I did the same thing. "In a couple more weeks/months I'll never have to deal with it again" what I kept telling myself. When you retire let me know and the bell will be ringing for you. Take care. Steve
4 more days means you might be retired now. Congrats!! Your right once I decided it was pretty much over for me. Kind of went through the motions and did the best I could till the big day. Hard to keep going in knowing I no longer had to be there. Next Tuesday the bell will be ringing for you. Take care and enjoy it. Steve
If you plan to retire at the end of the year, please review your employee handbook. There was a sentence in ours that stated, If you we not an employee on the last day of the year, you DID NOT get your 401K matching funds. Thus I retired on Jan 2.
Max out the FSA if you're planning to quit early in the year. The company has to front the money for the whole year. They won't be able to take it out of your paycheck after you're gone.
Exactly what I did also. Got a copy of my plan rules and went over it before I did anything. Did the same for my pension also. Talked about it in a couple earlier videos. Pays to read over it and get help with anything you're not sure of. That's how I spent the first 6-9 months of my last year. Finalizing my escape. Great comment. Thanks. Steve
I'm looking at February 13th but 2026. It seems like a long way out but as we all know, time sure flies. Steve, thanks for another good video, always enjoy your videos and appreciate your insight.
That's great. You have all next year to make you escape plan. I did the same. Took that last year and double checked things, got help where I needed and was ready by those last couple months. Give me a shout when it finally happens and the bell will be ringing. Take care. Steve
My goal is April of '25. That puts me at 58-1/2 years old meaning I have a solid year to live off cash before IRA withdrawals. I gotta say, this is really, really tough. The management lot from the CEO on down have totally messed up the company I used to know and it really cheeses me off. I see almost everyone keeping their head down and mostly not making waves. I am having a hard time doing that. My new boss is clueless and it is all I can do not to bump heads. Awful way to end a career, in my opinion. Thanks for helping me to feel not so alone in it, Steve. Best.
I could have done similar and looked at a few other options but decided to go ahead and start distributions. I won't be 59.5 for another 10 months. All the time I worked I had no problem with the Management till the last 3 yrs. I had 3 different ones and each was worse than the last. Bumped heads a few times those last couple years. Glad I'm gone and love retirement. Take care. Steve
It's definitely a struggle for me. I'm SO done, but I am a person of my word and I must finish what I said I would do. Once retired, "no" will be my automatic answer for a while. LOL!
A sense of personal pride, respect or whatever you want to call it. To do what you said you'd do was something I dealt with also. Another reason I stayed to the end and done the best I could while I was there. Finish strong. When you finally have your time back "No" becomes a good word. If you're not careful you'll end up just as busy as when you were working with no time to do what you want. Take care. Steve
That's about when it hit me also. I was 55 and I made the decision to leave as soon as I could. Just hit me coming home from graveyards one morning I was done. Spent 2022 planning my escape and retired. All the planning, preparing and paperwork helped pass the time. You're close and the time will go faster than it feels like. Take care and all the best. Steve
2-28-25 is my last day @56. A little sooner than I planned but, there was a story a few weeks ago about a woman that was found at her desk four days after she died. That did it... I'm done.
I saw that story. Unreal!! Gives you something to think about for sure when planning to retire. Once you find your groove and settle in a bit retirement is great. Put you down for a March bell ringing. Congrats and take care. Steve
Just over 6 weeks (33 workdays) left for me. My last day of work is Nov 8th. I get my final normal payday on 30 Nov, and my first pension check about the 25th of every month, December 25th being the first deposit. Since my Social Security starts in Dec, my first Social Security direct deposit is Jan 8th (second Wednesday of the month).
After a few years being retired you get to look back at everything you've been able to do since. Makes pulling the plug the best thing you've done. I bet you both were ready and have enjoyed every second of retirement. Good for Y'all. Take care. Steve
I retired at 66 about 5 years ago. I gave almost a year notice. That last year at work, management left me alone and just let me do my job. It was great to have no stress for that year working in a high stress company.
Another great topic, Steve. It’s tough to navigate the timeline once you set a date to retire. I’m counting down by months, right now. When I get down to three months, I’ll start counting down by weeks. And finally, once I’m down to the last month, I’ll start counting down by days. For now, I just approach my job the same way every day. 😊
I tried to go about my job like always but towards the end it got rough to do. If I hadn't built up that habit of going in everyday and doing what needed to be done I'd left earlier. Kind of felt personally obligated to myself to leave when I said I would and not before.That last year went kind of fast for me. I hit a slow period in the summer but then it sped up again especially with only a couple months left. Take care. Steve
Same happened to me. Got hard to keep going in once I no longer needed to be there. My work ethic really took a hit those last few months. Take care. Steve
I've set my last day of March 14 next year just before I turn 55. It will be a weird feeling to stop working but then again, in 2008 I was laid off and during that time I felt some excitement of the freedom from the 9-5 being "retired" for 6 months. When HR rep called to tell me the "good news", I fell silent and she felt "some hesitation" from me. I don't know why I'm feeling a sense of doubt this time, but I've made up my mind. It's been harder getting up to go to work lately as I look forward to the date.
are you gonna use the "rule of 55" to access your 401k early without penalty ? ...as long as you quit any time during the calender year that you turn 55 you can use it , if your company's plan offers it of course .... best of luck and enjoy !
