Hello everyone, I've been reading this site for a couple of years now. I'm 56 and retiring from the Feds this Friday (June 30th). I'm quite nervous and honestly I can't believe 1) I'm old enough to retire; and 2) Can't believe I'm actually doing this when I'm making really good money and my job is really not that bad.
At the end of the day I know life is short and although my job is not that bad (easy to say when you have less than a week left) I'm just sick of the day-to-day crap that comes with the politics, bureaucracy (!!). etc....just sick and tired of it.
My original plan was to move back to my home state (NM) and buy a house and settle down. During my planning and thinking about my retirement I found that i was stressing HARD. I was feverishly looking at homes, prices, locations, etc. It was literally causing me extreme stress! Around a year ago I woke up one day and I told myself to STOP and let things progress as they progress. And that's what I did.
I decided to travel around a bit after a friend of mine sent me an article about people renting 30-Day AirBB's around the country/world. I thought, hmmm, that sounds like fun. So I've booked the next three months where I will be traveling to cabins in WV, Maine then Vermont. I've always wanted to be in New England in the fall but my job wouldn't allow that (fiscal year crap). I'm planning on doing a lot of hiking, biking, fishing and reflecting. Then I'll move on to NM for the holidays followed by Bangkok for a month then back to the states for a month in San Diego. After that I don't really have plans and I'm sure by then I will.
As for $$, that has freaked me out a few times. I currently have a decent amount in my TSP (IRA) and will be getting my pension in a couple of months when the government figures it all out. I plan on hitting the TSP a little hard for the first few years (taxable yes, but no penalties since it's TSP and I'm retiring after 30+ years of federal service). That in conjunction with my retirement should give me about 7K net (after taxes). My bills come up to around $700 a month (car payment, insurance, phone, storage and misc. tv subscriptions). At age 60 (3.5 years from now) I'll start drawing my military retirement (reservist 11 years AD and 17 years active reserve) and will slow down with my TSP then at 62 I plan on taking SS and will probably stop taking money out of my TSP all together and keep it for emergencies. I finally, and I mean finally got a financial advisor. He seems to think I'm in good shape so who am I to argue?
I'm single, no kids and I don't plan on leaving money to anyone (although I obviously will have assets that will go to whomever I decide eventually). I do plan on purchasing a home eventually, just not sure when and where. I closed on my current house (so sad) and giving the proceeds to my financial advisor (about $200K). I'm always up for good advice. I'm getting more and more nervous about what I'm doing but glad I'm doing it. Oye.
Thanks for reading and here is to early(ish) retirement!!
At the end of the day I know life is short and although my job is not that bad (easy to say when you have less than a week left) I'm just sick of the day-to-day crap that comes with the politics, bureaucracy (!!). etc....just sick and tired of it.
My original plan was to move back to my home state (NM) and buy a house and settle down. During my planning and thinking about my retirement I found that i was stressing HARD. I was feverishly looking at homes, prices, locations, etc. It was literally causing me extreme stress! Around a year ago I woke up one day and I told myself to STOP and let things progress as they progress. And that's what I did.
I decided to travel around a bit after a friend of mine sent me an article about people renting 30-Day AirBB's around the country/world. I thought, hmmm, that sounds like fun. So I've booked the next three months where I will be traveling to cabins in WV, Maine then Vermont. I've always wanted to be in New England in the fall but my job wouldn't allow that (fiscal year crap). I'm planning on doing a lot of hiking, biking, fishing and reflecting. Then I'll move on to NM for the holidays followed by Bangkok for a month then back to the states for a month in San Diego. After that I don't really have plans and I'm sure by then I will.
As for $$, that has freaked me out a few times. I currently have a decent amount in my TSP (IRA) and will be getting my pension in a couple of months when the government figures it all out. I plan on hitting the TSP a little hard for the first few years (taxable yes, but no penalties since it's TSP and I'm retiring after 30+ years of federal service). That in conjunction with my retirement should give me about 7K net (after taxes). My bills come up to around $700 a month (car payment, insurance, phone, storage and misc. tv subscriptions). At age 60 (3.5 years from now) I'll start drawing my military retirement (reservist 11 years AD and 17 years active reserve) and will slow down with my TSP then at 62 I plan on taking SS and will probably stop taking money out of my TSP all together and keep it for emergencies. I finally, and I mean finally got a financial advisor. He seems to think I'm in good shape so who am I to argue?
I'm single, no kids and I don't plan on leaving money to anyone (although I obviously will have assets that will go to whomever I decide eventually). I do plan on purchasing a home eventually, just not sure when and where. I closed on my current house (so sad) and giving the proceeds to my financial advisor (about $200K). I'm always up for good advice. I'm getting more and more nervous about what I'm doing but glad I'm doing it. Oye.
Thanks for reading and here is to early(ish) retirement!!
