2025 Fire Cohort

[mistymoney]

Trying to work my prefire punchlist. It is daunting! life and work keeps sucking up all that time!

Oof! better make a dental appt.

[fireready]

Thinking we are moving up from the  March of 2026 Fire date to March of 2025.  We are at our number now and after having a good friend of 20 years pass (he was 53) last year and now my wife's brother just passed of prostate cancer (53), we are seeing that life is short and willing to take some chances.  Though math and calculators show there is almost no risk at a 3.5% WR.

Getting excited!

[Freedomin5]

Thinking we are moving up from the  March of 2026 Fire date to March of 2025.  We are at our number now and after having a good friend of 20 years pass (he was 53) last year and now my wife's brother just passed of prostate cancer (53), we are seeing that life is short and willing to take some chances.  Though math and calculators show there is almost no risk at a 3.5% WR.

Getting excited!

Yay! Congratulations!

[frugalecon]

Thinking we are moving up from the  March of 2026 Fire date to March of 2025.  We are at our number now and after having a good friend of 20 years pass (he was 53) last year and now my wife's brother just passed of prostate cancer (53), we are seeing that life is short and willing to take some chances.  Though math and calculators show there is almost no risk at a 3.5% WR.

Getting excited!

My degree of excitement ratcheted up considerably once my target date was less than a year away. Every day I can say, “Well, that’s the last [insert date] I’ll ever spend working in a full-time job!”

[bananas]

My degree of excitement ratcheted up considerably once my target date was less than a year away. Every day I can say, “Well, that’s the last [insert date] I’ll ever spend working in a full-time job!”

Oh, man. Future me is excited to experience this!!

[Fomerly known as something]

48 weeks left to go for me as of tomorrow, i.e., 240 work days…but I will have 60 days of holidays and vacation available to me during this period. I’ve got this.

I have started thinking about how much time I will ask for to organize my files and other materials for retention after I leave. Sounds like a two week job, at least.

Interesting crossover point for me: I now have or will earn enough sick and annual leave to get to my target retirement date without working another day. Given that I have an elderly parent who could suddenly need help, that makes me feel a lot more secure.

Does quick calculations, I think I also have enough leave to not work a single day again.  Most of it is sick leave so I’d kind of need to be ill.

[markbike528CBX]

48 weeks left to go for me as of tomorrow, i.e., 240 work days…but I will have 60 days of holidays and vacation available to me during this period. I’ve got this.

I have started thinking about how much time I will ask for to organize my files and other materials for retention after I leave. Sounds like a two week job, at least.

Interesting crossover point for me: I now have or will earn enough sick and annual leave to get to my target retirement date without working another day. Given that I have an elderly parent who could suddenly need help, that makes me feel a lot more secure.

Does quick calculations, I think I also have enough leave to not work a single day again.  Most of it is sick leave so I’d kind of need to be ill.

Mojo Nixon says :
And I'm gonna call my job up I'm gonna talk to my boss
And say, "Oh, Mr. Boss Mr. Boss, I'm so sick I'm so sick
I can't go to work I'm so sick
I gotta go to a party at the beach You hear me?
https://lyrics.az/mojo-nixon-skid-roper/get-out-of-my-way/get-out-of-my-way.html

[Freedomin5]

48 weeks left to go for me as of tomorrow, i.e., 240 work days…but I will have 60 days of holidays and vacation available to me during this period. I’ve got this.

I have started thinking about how much time I will ask for to organize my files and other materials for retention after I leave. Sounds like a two week job, at least.

Interesting crossover point for me: I now have or will earn enough sick and annual leave to get to my target retirement date without working another day. Given that I have an elderly parent who could suddenly need help, that makes me feel a lot more secure.

Does quick calculations, I think I also have enough leave to not work a single day again.  Most of it is sick leave so I’d kind of need to be ill.

Do mental health days count? At my work, we don't need a doctor's note if we are out for fewer than 3 days. And mental health counts for sick leave.

[tj]

48 weeks left to go for me as of tomorrow, i.e., 240 work days…but I will have 60 days of holidays and vacation available to me during this period. I’ve got this.