@@70qq Thank you for the tip and for wishing me well. The American folks around this channel can find that real useful! I'm Canadian and here in Canada we have the 401k equivalent which is the RRSP. There is no penalty for withdrawing from this account before age 55 - only income taxes (except that we lose our yearly accumulating contribution room equal to the amount that we take out). I will withdraw my RRSP to fund my final year in Canada before permanently settling abroad.
I hear that about the layoffs. Went through a few myself and felt the same way. When you work for as long as we did it becomes a habit and a hard one to break. Takes a little time and work to become comfortable with the idea. From now till the first of the year you'll be busy with holiday happenings after that it'll be just a matter of weeks and you're retired. Congrats and enjoy it. The bell will be ringing for you the first Tuesday in April. Take care and all the best in retirement. Steve
Most people associate collecting Social Security with quitting working? Not me. I want to retire early but continue to stay active for my well being, both physically and financially. I feel the excitement of the last few months before starting to receive checks for the rest of my life, and it FEELS GREAT!
Retiring and SS go hand in hand for most and I was one of them. Just got fed up with it all and retired a little earlier than I thought I would. Good for you wanting to and were able to retire early. That's a great accomplishment. Also a good idea to work on your physical health and staying active. It will payoff down the road big time for you. Sounds like you are on the road to a great retirement. When you've made your mind up and ready to get the feeling of freedom and excitement is fantastic. Thanks and take care. Steve
Helloooo Steve. Well, this is timely. I am in my last week. I have worked for the same company for the last 38 years. I gave them 15 weeks notice. Spent most of it cross training my team. You can pass on knowledge but can’t pass on experience. But it’s not my problem now. I heard yesterday that the company is having a restructure. Well thats not going to help. It’s a lovely feeling that none of it will be my problem now. My wife is placing bets that they will try to call me back in or at least they will be calling me for advice. But I don’t think they will. They will forget I was ever there in no time at all.
yep ... we are just spokes in the wheel ... theyll replace the spoke and the wheel keeps on rolling ... the sayings are true - "if you die , your employer will have your job posted before youre in the ground" - and - "the cemetery is full of irreplaceable people"
Congratulations!! You should be retired now. 38 years is a long time especially at one company. It takes a little time to adjust and figure things out so be patient. When you do you're going to love retirement. Congrats and the bell will be ringing Tuesday, Take care and enjoy. Steve
I’m going to roll over my 401k into an IRA a good 6 months before I retire. You can do that once you are 591/2. I’m retiring at the end of next year. When I finally took a really good look at it, it flipped a switch in my brain. I’m less patient with the dumb stuff that happens at work and I have a year to go lol.
Some things I know nothing about because they didn't fit my situation and that was one of them. Great comment! hopefully it can help someone else in that situation. When that switch flips it gets hard to keep going in. I spent the first 6-9 months of that last year planning my escape. Those last 3 months was pretty much just waiting for the big day. That's when it got rough. Take care. Steve
My generation was taught to work, work, work without taking time to enjoy life (even when you would take that week off - co-workers would say 'must be nice' dang you get vacation too thanks for ruining mine. I think the dynamic is changing, and that is for the better - let work be a part of your life and not your whole life.
I was taught the same but I worked because I had to. Needed the money and the benefits. Once I no longer had to I retired. That work, work, work teaching is what I had trouble with and why I stayed longer than I had to. Gave me a lot of problems when I first retired. Didn't feel right or that I deserved to be retired. I was fairly young and healthy I should be working. Thanks. Steve
Thanks and enjoy your videos. I am giving my notice in about 6 days. I have about 25 yrs with my employer and am determined to do a good job til that last day.
Good for you. I felt the same way. I tried to do the same job as I always did right till the end. Just got harder to go in once I realized I no longer had to. That desire to do leave when I said I would and not before and to finish strong helped keep me there to the end.Give me a shout when the big day arrives and the bell will be ringing for you. Take care and all the best. Steve
It sounds like retiring early is a major goal lot of us are actively working toward, and seeing your plans come to fruition must be incredibly rewarding! With the groundwork you've already laid-such as your dividend strategy, investments in VOO, QQQ, SCHD, and individual stocks, as well as your intention to move your 401a to a Roth IRA-you’re on a solid path. Is there a particular aspect of your plan you'd like to focus on next? Whether it's optimizing your dividend strategy or planning the move to another country.
