[77 TRASHCAN]

I have read here several times about when folks retire, early or on time. Not sure if many have talked about working past the age of 65.
Some may need to.
Some feel better if they keep working.
Some HAVE to retire because of health, their financial situation, regardless...
Thanks
Jeff

[firebirdcrazy1959]

I turn 66 and 10 months Jan 2026,signing up for SSI in Sept,Will keep working driving till I can't pass my DOT physicals any more then work inside till I can't any more.I need to work

[RocktimusPryme]

I worked in government for a long time. In that time I saw a ton of people chasing that extra 5 years, because you get a retirement bump at each one, 25, 30, 35 etc. So they would hold on for years past the 20 year retirement eligibility. Then they would finally retire and only make it a couple of years before the base would get an obituary email......

IDK, everyone has their own choices to make, but that scenario always depressed the heck out of me.

If you love your job, awesome. Keep doing what you love, but for most of us that groan when that alarm clock goes off in the morning....... get out when you can. I like to think when the time comes maybe I can semi retire a couple years younger than average and get a job to make ends meet doing something low stress that I like even if its a huge pay decrease. Ill bartend at a golf course or something. Work for health insurance and free rounds

[stevep]

I have been on SS for 2 years.
I'm 67 and I run a small shop that fixes vintage cars.
It's more of a clubhouse.

[carcrazy]

At nearly 74 I still work......on my terms. Typically a day or two per week. Several years ago my grandfather said working is what keeps you young. He worked until he was 92 and would have worked longer but they closed down the business. Over the years I've known many people that retired early.....and died early!

[Goatracer1]

I owed sick time that I borrowed and had to pay back. Either I had to pay back money or I could work until I earned the sick hours I owed. I worked an extra 1.5 years so I didn't have to pay the money. After I retired I was so glad I didn't have to go to work every day. I didn't dislike my job.

[locomotivebreath]

My biggest peeve at work are guys that are old enough to retire and won’t but still come in ***ching about the company everyday. I think that some of them just get scared or just can’t financially.

[DavesGTO]

I look at it this way, my Dad made it to 80, I’m 61. I want to work as little as possible in the “last” quarter. I’ve been off work for 3 months with rotator cuff surgery, I’m liking the retirement preview very much. The time off has changed my mind about working till I’m 65 before retiring.


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[Elarson]

I like my job most days and like getting out of the house and seeing different people. My plan is to work full time till 70, then maybe scale back to 4 days for awhile, then 3 days......and just kinda play it by ear. Going to start SS at 67 so I have several years of drawing an extra paycheck to help pad the retirement funds so I don't have to cut back on fun stuff.

Eric

[scott70]

61 and am looking forwards to retiring in a couple of years. The only part I’ll miss about my job is working with my son,, we’re on the same crew. Me and my wife have done pretty good at saving over the years so we’ll be ok. I wish I really liked my job like some people but I don’t, it’s tolerable but that’s about it. Would like to play golf on a weekly basis.

[Cosmic Charlie]

FYI - i f want to work until the last option of 70 & 1/2 +- (vs 66+) for the higher monthly payout, you will have to LIVE until approx 78 years old to come out ahead

As Clint Eastwood said "Do you feel lucky, PUNK ? Well Do YA ! "

I retired at 66 1/2 and work part time, so I collect SS and PAY IN to SS as well ...

The money I make still working part time bought me my 2 66 GTO's ! Great Trade off !!

[poncho-mike]

I'll be 68 in just a few months. For 15 years I had a 50 mile round trip commute every day, and I was sick of traffic. I originally planned to retire in my early 60s, once my wife got a job with insurance. Well, she never got her own insurance until after I was Medicare eligible. Things changed when Covid came along, and all of the engineering staff was told to work from home. I found that a lot more tolerable, so I kept working. I planned to have hip replacement once I got on Medicare, but some other things cropped up and the hip replacement has been delayed.

About a year and a half ago, the company said that all employees had to return to the office at least three days a week. I had already talked to my boss about retiring, and he told me I could work from home as long as I would come into the office when needed. I probably go in about two days a month.

