2021 FIRE Cohort

[boarder42]

OMY is a bit of an overstatement for my situation - its more like OMD - i just need to work a day in 2022 to get another bonus - it will end up being 2 weeks as i don't want to risk putting in 2 weeks now and my company walking me out the door and me missing out on said bonus.

[Fru-Gal]

Just got my penultimate paycheck -- just making it through this year was hard but these paychecks were nice because I always front loaded my 401k! Last day 12/28/22. I need to remember to check on my ESPP contributions and make sure they get refunded.

[NoVa]

Still on track for 12/30/2021. Had a going-away lunch. They moved my employees out from under me to their new spots.

[friedmmj]

Still on track for 12/30/2021. Had a going-away lunch. They moved my employees out from under me to their new spots.

Nice!

[Morning Glory]

I finished my last bit of actual work today. Planning to return my keys and laptop tomorrow, and I'm free!!!!!

[ScreamingHeadGuy]

I finished my last bit of actual work today. Planning to return my keys and laptop tomorrow, and I'm free!!!!!

So what did you set your permanent-out-of-office response to? 

[Morning Glory]

I finished my last bit of actual work today. Planning to return my keys and laptop tomorrow, and I'm free!!!!!

So what did you set your permanent-out-of-office response to?

Oh it's boring af:
"I will be leaving <college> in December 2021 and will no longer monitor this email address. If you need a recommendation or want to stay in touch my personal email is ___@gmail. For other requests please contact <name of person >."

Big day tomorrow: moving company is showing up for our stuff and I get a ~12k lump sum payout on my last check because I'm 9/12. (Moving over Xmas break due to desire to minimize disruption for kids).

[Jack0Life]

@ScreamingHeadGuy.
If you can change my wife age to 38. I'm 49.
It's been 3 months since she quit and she's loving it too much. Don't think she will want to back to work anytime soon.
I've CoastFI. Trying to cover our expenses with me working about 24 hrs.
We also just sign up for ACA. I put us down at $52k income - $13k IRA contribution and our subsidies were estimated at $1080.

[Mrs. Healthywealth]

Been fun reading about everyone's journey achieving FIRE this year.

I FIRE'd earlier this year, decided to go to school and take on a hobby job, which ended up being a JOB. Quit again today, and for the first time I have no plans but to be a SAHM and relax, at least when they are in school. Curious how having no plans will play out...excited about it.

It's good to hear some people are loving their downtime! It can be tough to switch gears.

[Dicey]

Just got my penultimate paycheck -- just making it through this year was hard but these paychecks were nice because I always front loaded my 401k! Last day 12/28/22. I need to remember to check on my ESPP contributions and make sure they get refunded.

Unless you only get paid once a year, you might have a typo in that leaving date.

[MoneyTree]

You can say CONFIRMED SWAMI for me at 37 y/o

I hit my FI number earlier this year, and I was fretting about how I would leave my job. But since then, my job has become 100% remote permanently, so I don't really feel too compelled to leave since a lot of the parts of work I hated are not really a problem anymore.

If I lost my job today, I wouldn't be worried financially one bit.

Feels pretty anticlimactic, but this is the right decision for me right now.

[Morning Glory]

You can mark me as confirmed today!

[friedmmj]

Been fun reading about everyone's journey achieving FIRE this year.

I FIRE'd earlier this year, decided to go to school and take on a hobby job, which ended up being a JOB. Quit again today, and for the first time I have no plans but to be a SAHM and relax, at least when they are in school. Curious how having no plans will play out...excited about it.

It's good to hear some people are loving their downtime! It can be tough to switch gears.

Congratulations on regaining your freedom!  Would you mind sharing what the hobby job was?

[Mrs. Healthywealth]

Been fun reading about everyone's journey achieving FIRE this year.

I FIRE'd earlier this year, decided to go to school and take on a hobby job, which ended up being a JOB. Quit again today, and for the first time I have no plans but to be a SAHM and relax, at least when they are in school. Curious how having no plans will play out...excited about it.

