Author Topic: Retirement Police strike again  (Read 10537 times)

Prairie Stash

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Retirement Police strike again
« on: April 19, 2018, 04:11:20 PM »
My spouse is celebrating her last day today. We belong to the same company, different departments. Our company has a employee club where we pay money every month and they organize a small monthly event (ice cream in the summer, a cupcake day etc.). They also send out gift baskets for births, deaths and retirements; saving us from the card passed around money raising some people get (does anyone like those on the spot money requests?).

Today being her retirement (FIRE) at a young age, she will not receive a retirement gift. Instead its considered farewell, basically the same thing except for the retirement gift.

I don't know what else to call it, she's leaving work to spend time with our family and has no plans to return to the workforce. To me that's retirement, to everyone else its confusion.

MarciaB

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2018, 04:33:19 PM »
Did she get a card, or was there a potluck or something?

HPstache

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2018, 04:42:26 PM »
I'm kinda with your company on this.  When my wife left her job to become a stay at home mom (possibly never returning to the workforce) we didn't go around telling people she was "retiring" or expect people to celebrate it as a "retirement party"  It is indeed much more of a "farewell" in my opinion and that's how it was treated.

Prairie Stash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2018, 06:18:06 PM »
Did she get a card, or was there a potluck or something?
There was a card, it was nice. Since our staff association does the gifts we don't pass the hat too often, although I have been hit up occasionally for others. I think most people would be surprised to find out she received nothing, our coworkers are usually very generous, but most would assume the staff ssociation had it covered. When we had our first child we had a baby pool (guess the date, weight etc.) to raise money for a local charity, it was sucessful, we have great coworkers.

She worked for over 13 years at the company, retirement gifts are given after 10 years employment. The policy makes no mention of age, just minimum service time. It was an arbitrary decision, at the hands of a few people, its a social club run by staff with rules to ensure fairness (not the companies fault). They envisioned a 60 year old getting hired and leaving after 2 years, that person wouldn't fulfill the minimum timeframe. However a younger perons retiring fits the associations service length, but apparently not the unwritten rules on age. As an association they have bylaws, we occasionally need to vote on revisions (the last was to increase our monthly dues).

I don't care about the money or gifts, my sore point is the minimal acknowledgement. She retired, its a major achievement, it feels diminished if others won't accept it.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2018, 06:39:08 PM »
Did she get a card, or was there a potluck or something?
There was a card, it was nice. Since our staff association does the gifts we don't pass the hat too often, although I have been hit up occasionally for others. I think most people would be surprised to find out she received nothing, our coworkers are usually very generous, but most would assume the staff ssociation had it covered. When we had our first child we had a baby pool (guess the date, weight etc.) to raise money for a local charity, it was sucessful, we have great coworkers.

She worked for over 13 years at the company, retirement gifts are given after 10 years employment. The policy makes no mention of age, just minimum service time. It was an arbitrary decision, at the hands of a few people, its a social club run by staff with rules to ensure fairness (not the companies fault). They envisioned a 60 year old getting hired and leaving after 2 years, that person wouldn't fulfill the minimum timeframe. However a younger perons retiring fits the associations service length, but apparently not the unwritten rules on age. As an association they have bylaws, we occasionally need to vote on revisions (the last was to increase our monthly dues).

I don't care about the money or gifts, my sore point is the minimal acknowledgement. She retired, its a major achievement, it feels diminished if others won't accept it.

When you retire it will be different and you will be acknowledged for it since you're (a) male, and (b) not with a wife still in the workforce.

From the outside looking in (which is the only view of your family's finances that your co-workers can see), what your wife is doing looks no different from a woman deciding to be a stay at home spouse for a breadwinner, which is a different kind of career. If it were you retiring and not your wife, the move would most likely be taken seriously and acknowledged, due in part to the (frequently false but common) assumption that you're the major breadwinner.

bugbaby

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2018, 06:46:42 PM »
But, SAH spouses or parents often feel offended if we don't recognize or celebrate their chosen occupation as a profession.

Now I switch from the company to the SAH profession it should be celebrated as retirement.

Can we just accept that the predominant cultural views just can't be bent to suit us all?

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TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2018, 06:54:10 PM »
But, SAH spouses or parents often feel offended if we don't recognize or celebrate their chosen occupation as a profession.

Now I switch from the company to the SAH profession it should be celebrated as retirement.

Can we just accept that the predominant cultural views just can't be bent to suit us all?

