Does the age you retire early make a difference in how others see you?

[Happy Homebody]

I have recently retired early, but it was not super early. I was 56, almost 57. My husband retired at 59.

I haven't been retired very long, but I haven't really been treated differently. I sometimes read things about people being treated negativity or subjected to rude remarks. I wonder if that is more common for people who retire at a much younger age.

I also wonder if money is a factor. I live a middle class lifestyle, the same as when I worked. I think some negativity is partly people reacting to displays of wealth.

The only negativity I have experienced has been online (not this site).

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I FIRED at 50 years and 5 months. Hell yes people looked at me funny. I turned the other way and haven't looked back. I'm having fun....

 

[teej1985]

If think if you're over 55 when you retire, you probably don't need to be too concerned about that.

 

[Car-Guy]

Maybe, but not that I've noticed (or care). And folks that know me, don't make rude remarks to me (to my face anyway), even if it's harmless banter.

 

[Al18]

You would probably attract more attention if you drove an exotic supercar.

If you are living a upper middle class lifestyle, you'll blend in just fine.

I read a few years ago the most common vehicle millionaires drove was a Ford F150, because it was dependable and if schedule maintenance was performed, it would likely last decades.

 

[TheWizard]

You would probably attract more attention if you drove an exotic supercar.

If you are living a upper middle class lifestyle, you'll blend in just fine.

I read a few years ago the most common vehicle millionaires drove was a Ford F150, because it was dependable and if schedule maintenance was performed, it would likely last decades.

That would be me...

 

[audreyh1]

I retired very early, 39, but we never worried about how other people treated us.

 

[scrabbler1]

I retired at 45 and nobody gave me any grief. Some were a little jealous. But for those I told, not counting coworkers, they were glad I would be able to partake in our common activities more. The coworkers said little, probably because I had been working part-time for the previous 7 years, so it didn't shock anyone I was switching from PT to not working at all.

 

[Focus]

I retired right before I turned 54. People thought I looked even younger, so they were shocked to hear that I was retired. In the U.S., the most common follow-up question was always, "What do you do all day?" and I'd respond, "I've never experienced a single minute of boredom." Outside the U.S., that question was never asked.

Once I got over 60, though, it all became a moot point. No one is surprised to hear I'm retired now.

 

[skyking1]

That would be me...

I think people feel a bit safer and the high seating position gives great situational awareness. I know my back likes a nice pickup seat far far better than any low slung sports car.

 

[Montecfo]

I got some weird reactions at first. One fellow made a weird scene, "how can he be retired?", he asked loudly in a group. And it concerned me for a while.

But eventually you get better with however you decide to talk about it. Most people are cool with it and some a bit curious. The rest are not my problem.

 

[FlaGator]

I was done at 55 with two kids and moved to the Panhandle from south Florida. Months after moving into the to this great, tight-knit neighborhood, I learned that had been a lot of chatter about my background, all from people who never asked me a question about how I came to be there. Funny stuff-speculation I might have been a drug dealer, maybe the kids' mother was in jail. I enjoyed seeing their reactions when we finally had a chance to talk and they learned truth. Good for a laugh and easy to dismiss.

 

[steelpony10]

I have recently retired early, but it was not super early. I was 56, almost 57. My husband retired at 59.

I haven't been retired very long, but I haven't really been treated differently. I sometimes read things about people being treated negativity or subjected to rude remarks. I wonder if that is more common for people who retire at a much younger age.

I also wonder if money is a factor. I live a middle class lifestyle, the same as when I worked. I think some negativity is partly people reacting to displays of wealth.

The only negativity I have experienced has been online (not this site).

As mentioned some just make up stuff about strangers retired or not.

Being a mischievous type I in turn just made up my own story. It’s a lot of fun.

Eventually the wives check with your wife of course who told the truth. But they’re still confused because the truth sounds a little fishy also.

I anticipated this. Now I hear no really…….

 

[marko]

This topic seems to come up every month or so in varying forms.

Until I found this forum, I had never heard of (or experienced) such a thing as an early retirement being considered an oddity.

In my industry, working until 60 or 65 was very rare and I do live in an area where early retirees are not that unusual. Money aside, there's lots of those in the public sector (police, fire, courts, mass transit) where taking your pension after 20 or 25 years can leave a 45 or 50 year old sitting on the beach on a Wednesday morning. Happens every day.

I just find the whole idea of people commenting or treating you differently because you hung it up at 45 or 50 extremely weird and way outside of my own experience.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I retired at 57, and shortly thereafter I took a cooking class at the county rec center. I ate lunch with a nice couple and they inevitably asked what I did for a living. I told them I was retired and with a surprised look one asked how old I was. When I told them, they protested, “But you’re not 62 yet!” Hehe, I loved it.

 

[VanWinkle]

When they ask me what I did before I was retired, I say "I wished I was retired".

 

[COcheesehead]

We retired early and well off. I have never been treated rudely, but we live in a community of similar. It’s just the norm.

 

[old medic]

We are at a family reunion and the wife commented about her retiring this fall. Of 24 cousins I'm the only one retired, and 3 of my aunt/uncles are still working....

 

[Ronstar]

I retired at 58, but my friends and relatives did not see me any differently when I retired. But they did see me differently during my part time years (almost a decade) before retiring. I had a work schedule that was far more flexible than what they were used to. And they all wanted to know how I was doing it.

 

[jollystomper]

I think the attitude one displays has more to do with how people react than the age at which one retired.

 

[TheWizard]

I think people feel a bit safer and the high seating position gives great situational awareness. I know my back likes a nice pickup seat far far better than any low slung sports car.

I have a lowish slung sports car as well and while the seat is just fine, getting in and out is just a bit harder at age 75...

 

[imjustawarrior]

My DW retired at 29. I retired at 55.

The responses were:
Congratulations! That is great!
You are too young.
What are you going to do with your time?

Some people get it. Some people can't wrap their minds around it. There are always people who want to impose their values upon you about one thing or another. ER is no different. I just shrug it off and move on with enjoying my life.

 

[Flyfish1]

I find the medical community is a bit incredulous when I tell them as a fellow Doc I retired at 59. Most shake their heads in disbelief and some are even less welcoming. Most are confused as to what I do with my time, since in their minds I'm still supposed to be operating.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

47, few care and the few that do are mostly complimentary. With so much WFH and gig work now being free during "work hours" isn't the outlier it used to be so I just blend in. I was, and still am, amazed at how many people aren't at work all day....

 

[FREE866]

I retired at 50. I got and still get some interesting reactions. I think the initial response is they assume I have FU money which wasn't and still isn't the case. I guess it's all relative though.