Anyone else retire 45 or younger?

[StuckinCT]

I have checked, rechecked and checked again and the calculators are saying retire! I am 44 and have three young kids and though we are planning to relocate to a happy nondiscreet quasi rural town from the high priced burbs of NYC, I can't get myself to tell anyone what our true plan is. Everyone with older kids is always saying just wait, you'll see how expensive it is etc and I have to bite my tongue because I know we've got it covered, and probably then some. Maybe it's just me but anyone else struggle with this, 44 just ain't retirement age for most. For the past 6 months I have been working two days a week and already people are asking if I'm looking for a new job!

 

[razztazz]

38. Kissed the world goodbye

 

[audreyh1]

39, but no kids, and a low cost-of-living state. Made it a lot easier, I think.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Retired at 40. No kids. Best decision of my life.

Sent from my mobile device so please excuse grammatical errors.

 

[FIREd]

I retired at 36. No kids. DW worked until a few months ago (we are now 41). We have been living in a high cost of living area for her job, but will be moving back to a lower cost of living area in the next few years.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

43 with 2 school-aged kids. I look at it less as retirement than as being able to decide what I do each day, without regard to monetary rewards.

IE, at 43 I have no desire to "escape" from life or society. I don't want to not be engaged with the world or accomplish things.

This can be a bit different from traditional retirement where people are usually very "done" and just want to sail off into the sunset.

Sent from my SM-T237P using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[walkinwood]

DW was 44 when we ER'd. We don't have kids.
If you think you're ready and have done your due diligence, go for it. Why care what people that you will not have to deal with in the future say about it? Besides, you're young enough to get a job if things don't work out. Imho, flexibility is very important and don't let your ego get in the way if you do have to go earn some money.

 

[Ozstache]

Retired at 45, but with kids all grown up and mortgage paid off. If my kids were young, I would have had second thoughts of retiring at this age too as their teen years were relatively expensive (albeit largely by my own choice).

 

[FrankiesGirl]

Retired early this year at age 42. Husband is retiring next year at age 41. We have no kids, annual spend is low, and enough liquid to easily cover that with less than a 4% withdrawal rate.

I was more than ready, totally burned out at my job and desperate to get out (having health issues due to stress). I ran the numbers and re-ran them and then took the leap. Never been happier and finally starting to unwind from all the stress.

When friends ask what I'm doing now, my standard answer is "whatever I want" and that I am detoxing from a pretty terrible work situation, and helping out with my family's health issues (my own mother has had some run of bad luck health wise lately and I've been helping out now that I can take off for whatever length of time I want). I have said I might freelance in the future, but I am not thinking about working anywhere for some time going forward.

 

[gauss]

Last day worked was within days of my 47th birthday (how about that for a birthday present??).

No Kids. Dual Income. Wife still working to capitalize on her generous "30-and-out" DB pension. (My pension was frozen).

-gauss

 

[Sea Kayaker]

42. Probably could have done it earlier, but by working longer the FIRE fund is of a real nice size...especially considering our modest spending (we are MMM disciples). And yes, being kidless allows for some remarkable options.

Currently snowbirding (or is it rainbirding, since I"m form the PNW) in the Baja. Life has never been better.

 

[Lucantes]

Congrats to all that did! Live long and prosper!!

Gonna make 50 myself. Couldn't make my desired expense level if I did it today at 48 (staying for the extra cash and company early retiree medical plan) and was unwilling to make significant cuts to do it at 45 or less but am happy for all that did.

 

[petershk]

40 in social area(pricy) and 2 young kids (1,3). Not RE yet but within a year or so... FI done... But kinda hesitating. Probably for similar reasons.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Totoro]

Maybe it's just me but anyone else struggle with this, 44 just ain't retirement age for most. For the past 6 months I have been working two days a week and already people are asking if I'm looking for a new job!

Be proud of your achievement, and sensitive to others. Not having to work for a living is firmly in the realm of fantasy for a lot of people. Suddenly coming face-to-face with it triggers all kinds of reactions from others less diligent/lucky/whatever. In no way however should that affect your own plans or joy

I'm 35 and FI, didn't work for six months or so. Now doing free-lance right now to see if that works out and/or is fun. May start a new business or relocate to another country later on.

Point is: I have enough energy to want to try and do things. Big difference it is on my terms, and I don't need to earn money from it.

The way I frame it to most people is that I am taking a sabbatical and have enough set aside to cover that, with time to explore and try a few things. What I don't tell them is how long the sabbatical can last. I do share the emotional and existential questions that come out of that, and that I think it is healthy.

Keeping it gray (also for myself) works quite well.

Guess what I am saying is: FIRE sounds black and white, but it really is an invitation to color your life anyway you want to. Because you earned it.

 

[Senator]

Not having to work for a living is firmly in the realm of fantasy for a lot of people.

I have tenants that retired at age 18. Never worked a day in their life.

 

[kramer]

Retired in 2007 at age 41, but was single and no kids. I went from all-encompassing tech job to Perpetual Traveler which lasted almost 5 years, exchanging a HCOL area for the road. Now I am very happy with a home base and permanent residency status in the Philippines. The idea of Perpetual Travel sounds exhausting to me now as does a regular job.