I have started thinking about how much time I will ask for to organize my files and other materials for retention after I leave. Sounds like a two week job, at least.

Interesting crossover point for me: I now have or will earn enough sick and annual leave to get to my target retirement date without working another day. Given that I have an elderly parent who could suddenly need help, that makes me feel a lot more secure.

Does quick calculations, I think I also have enough leave to not work a single day again.  Most of it is sick leave so I’d kind of need to be ill.

Do mental health days count? At my work, we don't need a doctor's note if we are out for fewer than 3 days. And mental health counts for sick leave.

How many weeks in a row can you do that before they start bugging you? I'd take sick leave every time I have to go in the office and just work my telework days.

[weebs]

Do mental health days count? At my work, we don't need a doctor's note if we are out for fewer than 3 days. And mental health counts for sick leave.

I wish we could do that.  I'm rarely sick (knocks on wood), so I've accrued over 10 weeks sick time.  I could work 4 day weeks until my planned FIRE date if I could use my sick time as mental health days.  Oh, well.

[Sandi_k]

Do mental health days count? At my work, we don't need a doctor's note if we are out for fewer than 3 days. And mental health counts for sick leave.

I wish we could do that.  I'm rarely sick (knocks on wood), so I've accrued over 10 weeks sick time.  I could work 4 day weeks until my planned FIRE date if I could use my sick time as mental health days.  Oh, well.

I strongly encourage you to take a day or two as needed for your mental resiliency. You have already given your employer a huge gift by not using 400+ hours that they have planned for as a financial liability.

I've been clear with my staff that if they need a MH day, to take one. No one does better or stays engaged when they are burned out. My CFO simply tells me that she's "not feeling well enough to come to work" - and that's all I need to hear. She's an outstanding and conscientious employee, so a day out of the office to reset is perfectly fine.

[mistymoney]

Do mental health days count? At my work, we don't need a doctor's note if we are out for fewer than 3 days. And mental health counts for sick leave.

I wish we could do that.  I'm rarely sick (knocks on wood), so I've accrued over 10 weeks sick time.  I could work 4 day weeks until my planned FIRE date if I could use my sick time as mental health days.  Oh, well.

Yeah, most places are very limited on how you can use sick days for more than just a day or two here and there without some documented health concern. and most jobs just get flushed when quit or retire, not paid out like vacay. I have about 6 weeks saved up and am trying to take as many as I can. ((Want to say "this last year" but I'm worried I'm going to have to OMY it and trying not to jinx it!))

I've moved to taking 1/2 days for dr and dentist appts when I can. Also remember you can use them for taking family to appts - our ee manual specifies parents and kid (including step, foster, etc) for use of sick time.

even if you cant take a mental health day every week, could you 1xmonth? or every other month or quarterly? I myself find this difficult as I have meetings all the time. Important meetings (supposedly!), high profile anyway.

But I need to work harder on this!! Mine will be flushed when I FIRE, so that is helping to motivate me. I also no longer need to save them up in case of sickness/disability as I have a least megaFU money if not full FIRE amounts. No need to hoard these anymore.

start using them!!

[pdxvandal]

I've been using small chunks of sick time in the past few months instead of taking vacation hours. Fortunately, my employer does pay out 60% of accrued sick time value, but I'd rather be more strategic and slowly burn some sick time and get paid out 100% on unused vacation.

[fireready]

Thinking we are moving up from the  March of 2026 Fire date to March of 2025.  We are at our number now and after having a good friend of 20 years pass (he was 53) last year and now my wife's brother just passed of prostate cancer (53), we are seeing that life is short and willing to take some chances.  Though math and calculators show there is almost no risk at a 3.5% WR.

Getting excited!

Yay! Congratulations!

Thank you!

My degree of excitement ratcheted up considerably once my target date was less than a year away. Every day I can say, “Well, that’s the last [insert date] I’ll ever spend working in a full-time job!”

I am doing the same thing!  Also getting nervous if this is the right decision or time.  But I think I will ALWAYS think that.

