What age people on ER actually retired

[Flieger]

Fixed by Alan - Thanks!


Curious as to what the most common age people pulled the plug. I see a lot of posts where people mention the "group here is completely different" so wanted to see how different.

Poll says PRIMARY as I know some people do non-profit or some P/T just to stay busy, not (necessarily) for additional income. In any event, you can count that as retired for purposes of this poll.

I left now at 61, but doing some part time work to get out of the house (DW's request )

Flieger

 

[Dtail]

Haven't been working since 55, but officially retired at 57.

 

[Digger1000]

51

 

[Gumby]

The young wife and I retired two weeks apart, when we were 58 and 60, respectively.

 

[38Chevy454]

53

 

[sengsational]

54, but "the year I turned 55", which turned out to be unimportant. The first year of ACA was a more important factor.

 

[stepford]

Does 55 count as 50-55 or 55-60?

 

[PatrickA5]

Quit megacorp at 50. Didn't know if I was "retired" or not at that point. Did a few years of very minimal part-time work. Stopped that in mid-50s. DW continued working until a couple of years ago (because she wanted to). I think to most people, I was an unemployed bum. It was really hard those first few years to actually tell people I was retired.

 

[pacergal]

same question me 60.
DH 59.5

 

[lem1955]

I went to Part time work for a non profit at 56 but I needed the money. It was enough to live on and allowed my 401k to recover from the 2008 recession.

 

[Flieger]

Does 55 count as 50-55 or 55-60?

Good point. I wasn't being that precise, but will update.

Tried but can't figure it out so will put in text of first message.

Flieger

 

[Alan]

Good point. I wasn't being that precise, but will update

Flieger

I think I fixed it for you. Let me know if you’d like something different.

 

[5Miler]

I retired at 58 while DGF threw off her shackles on her 55th birthday.

 

[rk911]

Tried to go at 50...5-years earlier than usual but employer wasn't willing to sign off (pension system rules which would' e required an employer payment). But I didn't need a rule waiver 5-yrs later.

 

[bada bing]

I retired from Mega-corp at 61. I could have left as early as 58, but the rumors of a company sale, with generous severance offers, kept me working for almost 3 years. It worked out well, moneywise. I sort of wish I'd had that time retired now though.

At 66, I still work seasonally, about 8 weeks fulltime commitment per year, between a hobby business and a couple of short term consulting contracts at former job. So I'm not fully "Retired". I've been earning about 40% of my spending budget since leaving mega-corp. Working now is 100% a choice and I anticipate quitting everything in the next 2-4 years.

 

[Gumby]

I stayed until I could get retiree health care from my former employer for me and the young wife. That's way more valuable than my small pension.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Retired at 56. And in fact, I'm 7 days shy of my 6 year anniversary. Woohoo!

 

[djsander]

I was a couple months shy of 61. Our original plan was for me was to evaluate each year starting at 61. I received too good of a voluntary early retirement offer to pass up so took it and was gone. One of the best decisions we have ever made.

 

[old medic]

I started my pension at 58, DW will start hers next year at 57

 

[EastWest Gal]

I tried retiring at 55, on my birthday, but one week before my last day, my supervisor desperately asked me to fill in at another location part time. In 2016 I took a whole year off, helping out once when someone got sick. In the end of 2017-May 2019, I worked just enough for health insurance for myself and family, then hung it up for good in 2019, the same week my wonderful supervisor left our medical group and moved away. My direct supervisor during that last 18 months was a true bully, and it was such a relief to leave. I don't define myself as a physician any longer to the public.

 

[Alan]

I retired at 55 which was the earliest I could retire and enroll in the company’s health insurance plan for retirees.

 

[Jerry1]

At 55 I vested in retiree health insurance and went part time (3 days/wk). Stayed for two years working part time, but I wouldn’t exactly call it work. Then, they had staff reductions and I volunteered to go which came with a package of one year salary and benefits. So, I left work at 57 and stopped being paid at 58.

 

[aaronc879]

I haven't worked a full time job for more than 2 months since 2019 when I was 39 years old. Since then, due to chronic pain, I have been working very sporatically. I guess I consider myself semi-retired. I may not work at all but not sure. During my last annual physical my Dr. suggested I go back on food stamps and Medicaid and not work at all while I pursue SSDI which I probably won't get. I live extremely cheap which is why I may have the option not to work even without SSDI. Spent less than 12K in 2023 and looks like I will be under that again in 2024.

 

[SecondCor521]

46 3/4.

The exact date was related to some stock option vesting, wanting to be out of there, and my company's personal leave limit of 12 weeks. Also turned out to be a Friday, which was nice.

 

[braumeister]

When I was still a teenager, I noticed that the traditional retirement age was 65. I decided to set myself a goal of doing it ten years sooner, and I was lucky enough to make it. 55 and 4 months, which was close enough!