I told everyone except family and close friends that it was more of a sabbatical type leave and that seemed to lessen the shock (which was the initial response to my resignation). Quitting a good job, even though I was totally burned out, was one of the most difficult things I have ever done.

I really didn't have any issues adjusting to not working but I know some people do and I guess it is a personality thing.

 

[RE2Boys]

Nope, retired at 50 with one and three year old boys. Always part of their daily lives......that was the deciding factor. Good pension and stay very busy, though have always been and continue to be LBYM. Boys have no idea how much of a nest egg I have as we live modestly in 2000 sq ft house, two of the three cars are 10 years old, I continue to work seasonally in a non-career job.

 

[scrabbler1]

Just starting my 8th year of retirement at age 52, having retired in 2008 at 45. Single, no kids.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Retired just shy of my 34th birthday (28 years ago). Both former and current wives still work. After I retired I had 3 children, now 27,10,7 mos. Moved from a high COL, NYC suburb to one of the most exclusive areas of Lima, Peru where housing is about 1/3 the cost now. SS family benefits will more than offset expenses for the two little one's. Current wife will work for 20 more years and ER at 54. Hopefully, will never touch the stash and then when the youngest is launched and I am planted, Wife can run off with Dante the "pool boy" and travel the world. Lot's of family in Fairfield around the beach club, pretty place but too "snooty" for my tastes.

 

[FUEGO]

Currently in year 3 of retirement. Pulled the plug at 33 with 3 kids. My wife is still working 3-4 days/wk and switched to working from home all but 1-2 days/month.

Right choice? Yes, without a doubt. I can always make more money later if necessary or desired. I never made huge money while working, so it won't be too hard to make decent money if I ever do anything productive in the future.

In fact, I'm slowly backsliding into doing a small amount of work. I get offered jobs and freelance work routinely and turn down almost all of it. Last month I started a consulting practice with the goal to work 1-2 hours per week. It being too successful, I just raised my rates to kill some of the demand so I can get back to 1-2 hours/wk on average.

As for kids, our oldest is 10 and we have seen exactly zero high expense years to date. I expect high school will be an expensive time for a few years and we have 529's to cover part of college (plus my kids score well on standardized tests so they'll probably get some decent merit based scholarships). I've found it incredibly easy to make five figures with minimal effort and not even in my old field, so if I need to turn on the income generation engines for a couple years to supplement, so be it.

When I'm out and about, I usually play the stay at home dad card (which is 100% true too! and might mention my side hustle as if it were a real job. Vagueness helps deflect any deeper questions from casual acquaintances.

"Oh so you stay home with the kids?" Yes.

 

[photoguy]

Retired at 41 in early 2014. Worked as a data scientist in silicon valley. Made the mistake of not locking in a low cost housing during the recession (ER seemed so far away especially with our plummeting portfolio). Sold our house (couldn't feasibly ER with the HCOL mortgage) and now looking at other areas.

 

[diehard1997]

Retired a bit over two years ago at age 38 with a wife and 9 year old (11 now). It was a great decision and I have no regrets. However, It took a good 8 months before I didn't feel weird not being at w@$k on a weekday. Now it feels right as rain.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[pullmyfinger]

Another one here. I do have challenges finding others my age to hang out with. It has been a harder transition than I expected, but I love my unstructured time.

 

[StuckinCT]

I have checked, rechecked and checked again and the calculators are saying retire! I am 44 and have three young kids and though we are planning to relocate to a happy nondiscreet quasi rural town from the high priced burbs of NYC, I can't get myself to tell anyone what our true plan is. Everyone with older kids is always saying just wait, you'll see how expensive it is etc and I have to bite my tongue because I know we've got it covered, and probably then some. Maybe it's just me but anyone else struggle with this, 44 just ain't retirement age for most. For the past 6 months I have been working two days a week and already people are asking if I'm looking for a new job!

DW was 44 when we ER'd. We don't have kids.
If you think you're ready and have done your due diligence, go for it. Why care what people that you will not have to deal with in the future say about it? Besides, you're young enough to get a job if things don't work out. Imho, flexibility is very important and don't let your ego get in the way if you do have to go earn some money.

Good point. I think people around here just assume you have to be employed to afford everything. In fairness, we live in a big new house, drive nice cars etc etc. If we downsized , people would be less surprised that we were retired I suppose in more modest circumstances. People always say they don't care what people think, but even if it's for the sake of my kids and making the right impression I think it would make life easier.

 

[StuckinCT]

Nope, retired at 50 with one and three year old boys. Always part of their daily lives......that was the deciding factor. Good pension and stay very busy, though have always been and continue to be LBYM. Boys have no idea how much of a nest egg I have as we live modestly in 2000 sq ft house, two of the three cars are 10 years old, I continue to work seasonally in a non-career job.

Okay, what you have described here is sort of what I want for my family. I have a 2010 A6 that I own, and my Porsche lease expires in June, I'm not renewing. Wife loves her suburban and I don't think we are going to trade in for new models any time soon. My daughter has already said several times, Daddy are we rich? That bothers me. When I was their age I was middle to, upper middle class, dirt bikes little league etc. I am opening a can of worms here on so many levels. 50 sounds so much more acceptable for some reason, but still so young in retirement terms.