It's good to hear some people are loving their downtime! It can be tough to switch gears.

Congratulations on regaining your freedom!  Would you mind sharing what the hobby job was?

Thanks! Hobby job was the job my financial planner offered me when we confirmed I could FIRE. This was a golden opportunity since it wasn't a sales job, but truly a job w/ an ethical firm who got really detailed in the planning they provided their clients. This led me to return to school, pass the CFP exam, and join the partners in their meetings with clients (all since I FIRE'd earlier this year whew!). Learned a ton, and enjoyed seeing how CFP's make a huge impact in clients' lives. But, they wanted me to work 50hrs. Having MMM members to provide guidance allowed me to pause and think "what the hell am I doing with all my free time...this wasn't the plan." One of the partners recommended I "think of the end game which led to a $500k plus salary. The 'only' thing is your kids will be grown at that point." This is where defining what "enough" monetarily really helped. 

[friedmmj]

Been fun reading about everyone's journey achieving FIRE this year.

I FIRE'd earlier this year, decided to go to school and take on a hobby job, which ended up being a JOB. Quit again today, and for the first time I have no plans but to be a SAHM and relax, at least when they are in school. Curious how having no plans will play out...excited about it.

It's good to hear some people are loving their downtime! It can be tough to switch gears.

Congratulations on regaining your freedom!  Would you mind sharing what the hobby job was?

Thanks! Hobby job was the job my financial planner offered me when we confirmed I could FIRE. This was a golden opportunity since it wasn't a sales job, but truly a job w/ an ethical firm who got really detailed in the planning they provided their clients. This led me to return to school, pass the CFP exam, and join the partners in their meetings with clients (all since I FIRE'd earlier this year whew!). Learned a ton, and enjoyed seeing how CFP's make a huge impact in clients' lives. But, they wanted me to work 50hrs. Having MMM members to provide guidance allowed me to pause and think "what the hell am I doing with all my free time...this wasn't the plan." One of the partners recommended I "think of the end game which led to a $500k plus salary. The 'only' thing is your kids will be grown at that point." This is where defining what "enough" monetarily really helped.

Thanks for sharing that!  It's too bad they couldn't have offered you something part time and flexible after having put in the work to get the CFP.  I have noodled on the idea of getting a CFP designation myself, but leaning towards not.  I have no intention of making a serious career out of it.  Thinking of it more as a hobby or as a way to pick up some random client(s) here and there as I see fit.

[dsw]

This is the penultimate 2021 roster posting.  I'll circle around sometime in January 2022 for the FINAL results of our grand adventure.  It's been a blast sharing these past 11.5 months of the year with you people.  I pray you've all made the most of your time on this journey to "something else" in our lives, and hope you enjoyed sharing some of it with us. 

The roster is updated for everybody through post #1564.
...

Note that I should be listed as confirmed for July. I can't remember the actual date. What is time?

[Rubyvroom]

Rubyvroom confirmed 12/17/21 @ 40 y/o.

Didn't seem real until I realized I could delete their email and vpn apps from my phone, and then it was like...

[boarder42]

Rubyvroom confirmed 12/17/21 @ 40 y/o.

Didn't seem real until I realized I could delete their email and vpn apps from my phone, and then it was like...

Congrats!

[Ladychips]

The 2021 Cohort is finishing strong!!  I love it!

Congratulations everyone!!!

[Aethonan]

@ScreamingHeadGuy Thanks for keeping our roster updated!!

I guess I need to update my status to SWAMI.  I left work in May, but as previously posted took on part-time for-fun work this summer/fall... and appear to still be doing it!  I (*gasp*) am actually enjoying being a lawyer.  So strange.  Thank you, FU money.

Also, not exactly SWAMI because definitely not "advanced mustachian."  The unexpected income over our needed FIRE amount means I'm enjoying a pretty bananas-expensive hobby again using that part-time lucre.  I really, really appreciate the freedom from the majority of BOTH work and financial anxiety that this path has offered.  It's lovely.

