# 90 Working Days LeftTo Retire :)



## Janderso (Aug 26, 2021)

Time is flying by but it still seems a long way away.
My mind isn't on my work, I am not comfortable with that.
Did you guys go through this?
I just seem scattered and I can't seem to focus on any one thing for very long.
I'm a creature of habit, I love my routines. December 31st is my last work day.
My wife wants me to work through January as my 65th birthday is February 6th.
Nah, I'm so done.


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## Aaron_W (Aug 26, 2021)

I was there. I liked the work and the people, but the last 3 months was just a count down. I don't really think my work suffered but admittedly I was just a warm body by that point.

They bring me back to work quite often so I must have continued to do a good job even if my mind was on other things at the end.


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## epanzella (Aug 26, 2021)

Be done. Be* SO* done! Your time to work is over now it's time to play! It's hard for me to put a date on my retirement because I've had a few businesses (that I LOVED) since I left my job but I more or less retired in 1995 and I've been 100% retired since 2007. I've loved every minute of it!


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## pontiac428 (Aug 26, 2021)

Janderso said:


> I just seem scattered and I can't seem to focus on any one thing for very long.


For me, that's normal life, and I've got two decades before I'm eligible for SS (if it exists at all by then).  You must feel like a kid the day before Christmas, knowing all those presents are waiting under the tree...


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## Bob Korves (Aug 26, 2021)

I don't even remember the details of exactly when I stepped down from working, also in the automotive world (actually big trucks and construction equipment.)  It was well before my 65th birthday, but I had prepared monetarily and mentally for decades and was well prepared with both mindset and savings.  One day I just gave them 2 weeks notice, and moved on to having time for fun and relaxation in retirement.  I have not looked back...


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## Janderso (Aug 26, 2021)

Bob Korves said:


> I had prepared monetarily and mentally for decades


I can vouch for Bob. He is thrifty. In fact, he still has the same dollar he made back in 1969 
Just having a little fun Bob.
Good to have you back!!


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## Liljoebrshooter (Aug 26, 2021)

Don't stand around scatter brained to long or they might move you into management. 
Joe


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## francist (Aug 26, 2021)

This reminds me of a story my brother told me about a family friend who was a court justice. He’d spent a lot of years in the courts, was still really enjoying his job, but getting up in years and considering stepping down. One day he walked into his boss’s office and said …So I’m thinking about retiring. His boss took one look at him and said, “You just did”.


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## graham-xrf (Aug 26, 2021)

Being self-employed, and having a bit of a struggle after 2008-2009, I deferred mine. I went on working in the rat race until way past "the official"retirement date. I so regret that! I should have thrown in the towel long ago. Although now "retired", even now, I still do some occasional consultancy.

It's true that my pension benefit is larger than it would have been had I retired at 65, but here is where one should know that one can end up with more money than time, even if we have not very much of either!

You will feel a bit like wondering what to do, and almost guilty for a few days, but that will pass. What comes next is up to you. Remember that you do still count. You are never irrelevant, even if you have decided to let the rest of the world continue to make a mess! I have found that most stuff around me I have gotten into as interests, and most possessions are way less important than the people. Family, friends, strangers who may become friends, whatever..

Go for it!  Discover that place where you can treat every day as if it's a bit of weekend, or vacation. Stop being a slave to deadlines, and unreasonable expectations.


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## kb58 (Aug 26, 2021)

I'm retiring near the end of this year, so am in a similar position. I keep thinking to myself, "Am I really going to do this?" Best analogy I can give is that it's very similar to skydiving, where you're standing in the doorway contemplating what you're about to do, about how your future is in the hands of a stranger, be it the guy who packed your chute, or what investments your financial planner think are wise, and then the jump master yells, "now", and out you go, trusting that it'll turn out fine.

I'm already planning how to keep myself busy, with a home remodel first on the list. I plan to do as much as I can myself, both to save money, and to keep myself occupied. Nothing major, but replacing/updating all the old stuff. After that, it'll be time spent in the garage


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## NCjeeper (Aug 26, 2021)

My routine really didn't change until the last 60 days so that is when it really started to set in. It felt weird but also exciting at the same time to walk out the door for the last time and drive away.