[Turtle]

I've been using small chunks of sick time in the past few months instead of taking vacation hours. Fortunately, my employer does pay out 60% of accrued sick time value, but I'd rather be more strategic and slowly burn some sick time and get paid out 100% on unused vacation.

I've managed to use the amount I've accrued so far this year, but I still have over 2 weeks which was carried over from last year.  As far as I know, none of mine will be paid out, so I might as well use it.

[Fomerly known as something]

I take full days off for doctor/dentist appointments.  I can als just not feel well for a mental health day.  But as mentioned a mental health day every week or more than 3 hours, I’m probably going to need a note.

I have a pension so unused sick time gets added into the calculation.  I will retire with 26 years of service vs 25.  I only have so much sick leave because we use to need to use it with baby leave, but I never ended up with the baby.  Now it just tells me if I get truly sick, I can take all the time I need/want.

[weebs]

@Sandi_k & @mistymoney - thanks for applying a gentle nudge regarding the sick time.  I asked my boss about taking the occasional mental health day and he gave me the thumbs up.

[Sandi_k]

@Sandi_k & @mistymoney - thanks for applying a gentle nudge regarding the sick time.  I asked my boss about taking the occasional mental health day and he gave me the thumbs up.

YAY! Congrats on doing the hard work, and asking for something that wasn't in your comfort zone.

[weebs]

YAY! Congrats on doing the hard work, and asking for something that wasn't in your comfort zone.

Thanks!  I didn't realize how far outside my comfort zone it was until I asked.

[SaucyAussie]

I spent some time this weekend running the numbers on https://ficalc.app/

It's a great tool for factoring in social security and other changes to income and spending.  I especially like the explanation of the many different withdrawal strategies.  We hear so much about the 4% rule in the accumulation phase but help on how to draw down is harder to find.

ficalc ended up pointing me towards the VPW method developed by Bogleheads.  Seems this strategy is aimed at those with significant additional fixed income streams such as social security and/or pensions, or those that have some flexibility built into their spending.

VPW factors in age when calculating withdrawal rates, so it is particularly interesting to those of us in the 50+ crowd.  For a example, a 45 year old with 1M invested, (and an estimated monthly SS benefit of 3K at age 70) can withdraw 4.7%.  With those same numbers, a 55 year old can withdraw 5.9%.

[tj]

I spent some time this weekend running the numbers on https://ficalc.app/

It's a great tool for factoring in social security and other changes to income and spending.  I especially like the explanation of the many different withdrawal strategies.  We hear so much about the 4% rule in the accumulation phase but help on how to draw down is harder to find.

ficalc ended up pointing me towards the VPW method developed by Bogleheads.  Seems this strategy is aimed at those with significant additional fixed income streams such as social security and/or pensions, or those that have some flexibility built into their spending.

VPW factors in age when calculating withdrawal rates, so it is particularly interesting to those of us in the 50+ crowd.  For a example, a 45 year old with 1M invested, (and an estimated monthly SS benefit of 3K at age 70) can withdraw 4.7%.  With those same numbers, a 55 year old can withdraw 5.9%.

Doesn't the VPW method change the % amount you can withdraw each year? I wonder if anyone actually uses this in practice. I tend to just spend what I spend....inflation might make some things more expensive, but I don't know that I would force myself spend more just because a spreadsheet or calculator said I could.

[SaucyAussie]

I spent some time this weekend running the numbers on https://ficalc.app/

It's a great tool for factoring in social security and other changes to income and spending.  I especially like the explanation of the many different withdrawal strategies.  We hear so much about the 4% rule in the accumulation phase but help on how to draw down is harder to find.

ficalc ended up pointing me towards the VPW method developed by Bogleheads.  Seems this strategy is aimed at those with significant additional fixed income streams such as social security and/or pensions, or those that have some flexibility built into their spending.

VPW factors in age when calculating withdrawal rates, so it is particularly interesting to those of us in the 50+ crowd.  For a example, a 45 year old with 1M invested, (and an estimated monthly SS benefit of 3K at age 70) can withdraw 4.7%.  With those same numbers, a 55 year old can withdraw 5.9%.