[80Westy]

@ScreamingHeadGuy  If you could, please remove me from the retired list, I didn’t pull the trigger this year. That should lower your 2021 cohort average age a bit.

[Much Fishing to Do]

Rubyvroom confirmed 12/17/21 @ 40 y/o.

Didn't seem real until I realized I could delete their email and vpn apps from my phone, and then it was like...

Thanks for telling me that was possible...I mean it makes sense...but somehow I've kept assuming the day after I leave I would be throwing my phone away and getting one untainted with work email.....damn I hate this thing, I think I still will.....

[Fru-Gal]

@Dicey that is the actual date -- it was not of my choosing.

[Mrs. Healthywealth]

Been fun reading about everyone's journey achieving FIRE this year.

I FIRE'd earlier this year, decided to go to school and take on a hobby job, which ended up being a JOB. Quit again today, and for the first time I have no plans but to be a SAHM and relax, at least when they are in school. Curious how having no plans will play out...excited about it.

It's good to hear some people are loving their downtime! It can be tough to switch gears.

Congratulations on regaining your freedom!  Would you mind sharing what the hobby job was?

Thanks! Hobby job was the job my financial planner offered me when we confirmed I could FIRE. This was a golden opportunity since it wasn't a sales job, but truly a job w/ an ethical firm who got really detailed in the planning they provided their clients. This led me to return to school, pass the CFP exam, and join the partners in their meetings with clients (all since I FIRE'd earlier this year whew!). Learned a ton, and enjoyed seeing how CFP's make a huge impact in clients' lives. But, they wanted me to work 50hrs. Having MMM members to provide guidance allowed me to pause and think "what the hell am I doing with all my free time...this wasn't the plan." One of the partners recommended I "think of the end game which led to a $500k plus salary. The 'only' thing is your kids will be grown at that point." This is where defining what "enough" monetarily really helped.

Thanks for sharing that!  It's too bad they couldn't have offered you something part time and flexible after having put in the work to get the CFP.  I have noodled on the idea of getting a CFP designation myself, but leaning towards not.  I have no intention of making a serious career out of it.  Thinking of it more as a hobby or as a way to pick up some random client(s) here and there as I see fit.

Good call! The instructor, who had 2 Ivy League degrees kept saying it was the hardest test you will ever take…and it truly was. Took a lot of crazy intense studying hours. Don’t regret it, but wouldn’t ever do it again EVER.

[Dicey]

@Dicey that is the actual date -- it was not of my choosing.

Do you really mean you have to wait until the end of 2022 to get your ultimate paycheck or is this a typo?

Just got my penultimate paycheck -- just making it through this year was hard but these paychecks were nice because I always front loaded my 401k! Last day 12/28/22. I need to remember to check on my ESPP contributions and make sure they get refunded.

Unless you only get paid once a year, you might have a typo in that leaving date.

[Fru-Gal]

Oh! Sorry you are right. 2021.

[Dicey]

Oh! Sorry you are right. 2021.

Whew! I was worried for you, That's a long time to wait for a final paycheck.

[Well Respected Man]

Rubyvroom confirmed 12/17/21 @ 40 y/o.

Didn't seem real until I realized I could delete their email and vpn apps from my phone, and then it was like...

They forgot to remove me from a couple of the on-call rotations, so I got a few alerts and calls after I quit. While I resented the interruptions, I did enjoy saying FU after ignoring them.

Edit: It was also fun moving all my apps related to my hobbies onto the screen real estate formerly occupied by work-related apps.

[rantk81]

Rubyvroom confirmed 12/17/21 @ 40 y/o.
Didn't seem real until I realized I could delete their email and vpn apps from my phone, and then it was like...

I am FI, but not RE yet.  I did recently leave a previous employer of more than a decade, though.  It felt amazing to delete the VPN and other crap from my phone and personal computer.  I even went into my browser settings, and deleted all cookies and browsing history from any of the domains that were associated with them, remove the slack account, etc.  Very liberating.