Retiring early was never a goal of mine just happened by accident. Saved, invested, lived below our means, kept an eye on expenses and debt for decades and got lucky. No plans to focus on any financial moves just learning to enjoy life without working. No way I would ever move to another country. Thanks. Steve
My husband's trucking job runs on two bid cycles per year, with the bids starting middish July and middish January. They never know the exact date until a couple of weeks before, at most. He's going to the end of this bid cycle and we predict his last day to be January 10, but it could be a week sooner or a week later. With the time he's taking off between now and then we figure he has about 11 weeks left. It feels like so long, but we know we'll look back on it and realize the time flew right by. I should have said "last" day because he plans to keep working very part time to augment our fixed income and delay taking from his retirement accounts for a couple more years. They really don't want him to leave and are totally on board with him staying part time.
Retirement is both a scary and exciting time. We're worried about the future and if we've done enough. But the excitement of retiring is uncontrollable. A fellow I worked with told me everyday felt like a week his last few weeks. The closer it gets the faster the time flies. Won't be as long as it feels and he'll be retired and enjoying it. Part time after retiring is a great idea I think. Gives you a chance to ease into retirement a little at a time. Thought about doing the same myself. Thought it would make the transition easier. Take care and all the best. Steve
It can be hard to keep going in when you know you no longer have to. That 40 yr. habit I built over the years of getting up everyday and heading in helped. Staying busy during the holidays helped also. Of course I did feel an obligation to retire when I said and not before. Can't say that made it any easier but I felt better doing what I said I would. Thanks. Steve
That puts you in the first class of the new year. Always a big month for club membership. Congrats!! Only a few short months and your time will be yours again and you'll love it. The bell will be ringing the first Tuesday in Jan. for you. Take care. Steve
@@retirementcorner Thank you Steve. I'm getting to the finish line with your help but lotta smoke coming out and leakin' a bit of oil too. Looking forward to that Tuesday.
No kidding? Man that's great. I had to have a form filled out and notarized in order to change the survivor benefit to 100% from 50%. To get an estimate and have a packed sent out I had to call them. They never answered and always had to leave a voicemail for them to get back to me. Same when they stopped withholding taxes last year. Call and leave a message. Wasn't too bad just a hassle and glad I gave myself plenty of time to deal with any trouble that might have popped up. Good for you. Take care and you're going to love being retired. Steve
Thank you so much for this topic. Im so over everything at work. Was going to retire end of November 2025 but have moved up date to February 2025. So wish I could go tomorrow.
@@lorimcmahon407 I know my wife had her “last bad day” about eight weeks ago. She said she really just wanted to be done. So we did. Zero regrets so far!
I don't know if it's because we are just getting older or the fact we can see retirement as possible and fast approaching. Those last few years can be a struggle. February is fast approaching hang in there and you'll be retired in no time. All the best and take care. Steve
You got it whipped now. Come Thanksgiving the time really goes fast I thought. Before you know it you'll be retired and loving it. Congrats! Take care. Steve
Those last couple months are hard to deal with when you know you don't have to. Hang in there. With about 6 weeks to go it will be over before you know it and you'll be retired and loving it. When you go give me a shout and the bell will be ringing for you. Take care. Steve
I took half my 401k out of my company plan at 59 1/2 due to limited investment options. I am working but I’m not sure how much longer I will continue to do so.
It's good you are thinking ahead about it. Our 401k plan rules didn't allow a partial rollover. All at once or a 10yr. payout. I was 57 anyway so my situation was a little different. Stay working as long as you want and feel like it. Better to be as sure as possible that it's what you want to do than retire and wish you hadn't. It got harder for me to stay once I realized I no longer had to be there. Take care. Steve
Exactly what I'm using to get my withdrawals. I could have rolled my 401k into an IRA but I needed the money to live on. By rolling it I'd got hit with a 10% penalty for early withdrawals. Keeping it in my 401k till 59.5 allows me to avoid that penalty. Next summer I'll roll it and won't have that penalty in 2026. Thanks. Steve
Became eligible for full retirement 4 years ago, but I liked my job and get a 10% bump in my pension at 62 in 2 years. Last month they changed the computer system and then completely changed our vehicle maintenance schedule to some sort of AI that schedules when vehicles are brought in. Doesn't work with 37 year old vehicles. Not even my supervisor likes it. It is going to make these last two years miserable. Hope I will hold out. Postal Service mechanic if anyone is wondering.
Man that's great to hear. Eligible for full retirement and that pension bump will big huge when you decide to retire. Retiring when it's best for you is always the best decision. Went through the same kind of situation my last 3 years at work with all the changes going on. Ultimately helped make my decision to retire easier. Left a few dollars on the table but for me it has been well worth it. Take care. Steve
Tore my Achilles Tendon 3 months before my retirement date. By the time I got healed up and the safety team gave me the ok to return to work, I only had a month left. It was ruff! Then my dumb ass worked part-time for 2 more months. 😏
OUCH! That's rough. A few years ago I injured both mine at the same time. Not tore but stretched and injured. Pure miserable for a couple months as I kept going in. Walking was almost impossible. Ace bandages, high top boots tied as tight as I could and shuffled more than took a step. Hit the lip of a floor drain once and fell. Used a cane when I wasn't at work, actually could have used a walker. Glad you got over it. Take care. Steve
I saw your 5 months to go video. Sounds like you're set up nice and going to love it. Down to crunch time now and you just have to get through the holidays and you're retired. Congrats and enjoy it. Take care. Steve
I don't have a specific end date yet, but definitely some time in 2025. The earlier, the better! It is really difficult to work every day when you are toast! 😮
To keep going in is hard once you've got your mind set. 2025 is just around the corner and you'll be a short-timer then. In no time you'll be retired and enjoying life. Take your time and go when you are ready. Take care. Steve
When I purchased my first automatic car, I started to resent changing gear until the new car was ready. Now I'm retiring in December, and it's September. It's difficult, because everything is just finishing and handover.
