Interesting thread!
I am in the Canadian civil service. There are three options for retiring before "fully vesting" (this is language we don't use in our plan, but still works):
1. Retire and get an annuity at 50 with a penalty of 5% per year before 30 years of service or the age of 55 (whichever is greater);
2. Retire and get an annuity at 60 with no penalty; or
3. Resign and get a lump sum. Some of the lump sum will not be subject to taxes, and the rest is subject to income taxes.
In my case, I am 42 with 19 years of pensionable service. If I were to leave now, I would likely take the lump sum.
Option 1 does not leave me FI, and the penalty for number 1 would be too great for me to ever be FI.
Option 2 would mean an income of 43,700 at 60 which would make me FI, but I'd need an income until then.
Option 3 would give me a lump sum of $830,000. $500,000 would be taxable, and in my province, I'd have to pay about $215,000 in taxes. Leaving me with 615,000.
I have around $200,000 in savings. That would mean around $815,000. My mortgage is paid off, and I need around $750 a month to handle insurance, property taxes, maintenance, and gas, and electric. So I think this amount would make me FI. The main thing keeping me from pulling the trigger is having a plan on how to move forward and do this while my girlfriend still works. Its likely that she won't retire until 60. So I haven't given this too much thought lately. I would have to have some conversations with her if I do want to pursue this.