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## matthewsx (Aug 26, 2021)

Congratulations!!!!!

I know nothing about retirement but something your wife should know about COBRA.

They never tell you but COBRA insurance can be purchased retroactively.
You don’t need to sign up for it unless you need it to pay for what would have been a covered medical expense under your old plan.

You should check this out for yourself but last year when I changed jobs my wife was concerned. The cost of COBRA insurance is crazy high, and they’ll sell it to you the day after you leave your job. But, if you’re healthy and can schedule appointments or procedures before your current insurance is gone you’ll be dollars ahead.

YMMV,

John


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## JimDawson (Aug 26, 2021)

I can't imagine what it would be like to retire from a job that you've had for a number of years.  One day you go to work, and the next you don't...... Forever.  To me it would be like jumping into an ice cold lake, a real shock to the system.  

I've been self-employed for over 20 years, and now that I'm ''retired'' I just work less, and only on the fun stuff.


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## benmychree (Aug 26, 2021)

The time will fly by, and you will be there before you know it, Jeff; for me, that was ten years ago, like you, I could hardly wait, but wait I did, until I reached my max SS benefit at 65 and six months.


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## MrWhoopee (Aug 26, 2021)

Jeff, what you are experiencing is common enough that it has a name, "short-timer's syndrome". In high-school it was known as "senioritis". It can even infect the people around you who aren't even retiring.  Once you've set the date, you might as well just leave.


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## epanzella (Aug 26, 2021)

The short timer's battle cry;
_*I'M SO SHORT I HAVE TO STAND ON A DIME TO SEE OUT OF MY SHOES*_


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## westerner (Aug 26, 2021)

Janderso said:


> I just seem scattered and I can't seem to focus on any one thing for very long.


Mr. Whoopee beat me to it. Short Timer's Syndrome is real, and it will take a few months retired before the symptoms fade. Do not fear. You will get 'er done, and when you do finally leave your career behind, the relief will be life-altering. 

At least is was for me. Single best career move I ever made.....


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## Asm109 (Aug 26, 2021)

I refer to it as having your giva $h!te break.


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## Just for fun (Aug 27, 2021)

Yep,  Same thing here,  and it didn't help that my boss quit giving me special tasks.   So the last couple months was mostly spinning my wheels.

Congratulations Jeff !!


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## Aukai (Aug 27, 2021)

Congratulations Jeff  I had to be on my toes to the last minute


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## Alcap (Aug 27, 2021)

Congrats!  I know it’s hard to keep focused when your this close , as least it was for me . As far as leaving Dec. vs waiting until 2022 , there might be so tax advantages . If your going to get any extra pay for accured vacation , sick days etc. it might put you in the next tax bracket for 2021 , also is you contribute to 401k , Roth and might be others , it would give you one more chance to add . That said I didn’t practice what I preached lol . I had last day in October 2020 as my retirement date . All those things I mentioned affected me but I didn’t want to work another winter .


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## rabler (Aug 27, 2021)

I get it.  I officially retired at the end of June 2019, but effectively I tapered off pretty fast after Jan 1 of that year by dropping to 75% time and burning unused vacation.  My advice is don’t fret the short-timer syndrome. Make some transition plans for yourself.  Think about what you’re going to do to stay mentally, physically and socially active after you retire.  Also think about any things you can do at work to make your departure smooth for the other people there.

While it is a change, it is a pleasant one.  I‘m going to go out on a limb and guess you, and probably most other people here, have strong enough hobby interests that keeping busy won’t be a challenge.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 27, 2021)

I retired 3 weeks ago Jeff it's just that "work " doesn't realize it just yet .  I changed shifts , off the weekend nights , and now have two co-workers on my shift . This is after running the plant for three years by myself on the worst shift available . Life is still not great , but bearable . As you know ,my new leader is a good old friend of mine and I'm trying to help clear out this overblown PM schedule we have when we have no personell .
As of now , all temp mechanics are out the door . Management finally figured out it wasn't such a money saving oppurtunity . We've hired three full time permanent mechanics , the one I trained on the weekend shift is doing excellant , the other two ....................................as of now . We'll see . All five original mechanics can walk out the door tomorrow including myself . I'm on the fence at this moment , but my balance isn't too good so I may just sway to the right side .


