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When do you plan to retire?

When do you plan to retire?

  • late-30s (military, pro sports person, very rich, etc)

    Votes: 3 6.5%

  • 40s

    Votes: 4 8.7%

  • 50s

    Votes: 9 19.6%

  • 60s or older

    Votes: 17 37.0%

  • I will never retire because I can't afford to or I love my job

    Votes: 13 28.3%
  • Total voters
    46
63dot

63dot

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jun 12, 2006
5,269
339
norcal
In this recession, the word retirement seems like a pipe dream. But anyhow, when do you expect to retire?

I did retail for more than 10 years, landscaping for 20, and was a techie for 10. After this, I plan to do accounting and then hang it up for good in my 60s. I think that's fairly realistic even though I see people in their 70s and 80s working, but that seems quite rare. I did know a lady who had a retail china shop and it did well enough that she just kept it open and worked until she was 98.

On the other end of things, I know a man whose brother played in the majors and he retired in his 30s, and he pretty much does not need to ever work again after 12 year career in the majors, 200+ home runs, a gazillion rbi's, and NL pennant, and having a played for teams like the Yankees and Phillies.
 
Well I hope to be working till 60 or so. I love working and I hate relaxing and taking holidays. Retirement would just be too boring for me, I don't like standing still.
But I'm only 24 so....
 
The career portion of my job will force me out at 65, but my personality isn't particularly well suited for retirement (although who knows how I'll feel then) and I'll likely work in the industry in some other capacity until I'm no longer medically fit to do so.
 
My goal was to leave the corporate rat race at 55. Slight detour with a rather lengthy unemployment so probably 60 now. After that, I will do something, just don't know what.

dmr727 said:
I'll likely work in the industry in some other capacity until I'm no longer medically fit to do so.
Click to expand...

Oh steward, another drink please. :D
 
I want to retire in my late 50s or so. I'm working extremely hard to achieve that right now. I don't think I'll retire unless I have enough in the bank, by enough I mean at a minimum 7-figures, but by then, it won't be worth very much.

My boss, turning 60 soon, who's net worth is over half a billion and still work like someone in their 20s. :eek: He's the CEO of 3 public companies. When I left at 6 last night (which is a long weekend) he was still in the office.
 
70

2047... 26th of March... at 4.00 p.m. Not a minute longer will I work! Unless I have to.
 
I have known many people that could afford retirement early in their lives and they chose to continue working. While I admire them for their enthusiasm, I always wanted out as soon as possible so when the opportunity arose, I took it, but then I am essentially a very lazy person so its no surprise there. If you have found something you love doing with a passion, count your blessings and press on.
 
leekohler said:
Retirement is for wimps. I'll work til the day I die. Sitting around doing nothing is boring and unimaginative.
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:confused:
Who says you have to sit around doing nothing when you retire?



If I could afford it I'd retire tomorrow and would never be bored.
 
bartelby said:
:confused:
Who says you have to sit around doing nothing when you retire?



If I could afford it I'd retire tomorrow and would never be bored.
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I agree.

I'll probably retire in my mid to late 50's. If I really like my job, I'll keep working until my wife nags me to stop. It really depends on where my career ends up taking me.....
 
bartelby said:
It's the people who can't see a life without working that are the unimaginative. Don't get me wrong I like my job, but it does get in the way... :)
Click to expand...

Sorry- I disagree. I'm in a creative field and not being able to create, work and grow is death to me. I'd rather be dead than be unable to keep designing, acting, and making films. I will never retire.
 
leekohler said:
Sorry- I disagree. I'm in a creative field and not being able to create, work and grow is death to me. I'd rather be dead than be unable to keep designing, acting, and making films. I will never retire.
Click to expand...

But couldn't you still do that while in retirement? I'd think that being able to create without the added pressure of doing it to put food on the table would be liberating.
 
^^^ Agreed.

bartelby said:
It's the people who can't see a life without working that are the unimaginative. Don't get me wrong I like my job, but it does get in the way... :)
Click to expand...

Very true.

A few years ago, I was hired by a company to be the director of a soon-to-be opened clinic. Well, as things typically go, the opening was delayed for over a year. I was under contract and was paid my entire salary during that time. I was not allowed to work anywhere else (as per the contract). During that time, I did a little work at one of the other clinics to maintain my skills, but it was far, so I only went once or twice a week (sometimes a half day, sometimes a full day).

Even though I wasn't technically working full time, I was incredibly busy. I considered myself to be on sabbatical. I read a lot, learned some new skills, and experienced the city (Toronto) with my free time. The entire time, I never sat on the couch and watched TV or played video games all day. I always did something productive.

During that time, I was frustrated because I just wanted to start working, but looking back, I feel very fortunate for being able to be paid to not work.:D

I think once I retire, I will treat my time in the exact same way as I treated it during my "sabbatical".
 
leekohler said:
Sorry- I disagree. I'm in a creative field and not being able to create, work and grow is death to me. I'd rather be dead than be unable to keep designing, acting, and making films. I will never retire.
Click to expand...

So you can only be creative in work?
 
I checked 50 but technically I retired at 49 from the Air Force and never bothered to find another job. I decided life was much more fun than work.
 
Sorry- I disagree. I'm in a creative field and not being able to create, work and grow is death to me. I'd rather be dead than be unable to keep designing, acting, and making films. I will never retire.
Click to expand...

dmr727 said:
But couldn't you still do that while in retirement? I'd think that being able to create without the added pressure of doing it to put food on the table would be liberating.
Click to expand...

Exactly. One of my main passions is 3D modeling and animation. My other main passion is theatrical/entertainment lighting and production. I do lighting for a career, and do 3D on the side.

However, I rarely, if ever, get time to work on my 3D stuff because of my career. I could do it all day every day and never get bored. It's still creative, and lets me work on a project with an end result. But, there's no pressure to get it done on someone else's schedule. I could retire tomorrow at 35 and enjoy every day from here on out. I don't need to "work", but I would have to do something creative. AND, you can easily sell 3D creations on a multitude of sites, thus making a little extra cash on the side!
 
I love what I do passionately so I would say I never want to retire. That might change though. Instead I have the goals of (a) shortly being in a position where I don't have to work 5 days a week and (b) have the freedom to travel and work around the world. I want to find a nice balance for all my interests. And spending more time exploring the natural world* with my wife is the main one :).

*take literally and as a euphemism if you must.
 
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