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In this particular case the predominant cultural view isn't set up to accommodate Mustachianism. Which really shouldn't be a surprise: we're not the norm.

MissNancyPryor

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2018, 06:54:23 PM »
Maybe we should all think of it as a graduation when our time comes around.   You have learned all the lessons from the workplace and now can commence to be free.   

Prairie Stash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2018, 07:11:38 PM »
Did she get a card, or was there a potluck or something?
There was a card, it was nice. Since our staff association does the gifts we don't pass the hat too often, although I have been hit up occasionally for others. I think most people would be surprised to find out she received nothing, our coworkers are usually very generous, but most would assume the staff ssociation had it covered. When we had our first child we had a baby pool (guess the date, weight etc.) to raise money for a local charity, it was sucessful, we have great coworkers.

She worked for over 13 years at the company, retirement gifts are given after 10 years employment. The policy makes no mention of age, just minimum service time. It was an arbitrary decision, at the hands of a few people, its a social club run by staff with rules to ensure fairness (not the companies fault). They envisioned a 60 year old getting hired and leaving after 2 years, that person wouldn't fulfill the minimum timeframe. However a younger perons retiring fits the associations service length, but apparently not the unwritten rules on age. As an association they have bylaws, we occasionally need to vote on revisions (the last was to increase our monthly dues).

I don't care about the money or gifts, my sore point is the minimal acknowledgement. She retired, its a major achievement, it feels diminished if others won't accept it.

When you retire it will be different and you will be acknowledged for it since you're (a) male, and (b) not with a wife still in the workforce.

From the outside looking in (which is the only view of your family's finances that your co-workers can see), what your wife is doing looks no different from a woman deciding to be a stay at home spouse for a breadwinner, which is a different kind of career. If it were you retiring and not your wife, the move would most likely be taken seriously and acknowledged, due in part to the (frequently false but common) assumption that you're the major breadwinner.
Wise words, very therapeutic. I promise I'm not lashing out in the real world, just on the forum.

You are right, I was having trouble figuring out why this bothered me. I think if she remained in the workforce (reversal) I would still get the retirement because (a) male still would apply. She earned this, she deserves the credit, its tough seeing the double standard.

Knowing myself, I'm going to be annoyed at my own retirement now. I'm petty over slights to people I like, it would be hard to enjoy it. Luckily, realizing ahead is often the best way to avoid situations that cause me to be an ass. I usually end with regret and make everyone else miserable in the process.

kayvent

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2018, 03:30:04 PM »
In my field, in the 1950s/1960 it was customary to throw 'retirement' parties for women getting married.

TexasStash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2018, 09:50:58 PM »
In my field, in the 1950s/1960 it was customary to throw 'retirement' parties for women getting married.

Ah... The good old days...

(Kidding.)

dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2018, 03:26:41 AM »
I'm kinda with your company on this.  When my wife left her job to become a stay at home mom (possibly never returning to the workforce) we didn't go around telling people she was "retiring" or expect people to celebrate it as a "retirement party"  It is indeed much more of a "farewell" in my opinion and that's how it was treated.

Yeah, it's technically retirement, but official recognition usually requires having put in a significant number of years at the company.  Even if your wife was 70, if she was hired a year ago and retired she probably wouldn't get a retirement gift

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2018, 11:03:49 AM »
I'm kinda with your company on this.  When my wife left her job to become a stay at home mom (possibly never returning to the workforce) we didn't go around telling people she was "retiring" or expect people to celebrate it as a "retirement party"  It is indeed much more of a "farewell" in my opinion and that's how it was treated.

Yeah, it's technically retirement, but official recognition usually requires having put in a significant number of years at the company.  Even if your wife was 70, if she was hired a year ago and retired she probably wouldn't get a retirement gift

True, and at @Prairie Stash's company the sole criterion for retirement recognition is time worked. The company's minimum time is ten years. Prairie Stash's wife has put in thirteen years. So, mathematically she meets the requirement.

dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2018, 06:24:42 PM »
I'm kinda with your company on this.  When my wife left her job to become a stay at home mom (possibly never returning to the workforce) we didn't go around telling people she was "retiring" or expect people to celebrate it as a "retirement party"  It is indeed much more of a "farewell" in my opinion and that's how it was treated.

Yeah, it's technically retirement, but official recognition usually requires having put in a significant number of years at the company.  Even if your wife was 70, if she was hired a year ago and retired she probably wouldn't get a retirement gift

True, and at @Prairie Stash's company the sole criterion for retirement recognition is time worked. The company's minimum time is ten years. Prairie Stash's wife has put in thirteen years. So, mathematically she meets the requirement.

