How many of you are retired?

[spear]

After 9,959 days in the same job - forced retirement (medical [work-related] disability) 2 months before my 54th birthday. That was 2 years ago. I'm on a pension that is 78% of my salary when I retired, and that's only taxed at 15c in the $. I can commute my superannuation any time I like (it's rolling over and earning good interest) but will wait until I'm 60. That's worth around $400k. Working 17.5 hours a week for another government department to keep myself sane, bringing in the same money as my pension but only half because I only work half a week. I own everything I have including the home I live in and another rental I own. Have 2 cars and an RSV - and a gorgeous wife who also works 17.5 hours a week. Also have a good reserve in the bank earning me 6.5% p.a. Yes, I'm a capitalist. Yes, I believe charity begins at home. Yes, I worked damned hard for everything I own (sometimes holding down 3 jobs at once to support a mortgage with 17% interest, a wife and 3 kids). No, I don't give anything away and no I wouldn't change anything if I had the chance to do it all again. Forgot to mention that I live in the best country in the world that for many years has run a surplus budget - and I'm part of it!

[Condor]

At what age did you retire?

 

Do you just get a company pension or income from your own investments made through the years?

 

Any advice on those investments?

 

Define retired????

[spear]

Define retired????

Good call Condor. I don't think there is such a thing, is there? I think it's a short version of REally TIRED - when you lay down in a pine box. :rotf::rotf:

[Aimhigh]

Retired from the Air Force after 28 years in 1992. Still working though. Plan on going semi-retired the first of June 08.

[Yama Mama]

My husband retiired 16 years ago, and I am just tired. I do not think that I will ever be retired. I just do not see it in my future, Besides I believe that work keeps you young in a sense. I am a person who needs a schedule. I think it helps me to get all the things that I need to do done.

Excuse me while I go lay down.

Peggy:cool10:

[helomech]

I just recently retired from the Air National Guard, but as a traditional guardsman, "weekend Warrior", I won't start getting pension payments until I'm 60. That's a ways off yet, so I'll have to keep wrenching on helicopters unless I find something better. I'm dumping as much as I can into my 401K for when the time comes. I figure Social Security will be pretty much bankrupt since noone wants to fix it, so I'm not counting on that at all. I plan to spend retirement in my garage, in the woods, on the water, in the air, or on the road. Anywhere other than on a couch.

[Sailor]

:cool10:I retired 4 years ago at age 59. The company was becoming hell to work for so I took a reduced pension to get out early. Took a 2% loss on the pension but it is indexed to the cost of living so I am now getting more than I would get if I had stayed. I took the Canada pension early (reduced) at age 60 so I now get 2 pensions. In two more years I get the Old Age pension so that will make three. All together they will add up to about $ 2500/mo plus my investments which give me about the same. Wife retired when I did (she was 57) and now works when she feels like it for "play time" money. My investments are well spread out with nothing too risky (when stocks go down, bonds go up and when bonds go down, stocks go up) and is well balanced.

Bottom line is that I have seen too many guys work hard and die within a year of retiring. I would rather have less money and a better life than more money and no life. Only problem is that now I am retired I am so darn busy I don't know how I ever had time to go to work!

[trandeod]

Spent 26 yrs active duty AF and hung it up; went to Mc Donnell Douglas for another 6 years got vested and hung that up all in my first 49 years, 4 months. That was over 15 years ago and I haven't looked back. I've been retired retired and I'm having a ball. I got my medicare card so guess I'm getting old. So many bikes so little time!!

[GunnyButch]

20 years USMC retired at 43, working for the Dept of Defense since '98 and plan on taking an early retirement from civil service at 56 (Nov '09). After that we're packing up and moving back to the Louisville Ky area to be closer to family. I plan on putting a lot more miles on the bike after that, right now the miles are a lot less than I would like. Sure wish I'd saved a lot more when I was younger though.

[Hugbare]

Retired at age 39, back in 1983 some time, August I think it was ... Get my

monthly retirement bread which sock away in a IRA CD .. Worked Civil Service

for a while but not long enough to retire again ... Been working Govt

Contractor rest of the time except for a 8 year stretch as IT Director at a

software company which went belly up at 9/11 .. Back to Govt Contracting

(US NAVY). Feels like I never got out, just new stuff to play with .. Soon as

my better half's real estate market gets back on track after this slump, will

probably retire again and then go back to work in real estate or take over her

travel business and let her work real estate .. Haven't decided yet .. Either

would keep me busy between bike rides ..

 

No Gunny, you are coming to Charlietown and we gonna ride, ride, ride ...

when we retire ..