Those last few months just wrapping up can make it drag on and seem like forever. Fortunately being a "Factory Flunkie" I didn't have that problem. They couldn't fill my position till I actually retired so there was no finishing, handing over or training to be done. Did the same thing everyday I always had. Made them a little easier to survive. Hang in there. Less than 100 days and you'll be retired and loving every minute of it. Take care. Steve
Just before the holiday season. Great time to retire. You get to spend it unrushed and can really enjoy the time. Put you down for a Nov. bell ringing. Congrats and enjoy it. Steve
For me the summer months slowed down a little. Those last couple it sped up and went fairly fast. Staying busy with the holidays and finalizing my escape plans helped I believe. Once you get through the holidays you'll be retired in no time. Hang in there and take care. Steve
Exactly how I felt. My last day was Jan.31st but I was subject to leave at anytime starting around Nov. 1st. Hard to keep going in knowing I no longer had to be there. Won't be long now and you'll be retired. Take care. Steve
That's what you have to do. "Eyes on the Prize" kind of thing. It gets hard to do when retirement is in sight. At least for me it did but I hung in there till the end. Thanks. Steve
You must enroll in Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) in order to draw your Social Security, it is free. If you opt out of Part B coverage, presently at 174.50 per month (doctors, testing, out patient services, ect.) you won't be charged or penalized .... BUT, if you decide to enroll later in part B they will charge you 10% more for each year that you opted out.
Mostly right but social security is separate from Medicare. Medicare is at age 65 if you are no longer working with company provided healthcare. Social security can be taken anytime between 62 and 70.
My mom retired on medical leave also about 20yrs. or so ago. Worked with a few guys that had shoulder surgery or joints replaced then retired. Hope all is well with you now. Take care and thanks. Steve
That's a great idea. Be handing during the colder months when it gets dark early. Kick back with some snacks and enjoy a movie or two before bedtime. Congrats and enjoy it. Put you both down for the first class of the new year bell ringing. Take care and enjoy it. Steve
Ive got 182 days.83 workin days.Really nailed this one Steve gets tuff counting down.Id leave sooner but id loose 63$ on my pention plus a penalty around 96 $ more. Leavin March 24 2025 31 years papermill Covington VA
What's a couple months for an extra $160/mnth. Good choice.The closer I got the more the excitement grew. Just got hard to keep going in knowing I didn't have to be there. Got you down for an April bell ring. Come the first of the year the time will past fairly quick. Take care. Steve
3 more months for me. Every time something at work annoys me, I think to myself: “This is why I’m quitting, right here.”
I’m right there with you! 😉
5 months to go for me
Same…can’t come soon enough
I did the same thing. "In a couple more weeks/months I'll never have to deal with it again" what I kept telling myself. When you retire let me know and the bell will be ringing for you. Take care. Steve
Man these last several months was really hard, but I am down to 4 more days. Once you decide part of you has already left the job.
4 more days means you might be retired now. Congrats!! Your right once I decided it was pretty much over for me. Kind of went through the motions and did the best I could till the big day. Hard to keep going in knowing I no longer had to be there. Next Tuesday the bell will be ringing for you. Take care and enjoy it. Steve
If you plan to retire at the end of the year, please review your employee handbook. There was a sentence in ours that stated, If you we not an employee on the last day of the year, you DID NOT get your 401K matching funds. Thus I retired on Jan 2.
Max out the FSA if you're planning to quit early in the year. The company has to front the money for the whole year. They won't be able to take it out of your paycheck after you're gone.
Exactly what I did also. Got a copy of my plan rules and went over it before I did anything. Did the same for my pension also. Talked about it in a couple earlier videos. Pays to read over it and get help with anything you're not sure of. That's how I spent the first 6-9 months of my last year. Finalizing my escape. Great comment. Thanks. Steve
143 days. February 14th should be my last day at the plant. Thanks Steve!
Feb. 3 for me. Congrats to u.
I'm looking at February 13th but 2026. It seems like a long way out but as we all know, time sure flies.
Steve, thanks for another good video, always enjoy your videos and appreciate your insight.
Congratulations!
That's great. You have all next year to make you escape plan. I did the same. Took that last year and double checked things, got help where I needed and was ready by those last couple months. Give me a shout when it finally happens and the bell will be ringing. Take care. Steve
@@retirementcorner I sure will. Thanks Steve
My goal is April of '25. That puts me at 58-1/2 years old meaning I have a solid year to live off cash before IRA withdrawals.
