Class of 2018

[Finance Dave]

DW has filed her papers, official date of 3/31/18. She has been part time the past 6 months, which has been a great transition and we kept health benefits...important as we are 59(her)/56(me).

I am a licensed home inspector and my licenses/certifications expire gradually between October 1st and Dec 31st this year. I have no plans to renew them, so basically I'll be retired September 30th.

I was planning to retire 2 years ago at the last license renewal cycle, but I told DW that I was going to w*rk 2 more years and apply all my earnings to another sports car (I currently have a 1969 Z28 and a 2007 Shelby GT500 Mustang).

I haven't picked out the car yet...probably won't buy for another 1-2 years...but it's nice knowing the money is sitting there.

 

[JoeWras]

Nice toys!

 

[Dtail]

Very nice cars. Tampa area here seems to have many Mustangs, but not Shelby type.
Having fun with my Z4. Top down all year long.

 

[poppydog]

We mustn’t let the market give us jitters, fellow 2018ers. Stay the course, hold our nerves, our plans are robust and market corrections are part of the journey. Me and DW will exit our Corps on 04/27 come hell or high water!

 

[WestUniversity]

We mustn’t let the market give us jitters, fellow 2018ers. Stay the course, hold our nerves, our plans are robust and market corrections are part of the journey. Me and DW will exit our Corps on 04/27 come hell or high water!

My calculations in my own spreadsheet, with the retirement calculator on my InvestCo website, and on Firecalc show I can withstand a lot of downturn and still be FIRE. For tax reasons I’ve decided my last day will be December 28th. That way my final payouts will fall into 2019. I won’t make any announcement at MegaCorp until October 1st however.

I say December, of course, unless get RIF’d before then, which is a distinct possibility. That would be ideal as my severance would negate the need to even be there this year....

 

[akidagain2018]

I hit my MRA (Minimum Retirement Age)!! Woohoo! I can leave anytime now. I think I'd like to see my portfolio increase another $100,000 -- that would make me more comfortable. Though all analyses say I can cut and run anytime. I'm currently testing out spending more time at my country home with a week of vacation. Went snow-shoeing today. May bike tomorrow. Upon return to work next week I will keep incorporating a little vacation into every day -- until I can no longer take it anymore.... Most likely I can last until June/July. Senioritus continues!

 

[JoeWras]

I almost quit yesterday. Calmed down a bit and am OK today. But man, I am getting so tired of dealing with things out of my control.

4 months...

 

[FIREmenow]

I almost quit yesterday. Calmed down a bit and am OK today. But man, I am getting so tired of dealing with things out of my control.

4 months...

I'm with you on that! Sheez!
I switched my counter units last month - 32.5 weeks now!!

 

[Pellice]

I almost quit yesterday. Calmed down a bit and am OK today. But man, I am getting so tired of dealing with things out of my control.

4 months...

I find myself repeating, mantra-like, to myself: "A steady course" ..."you have worked towards this"..."it's only pushing papers" ... "this DEFINITELY will not matter in a year" ..."you are getting out at the right time" ... "with your vacation days, time will fly painlessly by" (*if I get past this last big project.) I have four critical papers that mark big turning points towards retirement taped up in my basement. I touch a piece of needlework left by my mother and think about how she and my father wanted me to have financial security in retirement, and how they left me a little money for that.

In short, I am resorting to talismans to get through these last months. I was on my treadmill the other morning, feeling depleted about another workday, and started picturing my first day of FIRE - and had it planned within about 90 seconds. And I was giddy and giggling. Then I thought how all the advice is NOT to think so hard about the future - but it's allowable in Zero Year, I think!

 

[WestUniversity]

I almost quit yesterday. Calmed down a bit and am OK today. But man, I am getting so tired of dealing with things out of my control.

4 months...

I have a countdown application on my phone. It shows the days until I announce my retirement and the days until my last day. I get so overwhelmed and overloaded at work and when I check it again I take solace in the fact that I’m almost there. I’m beginning to have problems with my blood pressure and DW is needless to say concerned. 322 days and counting...