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## mmcmdl (Aug 27, 2021)

Liljoebrshooter said:


> Don't stand around scatter brained to long or they might move you into management.


Truer words were never spoken !


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## Just for fun (Aug 27, 2021)

When milling about always carry a clipboard around, they'll think your doing something important.


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## Janderso (Aug 27, 2021)

Liljoebrshooter said:


> Don't stand around scatter brained to long or they might move you into management.
> Joe


Too late,
They put me in management back in 86


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## Janderso (Aug 27, 2021)

graham-xrf said:


> Being self-employed, and having a bit of a struggle after 2008-2009, I deferred mine. I went on working in the rat race until way past "the official"retirement date. I so regret that! I should have thrown in the towel long ago. Although now "retired", even now, I still do some occasional consultancy.
> 
> It's true that my pension benefit is larger than it would have been had I retired at 65, but here is where one should know that one can end up with more money than time, even if we have not very much of either!
> 
> ...


Good advice for sure!


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## Janderso (Aug 27, 2021)

matthewsx said:


> retroactively


Really?
I’ll check into that. 
I’m also wondering about the grace period. I think Medicare starts on February 1st. I retire on December 31st.
This retroactive option is an interesting idea if I need it.


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## Janderso (Aug 27, 2021)

Alcap said:


> Congrats!  I know it’s hard to keep focused when your this close , as least it was for me . As far as leaving Dec. vs waiting until 2022 , there might be so tax advantages . If your going to get any extra pay for accured vacation , sick days etc. it might put you in the next tax bracket for 2021 , also is you contribute to 401k , Roth and might be others , it would give you one more chance to add . That said I didn’t practice what I preached lol . I had last day in October 2020 as my retirement date . All those things I mentioned affected me but I didn’t want to work another winter .


I just found out we can no longer contribute to a Roth IRA once we retire. That’s too bad


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## matthewsx (Aug 27, 2021)

Janderso said:


> Really?
> I’ll check into that.
> I’m also wondering about the grace period. I think Medicare starts on February 1st. I retire on December 31st.
> This retroactive option is an interesting idea if I need it.



It took some serious questions of the folks who would have sold it to me but essentially if you think about it makes sense. Imagine you just got laid off, where are you going to get ~$1800/mo (what we paid for two healthy adults). 

Check question 14 on this webpage for what clued me in.






						COBRA Continuation Coverage Questions and Answers | CMS
					

This page contains questions and answers regarding the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) and public sector/non-federal governmental health plans




					www.cms.gov
				




I think insurance companies would just as well let you pay them whether or not you need to 

YMMV (of course),

John


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## .LMS. (Aug 27, 2021)

Janderso said:


> Time is flying by but it still seems a long way away.
> My mind isn't on my work, I am not comfortable with that.
> Did you guys go through this?
> I just seem scattered and I can't seem to focus on any one thing for very long.
> ...



Going through it now.  I'll be 65 in early 2023, but I'm not sure if I will last that long.   A year ago my wife and I reached "our number" for what we wanted saved to retire comfortably (not extravagantly but living like we live now).  She got out in Jan of this year, and I'm going to try to keep going but it's nice to know that I can go at any time (unless the market goes haywire, and that's certainly a possibility).    

I don't want to say "I'm going through the motions" cuz I am doing a pretty good job and getting good reviews and raises and bonuses.   But my heart and mind are not in it like they were 10 or even 5 years ago.   Like a colleague once said "If I have 3 bad days in a row I'll just tell them to go  f themselves"


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## Janderso (Aug 28, 2021)

NEWS FLASH,
I just realized I work 4 day weeks. That changes the title to this thread, "56 Working Days Left!!. 
Then there is labor day and Thanksgiving, that changes the title to this thread, 54 Working days to retirement 
It doesn't seem so hard now.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 28, 2021)




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## Janderso (Aug 28, 2021)

rabler said:


> Also think about any things you can do at work to make your departure smooth for the other people there.