Doesn't the VPW method change the % amount you can withdraw each year? I wonder if anyone actually uses this in practice. I tend to just spend what I spend....inflation might make some things more expensive, but I don't know that I would force myself spend more just because a spreadsheet or calculator said I could.

I think that's a common misconception - the spreadsheet doesn't "force" you to spend more it just provides a withdrawal rate you can safely use for that year based on age, market performance, and other income sources.   What you do with that money is up to you - you could choose spend it, put it in a Roth for heirs, or choose to not withdraw it at all!

As an "older" early retiree, I like that it allows me to withdraw a higher % earlier when I am still healthy enough to enjoy it.

[weebs]

ficalc ended up pointing me towards the VPW method developed by Bogleheads.  Seems this strategy is aimed at those with significant additional fixed income streams such as social security and/or pensions, or those that have some flexibility built into their spending.

That pretty much describes DW and myself.  We turn 51 this year and both of us will get SS + a pension.  Thanks for the link.  It's cool to be able to play with the various withdrawal methods.

[Sandi_k]

The Boglehead Wiki is helpful when thinking about VPW:

https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Variable_percentage_withdrawal

and if you don't want to do the spreadsheet, here is the table:

https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Variable_percentage_withdrawal#With_the_VPW_table

I spent some time this weekend running the numbers on https://ficalc.app/

It's a great tool for factoring in social security and other changes to income and spending.  I especially like the explanation of the many different withdrawal strategies.  We hear so much about the 4% rule in the accumulation phase but help on how to draw down is harder to find.

ficalc ended up pointing me towards the VPW method developed by Bogleheads.  Seems this strategy is aimed at those with significant additional fixed income streams such as social security and/or pensions, or those that have some flexibility built into their spending.

VPW factors in age when calculating withdrawal rates, so it is particularly interesting to those of us in the 50+ crowd.  For a example, a 45 year old with 1M invested, (and an estimated monthly SS benefit of 3K at age 70) can withdraw 4.7%.  With those same numbers, a 55 year old can withdraw 5.9%.

[mistymoney]

On a hilarious note! this got me to thinking about what I am absolutely gaining on a per workday basis. 4% of my inputted daily contributions result in an additional $6.50 to my annual spend! Could I get a fancy coffee for that at starbucks? Not sure these days! But I will think throughout today on all the different ways I might spend that in my future retirement years :).

Into the fray for another $6.50 into the infinity pool!

Rise and shine y'all!

[Freedomin5]

It's official. I announced my departure to my team yesterday. The CEO will probably put out the general announcement within the next few weeks. In my role, since I interface with many people in the company, they tend to announce departures at least a year in advance. Now that it's been formally announced, there's no turning back. June 2025 is my confirmed departure date.

[oneday]

It's official. I announced my departure to my team yesterday. The CEO will probably put out the general announcement within the next few weeks. In my role, since I interface with many people in the company, they tend to announce departures at least a year in advance. Now that it's been formally announced, there's no turning back. June 2025 is my confirmed departure date.

Congrats, how exciting!

[Freedomin5]

Thanks! I had several people approach me yesterday and today asking me which company (competition) I was moving to. When I said, “None. I’m repatriating and retiring,” they looked surprised but seemed genuinely interested in how I am able to do this. Led to lots of good discussions about FIRE. I said “pay yourself first” so many times this week.

[OurTown]

As part of my 12 month countdown I am having work done to the house that I want done before FIRE and while we have an income stream.  So we just put in a french drain in the back yard and had exterior painting done.  Also had my frost-damaged bushes removed.  Next up, front landscaping, new weather stripping on the windows, new attic insulation, and new interior blinds.  IOW, I am spending money like a wild man.  Some of you are DIY wizards and that's great.  For me, DIY means "damage it yourself."

[weebs]

It's official. I announced my departure to my team yesterday. The CEO will probably put out the general announcement within the next few weeks. In my role, since I interface with many people in the company, they tend to announce departures at least a year in advance. Now that it's been formally announced, there's no turning back. June 2025 is my confirmed departure date.