 

[akidagain2018]

I'm headed back to the salt mine on Monday and I'm pretty sure I see some of those - I want to quit today - days in my future. But, I have found dealing with the craziness has been easier in recent months. I just gaze off with a look of deep concentration, while also zoning out whomever is droning on - usually in a meeting, and I think about how these dopes will be left here doing the same soul crushing work when I'm long gone in not too much more time. And I just smile softly. And think:"Smucks." And: "This is not what life is about." "Ahh."

 

[Ed B]

A few months ago I moved my date up from Oct 31st to May 31st as my last day of w*rk. I can't begin the paperwork until 90 days before retirement date, but that means I am less than a month away from requesting the package. It is getting real, as the kids say.

Meanwhile a very interesting project I have been designated to lead languishes because of political wrangling over organizational control and money but really organizational control. Purchase of the software, and thus any real progress, has stretched out from an initial target of Summer 2017 to perhaps Summer 2018 accompanied with remarkable shifts in scope and roadmaps for initial operating capabilities. At this point I hope to get the software tool procured and in house before I hand the keys to my closest colleague. I have made him well aware of my plans, though he does suggest things that might entice me to hang on another year or so. At this point I don't have it in me to hang on until Q1 2019.

But in reference to the last few responses, now that I am less than 4 months from the 1st day of ER, it feels like it's coming on a but faster than even a month ago. I think knowing that I can begin the retirement process officially in about 3 weeks has brought on the change in how this feels to me now.

Now, I would feel just a little better if my crystal ball would clear up enough so I can gauge the duration and severity of this correction. With 3 years living expense in stable value I will be Ok, but "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" can get your attention this close to ER.

 

[Pellice]

Good news following a "review call" with my financial adviser - I did take a hit with this January downturn, but I am on track, and she has "zero concerns" about my situation. As Poppydog advised above, I didn't let the market give me jitters - I am in my OMY so I WON'T have jitters - and I am just looking forward to emerging, butterfly-like, from my cocoon in a few months (did I mention I am relying on a rich store of metaphors?).

I am amused by the variety of countdowns the class is employing. Mine is "days I need to go into work" and the number is 75 minus any sick days. Meantime, my vacation days numbers are at 43. But I can't seem to find space to take them right now, not until Big Project is over in early March. And today and tomorrow, warm days here in the northeast, would be delightful to be off. Oh well, a steady course.

 

[poppydog]

I am amused by the variety of countdowns the class is employing. Mine is "days I need to go into work" and the number is 75 minus any sick days. Meantime, my vacation days numbers are at 43. But I can't seem to find space to take them right now, not until Big Project is over in early March. And today and tomorrow, warm days here in the northeast, would be delightful to be off. Oh well, a steady course.

Regarding ‘countdowns’, I have an app on my iPad set to countdown the number of remaining Monday mornings!

I’m down to 10 now, and one of them is a holiday (Easter Monday.) Amazing!

Congratulations Pellice, not long to go now!

 

[Al18]

I'm down to 29 weeks now. The stock market correction gave me pause - but I'm still on schedule. Upper management let a great manager go yesterday with no good reason. It's better to retire on my terms.

 

[Mdlerth]

I am amused by the variety of countdowns the class is employing. Mine is "days I need to go into work" and the number is 75 minus any sick days.

I have several countdowns in an Excel table, displaying both calendar days and w*rk days. "Freedom Day" is the day I could stop showing up and let accumulated vacation take me to 59.5. "401k Day", which is the day I hit 59.5, at which time I could cash out any unspent vacation.

"Over/under Day" is my target exit. Depending on upcoming Megacorp announcements I estimate there's about 50% probability I'll go out earlier, and about 50% probability I'll go out later.

I wonder whether I'll be able to concentrate at all the closer I get to Over/under Day. The combination of eagerness and terror might be too distracting.

