Any 3%ers out there?

[doneat54]

Retired 22 days before my 55th birthday, so I guess I made it in.....

 

[Major Tom]

Another 1%'er here. Checked out at age 45. Am now 57. I was aware that, due to my modest investment stash, I might possibly be committing myself to a lifetime of lower income. A healthy bull market over the last decade or so eased those concerns. SS will come in handy too. I think I'm going to be OK.

 

[Beststash]

52 for me. Best decision of my life.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I retired at 58 and 7 months later started teaching a online college class. I did that for 8 years with a tiny bit of consulting. I still do the consulting at 67 but it’s a very small amount.

 

[OnTheBeach]

Retired at 46 - accepted a consulting job at a start up when I was 47 and plan to re-retire next year at 52.

 

[novaman]

Sold my dental practice at 54 and “retired”. I volunteer at a Charity clinic and a year ago a friend asked if I would be willing to help him out a bit. I go in 1.5 days a week and work a relaxed schedule and can take time off to travel at any time. I know but some people’s definition that is not retirement but for me it is truly like a hobby, kind of like woodworking.[emoji16]

 

[Dtail]

Sold my dental practice at 54 and “retired”. I volunteer at a Charity clinic and a year ago a friend asked if I would be willing to help him out a bit. I go in 1.5 days a week and work a relaxed schedule and can take time off to travel at any time. I know but some people’s definition that is not retirement but for me it is truly like a hobby, kind of like woodworking.[emoji16]

Would you do the work for free?
Just curious.

 

[BubbaChris]

Sold my dental practice at 54 and “retired”. I volunteer at a Charity clinic and a year ago a friend asked if I would be willing to help him out a bit. I go in 1.5 days a week and work a relaxed schedule and can take time off to travel at any time. I know but some people’s definition that is not retirement but for me it is truly like a hobby, kind of like woodworking.[emoji16]

I read this and can't help but think about wooden teeth

I retired at 50. I figured the vast majority of this forum was going to be people who retired early, since it’s right there in the name. I’m actually confused why there’s so many here who didn’t retire until more normal retirement age.

I'm here because I'm late to studying ER, actually ER snuck up on us. There's tons of wisdom available from current members and in past posts.

Best regards,
Chris

 

[Skyward1]

I retired a couple of months ago at 53. The plan was 55 but work was no longer tolerable so 53 it is. Can't imagine ever going back to work barring an utter catastrophe.

 

[Markola]

^^^^^ I understand that! Good luck. Same for me. I left last July at 54 and will not be going back to any office or boss or that noise. After doing zippo for money for 10 months, a mental switch flipped and it has been fun lately to add back small but meaningful income streams, like refinishing and reselling furniture, getting good at cash-back credit cards and even doing a little paid consulting, which I’m finding is easy and actually fun in my case and gives me a tiny bit of structure - after the good long total break I needed, though.

 

[patricel]

Hoping to be a 1%er. Have about 1.5 years to make it happen.

 

[novaman]

Would you do the work for free?

Just curious.

I actually see relatives and close friends for free. And I do it for free at the charity clinic. I also had been taking 1-2 mission trips a year before COVID hit.

 

[Dtail]

I actually see relatives and close friends for free. And I do it for free at the charity clinic. I also had been taking 1-2 mission trips a year before COVID hit.

Nice.

 

[Taxman59]

56 here. Never looked back.

 

[dheb]

That chart adds up to 101%.

 

[Chicago_FIRE]

Retired at 52 in Dec 2016.

 

[ATX78701]

Retired this year in March in early 50s and part of the 3%. No desire to ever have a j*b again. Deleted linkedin and never looked back.

 

[template]

Retired at age 49. That was 20 years ago. Haven't worked since.

I was recalling today how unhappy I was at that job for several years.

 

[ocdokie]

Retired at age 52 in 2010. [cue the Hallelujah Chorus]

 

[drdsunny]

Retired at 53 in 2017. Has hell froze over yet? Only way I'M going back to work!

 

[FREE866]

Retired January 2017, 5 months after my 50th birthday.

 

[nvgs123]

Retired 2 April 2021, turned 55 five days later! 3%

 

[yakers]

Valid inquiry in this thread as to age of early retirement, some interesting posting here. Just on a parallel track (hope this isn't a thread hyjack, only a comment), this is a FIRE site, and while Retiring Early is a major point IMHO the more important one is the FI, Financial Independence, part. I could have retired at 55 but retired at 57, loved my job and would have stayed except for a medical issue that told me its time to go. Once finacnially independent my work life and life in general improved. From about 50 to 55 I liked my job so much I told DW they'll have to carry me out of here, never going to retire.

 

[EvanC]

Retired at 51 in 2006 …. actually admitted to it 3 years later.
No intentions of ever working again….I’m very lucky to have had a plan and been able to stick to it.

“Life’s been good to me so far”.
to quote Joe Walsh

 

[Exwallstguy]

Retired at 42, DW retired at 29. Hope I never have to go back!