Congratulations!  It just got real.  :-)

As part of my 12 month countdown I am having work done to the house that I want done before FIRE and while we have an income stream.  So we just put in a french drain in the back yard and had exterior painting done.  Also had my frost-damaged bushes removed.  Next up, front landscaping, new weather stripping on the windows, new attic insulation, and new interior blinds.  IOW, I am spending money like a wild man.  Some of you are DIY wizards and that's great.  For me, DIY means "damage it yourself."

I worked for a landscaping company in college so I've tackled much of that type of work on our property over the years.  The last project was to reclaim part of the yard in front of the house by erecting a pergola (from a kit), laying X tons of rock and arranging large pieces of flagstone in the rock under and around the pergola.  It looks great and we sit out there a lot in the summer but it was a not-so-subtle reminder that I'm no longer in my 20s. 

[markbike528CBX]

It is so fun to sit on my virtual porch and watch you soon-to-be-FIREd people seeing it get real.

Jump in, the water is great!

Just a reminder, there is no shame in OLY, only One More Year (or more).

Mark, OP of 2019 thread, OLY 2018.

[chasingthegoodlife]

2025 is my rough goal too, although I'm hopeful I'll get there earlier. 

I currently have 14x my bare bones number but will probably increase the goal as I get closer and have a more realistic idea of my spending.

Good luck everyone!

I first posted in this thread back in 2016.

Since then, life has changed a lot and so have the numbers.

In 2021 our son was born, after many years of fence sitting about whether we would have children. I abandoned the 50% savings rate and embraced a more CoastFI approach with each of us taking a year off work and settling back in this year to both working 3 days a week.

We have a new - much cushier - number and while it is possible that we will meet it by the end of 2025 it’s not likely. However, my husband will reach his superannuation preservation age (he’s much older) and we have decided it makes sense for him to stop work no matter what happens.

So I will be staying in this thread to plan for and celebrate his upcoming retirement!

Taking some time off and now downshifting has been very good for me and I’m not sure I’ll be ready to stop working even when we hit our number. I enjoy my (WFH) work when the workload is manageable. I’ll be 42 next year so plenty of time to try other roles or retrain for another profession if I feel like a change, but I also want to take plenty of long breaks to enjoy retirement with DH.

 

[AO1FireTo]

Can I join this Cohort?  I still might pull the plug in 2024, but I got more stock that vests in 2025 and the lure of that might pull me into 2025.

[chasingthegoodlife]

Welcome! And good luck with your 24 vs 25 decision.

How far into 2025 would you need to work for the stock?

[AO1FireTo]

Welcome! And good luck with your 24 vs 25 decision.

How far into 2025 would you need to work for the stock?

Until May, not a big sacrifice

[mistymoney]

@Sandi_k & @mistymoney - thanks for applying a gentle nudge regarding the sick time.  I asked my boss about taking the occasional mental health day and he gave me the thumbs up.

Well - good you will take some days here....but asking permission, idk about that!

[Missy B]

I've just realized that as of this time next year I'll be able to consider myself retired.
I was sick this week and had to book off several days of work, which was upsetting. It was shaping up to be the busiest week in months and I had to cancel nearly every client. (I'm self-employed and took a big hit during covid because of downtown location. Business hasn't really come back).

To make myself feel better I played with my private pension plan forecasts and reinvested some dividends. Realized that since I'm getting 6% yield on reinvested money instead of the 5% in my model that I'll hit a target number early - a year from now instead of  December 2025.

At that point I'll continue to work because I like to, and to cover my basic living expenses while the pension grows extra buffer, but I will finally be able to take vacation time again. I can't this year - ongoing repairs to my house and the expenses of dealing with a problem tenant ate through my buffer.  I am so looking forward to taking summer vacation again. And to possibly travelling somewhere during the winter!

In November my office lease downtown will be over and I'll be working either less or about the same amount but in a more efficient way, so I'll have shorter days and more time off. Just the mindset change of knowing I don't need to grind will be huge.

