Retired today
- Thread starter Alex The Great
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Thank you. Yes I think being laid off is a bit hard experience but I've been through it before in situation when I was not prepared to retire. Now it is a different story.
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Thanks. But I try to be careful about the wishes
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The upside is that you have been preparing for your retirement and the layoff is very close to your own schedule. I believe that once you have been retired for a bit - you will appreciate the retirement experience and the time you have for your parents.
I had been a bit concerned about how I would adjust to retirement, i.e. leaving my professional persona behind - I believe it took me several hours - if that . . .
I had been a bit concerned about how I would adjust to retirement, i.e. leaving my professional persona behind - I believe it took me several hours - if that . . .
aaronc879
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Unemployment benefit rules vary by state. My state is fairly harsh. You have to document at least 4 attempts to get work every week. If you are offered an interview and don't go you lose your benefits. If you are offered a job and you decline you lose your benefits so you can only apply to jobs you would be willing to take. I don't know the rules in your state as they vary a lot from state to state.
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
I've received unemployment benefits before for a couple of months, during Covid times after I was laid off by previous employer. Here in California the requirement is to check in every two weeks at specific web site. Other than that, not too much. They watch for at least some activity at their own job search page, and some updates to the resume. But occasionally they select some people for more thorough review and ask to attend certain webinars.
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Alex The Great
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Actually I will try to keep my professional persona happy for some time. I need to complete a book which I started to write before but did not have a time to finish.
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Sounds amazing!
RetiredAndLovingIt
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File for Unemployment immediately, you qualify if you are no longer working through no fault of your own.
Due to your age you will probably qualify for a longer benefit period. I took the standard 20 weeks if I remember correctly and then told them I'd decided to retire. In California they will set you up with 1 hour seminars and classes about prepping yourself for re-entering the workplace etc and they are extremely sympathetic and fairly blunt about your prospects.
If you need extra help they have all kinds of support services that you might qualify for when unemployed. I don't always have a lot of good to say about our state and I did not need what they were offering but I was really impressed with the overall process. Just attending the seminars is considered looking for a job as is posting your resume online which they help you with. They might even offer to send you back to school if you're interested in a career change and they'll pay for it.
My experience was five years old ago so things may have changed since then.
https://edd.ca.gov/en/unemployment/filing_a_claim
Due to your age you will probably qualify for a longer benefit period. I took the standard 20 weeks if I remember correctly and then told them I'd decided to retire. In California they will set you up with 1 hour seminars and classes about prepping yourself for re-entering the workplace etc and they are extremely sympathetic and fairly blunt about your prospects.
If you need extra help they have all kinds of support services that you might qualify for when unemployed. I don't always have a lot of good to say about our state and I did not need what they were offering but I was really impressed with the overall process. Just attending the seminars is considered looking for a job as is posting your resume online which they help you with. They might even offer to send you back to school if you're interested in a career change and they'll pay for it.
My experience was five years old ago so things may have changed since then.
https://edd.ca.gov/en/unemployment/filing_a_claim
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Thank you, this is very informative.
I know EDD has a habit to inform about RESEA appointment by mail.
Does anyone know if they allow to forward their mail into virtual mail box? Or like most banks they put "Return service requested" on envelope?
Luvtoride
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
To Alex and all who were “forced” to retire before you planned your own exit, I feel extremely lucky. I was with my company for almost 34 years and retired (5 weeks ago) within the year (after turning 65) I had planned. Maybe not “early” by the standards of many on this forum, but it was the right “sweet spot” for my company pension without an early retirement haircut.
Also, we had put together a solid financial plan to supplement our pension income. As it turned out my company offered me a consulting role on several projects that were related to my experience but not my former job. With this additional part-time income, we will have to draw much less from our “now bucket”.
I understand that “the best laid plans” don’t always work out but we can consider ourselves fortunate if we can execute our retirement our way.
Also, we had put together a solid financial plan to supplement our pension income. As it turned out my company offered me a consulting role on several projects that were related to my experience but not my former job. With this additional part-time income, we will have to draw much less from our “now bucket”.
I understand that “the best laid plans” don’t always work out but we can consider ourselves fortunate if we can execute our retirement our way.
F.I.R.E User
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I left in 2003. Too expensive.
steady saver
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Congratulations! Try to stay in the moment and enjoy each new gift!
I understand it's hard when it's not quite what you planned. DH planned to retire and the pandemic hit. He kept working and got a package 6 months later, so that part was a welcome plus for sure. But transitioning during the pandemic with ill parents was a rough go for him. Almost 3 years later and it's hard for him to even imagine a M-F obligation. Life is so good and easier to enjoy less in retirement.
I understand it's hard when it's not quite what you planned. DH planned to retire and the pandemic hit. He kept working and got a package 6 months later, so that part was a welcome plus for sure. But transitioning during the pandemic with ill parents was a rough go for him. Almost 3 years later and it's hard for him to even imagine a M-F obligation. Life is so good and easier to enjoy less in retirement.
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Congratulations, Alex. Welcome to the "Amuse Yourself Every Day" club.
38Chevy454
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Nice that you are prepared and getting out a little earlier than your original plan. For sure sign up for unemployment, you were laid off. Take some free money. Your severance is a supplement to the unemployment since the unemployment will be much less than your previous salary.
Welcome to the retirement club!
Welcome to the retirement club!
4 attempts every week to get hired huh? They don't even give a minimum in Illinois. But you have to "certify" online every other week that you are "actively looking for work" and available to work each week. And you are supposed to document it because they can request your work search history any time. I thought it was odd that there was no minimum number of attempts or applications listed.
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Thank you. In my case, it is almost as planned: not much to complain.
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Gumby, thank you. I've been around this amazing forum for a while but now it feels a bit different.
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Thanks! Money from unemployment insurance are not free: this is a small portion of tax I paid during my long working career, mostly in California.
Coach Shoe
Dryer sheet aficionado
Congratulations! It could be the start of something you've never imagined. When I was kicked out, after a few years of futile searching, I started a service company in an unsophisticated industry. Today, my son owns the company with over 100 employees. My wife & I just completed a 5-month world cruise. Change can be beautiful.
Bryan Barnfellow
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Congrats. I retired 2 months ago, and starting to enjoy not having to stress out on work. Blood pressure drop to normal
Congratulations for making it over to this side of the wall.
A few months after I retired (April, 2015 at 59) I noticed that gobs of hair weren't being left in the shower anymore! No more intense stress.
I'm so glad I didn't wait longer!
-BB
LateToFIRE
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Congrats! And yes, not just IT and engineering, most MegaCorp gigs become volatile after age 50, regardless of industry. Age discrimination is rampant because it is not even questioned most places.
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Alex The Great
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Thank you. The reason why older employees are getting hit first is not exactly about their performance (however it may be a reason too). In most cases, it is about cost. I'm sure this was a reason I've been laid off many times. At all these employers, I've been able to negotiate high compensation. New college graduates can learn quickly and cost less.
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Alex The Great
Recycles dryer sheets
Thank you. In my case, stress situation was not terrible because I've been able to work from home during the last 3+ years. Still, stress was there for sure and I already feel it going away now.