I'm stressing a project that I assumed would be done before I retire. There were two actually, new phone system =check!
We are replacing the service department write up building with a 24X40 Modular unit.
I submitted all the paperwork to the county last February. I'm working with an architect to hurry things along.
Unfortunately, our county has adopted the new work ethic, mediocrity is the new standard.
I'm running out of time and I loath to leave this to my replacement.


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## pdentrem (Aug 28, 2021)

I love 4 day work weeks. On my second year of doing so as we can’t go anywhere for a long vacation. So we take weekenders instead. Love it.


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## Just for fun (Aug 28, 2021)

Janderso said:


> NEWS FLASH,
> I just realized I work 4 day weeks. That changes the title to this thread, "56 Working Days Left!!.
> Then there is labor day and Thanksgiving, that changes the title to this thread, 54 Working days to retirement
> It doesn't seem so hard now.



I made a spread sheet that kept a running count of Mondays, Paydays, Holidays and total days left to report to work.


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## Janderso (Aug 29, 2021)

benmychree said:


> The time will fly by, and you will be there before you know it, Jeff; for me, that was ten years ago, like you, I could hardly wait, but wait I did, until I reached my max SS benefit at 65 and six months.


We’ve been discussing when to start SS. My financial guy showed us all the scenarios if I start at 65, 65 1/2, 
In our projection it made such little difference he said we should we start when we are comfortable.
Fortunately, we could live on my wife’s pension alone. We would have to be sensible of course.
I’m thinking 65 1/2.


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## Janderso (Aug 29, 2021)

How do you do it?
Do you call the local SS office and make an appointment?
Over the phone?
Online?
I did log into my SS account, it says I have no claims against my SS# and I worked for enough years!
40 points must be the magic number.
Say, if you go out on SS disability at 63 and you start taking your SS at 65, do you get extra because you were on disability or do you get your normal 65 amount only?
For the record, I'm not planning on being disabled any time soon or ever for that matter.


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## Alcap (Aug 31, 2021)

I too was having a hard time deciding when to take SS , my wife was mostly a stay at home home her SS won’t be much so even though I retired before I was 62 , earliest date you can take SS , I was thinking on waiting longer to start taking it . My thought of waiting would be my wife would get surviving spouse benefits , which would be higher for me if I waited until  full retirement date would be $900 a month more. That does seem like a lot more but by taking it now at 62 . By a quick estimate if I wait approximately 5 years before taking I wouldn’t be $2063 a month or $123,780 . I let my wife make the decision and she wanted to have me take it at 62 . My was more extreme difference in months but you get the idea . Figure out how much you’ll lose each month vs the extra you’ll get you might find it would take years to make that up.


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## Papa Charlie (Aug 31, 2021)

Janderso said:


> How do you do it?
> Do you call the local SS office and make an appointment?
> Over the phone?
> Online?
> ...


Our local office is still closed. I have called and spoke with people at SS several times asking questions and discussing my options regarding retirement benefits and medicare. They are very helpful. Something I did not expect.

I would start with a phone call.


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## epanzella (Aug 31, 2021)

Janderso said:


> How do you do it?
> Do you call the local SS office and make an appointment?
> Over the phone?
> Online?
> ...


normal amount


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## Aukai (Aug 31, 2021)

When I was looking at 62 it was 85% of what I would get at 66, and every year I worked past 62 there was a percentage increase. I waited till 66 to retire, 70 was a higher percentage, but my mental health was not going to make it that far. At 62, and if you might still have work with a taxable income there is a set limit before you have to pay SS back a dollar for every 2 you make over the limit.(13,000.00 annual?)