[SmartyCat]

Confirming - 12/17 was my last workday and I have joined the ranks of the blissfully unemployed. I mean retired. :)

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

[Fru-Gal]

Last paycheck in the bank!

[Rubyvroom]

A quick search on the forums didn't find much about this (please point me to it if this has been discussed already) so I thought I'd mention it here, as it impacts this cohort.

In my COBRA packet I received a "New Government Notice Extends COBRA Deadlines During Covid-19" form. In summary, certain notification and election deadlines have been extended through the lesser of "1 year or 60 days after the pandemic ends."

I'll quote the potentially key paragraph below, bold was actually in the letter (note that Outbreak Period is defined as "March 1, 2020 through 60 days after the pandemic ends, which will be announced by the government at a later date"):

Because the Outbreak Period is disregarded when applying COBRA election and payment deadlines, a qualified beneficiary has up to the lesser of 1 year or 60 days after the end of the Outbreak Period to elect COBRA, then 45 days after that to pay the initial premium. If at any time, you decide your COBRA premium(s) are less expensive than your provider's bills, the carrier will allow a retroactive reinstatement back tot he last paid through date and any outstanding claims may then be submitted to the insurance carrier(s) for processing through COBRA. Until that time, your COBRA insurance will be in a terminated status and claims may be denied.

The only reason this piqued my interest is that I was trying to figure out if extending our relatively cheap life and vision insurance through COBRA was worth it. I've always heard folks on this forum talk about the "one month free" situation where you have that initial grace period of 45 days, and obviously by then you have the benefit of a month of hindsight. But a year of hindsight? The "retroactive reinstatement" clause seems EXCEPTIONALLY weird in the case of life insurance...

I'm trying to dig up information online on this as it's the first I've heard about it (granted I've never cared about COBRA before so it's not like I stay current on COBRA news). It seems the IRS issued clarifying guidance back in October, but as with most "clarifying guidance" from the IRS, it left some grey area with regards to interpretation.

I thought I'd throw it out to these forums to discuss, specifically because it may help some of the folks that are trying to decide what to do with benefits at the tail end of the year here.

[dblaace]

Last paycheck in the bank!

I have one more coming and I will get News Years day as a paid holiday since our weeks run Monday-Sunday. Does that make me OMY? :)

[exit2019]

exit2019 is a fail in 2021.

nobody cares but by way of excuse mongering

At this point, I am letting fate decide via career suicide.   I communicated last month to everyone involved that I am done in February of 2022 (after my next contractual payout) because i just don't care, don't like the work, don't have to work, don't find the domain interesting any more, have no interest in retention packages (so don't bother running it up the chain): I would rather do nothing.  Also, I'm taking a few weeks off (now). When I get back another two weeks and I'm just going to spend the time wrapping things up, handing things off, etc. I'm telling everyone the day I come back.

How is this a fail?

Career suicide proved something to me that I've told other people: if you don't care, visibly just don't care, at all, other people suddenly seem to care more, a lot more.  It is perverse. 

I originally was going to go in 2019-02, hence the name, then 2020, and so on. Those didn't work out: retention got the best of me.  What can I say? I grew up lower middle class in a small town. In '20 I was on my way out, they gave me big multi-grade promo the day we were all told to work from home due to some virus in China.  I am now in a terminal grade level in my industry.  '21 there just seemed to be no point: covid and my wife has health issues that make her likely to have a bad time. It just has not seemed possible to do what I need to do for the last nearly two years, so why not take title and money?

This time the response wasn't a promo or a package, but an ask to (fund me) start(ing) a company on my own terms without compromises. So while no promo is possible, a different kind of thing is now on offer. This isn't a sure thing, they are working on the details.  If that doesn't work out, I've already strapped on the suicide bomb so within a month or two I will finally be at rest or I will be continuing the grind for at least a few more years. I won't know for the next month or two.

The way I have always envisioned things is that post-exit was that my wife and I would take a long trip. We would get the hell out of dodge. My work addiction wouldn't be cured but would be unsatisfied.  Travel until I feel sane again, or at least not so fried. 2022 was looking good until recently.  Bah.