I gotta say, this is really, really tough. The management lot from the CEO on down have totally messed up the company I used to know and it really cheeses me off.
I see almost everyone keeping their head down and mostly not making waves. I am having a hard time doing that. My new boss is clueless and it is all I can do not to bump heads. Awful way to end a career, in my opinion.
Thanks for helping me to feel not so alone in it, Steve. Best.
I could have done similar and looked at a few other options but decided to go ahead and start distributions. I won't be 59.5 for another 10 months. All the time I worked I had no problem with the Management till the last 3 yrs. I had 3 different ones and each was worse than the last. Bumped heads a few times those last couple years. Glad I'm gone and love retirement. Take care. Steve
Generally by the time you’ve decided to leave, it’s because things have gone wrong. Very few people actually end on a pleasant note.
@@dforrest4503 Damn shame, that is. An excellent observation though.
It's definitely a struggle for me. I'm SO done, but I am a person of my word and I must finish what I said I would do. Once retired, "no" will be my automatic answer for a while. LOL!
A sense of personal pride, respect or whatever you want to call it. To do what you said you'd do was something I dealt with also. Another reason I stayed to the end and done the best I could while I was there. Finish strong. When you finally have your time back "No" becomes a good word. If you're not careful you'll end up just as busy as when you were working with no time to do what you want. Take care. Steve
I’m 2-3 years away from pulling the plug and I’m already so DONE with Corporate America I could scream! Going to be a LONG few years…….😂
I hear ya, 2 1/2 more years for me.
2 years 8 months. I’ve had enough.
That's about when it hit me also. I was 55 and I made the decision to leave as soon as I could. Just hit me coming home from graveyards one morning I was done. Spent 2022 planning my escape and retired. All the planning, preparing and paperwork helped pass the time. You're close and the time will go faster than it feels like. Take care and all the best. Steve
You are a nice young man. Don't let anyone dim your sparkle.
Thanks for the kind words. Take care. Steve
2-28-25 is my last day @56. A little sooner than I planned but, there was a story a few weeks ago about a woman that was found at her desk four days after she died. That did it... I'm done.
I saw that story. Unreal!! Gives you something to think about for sure when planning to retire. Once you find your groove and settle in a bit retirement is great. Put you down for a March bell ringing. Congrats and take care. Steve
Just over 6 weeks (33 workdays) left for me. My last day of work is Nov 8th. I get my final normal payday on 30 Nov, and my first pension check about the 25th of every month, December 25th being the first deposit. Since my Social Security starts in Dec, my first Social Security direct deposit is Jan 8th (second Wednesday of the month).
Man that's a nice setup. You never miss a paycheck of some kind. Great job. Got you down for a Dec. bell ring. Congrats and enjoy it. Take care. Steve
We were ready! No regrets and we still love it!
After a few years being retired you get to look back at everything you've been able to do since. Makes pulling the plug the best thing you've done. I bet you both were ready and have enjoyed every second of retirement. Good for Y'all. Take care. Steve
I retired at 66 about 5 years ago. I gave almost a year notice. That last year at work, management left me alone and just let me do my job. It was great to have no stress for that year working in a high stress company.
I bet that was a great last year of working. I only gave 3 months notice. My stress didn't drop till about then. Thanks and take care. Steve
Another great topic, Steve. It’s tough to navigate the timeline once you set a date to retire. I’m counting down by months, right now. When I get down to three months, I’ll start counting down by weeks. And finally, once I’m down to the last month, I’ll start counting down by days. For now, I just approach my job the same way every day. 😊
I tried to go about my job like always but towards the end it got rough to do. If I hadn't built up that habit of going in everyday and doing what needed to be done I'd left earlier. Kind of felt personally obligated to myself to leave when I said I would and not before.That last year went kind of fast for me. I hit a slow period in the summer but then it sped up again especially with only a couple months left. Take care. Steve
This is so true. I’d always had a good work ethic. I was so burned out towards the end, it was hard to give a s$&t about anything.
Same happened to me. Got hard to keep going in once I no longer needed to be there. My work ethic really took a hit those last few months. Take care. Steve
I've set my last day of March 14 next year just before I turn 55. It will be a weird feeling to stop working but then again, in 2008 I was laid off and during that time I felt some excitement of the freedom from the 9-5 being "retired" for 6 months. When HR rep called to tell me the "good news", I fell silent and she felt "some hesitation" from me. I don't know why I'm feeling a sense of doubt this time, but I've made up my mind. It's been harder getting up to go to work lately as I look forward to the date.
are you gonna use the "rule of 55" to access your 401k early without penalty ? ...as long as you quit any time during the calender year that you turn 55 you can use it , if your company's plan offers it of course .... best of luck and enjoy !