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## Winegrower (Aug 31, 2021)

I believe that if anyone is planning to retire mainly on SS income, you are not going to enjoy it.  Some significant source of other income is necessary…better get some rental property or such.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 31, 2021)

Got out at 52 and never looked back, been 5 years now.


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## Alcap (Aug 31, 2021)

Sorry I didn’t mention , I signed up online, followed there directions, got an email back that they were processing it and would notify me if they needed any more information. Within a week or two got a email everything was ok and my first check comes in September!


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## mksj (Aug 31, 2021)

If you look at the rate the SS increases each year, it continues at 7% per year until you are 70. The other factor is that the point that you reach your full retirement benefit use to be 65, but that was changed and is according to your birth year. Mine is 66 years and 2 months, and I just started SS, I did not need the income in previous years because I continued to do medical consulting and was able to keep our head above water through the years. You can easily sign up on-line or schedule and appointment if you want to do it live. I signed up last month and did it on-line, I did Medicare the previous year.

The biggest issue with retiring before you are 65 is medical insurance and the high deductibles, my medical insurance premium before I turned 65 was $1300+ a month (Platinum plan and you still had a 6K deductible). So the insurance costs is killer until you hit 65, and then I recommend standard Medicare plus a supplemental. Medicare Advantage should be called Medicare disadvantage, your monthly cost may be less but Medicare sells you to other insurance carriers and they decide what they are going to pay for and what they are not (it has nothing to do with what Medicare covers), same for drugs. We had friends who signed up for it, he had to have a cardiac ablative therapy for and arrhythmia and his plan did not cover it. In addition they do not cover you out of state/traveling. To screw you even further, if you decide to leave Medicare Advantage to go to regular Medicare, any supplemental insurer can refuse to take you or deny any per-existing medical conditions. So be forewarned, DO NOT TAKE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, to save a few bucks, I guarantee you will regret it if you need medical care.

As far as SS and when to take it, well you can run the calculations as to taking it earlier and the break even point, if I recall it is something like 10-12 years you would make up the difference. Remember that SS was never meant to be a full retirement income, and should only represent something like 40-60% of your retirement income if possible. The problem these days is pensions are becoming a thing of the past, 401/403/IRA's make diddly squat and the stock market is a total crap shoot and can you weather a drop of 20-30% or more loss of your savings when the market takes a crap. Ideally one has several sources of income and can get through some rough spots if one pot is not making a profit. Heck you can have a pot full of money in the bank and get 0.04% interest from the bank, maybe 0.4% in a high yield account that then turn around and they offer you a credit card at 28% interest. Yep, there is something wrong in our systems.


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## martik777 (Aug 31, 2021)

Too many wait for that "full pension" and end up dead or sick a couple years later. You can't trade years of freedom for any amount of money.  I left work in my 40's and live just fine on partial CPP and OAS and a modest portfolio. Living in Canada with free medical made the decision easy.


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## Ridetoeat (Aug 31, 2021)

I got out too early for health and sanity reasons and needed income from what had been do nothing savings to keep from drawing down, so we put a lot of our savings into a technology etf containing 100 or so big tech companies and have been getting 18-20% avg. annual return. It is not for everybody for sure but it has been beyond great for me. Sitting tight thru the covid slump out was really tough but as it came back we actually added more funds on the up swing after the bottom while it was still low and it returned fast as any long term investor would tell you it would  emphasis on "long term".  Only wish looking back We would have done more sooner along the lines of investing. We almost went the annuities route and glad we did not thus far for sure. Will soon have enough to consider their security as a plus and might diversify some that way.


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## cjtoombs (Sep 1, 2021)

The amount of social security you get at a given age is calculated based on an being a certain total amount at a death age based on some average no matter when you start.  If you live longer than that, you would have been better off taking it later, if not then earlier.  I'm going to take mine at 62 if I make it since most of my family have not.  If all your parents, grandparents, older siblings, cousins, etc live to be in their 80s and you are healthy, it might be a good gamble to take it later if you can.   I think I'll be ok either way, as I have other income sources, but I know it's something people agonize about.  My dad was looking forward to taking it at 62, but he didn't make it.


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