lunch or chat with others at work but now it feels very competitive.



I have to come to accept that I like earning money (which is why I am still working) but need to adjust to this new period when I really don't need to. As my DH says "You're going to be rich in the graveyard ! " He's already FIRE.
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Old 07-29-2019, 05:36 PM   #66
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I retired at 33/34 and probably was to early compared to everyone here. 30+ years later, it seems right although I can not keep up with my Decamillionaire friends!
Don't know any decamillionaires or at least not that I am aware of.
No problem for me.
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Old 07-29-2019, 05:47 PM   #67
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Don't know any decamillionaires or at least not that I am aware of.
No problem for me.
We know one that has gone through a costly divorce and their kids are all screwed up (drugs, prison).
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Old 07-29-2019, 05:52 PM   #68
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I have to come to accept that I like earning money (which is why I am still working) but need to adjust to this new period when I really don't need to. As my DH says "You're going to be rich in the graveyard ! " He's already FIRE.
The concept of giving up the paycheck (and bonuses, stock options, etc.) is hard.

I saw a former co-worker last week. We are about the same age. He was talking about his golden handcuffs (moved to a new employer, 5 years to vest in ESOP). He vests in 16 months, but his concern was that every year, the handcuffs appear in the spring (hey, 9 more months and I get $xxx).

My comment, no matter when you FIRE, you will leave something on the table. You just need to decide if you are now working for your retirement, or your kids.
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Old 07-29-2019, 09:00 PM   #69
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I could have retired earlier (perhaps 7 years) but chose to stay because I had achieved an assignment that I had essentially envisioned and also made happen. Virtually the day that assignment was taken away, I retired. I don't have any regrets, so I guess it was the right time, but YMMV.
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Old 07-29-2019, 09:12 PM   #70
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Not yet RE, but I really appreciate the question. Many of the responses have made me be more thoughtful about factors other than the $.

While we may not know if a retirement decision is a financial success until the end, the emotional and social factors can certainly play a role in timing. With young children and aging parents, I vacillate between being as sure as possible financially and wanting to maximize time with loved ones while I can.
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Old 07-29-2019, 10:29 PM   #71
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Retired as planned 16 months ago at 55.

I wake up every morning feeling like I won the big door prize !

Knowingly left big bonus money on the table and associated high stress.

Have not been bored once.
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Old 08-02-2019, 01:11 PM   #72
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I have not retired yet, but feel I am late....

On a serious note, DW and I just found out that her sisters husband has been diagnosed with Early Onset Dementia. Has us both re-assessing a lot of things.

And, by the way, I think this was a great question, as do apparently many others based on the number of responses!
I think I'm in the same boat. I have a plan to retire that I plan (2022) to stick with. My DW on the other hand rolls her eyes at me when I mention getting out early. Matter of fact I said something at lunch today and she said, well it depends on how the market is doing or something like that. I smiled and said "Well we can adjust the budget but we cant buy more time".
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Old 08-02-2019, 01:20 PM   #73
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My DW on the other hand rolls her eyes at me when I mention getting out early. ...well it depends on how the market is doing or something like that. I smiled and said "Well we can adjust the budget but we cant buy more time".
+1. I told my wife (after 4 years of OMY), that I'm retiring in January, whether the markets tank 50% or not. We have 3 years of living expenses in cash, and will be selling the condo, which could be used for another 3 years of expenses if the market took a 6-year fall. I'm really concerned that health may start to fail by age 60, or at least my energy level will (already diminishing at 53), so I need to go diving!
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Old 08-05-2019, 11:51 AM   #74
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Nearly 80 now, I retired at 53 in 1993. These years in retirement have been quite wonderful for me with the obvious drawbacks: people I loved have died off, and my health is deteriorating. I'm glad I didn't work any longer. There have been no financial problems for me, these 26 years later. I married for the first time in my life in 2017, after the Obergefell decision made same-sex marriage legal. I'm happy in my marriage with the one drawback: he is much younger than I am, and I'm likely to run out on him by dying years before he does.
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Old 08-05-2019, 01:20 PM   #75
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Ted, same sex marriage was long overdue. Sounds like a good retirement.
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Old 08-05-2019, 03:45 PM   #76
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Retired at 53, as soon as I could.
Massive Heart Attack at 55.
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Old 08-05-2019, 04:06 PM   #77
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Nearly 80 now, I retired at 53 in 1993. These years in retirement have been quite wonderful for me with the obvious drawbacks: people I loved have died off, and my health is deteriorating. I'm glad I didn't work any longer. There have been no financial problems for me, these 26 years later. I married for the first time in my life in 2017, after the Obergefell decision made same-sex marriage legal. I'm happy in my marriage with the one drawback: he is much younger than I am, and I'm likely to run out on him by dying years before he does.
Thank you for sharing, the Obergefell decision was way overdue. Love is love and it was so wrong for the government to discriminate for so long....
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Old 08-05-2019, 04:24 PM   #78
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Financially, retired just about at the right time.

Emotionally, retired way too late.

Physically, retired at 53.
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Old 08-06-2019, 04:36 AM   #79
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It would have been nice to retire earlier than 64 but I enjoyed what I was doing. I also had major back issues before I retired that required 3 surgeries in one year with the last fusing my lower back. Fortunately health insurance paid for it. If I had retired earlier the cost would have cut into a nice size chunk of my retirement investments. Thankfully in a year I had Medicare and Tricare to cover the next 5 years with 4 major joint surgeries and a knee replacement with more to come. If not for the timing my retirement would be a bit more different on a more limited budget than it turned out.


Cheers!
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Old 08-06-2019, 05:29 AM   #80
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I retired at the right time. I retired nearly 11 years ago at age 45. This was in late 2008 when the markets were crashing. But, the crashing markets created a huge buying opportunity because I was able to sell my company stock while it was still high and buy thousands of (extra) bond fund shares at a rock-bottom price, all at the same time! Those twin transactions have proved beneficial the entire time to my ER and will continue to be that way going forward forever.


I also chose a date (10/31) which allowed me to barely finish the big project I was working on.
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