@@70qq Thank you for the tip and for wishing me well. The American folks around this channel can find that real useful! I'm Canadian and here in Canada we have the 401k equivalent which is the RRSP. There is no penalty for withdrawing from this account before age 55 - only income taxes (except that we lose our yearly accumulating contribution room equal to the amount that we take out). I will withdraw my RRSP to fund my final year in Canada before permanently settling abroad.
I hear that about the layoffs. Went through a few myself and felt the same way. When you work for as long as we did it becomes a habit and a hard one to break. Takes a little time and work to become comfortable with the idea. From now till the first of the year you'll be busy with holiday happenings after that it'll be just a matter of weeks and you're retired. Congrats and enjoy it. The bell will be ringing for you the first Tuesday in April. Take care and all the best in retirement. Steve
Most people associate collecting Social Security with quitting working? Not me. I want to retire early
but continue to stay active for my well being, both physically and financially. I feel the excitement
of the last few months before starting to receive checks for the rest of my life, and it FEELS GREAT!
Retiring and SS go hand in hand for most and I was one of them. Just got fed up with it all and retired a little earlier than I thought I would. Good for you wanting to and were able to retire early. That's a great accomplishment. Also a good idea to work on your physical health and staying active. It will payoff down the road big time for you. Sounds like you are on the road to a great retirement. When you've made your mind up and ready to get the feeling of freedom and excitement is fantastic. Thanks and take care. Steve
Helloooo Steve. Well, this is timely. I am in my last week. I have worked for the same company for the last 38 years. I gave them 15 weeks notice. Spent most of it cross training my team. You can pass on knowledge but can’t pass on experience. But it’s not my problem now. I heard yesterday that the company is having a restructure. Well thats not going to help. It’s a lovely feeling that none of it will be my problem now. My wife is placing bets that they will try to call me back in or at least they will be calling me for advice. But I don’t think they will. They will forget I was ever there in no time at all.
yep ... we are just spokes in the wheel ... theyll replace the spoke and the wheel keeps on rolling ... the sayings are true - "if you die , your employer will have your job posted before youre in the ground" - and - "the cemetery is full of irreplaceable people"
Congratulations welcome to the club. Been retired since Feb 2024😊
Congratulations!! You should be retired now. 38 years is a long time especially at one company. It takes a little time to adjust and figure things out so be patient. When you do you're going to love retirement. Congrats and the bell will be ringing Tuesday, Take care and enjoy. Steve
I’m going to roll over my 401k into an IRA a good 6 months before I retire. You can do that once you are 591/2. I’m retiring at the end of next year. When I finally took a really good look at it, it flipped a switch in my brain. I’m less patient with the dumb stuff that happens at work and I have a year to go lol.
Some things I know nothing about because they didn't fit my situation and that was one of them. Great comment! hopefully it can help someone else in that situation. When that switch flips it gets hard to keep going in. I spent the first 6-9 months of that last year planning my escape. Those last 3 months was pretty much just waiting for the big day. That's when it got rough. Take care. Steve
@@retirementcorner yeah I’m in the planning stage now.😂😂😂
My generation was taught to work, work, work without taking time to enjoy life (even when you would take that week off - co-workers would say 'must be nice' dang you get vacation too thanks for ruining mine. I think the dynamic is changing, and that is for the better - let work be a part of your life and not your whole life.
I was taught the same but I worked because I had to. Needed the money and the benefits. Once I no longer had to I retired. That work, work, work teaching is what I had trouble with and why I stayed longer than I had to. Gave me a lot of problems when I first retired. Didn't feel right or that I deserved to be retired. I was fairly young and healthy I should be working. Thanks. Steve
Thanks and enjoy your videos. I am giving my notice in about 6 days. I have about 25 yrs with my employer and am determined to do a good job til that last day.
Good for you. I felt the same way. I tried to do the same job as I always did right till the end. Just got harder to go in once I realized I no longer had to. That desire to do leave when I said I would and not before and to finish strong helped keep me there to the end.Give me a shout when the big day arrives and the bell will be ringing for you. Take care and all the best. Steve
It sounds like retiring early is a major goal lot of us are actively working toward, and seeing your plans come to fruition must be incredibly rewarding! With the groundwork you've already laid-such as your dividend strategy, investments in VOO, QQQ, SCHD, and individual stocks, as well as your intention to move your 401a to a Roth IRA-you’re on a solid path.
Is there a particular aspect of your plan you'd like to focus on next? Whether it's optimizing your dividend strategy or planning the move to another country.
Retiring early was never a goal of mine just happened by accident. Saved, invested, lived below our means, kept an eye on expenses and debt for decades and got lucky. No plans to focus on any financial moves just learning to enjoy life without working. No way I would ever move to another country. Thanks. Steve
My husband's trucking job runs on two bid cycles per year, with the bids starting middish July and middish January. They never know the exact date until a couple of weeks before, at most. He's going to the end of this bid cycle and we predict his last day to be January 10, but it could be a week sooner or a week later. With the time he's taking off between now and then we figure he has about 11 weeks left. It feels like so long, but we know we'll look back on it and realize the time flew right by. I should have said "last" day because he plans to keep working very part time to augment our fixed income and delay taking from his retirement accounts for a couple more years. They really don't want him to leave and are totally on board with him staying part time.
