What time of year did you retire at?

I live in Iowa, so winter was definitely a factor. I chose April 30 and I remember it still snowed one time after that. But overall a good choice for me.
 
I worked through March as I was training my replacement and wanted to get through the year end audit process. Good time to retire as April usually brings good golfing weather.
 
Put in my resignation mid-August, 2018 with last day of work being first week of January, 2019.

I'd definitely recommend planning a last work day for a time of year that allows you to get out of the house. We live in an area where winter is usually 0-30 degrees F and that often gets big snowstorms. Being cooped up in the house vs being able to do all of our usual "fun" outdoor things was definitely a factor in getting used to ER.
 
Souschef said:
Two days later we were on a plane for a 2 week tour of South America.
Click to expand...

I knew there was a reason I liked you. :D

A few days after my official retirement on September 1 I was off to visit Belgium and Holland. A great trip. The next year I visited Turkey and Bulgaria. Two more great trips. Having the time to take two longer vacation trips in one year is a wonderful thing. This year I hope to take three to make up for the one I missed last year due to knee surgery.

You are an inspiration, Souschef!
 
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Unless you are planning on traveling a bunch right after you retire, I would suggest retiring when the weather is usually nice where you are so you can spend time out and about doing things. It will make the transition easier.
 
My last day was Jun 30. No strategic reasons other than to get one last (quarterly) bonus payout, prorated unpaid vacation and to be off for Summer. I would never have considered retiring in Winter while living in (then) Chicagoland - boring time of year up there for us.
 
Summers have been miserably hot here the last few years, so I chose the last day of August 2018. Fall is my favorite season. Plus, if I stayed until August 1, I got paid for all my unused vacation. Kind of like a self-inflicted severance package.
 
I retired 12.25.2019.

The best Christmas present I ever gave myself.
 
July 1 for several reasons.

1. My contract expired.
2. Tranche of stock options vested.
3. End of megacorp's fiscal year so qualified for yearly bonus.
 
I retired in March because that was when my job got moved and I got an incentive to be pushed out the door, which I was glad to take.

Assuming nothing major like vesting in a retirement pension or retiree health insurance that is probably worth staying a few months extra for, if needed. A big bonus or vesting stock options could be another good reason.

There are other financial reasons to pick about any time of year, but most of them will be worth a few thousand at most, on top of your salary. In the realm of retirement finances, that's chump change to most of us here. I'd just leave when it suits you for a trip, activity, or anything like that. Not leaving at the start of winter makes sense if you live in the north, unless you are a skier.
 
albireo13 said:
I have been planning to retire in 2020 around June but, now am wondering what's the best time of year?



I am confident in our stash but, will rerun numbers.

My thought was retiring at June allows me to enjoy the Summer in retirement.

Also, I have a FA I talk to who discourages retiring at end of the year for reasons other than financial. He argues many are prone to depression after leaving work and facing a winter.



Not sure but ... was curious what other folks have done, and for what reasons?



Thx
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I retired Right after taking my July 4 holiday day. Enjoyed the summer. After being retired I’d do it that away again. I agree with your FA. Worst for me would be just before or during winter.
 
MrEd said:
I retired 12.25.2019.

The best Christmas present I ever gave myself.
Click to expand...

My retirement was on Halloween. So "Trick or Treat" was no tricks but all treats! :cool:
 
About 2014 I started laying the groundwork for my eventual retirement. I had my own business for 20+ years and had a lot of great energy and petrochemical clients. By the end of 2017, I had completed my last project for a central Texas refiner and that was it. Over those three years, I had notified clients one by one of my "scaling down" and not wanting to take on any new projects.

In 2018, I was asked a couple of times to work on engineering projects, but declined gracefully. No one called in 2019 so I guess I am "out to pasture" so to say. LOL :LOL:

It was a great run having wonderful clients and doing work that made you feel needed along with having a sense of accomplishment when the project came to fruition.

Having my own engineering/consulting business for so long sure beat slogging along tied to a desk at some company doing mundane stuff. I'd do it all again.
 
I retired 3 times, so I consider myself experienced in answering this question. I first tried to quit in September, after my birthday. But the pediatrics group I was in was in a bad situation at a sister hospital, and the work there was easy, so I helped out part time for awhile. The second time, I retired July 1. I did not work for a year but maintained some connections. I went back for nearly 2 years out of fear of losing health insurance.

So, retirement dates: September, July, May. Spring or early summer is by far the best. However, if you retire in winter, spend some of it decluttering or take a vacation to a warm place to break up the winter.

It starts off like a summer vacation, but then the vacation never ends. Very sweet.
 
I gave notice of my retirement in Jan'17 and retired in Jun'17. My company appreciated the lead time and I was able to help interview candidates for my job. This also allowed me to enjoy another RSU vesting, 2 qtrly bonuses bonuses, maxed my 401k (pre/post) and took the month of May off using some PTO. I spent my first few weeks of retired life with my wife, before our young kids were out of school for the summer. We spent 3 weeks at our place in Maui and have been enjoying the retired life since.
 
I got laid off in Nov 08' and so never really retired on my own terms but that's when it began. 12 years later it just doesn't matter any more.
 
I retired July 1st. No particular reason for that date, it just worked out that way.
 
Wife retired in October and the next year I retired in Aug. That is just the way it worked out but it was a good time. We love fall weather and school is in session so don't have to worry about fun places to travel that are loaded with kids.


Cheers!
 
My wife will still be working and she doesn't get too many days off. We won't do a ton of travelling until she retires a few years later.
I could retire any time of year I think. I enjoy winter hiking and being outdoors, as well as the warm weather. I have a bunch of hobbies to keep me busy … wood kayak building, astronomy and telescope building, hiking the local peaks, kayaking, etc.

It will be fun. Still, I think May/June will be nice.
 
I imagine both my wife, and I will want to retire in March to be able to concentrate on our greenhouse/gardening, and both of us really enjoy the warmer 3 seasons in Northern Ohio.
 
In January, the year that I would turn 55, the day after the previous year bonus was in my bank account, and happened to also be the first year of PPACA.
 
I think it depends on the person and his or her job. I was eligible for a bonus in March, based on full year results thru December. If I was there on December 31, I was eligible. If I retired on September 30, I was not. It was big bucks...I didn’t want them thrown out. That said, if I didn’t have that consideration, the ideal time would probably have been late March to late April. We moved home from a overseas assignment, so that would have allowed the move to happen, along with preparations for the RV trips we took in the summer. The worst, for me, would be retirement in September or October, because I’m not a big fan of winter sports or activities.

I think for OP, or anyone, thinking about what they want to do immediately after retirement is pretty important when considering the timing. End of December worked out fine for us because it allowed us to take our time with the move, choosing the travel trailer, and the truck to pull it.
 
My last day was Good Friday, March 29 2013. Gave notice 5 weeks prior, equal to my annual vacation accrual. They let go my co worker and my boss (a VP), and I got a visit from the new “sheriff” telling me “I need you, but its going to be hard work”.

No thanks...not interested.
 
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