Anyway.

Unlike the last three years, I'm not just going to join the next cohort.  It will happen when it happens. So I guess I'm not OMY or whatever, I'm "TFUTEH" - too fucked up to exit healthy.

none of any of this matters to you guys, so I offer this

sincere congratulations to all who pulled the trigger.  I have watched three cohorts and each always seems to work out. A few people go back to work, a few (like me) go OMY.  Lots of people seem to get the hell out.  I hope it turns out to be all you've envisioned and wanted.  this is a tough time for a lot of people so be good to everyone. remember that the stock market giveth and taketh away.  best of luck to you, shine on.

happy 2022

[NoVa]

I am confirmed. Turned in badge and keys, signed the last time sheet. Not RE but definitely FI due to the MMM Forums.

[FireLane]

Happy New Year's Eve, class of 2021!

I retired at the end of July, and I've been loving it. I had a good job, but I haven't missed work for a second. Ever since I quit, I've been busier than ever!

Between more walks and hikes, more exercise, more books, more cooking, more long-deferred cleaning and home renovation projects, and more time to spend with my son, I haven't been bored for a moment. Without a job to occupy my waking hours, life is like an infinite buffet. The biggest problem is deciding what you want to do most, when there are so many choices and only so many hours in the day.

The one thing I haven't gotten to do as much of as I wanted is travel, thanks to the pandemic. My whole family is vaccinated, so I'm not worried about that, but it still feels like the prudent and responsible thing to do to stay home to help protect the vulnerable and not overload the hospitals. I'm hoping that the current surge will be the last big one, and that next year things will start to improve. I have a long bucket list of trips I want to take, and I'm eager to start whittling away at it.

Quitting my job was one of the psychologically most difficult things I've ever done, but I'm very glad I did. Life is so much better when you're free to really live it, when your time and energy is completely your own and you're not beholden to anybody. If there's anyone out there grappling with doubt or uncertainty like I was, let me give you a nudge to take the jump. It's completely worth it!

[boarder42]

Congrats class of 2021. I'll be putting in my 2 weeks on Weds day and joining you all in the new year.

[Fru-Gal]

Thanks for the encouragement, @FireLane! Congrats, @boarder42! I would have been leaving in the first days of 2022 but my boss accelerated my departure by about a week, because he is petty like that. I may be checking in with payroll because it surprises me that according to my final paycheck, my annual salary is short $2k just because of leaving 3 days before the end of the year. But hey I lasted an entire year beyond what I wanted to do and that was HARD. And now I'm free.

[boarder42]

Thanks for the encouragement, @FireLane! Congrats, @boarder42! I would have been leaving in the first days of 2022 but my boss accelerated my departure by about a week, because he is petty like that. I may be checking in with payroll because it surprises me that according to my final paycheck, my annual salary is short $2k just because of leaving 3 days before the end of the year. But hey I lasted an entire year beyond what I wanted to do and that was HARD. And now I'm free.

I hear ya. I mean I do next to nothing at work now esp the last 4 months but the feeling to be available hurts me inside. I don't want that obligation. And at this point another year would be like scraping fingernails ona chalkboard. Mad props you put up with that year and get your cash!

[TheContinentalOp]

Checking in for the first time in 9 months.

I FIRE'd on March 19th.

Highlights:

Lost 35 pounds
Hiked to all 10 waterfalls in the Shenandoah National Park.
Finished my novel. Now querying agents.
Hiked, Biked and Backpacked for the month of August in the mountains out west.
Most books I've read in a year since high school
Spent 2.09% of my invested Net Worth in 2021.

[BlueMR2]

I didn't end up doing it 2021...

May happen early in 2022 though.  Watching COVID sweep through the office MUCH worse than before makes me really question why I continue working at this point.

