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I've been retired for 4.93 years, not that I'm counting or anything...it's displayed at the top of one of my many spreadsheets 
Poll: Did you retire too early, too late, or about right?
- Thread starter SecondCor521
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I'm coming up on 4 years FIREd. Another 5-6 years down the line I may have a different answer, but for now I think we timed it about right. I stopped working to accompany our DS back to the US for a special academic program. DH had planned to work for another year, but called it quits early due to increasing stress/hassle and difficulty getting time off to help with care for his parents. We hung on to our apartment in Beijing for an extra year, and the appreciation on it more than offset what we would have earned working all that time. Still living comfortably off the profits from the sale (even after a huge cap gains hit) while retirement accounts grow -- hope to stretch that arrangement out until DH hits 70 and starts taking SS. He could take SS earlier if needed. Will be using low income situation to strategically convert Trad IRA money to Roths, while maintaining solid healthcare subsidies.
although it was later than I'd dreamed about, I retired at 62, 3 years ago. I realize now it was just about perfect. But, in the name of full disclosure, I only worked 3 to 3 1/2 days / week, with as much vacation time ( usually 4-6 weeks/ year) as I wanted, for the last 5 years.
I could have kept that going longer, but my partner wanted out, and after two years of running the place alone, I just didn't enjoy it enough to continue.
I accumulated a significant amount of money in those last 5 years which has made my retirement a lot more fun than if I'd retired much earlier.
I could have kept that going longer, but my partner wanted out, and after two years of running the place alone, I just didn't enjoy it enough to continue.
I accumulated a significant amount of money in those last 5 years which has made my retirement a lot more fun than if I'd retired much earlier.
RunningBum
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Should have cashed out before the dotcom bubble burst. That cost me over 10 years. However, I can't say for sure how wisely I would've invested after cashing out, and might've just dumped it back into dotcom stocks and lost my FI status and been without a job. That would've been worse. Can't change history, and I've learned from it by diversifying well, so I've put it behind me, mostly. I still think about it now and then.
brucethebroker
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Yeah, me too on the fate thing.
You hit the nail on the head with the "having more fun at work". When my career was rocketing, me too. When the recession hit, not so much. Now, can't imagine doing anything else (semi-retired with hobby business).
523HRR
Recycles dryer sheets
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Retired at 49 and moved to Florida. Now 56. No complaints, but I'm not sure why I didn't pull the trigger earlier. Retirement is a wonderful stage of life.
Offgrid Organic Farmer
Full time employment: Posting here.
I retired at 42, and it worked out pretty well for us.
Just right
I retired in my early forties with around 3M net worth, depending on how you value options, etc. It was somewhat scary knowing that in tech, there’s no going back. But I had had it , and was never a spender, so I figured I’d be ok.
Fifteen years later, my net worth is north of 10M. I don’t regret it for a minute, but I’ll admit the 2008 mess was trying.
I retired in my early forties with around 3M net worth, depending on how you value options, etc. It was somewhat scary knowing that in tech, there’s no going back. But I had had it , and was never a spender, so I figured I’d be ok.
Fifteen years later, my net worth is north of 10M. I don’t regret it for a minute, but I’ll admit the 2008 mess was trying.
Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I thought the survey was not about how how long you have been retired, but was about
did you retire too early, just right, or too late.
I think it missed something by combining how long and too early, just right, or too late.
I think it's more interesting to know did you retire:
Too Early, Just Right, Too Late in years .
No matter how long I've been retired, I will always know I could have retired 2 years earlier.
did you retire too early, just right, or too late.
I think it missed something by combining how long and too early, just right, or too late.
I think it's more interesting to know did you retire:
Too Early, Just Right, Too Late in years .
No matter how long I've been retired, I will always know I could have retired 2 years earlier.