Retirement is both a scary and exciting time. We're worried about the future and if we've done enough. But the excitement of retiring is uncontrollable. A fellow I worked with told me everyday felt like a week his last few weeks. The closer it gets the faster the time flies. Won't be as long as it feels and he'll be retired and enjoying it. Part time after retiring is a great idea I think. Gives you a chance to ease into retirement a little at a time. Thought about doing the same myself. Thought it would make the transition easier. Take care and all the best. Steve
Great work Steve
It can be hard to keep going in when you know you no longer have to. That 40 yr. habit I built over the years of getting up everyday and heading in helped. Staying busy during the holidays helped also. Of course I did feel an obligation to retire when I said and not before. Can't say that made it any easier but I felt better doing what I said I would. Thanks. Steve
Retiring on 12/31/2024 - appreciate all the good Steve advice in that deep south fine manner.
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That puts you in the first class of the new year. Always a big month for club membership. Congrats!! Only a few short months and your time will be yours again and you'll love it. The bell will be ringing the first Tuesday in Jan. for you. Take care. Steve
@@retirementcorner Thank you Steve. I'm getting to the finish line with your help but lotta smoke coming out and leakin' a bit of oil too. Looking forward to that Tuesday.
My pension from Ford Motor co literally took 10 minutes to do from an app on my phone. No paperwork
My Dad retired from FoMoCo. His job there meant a good life for our family.
Congratulations on making it to a pension!
I hope mine will go that smoothly at Chrysler!!
No kidding? Man that's great. I had to have a form filled out and notarized in order to change the survivor benefit to 100% from 50%. To get an estimate and have a packed sent out I had to call them. They never answered and always had to leave a voicemail for them to get back to me. Same when they stopped withholding taxes last year. Call and leave a message. Wasn't too bad just a hassle and glad I gave myself plenty of time to deal with any trouble that might have popped up. Good for you. Take care and you're going to love being retired. Steve
Thank you so much for this topic. Im so over everything at work. Was going to retire end of November 2025 but have moved up date to February 2025. So wish I could go tomorrow.
@@lorimcmahon407 I know my wife had her “last bad day” about eight weeks ago. She said she really just wanted to be done. So we did. Zero regrets so far!
I don't know if it's because we are just getting older or the fact we can see retirement as possible and fast approaching. Those last few years can be a struggle. February is fast approaching hang in there and you'll be retired in no time. All the best and take care. Steve
Just under 3 months to go… Surviving for sure! It’s been extremely rough.
You got it whipped now. Come Thanksgiving the time really goes fast I thought. Before you know it you'll be retired and loving it. Congrats! Take care. Steve
I have a month and a half left. I am sooooo over it and ready to be done. It’s driving me nuts. 😂 I am short on patience for the stupid things.
Those last couple months are hard to deal with when you know you don't have to. Hang in there. With about 6 weeks to go it will be over before you know it and you'll be retired and loving it. When you go give me a shout and the bell will be ringing for you. Take care. Steve
Thanks Steve good job 😎👍
These next few months a lot of people decide to retire. Just some things I went through and what it was like for me. Thanks. Steve
I took half my 401k out of my company plan at 59 1/2 due to limited investment options. I am working but I’m not sure how much longer I will continue to do so.
It's good you are thinking ahead about it. Our 401k plan rules didn't allow a partial rollover. All at once or a 10yr. payout. I was 57 anyway so my situation was a little different. Stay working as long as you want and feel like it. Better to be as sure as possible that it's what you want to do than retire and wish you hadn't. It got harder for me to stay once I realized I no longer had to be there. Take care. Steve
Look into the 55 IRS rule for 401k. You don't necessarily have to wait until 59 1/2.
Exactly what I'm using to get my withdrawals. I could have rolled my 401k into an IRA but I needed the money to live on. By rolling it I'd got hit with a 10% penalty for early withdrawals. Keeping it in my 401k till 59.5 allows me to avoid that penalty. Next summer I'll roll it and won't have that penalty in 2026. Thanks. Steve
Became eligible for full retirement 4 years ago, but I liked my job and get a 10% bump in my pension at 62 in 2 years. Last month they changed the computer system and then completely changed our vehicle maintenance schedule to some sort of AI that schedules when vehicles are brought in. Doesn't work with 37 year old vehicles. Not even my supervisor likes it. It is going to make these last two years miserable. Hope I will hold out. Postal Service mechanic if anyone is wondering.
Man that's great to hear. Eligible for full retirement and that pension bump will big huge when you decide to retire. Retiring when it's best for you is always the best decision. Went through the same kind of situation my last 3 years at work with all the changes going on. Ultimately helped make my decision to retire easier. Left a few dollars on the table but for me it has been well worth it. Take care. Steve
My last six months at USPS were brutal. My last day, I burned rubber from that place. Greatest decision I ever made was to retire at 62.