[Jade]

That sounds like a great place to be @Missy B ! Well done. In a different work set up I'm in a similar place. It's a good feeling, isn't it?!

[Missy B]

That sounds like a great place to be @Missy B ! Well done. In a different work set up I'm in a similar place. It's a good feeling, isn't it?!

Yeah, it's a relief. If it wasn't for the house expenses and back to back expensive repairs, I would be feeling pretty chilled out about the relative slowness at my downtown location as well.

[Jade]

I may not RE because my job/career is super awesome, but count me in for 2025 FI. We shall see how things go.

I'm in the same boat!

[MMMarbleheader]

I am still looking at 2025 for FIRE, I think I will try and work part time between 4% SWR and 3% SWR. I am going through what kind of part time I want.

The easiest would be to stay where I am at. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's within the commercial construction industry so it's not exactly at low stress job. However, there is a clear path within the employee handbook about benefits for part time work. 32-20 hours/week still gets full time benefits, less than 20 only 401k. I make over $80/hr now so a 24 hour a week would more than cover my expenses plus fund some lavish travel. Also, I have carved out a decent niche for myself (cost controls) that not many people want to do and kind of isolates me from the normal construction headaches.

I have two other places that I have identified that are more within something my interest have evolved to. One is a data science company that works within the realm of civil engineering with travel modeling. The other is a forestry company. I know people who work at both. I don't have direct experience in either but I think I could present myself well and sell them on my managerial skills within construction plus I have experience with databases. But the pay would probably only be in the $40/hr range and I would need to navigate the ACA. This would just about cover our yearly spending @ 24 hours per week.

I think I am going to try option #2 and see how they pan out. If they don't go anywhere I feel good to have options with my current employer. Though I feel I owe it to myself to try something new now that I will be free of really needing the money.

First world problems all around, but it is fun to be close to the end that I am thinking about this.

Also, is anyone else continued to be amazed at how little their actual savings moves the needle vs. how the market is doing? I feel like right around the COVID crash and rebound is when it happened for me. I used to update every month and you could see how savings moved the needle but now I only notice it is the market is flat for the month. Starting to feel more and more like a professional capitalist.....

[swashbucklinstache]

I am still looking at 2025 for FIRE, I think I will try and work part time between 4% SWR and 3% SWR. I am going through what kind of part time I want.

The easiest would be to stay where I am at. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's within the commercial construction industry so it's not exactly at low stress job. However, there is a clear path within the employee handbook about benefits for part time work. 32-20 hours/week still gets full time benefits, less than 20 only 401k. I make over $80/hr now so a 24 hour a week would more than cover my expenses plus fund some lavish travel. Also, I have carved out a decent niche for myself (cost controls) that not many people want to do and kind of isolates me from the normal construction headaches.

I have two other places that I have identified that are more within something my interest have evolved to. One is a data science company that works within the realm of civil engineering with travel modeling. The other is a forestry company. I know people who work at both. I don't have direct experience in either but I think I could present myself well and sell them on my managerial skills within construction plus I have experience with databases. But the pay would probably only be in the $40/hr range and I would need to navigate the ACA. This would just about cover our yearly spending @ 24 hours per week.

I think I am going to try option #2 and see how they pan out. If they don't go anywhere I feel good to have options with my current employer. Though I feel I owe it to myself to try something new now that I will be free of really needing the money.

First world problems all around, but it is fun to be close to the end that I am thinking about this.

Also, is anyone else continued to be amazed at how little their actual savings moves the needle vs. how the market is doing? I feel like right around the COVID crash and rebound is when it happened for me. I used to update every month and you could see how savings moved the needle but now I only notice it is the market is flat for the month. Starting to feel more and more like a professional capitalist.....

How about trying out both simultaneously for a few months then picking which one you like better? Or telling your current job you're taking 3 months off and returning part-time then using that time to try out option b?

[MMMarbleheader]

I am still looking at 2025 for FIRE, I think I will try and work part time between 4% SWR and 3% SWR. I am going through what kind of part time I want.