Jollyquick
Recycles dryer sheets
We both retired last year much earlier than we were planning. By coincidence both our senior leaders and mentors retired at the same time (different mega corps though) leaving us with the choice of training new leadership or retiring ourselves. So after some soul searching and number crunching we both turned in our papers.
My point is although we FIREd earlier than expected we’re incredibly grateful that we did! In hindsight we both could have (and possibly should have) retired even earlier. We kept working simply because it’s what we always did and were afraid of change. “Comfortable” can be a gilded cage that slowly steals your youth and health away... If I could go back in time to about five years ago, I’d tell younger me to trust in myself and the numbers and take the leap!
My point is although we FIREd earlier than expected we’re incredibly grateful that we did! In hindsight we both could have (and possibly should have) retired even earlier. We kept working simply because it’s what we always did and were afraid of change. “Comfortable” can be a gilded cage that slowly steals your youth and health away... If I could go back in time to about five years ago, I’d tell younger me to trust in myself and the numbers and take the leap!
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traineeinvestor
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
FIRE'd about 5.5 years ago. Still seems like the right decision on all fronts for me. I could have gone a few years earlier, but the extra savings provide a higher level of security.
Timeisprecious
Recycles dryer sheets
Yes, the year ranges adequately cover the time frames in question. The time parameters include ">= 10 years" (i.e., "greater than or equal to 10 years"). If you're retired exactly 10 years, you'd classify into the "greater than or equal to 10 years" category. Where you fit into "too early," "too late," or "just about right" clearly depends on you and your own perception of that. The only subcategories this person doesn't address are within the "not yet retired" category and our own circumstances and perceptions concerning not yet being retired (e.g., "not retired but eager to; plan to retire within 5 years;" "not retired and loving my work; may never retire").
Timeisprecious
Recycles dryer sheets
ncbill
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Wow!
Ever considered being a FA?
May one ask how you more than tripled your net worth over that time period?
Mutual funds/ETFs, real estate, etc?
scrabbler1
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Listen, the poll's original year ranges showed ">10" years, not ">=10" years. After I first pointed out that error, Alan fixed the range to ">=10" years so they became continuous and addressed my concern and allowed me to answer the poll.
Spanky
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Wow!
Ever considered being a FA?
May one ask how you more than tripled your net worth over that time period?
Mutual funds/ETFs, real estate, etc?
+1 that's impressive to acquire $3M so early. 3x in 15 years is 7.554%.
Mostly individual tech stocks of companies I had worked at. Not that unusual in Silicon Valley. I was in the right place at the right time.Wow!
Ever considered being a FA?
May one ask how you more than tripled your net worth over that time period?
Mutual funds/ETFs, real estate, etc?
T-Minus
Recycles dryer sheets
I retired about a year ago at age 57 and it seems right. However, it’ll be good to revisit that decision in another 9 years to see if all the planning and preparation were sufficient, too conservative or too optimistic.
One year in - 58. Definitely waited too long. Realistically could’ve retired ten years earlier. But caught up in the drive for more financial cushion. Now significant out of the blue health issues that seriously crimp activity level, including bed ridden for extended periods. Canceling many trips DW and I had planned. My advice is, when you have enough, endless OMYs can be a big mistake. Remember it doesn’t just happen to the other guy or gal. Sometimes disease has you in its crosshairs. Get out and enjoy life. Don’t sit in an office, at your computer screen, travel endlessly for work or whatever your search for more financial security involves. In the end it may not matter...
PS. Please no pity responses. I don’t feel sorry for myself and will fight through this as long as the body holds out.
PS. Please no pity responses. I don’t feel sorry for myself and will fight through this as long as the body holds out.
T-Minus
Recycles dryer sheets
We spend so much time worrying about the other end (i.e. running out of money in our late 90's) that we lose sight of other factors. Thanks for sharing.
As long as your basic needs are covered, what would you need big money for in your late 90s ?
I plan on enjoying my retirement, and leaving to my kids exactly what my parents will leave me ( a house, possessions, and cars to sell).
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