I was first to clock out and skipped through the parking lot. Was a great feeling. Great comment. Thanks. Steve
Tore my Achilles Tendon 3 months before my retirement date. By the time I got healed up and the safety team gave me the ok to return to work, I only had a month left. It was ruff! Then my dumb ass worked part-time for 2 more months. 😏
OUCH! That's rough. A few years ago I injured both mine at the same time. Not tore but stretched and injured. Pure miserable for a couple months as I kept going in. Walking was almost impossible. Ace bandages, high top boots tied as tight as I could and shuffled more than took a step. Hit the lip of a floor drain once and fell. Used a cane when I wasn't at work, actually could have used a walker. Glad you got over it. Take care. Steve
That’s me. A few months to go ❤
I saw your 5 months to go video. Sounds like you're set up nice and going to love it. Down to crunch time now and you just have to get through the holidays and you're retired. Congrats and enjoy it. Take care. Steve
I don't have a specific end date yet, but definitely some time in 2025. The earlier, the better! It is really difficult to work every day when you are toast! 😮
To keep going in is hard once you've got your mind set. 2025 is just around the corner and you'll be a short-timer then. In no time you'll be retired and enjoying life. Take your time and go when you are ready. Take care. Steve
When I purchased my first automatic car, I started to resent changing gear until the new car was ready. Now I'm retiring in December, and it's September. It's difficult, because everything is just finishing and handover.
Those last few months just wrapping up can make it drag on and seem like forever. Fortunately being a "Factory Flunkie" I didn't have that problem. They couldn't fill my position till I actually retired so there was no finishing, handing over or training to be done. Did the same thing everyday I always had. Made them a little easier to survive. Hang in there. Less than 100 days and you'll be retired and loving every minute of it. Take care. Steve
@@retirementcorner Cheers Steve, that's certainly the plan
29 working days! 😊
Just before the holiday season. Great time to retire. You get to spend it unrushed and can really enjoy the time. Put you down for a Nov. bell ringing. Congrats and enjoy it. Steve
July 1, 2025 last day!
Just happens to be "Cowbell Tuesday". You won't have to wait till August to hear the bell ring. Good planning.😂 Congrats and take care. Steve
Right on bubba.....
Thanks. Steve
What age did you retire at?
57
54 days!
Puts you sometime in Nov. don't it. Give me a shout when you get there and the bell will be ringing for you. Congrats and enjoy it. Steve
Six months to go for me. Its really starting to drag.
For me the summer months slowed down a little. Those last couple it sped up and went fairly fast. Staying busy with the holidays and finalizing my escape plans helped I believe. Once you get through the holidays you'll be retired in no time. Hang in there and take care. Steve
I’m leaving by the end of the year, and probably sooner.
Exactly how I felt. My last day was Jan.31st but I was subject to leave at anytime starting around Nov. 1st. Hard to keep going in knowing I no longer had to be there. Won't be long now and you'll be retired. Take care. Steve
Few more months for me everyday I want to tell my employer to go to hell but keeping my mind right and on target
That's what you have to do. "Eyes on the Prize" kind of thing. It gets hard to do when retirement is in sight. At least for me it did but I hung in there till the end. Thanks. Steve
You must enroll in Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) in order to draw your Social Security, it is free. If you opt out of Part B coverage, presently at 174.50 per month (doctors, testing, out patient services, ect.) you won't be charged or penalized .... BUT, if you decide to enroll later in part B they will charge you 10% more for each year that you opted out.
Mostly right but social security is separate from Medicare. Medicare is at age 65 if you are no longer working with company provided healthcare. Social security can be taken anytime between 62 and 70.
@@rodhoutx True...I didn't mention you must be age 65 about medicare. thx
Yes. Do your home on Medicare and make sure you have enough time for it to be processed!
That's something I forgot to mention. The different parts A-D. Still learning and have 7yrs. to figure it out. Thanks. Steve
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Thanks. Steve
Retirement was long ago but it started with a medical leave as I refused to take a medication to continue working. Keep up your fun vlogs.
My mom retired on medical leave also about 20yrs. or so ago. Worked with a few guys that had shoulder surgery or joints replaced then retired. Hope all is well with you now. Take care and thanks. Steve
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Thanks. Steve
My wife & I are closing our business at end of the year to retire, in celebration we’re building a beautiful in home theater
That's a great idea. Be handing during the colder months when it gets dark early. Kick back with some snacks and enjoy a movie or two before bedtime. Congrats and enjoy it. Put you both down for the first class of the new year bell ringing. Take care and enjoy it. Steve
Ive got 182 days.83 workin days.Really nailed this one Steve gets tuff counting down.Id leave sooner but id loose 63$ on my pention plus a penalty around 96 $ more.
Leavin March 24 2025 31 years papermill Covington VA
What's a couple months for an extra $160/mnth. Good choice.The closer I got the more the excitement grew. Just got hard to keep going in knowing I didn't have to be there. Got you down for an April bell ring. Come the first of the year the time will past fairly quick. Take care. Steve