 

[68bucks]

I have a day counter too. I'm set for August 3rd as the date. The actual date is linked to a final project completion. It has to be done by July 9th but I'm hoping for a little sooner, but I'm not optimistic. After that just paperwork clean up and I'm gone. I haven't notified them yet but I plan for that to happen week after next. I'm very curious what the reaction will be.

I find it increasingly hard to stay focused and motivated. I debated about leaving at the and of 17 but decided to do this project first. There have been many days since the start of the year I have regretted that. 169 days, 121 working days, and counting.

 

[akidagain2018]

95 1/2 days and counting, net of holidays and vacation days! Woohoo!

That assumes I can pull the trigger.


I already had a 'I want to quit' day two days after getting back from vacation at my country home. Growl growl.... So, that puts things in perspective. Gotta go, gotta go soon.

 

[ears20]

55 days, net. April 13 will be zero-day. Had my annual performance review and bonus announcement today; performance up from last year, but no raise and reduced bonus. Almost dropped the bomb right then and there. Boss said he understood my frustration with the mixed messages (stock way up, local office doing very well, but no compensation) and he could see how that might drive people to walk. Said he hoped I wasn’t going to, that they need me.

Am going to let it all percolate for a couple weeks, and announce retirement when he gets back from his vacation. If he meant what he said I’m hoping I might be able to negotiate a year of vesting service in return for staying a few extra months. If not...I RE on Friday the 13th!

 

[WestUniversity]

The strangest thought occurred to me the other day...

After spending so much time and effort not only initially getting this j*b but also year after year in keeping this j*b, I will soon be voluntarily giving it up. It sounds both counterintuitive and liberating at the same time.

316 days and counting...

 

[lwp2017]

I gave my written notice . Six weeks left, only 20 days at work.

A very good feeling after 33 years at the same company.

 

[Dtail]

I gave my written notice . Six weeks left, only 20 days at work.

A very good feeling after 33 years at the same company.

Congrats!!!!!

 

[akidagain2018]

I gave my written notice . Six weeks left, only 20 days at work.

A very good feeling after 33 years at the same company.

Congrats!! Wow, 6 weeks notice. I plan to give a month/4 weeks. It's going to have to be enough. I want my exit to be super quiet, like a puff of smoke. I will be there and then not, before anyone notices too much. I don't want anyone asking me any questions about "what are you doing after". It's clear my colleagues aren't planning an early exit from our profession. If they find out my plan they'll just gossip about me. And who needs that.

Nice job!

 

[lwp2017]

Congrats!! Wow, 6 weeks notice. I plan to give a month/4 weeks. It's going to have to be enough. I want my exit to be super quiet, like a puff of smoke. I will be there and then not, before anyone notices too much. I don't want anyone asking me any questions about "what are you doing after". It's clear my colleagues aren't planning an early exit from our profession. If they find out my plan they'll just gossip about me. And who needs that.

Nice job!

Actually I told VP over a year ago for succession planning purposes.
I was incentivized to stay.

Completed my final milestone last Saturday, gave written notice Monday so first pension check will deposit April 1.

Kinda cool getting final paycheck and a pension check the same week.

 

[WestUniversity]

Congrats!! Wow, 6 weeks notice. I plan to give a month/4 weeks. It's going to have to be enough. I want my exit to be super quiet, like a puff of smoke. I will be there and then not, before anyone notices too much. I don't want anyone asking me any questions about "what are you doing after". It's clear my colleagues aren't planning an early exit from our profession. If they find out my plan they'll just gossip about me. And who needs that.

Nice job!

I’m planning on giving 3 months notice. At my level it’s kind of expected and it will take that long to walk whomever through what I do. I’ve begun documenting processes but documentation only goes so far.

If anyone has ever tried to learn a software application by using the manual you know what I mean. Great for reference useless for learning, IMHO.

My retirement announcement date is also one of the dates I have in my countdown app. That announcement is in 227 days...[emoji41]