Oh then I’m not with the club on that one and would ask for my contributions back.

Prairie Stash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #14 on: April 23, 2018, 09:40:50 AM »
When I quit my job at 42 (with no intent to get another one in the near future if at all, also no kids and single) my agency just considered me to be "quitting" not retiring even though I worked for a government agency where it was common for people to retire at 50. They had a nice and very huge farewell party but given my age I never expected them to give me a retirement party. So I'm with the OPs company also and would have consider his wife to be quitting rather than retiring even if she never planned to go back to work.

ETA I think its a work culture thing. If you work somewhere where early retirement is common it's going to be easier for coworkers to consider you retired at an early age and give you a party. It's common to retire from the military after 20 years in and you'll get a retirement party regardless of your age or what your plans are for after you retire. Same with government or private sector jobs that have pensions at fairly early ages. But if you work for a company where its normal to retire at an older age they might not consider quitting as retirement if you are much younger or being a sahp or home maker or student or travel bum -especially if you have a working spouse.
If you were retired, by your own standards, shouldn't you be able to say retired? For clarification, its a staff association, not a company rule. She paid seperate amounts every check to belong to a group that is designed to raise moral, our company lacks the ability to do fun events (under scrutiny constantly for expenditures).

The dollar value is insignificant (we had a lot of weird money events this month with far higher values). Its being told that an achievement isn't real because you're too young that irritates me. When she went to 60% time, a lot of people were commenting and it got a lot of people thinking about their own lives. Retiring before 40 would start a lot of conversations, conversations that should happen. Instead the conversations are stifled because people disagree over terminology, we tend to hide the truth of the mater to make it palatable to the non-retired people. Her accomplishments don't take away from others, why change the label for her in an one seided manner?

If she retired, why can't she use that term and others? Retired and SAHP aren't mutualy exclusive terms, a person can be both or more. For example, Spartana is retired and a travel bum or Prairiestash is near retirement and an apiring internet troll. I've long hated the thought that a SAHP parent can't be retired, that's a big part of my retirement goal (I fantasize about doing a year of home schooling).

Cali

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #15 on: April 24, 2018, 06:21:09 AM »
As someone who is thoroughly tired of workplace parties I am totally okay with this.

Birthday? Party/cake/card/gift/potluck/whatever.
Baby? Party/cake/card/gift/potlick/etc.
Retirement? Party/cake/card/potluck/gift/take up a collection.

I could easily burn my entire income buying junk or contributing to junk for the workplace. No thank you. I don't want gifts from anyone, I don't want to buy things for anyone.

It's not my job to keep buying crap for the people who got hired into the company I did. If I like you I will buy you something you like or will use or take you to lunch. I will even keep in touch after you depart. The rest of it is just ridiculous.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #16 on: April 24, 2018, 08:47:30 AM »
As someone who is thoroughly tired of workplace parties I am totally okay with this.

Birthday? Party/cake/card/gift/potluck/whatever.
Baby? Party/cake/card/gift/potlick/etc.
Retirement? Party/cake/card/potluck/gift/take up a collection.

I could easily burn my entire income buying junk or contributing to junk for the workplace. No thank you. I don't want gifts from anyone, I don't want to buy things for anyone.

It's not my job to keep buying crap for the people who got hired into the company I did. If I like you I will buy you something you like or will use or take you to lunch. I will even keep in touch after you depart. The rest of it is just ridiculous.

It gets out of hand so quickly.

Where I work, the custom is for people to bring in treats for events *they* want to celebrate, which might include promotions or significant service anniversaries. Landmark birthdays are also popular. This also neatly solves the problem of people who don't want their birthdays celebrated or pointed out.

martyconlonontherun

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #17 on: April 24, 2018, 09:27:55 AM »
1. Who communicates the information? They could've just got a notice from HR and so/so is leaving and assumed it wasn't retirement.
2. How much is the gift? Is it worth the hassle?
3. How long did you know about this? Did you have time to let them know its for real? Even for FIRE people, returning to work is likely. I could see why people don't view this as a real retirement do to both the lack of insight and just the realism that there's an above average chance your wife returns to work. What happens in six months and your wife decides she wants to come back part time? Would you return the gift to the association? That's a lot less likely with a 65-yr old moving to Florida

alanB

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #18 on: April 24, 2018, 10:36:26 AM »
Retirement? Party/cake/card/potluck/gift/take up a collection.