There has been a lot of turnover in recent years at my employer. A number of people have retired, others have moved on to greener pastures. I'm one of the more senior people in the engineering group, so I have to field a lot of questions on legacy products. The work is not physically hard, it can be stressful sometimes due to deadlines, and I get really irritated having to deal with conference calls in the early morning or evening with teams in China and India.

Right now my plan is hip surgery in October, take medical leave for several months, then retire in Spring 2026 at age 68 1/2. I asked my old boss about working part time in early 2024, he said he would lose a full-time head count if I transitioned to part time. My old boss moved to a different job, and my new boss seems more open to working part time. I work in new product design, but I might have to move to sustaining engineering if I want to continue on a part time basis.

My dad retired to a recliner at age 62. By age 75, he was showing early signs of dementia. By age 78, his dementia worsened, he only lived three years past that. My line of work requires a lot of planning and technical problem solving, which will help delay cognitive issues. So for now, I will work until spring 2026 and evaluate where I go from there. I want to retire early enough to have time to restore a couple of cars and unwind the rest of what I've collected.

[buds56]

No,
I retired in Feb,

Started getting Medicare and SS in April when I turned 65. Same job for 37+ years running a shop for a construction co.

Most of the fellows I worked with long time didn't make it to retirement, the last one dying a month before his 66th birthday and his first check. At his funeral last year I made the decision not to wait till 67

I still feel pretty good (everything hurts but still works), have no debts, and after a couple months of feeling useless, I'm finding my self a lot busier than I planned on being.

[Lemans64]

2 years now, retired at 61. Still do the odd job at Home, Auto Tech. Have hoist and get to pick my Jobs and hours so much easier than Dealership life.

[Jim Scites]

I was eligible to retire at 49 but worked 2 more years to get my retirement a little higher, so I retired at 51 years old and drew Social Security as soon as I was eligible. When I walked out the door I never looked back.
A friend recently asked me if I wanted a job and I told him NO, he told me I didn't know what the job entailed and I told him I didn't want any job. As busy as I stay I don't know when I had time to have a job.
My advice is to retire as soon as you are eligible and able, do the things you always wanted to do and enjoy your life. JMHO!

[Carl S]

I retired 4 1/2 years ago right when I turned 63. I've done some work at home on classic cars for other guys (My shop rate is a ridiculously low $35/hr) plus I am on call 24/7/365 for a job at the local small town jail where I live. Typically that gives me maybe a shift per week and I can say no any time they call, or I can go in if it suits me.

I likely average about 4-6 hours per day in my garage/workshop working on my 2 old Pontiacs or just building stuff ( no woodworking, I hate wood working)! Besides that, a nap every day after lunch, 2 brisk walks per day, just over 2 miles each time and as you can see, my days are full.

I tell people nobody enjoys retirement more than me. I would never go back to work. Between my Canada Pension Plan and my Old Age Pension Plan payments plus the little bit of retail work I do, we easily pay our bills. I should have retired at 60, otherwise no regrets.

[Scarebird]

A decade ago we were in Greece and noted the others in the group who were in there late 60's/70's were having a rough go of it physically. We made the decision to retire as soon as we could.

Covid really messed up our supply chain. After reviewing our finances wife (tax accountant) said we could afford to pull the plug in 2023. Will start next year drawing SS at 62. Health insurance was over a grand each, per month in Albuquerque - with absurd waits. It is that per year here for better, far more accessible coverage.

[Mr Twister]

I fully retired in February at 61. I had wanted to work longer, but with the offer i got, it was too good to pass up. plus they said they were cutting staff by 50%, I figured if i left i may save a mid-career peer. So now I have the time to do what I want and enjoy life. We have health insurance from the military, so no issues there.

[Andre]

Per our financial planner I could have retired before age 60, but I like what I do, so I will probably taper down at some point. We are trying to get all of our international travelling while we can, so fortunately that is not affected by working except in a positive way.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Practiced retirement in me mid-50'. Now 60and been fulltime again a few years. Go into office 2-3x/week.

Got no old Pontiac to work on, so got a trend of losing vigor. Keep your strenuous hobbies!