The easiest would be to stay where I am at. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's within the commercial construction industry so it's not exactly at low stress job. However, there is a clear path within the employee handbook about benefits for part time work. 32-20 hours/week still gets full time benefits, less than 20 only 401k. I make over $80/hr now so a 24 hour a week would more than cover my expenses plus fund some lavish travel. Also, I have carved out a decent niche for myself (cost controls) that not many people want to do and kind of isolates me from the normal construction headaches.

I have two other places that I have identified that are more within something my interest have evolved to. One is a data science company that works within the realm of civil engineering with travel modeling. The other is a forestry company. I know people who work at both. I don't have direct experience in either but I think I could present myself well and sell them on my managerial skills within construction plus I have experience with databases. But the pay would probably only be in the $40/hr range and I would need to navigate the ACA. This would just about cover our yearly spending @ 24 hours per week.

I think I am going to try option #2 and see how they pan out. If they don't go anywhere I feel good to have options with my current employer. Though I feel I owe it to myself to try something new now that I will be free of really needing the money.

First world problems all around, but it is fun to be close to the end that I am thinking about this.

Also, is anyone else continued to be amazed at how little their actual savings moves the needle vs. how the market is doing? I feel like right around the COVID crash and rebound is when it happened for me. I used to update every month and you could see how savings moved the needle but now I only notice it is the market is flat for the month. Starting to feel more and more like a professional capitalist.....

How about trying out both simultaneously for a few months then picking which one you like better? Or telling your current job you're taking 3 months off and returning part-time then using that time to try out option b?

Good ideas! Thanks

[Sandi_k]

So my January promotion FINALLY showed up in the retirement estimator. Last week, I nerded out, and plotted out the pension payout for the first day of every month between now and my 60th birthday, when my pension multiplier maxes out.

For years, I have planned to retire in November 2025, as that would give DH three years of COBRA healthcare before Medicare eligibility. Then I moved it up a few months, to my 60th birthday. With the new figures, I've decided that I am advancing retirement by another 3 months. The hit is about $330 per month, or about $4k annually.

But I will get a COLA in July 2026 which will eliminate that penalty, which I would not get if I delayed the retirement date to September of November, as originally planned.  So I take a hit in Year One, but recover it in Year Two.

All that to say…my new planned retirement date is 7-1-25! Which means - for the first time since I started working a W-2 job at age 16 - I WILL HAVE THE SUMMER OFF!! That's 42 years of continuous employment - and even longer than that if you account for the babysitting I did, starting at age 12.

Retiring in July 2025 means I will also have my birthday OFF - which I cannot get this year, as we have a Board meeting and our annual conference scheduled on my birthday + 2 days after.

I am really excited at thinking of all the dates that will be MINE now. Fourth of July....Labor Day.....my birthday....our anniversary!....DH's birthday.....Thanksgiving!!.....Christmas!

Woot!

[grantmeaname]

Good stuff! Will you spend your summer of freedom at the campground, or the pool, or in the garden...?

[Turtle]

Congratulations!  That's awesome!

(You sound like me when I realized I didn't need to go all the way up to October of 2027.)

[SaucyAussie]

July 1 sounds like a really good date.

[weebs]

All that to say…my new planned retirement date is 7-1-25! Which means - for the first time since I started working a W-2 job at age 16 - I WILL HAVE THE SUMMER OFF!! That's 42 years of continuous employment - and even longer than that if you account for the babysitting I did, starting at age 12.

W00t indeed.  That's a well earned Independence Day. Congrats!

[Sandi_k]

Good stuff! Will you spend your summer of freedom at the campground, or the pool, or in the garden...?

Traveling and jet skiing. Camping. Paying better attention to my health and fitness. Trying a better meal plan.

You know - the usual. ;)

[Sandi_k]

All that to say…my new planned retirement date is 7-1-25! Which means - for the first time since I started working a W-2 job at age 16 - I WILL HAVE THE SUMMER OFF!! That's 42 years of continuous employment - and even longer than that if you account for the babysitting I did, starting at age 12.

W00t indeed.  That's a well earned Independence Day. Congrats!

Ha! I hadn't even made that connection. Thank you for the grin. ;)