Someone retires, effectively announcing that they have earned so much money that they no longer need to work.  Then the rest of the staff celebrate that event by pooling up more money as a gift.  Let's see, do I want to give my money to the guy who coasted for 5 extra years to max his social security or not....

Prairie Stash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #19 on: April 24, 2018, 11:11:26 AM »
1. Who communicates the information? They could've just got a notice from HR and so/so is leaving and assumed it wasn't retirement.
2. How much is the gift? Is it worth the hassle?
3. How long did you know about this? Did you have time to let them know its for real? Even for FIRE people, returning to work is likely. I could see why people don't view this as a real retirement do to both the lack of insight and just the realism that there's an above average chance your wife returns to work. What happens in six months and your wife decides she wants to come back part time? Would you return the gift to the association? That's a lot less likely with a 65-yr old moving to Florida
1) HR commucnicates as well as at the individual level, people like to talk. THe staff association is made up of coworkers, its not done at the managemnt level
2) Not worth the hassle, I'm not bringing it up at work and neither is she. There is no intention of making a real life fuss, the forum is where I go for therapy. This is purely academic and online.
3) We knew longer than they did, she gave two weeks. There was a slim chance that too much warning would have lost her the annual bonus and a lot of benefits that top up this month. Departing a job isn't a simple procedure, doing it right can net a few thousand extra.

If a 60 year old retires and gets a job, are they expected to return the gift? what about a 55 year old? Can you make an age cutoff that isn't personal opinion? I can't, the association defined it as 10 years of service and left it at that. It was universally equal that way, no one should have to prove themselves and face an interogation upon departure.

Anecdotally, my ex-boss retired at 65 and came back as a contract employee a week later, while retaining his gift, is that fair? He's not a regular employee so he's technically retired, but he still works here 3 years later, he still belongs to the staff association. He provides an interesting counterpoint, other than age he failed on all your criteria but met the unwritten age threshold. I'm guessing its fairly common to see, I bet many people can relate to retirees returning as contractors.

Once you start asking personal questions, you're basically being the police of our retirement choices, which is what happened (others, with partial information decided for her that she wasn't retired). The problem with assuming for others is that we often assume information based on our own experiences. For example, she fit every written definition of retired, why would anyone assume she wasn't? She only missed the unwritten definitions, if any of the questions were pertinent, shouldn't they be written instead of posed verbally and applied randomly? Peoples personal experience is that workers can't retire young, so they applied a second set of standards unique to her.

@Cali the staff association system is to prevent being randomly asked for money. Staff contibute a set amount monthly (voluntarily, people often opt out) and the association allocates it for retirements, babies and fun events. It's a pretty terrific system, I hate when people stop by and judge me on my donations. There was a brief rash of that from some new hires, it was annoying since a lot of us don't carry cash at all (I go months without using cash) and some people are overzealous.

simonsez

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #20 on: April 24, 2018, 11:20:53 AM »
From your wife's POV, I would take it as a compliment.  I feel traditional retirement parties exist because normally (at least it used to be) that the person had built relationships with dozens of people over DOZENS of years.  A party and the traditional hubbub would certainly be in order after having lived such a proportion of one's life with those co-workers past and present.  If you FIRE and people are confused, that's awesome!  It's clearly important to your wife to leave a job as that is not what she wanted to do with her free time.  If she wanted to see her co-workers all the time, she'd still be working.

As for your POV, I'd say control what you can control.  FIRE is an abnormal situation.  You and your wife should be laughing at the normal suckas that need to get hit by a clue by 4.  If you think the policy in general should be to have a gift regardless of the separation reason after 10 years of service (that doesn't have to be returned, so there is no more question), then voice that.  That's legitimate if it matters to you (if it doesn't matter to you, then great!) and could be a general service to others.  Is your wife upset?  If she is, maybe organize something (dinner, lunch, event, whatever your wife would enjoy) completely outside the confines of the workspace with a select few of her absolute favorite co-workers.  If she not upset at all and doesn't care, either quit wasting your neurons on the issue and drop it or prepare a special meal or event just the two of you welcoming her to awesome retirement.

Kudos to your spouse!

VaCPA

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #21 on: April 24, 2018, 11:29:25 AM »
I don't care about the money or gifts, my sore point is the minimal acknowledgement. She retired, its a major achievement, it feels diminished if others won't accept it.

