I am having trouble getting the numbers to add up unless the JD pension is something really substantial. ETA: I fully plan on asking directly when I next see this person in the flesh, but we sometimes go years between visits and I'm very curious. And it seems weird to just email and ask.
What seems weird to me is you trying to pry into someone else's finances. It's none of your business, unless you are thinking of reporting him to the IRS/FBI for unreported income or possible embezzlement or illegal income.
I can see that what I wrote kind of framed my original question wrong, so let me try to re-frame and clarify:
1) I wasn't trying to pry into their finances and normally would have no particular interest. As you say, if they aren't talking, it's not anyone's business. And this is someone I love, admire, and am close to and we freely discuss such things when we are together. I already know all about their finances for the most part; if I'd hung out with them recently (in the time frame of them contemplating and then retiring early), I'd no doubt hear all about the details of that, as well. I just haven't seen them them in several years and likely won't anytime soon.
2) My interest is not in this particular person's financial situation, it is specifically in JOHN DEERE and their retirement package. The fact that this thread appeared co-incident with my friend's early retirement got me really questioning some assumptions I had. I guess I had always operated under the 'prevailing assumption in the ether' that gov't pensions and benefits are the really sweet ones, whereas most private sector companies don't offer much in the way of benefits apart from (if you are lucky) a 401k with a percent or two of match and some decent investment options.
But this thread has surprised me as to how much better some of the private (and some state gov't) pensions and benefits are than the federal ones.
Don't get me wrong, dh didn't take his federal job for the benefits, but for the love of the work; and we're pleased to be getting any pension at all.
3) However, having realized that I was somewhat wrong about how crappy the benefits at private companies are, I'm thinking that if I change jobs I should seriously consider trying to go to work for some big company. Previously, I never would have considered this b/c my social circle is mostly other feds, state employees at universities, and private contractors.
Hopefully that clarifies my original question.