We have not discussed this in a year or three so i thought I bring it up again. Are you retired already? How long has it been and are your "plans" working out as expected? anything you ran into along the way that you want to share with the rest of us?

If you hope to retire someday, how is your retirement forecast looking? Are you on target, ahead of target, or behind? Anything interesting that you care to share with the group on things that either helped or hurt your plan?

If you hope to work full time forever because you love to work, good for you. Feel free to post so that I can thank you for your life-long commitment to the Social Security system.

If you plan to work part time, what are you thinking about doing?

If you wish you could retire but fear you cannot due to finances, how are you coping with that reality?

And of course, whatever your personal situation is that I did not cover above. Let's hear it.

Financially speaking, I think I am on track with my plan and should be in a position to retire in two years. I'm thinking the end of 2017 to be on the safe side. I might go a year or two longer than that, but I doubt it. Investments have been ok, but at the end of the day it is really what I earned as income rather than what I gained in the market that accounts for most of my savings. It is the ups and downs in the market that make me think that I should ad a year or two to my retirement goal.

 

Jan will mark two years since I retired. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after, if anything, but I have been working part time from home for a private company that does pretty much what I did when I was working. I haven't had the number of hours I expected for the year, but I'm not really too concerned. It was mainly to keep me occupied and my mind challenged rather than the money. To be honest, I didn't really have a plan for retirement. Just decided the time was right. I do have an investment portfolio and a good retirement income. And my condo is worth a considerable amount of money. So I'm comfortable where I am from a financial perspective. My time recently has been taken up quite a bit looking after my mother, who fell in July and broke her femur. Things have calmed down considerably since then, but I'm responsible for all her affairs now, so that takes some hours to handle each month. Plus visiting her every day right now for an hour or so. It is probably a good thing I was retired when this happened. I certainly would have had to take off a considerable amount of time.

 

My target from day one was to retire at 55. That is two years away. I agonize some. Depending on which calculator I use, I can retire now, or I need to work 10 more years. A wrench was thrown at my plan when my wife was laid off awhile back. She has been jumping around from contract to contract. No permanent opportunities or long term contracts are available locally in her field. She has worked three different jobs this year with a month down time between each. The latest contract is only 6 weeks long. She is not enjoying life and I wish I could tell her she doesn't need to work. If she can't find something better, I'll have to put in a few more years. Fortunately, we have healthy 401Ks, and the house is nearly paid for. No other debt.

 

That's the key to a smooth, problem free retirement; no debt, a healthy 401k, and a responsible lifestyle.

 

all plans are subject to change..

you know Bill.. this is right up my ally.. always dreamed of a wife. family like 5 kids.. you know...

started with a hobby I enjoyed as work, car mechanic, however, kept going to college and universities til I finished up my 4 year.. and one day an opportunity availed itself and my future changed, I opened a computer store, ran that 10 years.. actually at that time, thought I was making retirement plans.. it's the unknown that bite ya in the ass... I was making plans and that someone whom I trusted was making her own plans.. everything changed... starting all over, and this time from a negative, and seeing any plans were gone, I began seeing what options i had, an back to work.. then, bout 4 years into rebuilding, it all changed yet again when I took on caring for my parents and watching an older brother pass away ahead of them, that ate up everything in it's path.. followed in 4 months by Dad passing.. yet another expected yet unexpected.. with no time inbetween to repair, rebuild, regroup.. it's been non-stop for 5 years now.. do I see retirement.. no.. doesn't stop me from planning one... hasn't stopped me from yet again rebuilding from where-ever an what-ever i can..

looking back sucks... had.. money in the bank, stocks, land.. have, an S2000 and 2 piece of furniture... some tools and a computer... everything else here i feel is Mom's.. i'll worry about rebuilding my life again, later... oh.. and.. there's nothing to inherit.. so, i guess if i want to say i have all Mom's stuff.. well.. I'd rather have Mom an Dad.. and the stuff.. means something to me.. so it has no value really otherwise..

very honored to read about others an their success.. I do feel I have been very successful.. of course unless i translate that into something for a future.. I may not be successful, tomorrow.. whenever that comes...

i turned 59 last month... i'm going to open another business.. when this levels off and if I can... if not, hey, do you want mustard and pickles on that hamburger...

so folks, not all stories have smooth sailing.. nor are we promised happy endings.. wing it...

see where I am in another year or two....

 

I'm not sure the benefits were all that good back then, Harry. I hope you retired on something better than that this time around.

 

Thinking of retiring next year. Finances should be ok, but worried about keeping busy. Maybe I'll just pour wine at a tasting room part time. Depends on who I work for. Having been a owner or partner most of my career I could not take some simpleton bossing me around.

 

It is nice to hear that dad gave you good advice that you appreciate to this day, Harry. My dad told me to buy a Vega!

 

Kep swinging away, buddy. Keep swinging.

 

All my ideas for keeping busy are about me being in charge of me.