I don't know what the issue is. Did she go around bragging about how much she'd saved, and felt like people didn't congratulate her enough? If she didn't then how are the coworkers able to tell the difference between her and someone else who quits to be a SAH mom or dad while the other spouse continues working? Sounds like she's still being acknowledged and they are having a nice party for her. That would be enough for me

Prairie Stash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2018, 12:15:40 PM »
I don't care about the money or gifts, my sore point is the minimal acknowledgement. She retired, its a major achievement, it feels diminished if others won't accept it.

I don't know what the issue is. Did she go around bragging about how much she'd saved, and felt like people didn't congratulate her enough? If she didn't then how are the coworkers able to tell the difference between her and someone else who quits to be a SAH mom or dad while the other spouse continues working? Sounds like she's still being acknowledged and they are having a nice party for her. That would be enough for me
You raise a good point, by being low key and polite, it was her fault. We assumed the written policies were enough, we never assumed that anyone would deviate from what they said would happen. They changed the rules after the fact, I'm a stickler for people doing what they said they will. Neither of us followed up because it would have created hurt feelings on the other side and that would have been terrible, after all these are people we like.

In real life we are very happy and aren't dwelling on this. I'm responding online because its polite when people take the time to respond to a thread to respond back. However I also enjoy seeing the different viewpoints, its intriguing to me how many people are saying retirees can't be SAHP's, I don't see the two as mutually exclusive at all.

HPstache

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #23 on: April 24, 2018, 12:57:08 PM »
Even here where FI and RE is normal you find arguments about the definitions and qualifiers for FI and RE.  For example is your spouse dependant on your job income to be able to leave her job? If so then many (myself included) wouldn't consider her to be FI and not RE.  That's probably how her co-workers view her - a SAHP that is supported financially by a working spouse - even if she has the financial ability to fully support herself without working and without your job income. Hard to change that mindset that most people have.

We are still awaiting an answer to this question from the OP, I believe?

Prairie Stash

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #24 on: April 24, 2018, 01:57:37 PM »
Even here where FI and RE is normal you find arguments about the definitions and qualifiers for FI and RE.  For example is your spouse dependant on your job income to be able to leave her job? If so then many (myself included) wouldn't consider her to be FI and not RE.  That's probably how her co-workers view her - a SAHP that is supported financially by a working spouse - even if she has the financial ability to fully support herself without working and without your job income. Hard to change that mindset that most people have.

We are still awaiting an answer to this question from the OP, I believe?
No problem, I'll post. But isn't that a little beyond reasonable conversation with coworkers? Do I really need to divulge NW as opposed to simply saying retired and leaving it there. What are you, retirement police? ;) Online its perfectly acceptable, different rules apply.

Spouse is not dependent on my wages. If I lose my job today, we'll be fine I think (I struggle to use certainty words to describe the future, its frowned upon in my profession). I have those awkward maybe situations in my head that I'm sorting out. I'm fairly confident in the baseline being covered, it's the random extras like how much travel are we planning; such as I want a year in Europe when the kids are early teens (full year, full immersion). Those maybe situations are killers, its hard to currently forecast costs in 8 years for a one time expenditure. Then I struggle with, maybe living abroad won't be a one time event (that would be cool with me).

Realistically I'm aiming for OMY but also considering a few extra years at half time. I'm ramping down my career and plan on taking 10 weeks off this year (maybe more), this should cut my wages some and give me a taste of what to expect. I expect I'll like my job a lot more if its part time, I'm curious if that's true.

I can provide more details, but the gist is we have enough unless to live off with or current lifestyle of the past 3 years, we're having conversations currently to finalize plans for the future.

nick663

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #25 on: April 25, 2018, 06:30:07 PM »
Yeah, the fact that you are still working full time at the same company makes it pretty reasonable for them not to consider it a retirement. I’m sure there’s a gender bias contributing, but personally, I wouldn’t automatically consider a man retired either if his household was still engaged in full time employment during typical employment years.
We had a man that quit to become a SAHP while his wife continued to work.  I didn't hear a single person mention the word "retirement"

I think when people leave the workforce to become a SAHP there is always an assumption in the back of people's minds that the person may return to work as the kids get older.  My wife currently works with a women that took ~12 years off to take care of the kids and has now returned to working as the kids no longer need care.

jlcnuke

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #26 on: April 25, 2018, 07:22:20 PM »
Have other spouses that quit to be a SAHP been given a retirement gift or treated as a "normal" retirement?