[crazy jane]

I'm sitting on the couch watching football with dh. It's snowing outside. I had the realization that I normally would be at my school preparing for next week and stressed out about Monday. I'm so relaxed and happy. I don't even have to worry about shoveling because I'm not going anywhere. Retirement is glorious.

[XGE]

Retired on 31 December after 31 years of civil service.  Feels great.  I am excited to see what 2022 brings!

[asauer]

Retired on 31 December after 31 years of civil service.  Feels great.  I am excited to see what 2022 brings!

congratulations!!  Great way to end the year.

[Ladychips]

Retired on 31 December after 31 years of civil service.  Feels great.  I am excited to see what 2022 brings!

congratulations!!  Great way to end the year.

+1!!  This cohort has absolutely rocked!!

[dblaace]

I've been off since Thanksgiving and up until now it has been more like a vacation or a long Holiday weekend.

It just occurredto me that tomorrow is a Monday after a the Christmas/New year weeks and I don't have to go back to work!

I'm officially unemployed retired.

[boarder42]

I've been off since Thanksgiving and up until now it has been more like a vacation or a long Holiday weekend.

It just occurredto me that tomorrow is a Monday after a the Christmas/New year weeks and I don't have to go back to work!

I'm officially unemployed retired.

Congrats.  I feel Eriee right now.  I have 2 days off then I submit my letter of retirement.

[Turtle]

Thanks for the encouragement, @FireLane! Congrats, @boarder42! I would have been leaving in the first days of 2022 but my boss accelerated my departure by about a week, because he is petty like that. I may be checking in with payroll because it surprises me that according to my final paycheck, my annual salary is short $2k just because of leaving 3 days before the end of the year. But hey I lasted an entire year beyond what I wanted to do and that was HARD. And now I'm free.

I would check with HR.  If you give 2 weeks notice and get walked out early, you may be due the final 2 weeks pay regardless of whether or not you were at work. 

Also, if you said that you were retiring and were walked out early -- HR may treat retirement differently with regards to 401k final matches for 2021, such as bonus/profit sharing match that a lot of companies don't pay until March/April for the year before.

[4tify]

Congrats to everyone who pulled the trigger and happy new year!

I agreed to some part time consulting with my old firm through January. So far it’s been really easy money so no complaints.

Turning my thoughts towards how I can be of service and stay engaged with life without putting myself back into full time work. I’m giving myself a full year sabbatical to think about this as a buffer.

Purchased health insurance for the first time in many years. Won’t get ACA benefits if I do Roth conversions. Still figuring that out. I mistakenly told covered CA my job ended and got thrown onto medi-CAL so had to purchase off exchange. Multiple phone calls and letters still haven’t corrected this. Our health care system sucks!

Covid keeps screwing up my travel plans. We did a trip over the holidays and it went pretty well, but postponed a trip to Nashville to see friends in February due to fears of Omnicrom shutting us down. We have a wedding to attend in March so hoping the spike has dropped. I really want to hit the mountains, so maybe we’ll try for April if the snow holds.

Lastly: ZERO regrets about leaving the job. I was worried I would regret it and that I hadn’t fully figured out what to do afterward, but those fears were pointless. I can feel the glow of FI joy growing in place of those concerns.

Best to everyone! Happy ‘22!

[SwordGuy]

Thanks for the encouragement, @FireLane! Congrats, @boarder42! I would have been leaving in the first days of 2022 but my boss accelerated my departure by about a week, because he is petty like that. I may be checking in with payroll because it surprises me that according to my final paycheck, my annual salary is short $2k just because of leaving 3 days before the end of the year. But hey I lasted an entire year beyond what I wanted to do and that was HARD. And now I'm free.

I would check with HR.  If you give 2 weeks notice and get walked out early, you may be due the final 2 weeks pay regardless of whether or not you were at work. 

Also, if you said that you were retiring and were walked out early -- HR may treat retirement differently with regards to 401k final matches for 2021, such as bonus/profit sharing match that a lot of companies don't pay until March/April for the year before.

If you don't like the answer HR gives you, check with your state's labor relations department.   You might like their answer better.