Honestly, I can see "normal people" seeing no difference between "we can get by on my husband's income so I'm not going to work anymore and instead will stay home with the kids" and "I/we are FI so I'm not going to work anymore and instead will stay home with the kids". You see the subtle difference between the two that means your wife is retired, but I'd wager most don't really. They'll see that one of you "has to work" so obviously your family can't retire so young at this point.

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« Last Edit: April 25, 2018, 07:26:37 PM by jlcnuke »

dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #27 on: April 26, 2018, 05:08:03 AM »
Quote
I don’t consider anyone “retired” if their household isn’t FI.


Crap, I guess I won’t be retired for at least the next 18 years when I can kick my freeloading son out of the house!  Stupid jerk is totally dependent on handouts SMH. 

jlcnuke

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #28 on: April 26, 2018, 05:11:01 AM »
Quote
I don’t consider anyone “retired” if their household isn’t FI.


Crap, I guess I won’t be retired for at least the next 18 years when I can kick my freeloading son out of the house!  Stupid jerk is totally dependent on handouts SMH.
If no one in the household has to work and the household can afford their lifestyle then the household is FI... If you have to go to work because it's the only way to afford your kid then I wouldn't consider your household to be FI.

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dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #29 on: April 26, 2018, 05:25:40 AM »
Quote
I don’t consider anyone “retired” if their household isn’t FI.


Crap, I guess I won’t be retired for at least the next 18 years when I can kick my freeloading son out of the house!  Stupid jerk is totally dependent on handouts SMH.
If no one in the household has to work and the household can afford their lifestyle then the household is FI... If you have to go to work because it's the only way to afford your kid then I wouldn't consider your household to be FI.

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Well my kid is gonna have to work at some point so he’s not FI

jlcnuke

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #30 on: April 26, 2018, 05:34:29 AM »
Quote
I don’t consider anyone “retired” if their household isn’t FI.


Crap, I guess I won’t be retired for at least the next 18 years when I can kick my freeloading son out of the house!  Stupid jerk is totally dependent on handouts SMH.
If no one in the household has to work and the household can afford their lifestyle then the household is FI... If you have to go to work because it's the only way to afford your kid then I wouldn't consider your household to be FI.

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Well my kid is gonna have to work at some point so he’s not FI
Unless he's a trust fund kid, I'd assume he's have to work before he could become FI. that doesn't affect your ability to reach FI though, but I'd guess you already understood that. 

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dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #31 on: April 26, 2018, 05:41:29 AM »
Quote
I don’t consider anyone “retired” if their household isn’t FI.


Crap, I guess I won’t be retired for at least the next 18 years when I can kick my freeloading son out of the house!  Stupid jerk is totally dependent on handouts SMH.

Lol. Oh good grief. You know full well what I meant. A household being FI doesn’t mean everyone living in that house is FI, it means your ‘stache can support your household’s expenses, including the expense of dependents. If my broke mom moves in with me and I can afford to support her within my 4%, then my household is still FI.

I know what you meant and I still think it’s a flawed definition.  If I retire and then my broke mom moves in with me, and I can’t afford to pay for her and she has to work,  suddenly I’m not retired anymore ? 

dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #32 on: April 26, 2018, 07:34:32 AM »
Turn in your badge and gun.  You’re off the case mcgarnagle

Dragonswan

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #33 on: April 26, 2018, 01:01:56 PM »
When will you people learn that arguing with Dragoncar is like "wrestling with a pig in the mud.  Eventually you realize the pig likes it."

dragoncar

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #34 on: April 26, 2018, 05:25:26 PM »
When will you people learn that arguing with Dragoncar is like "wrestling with a pig in the mud.  Eventually you realize the pig likes it."

Only when I’m wearing lipstick

Goldielocks

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Re: Retirement Police strike again
« Reply #35 on: May 17, 2018, 02:23:10 PM »
OP,  they are just jealous and in denial that your wife is retiring...!

Alternatively, when I worked at a large Company HQ in Calgary, the HR team was quite clear that anyone who "claims" the term "retirement" before they qualify for early pension withdrawals (which could start around age 52)  was incorrect, they were just stopping working.. because the HR paperwork was the same as someone quitting.  (HR people can be quite pendantic).   

One HR person noted that many of the younger set of people say they are "retiring" to the company's face when they have something else lined up already, or intend to find something else after a few months, to make the company feel better.  Quitting with nothing lined up screams "This job and you all suck!"  so employees demur about it using the term "retirement".

:-)

All better now?